"Penfold, I'm home!"
I feel my heart beating a lot faster than normal as I arrive at the flat I share with my best friend and boyfriend, Ernest Penfold.
I hear a loud sneeze from upstairs, and I suddenly remember that I'd left Penfold to deal with a horrid cold whilst I went out on an important errand. Feeling guilty, I decide to make some tea and some apple and onion soup for him to make him feel better. Making my way into the kitchen I start working on the momentous task at hand. (Neither Penfold or I can cook very well, though –not to boast- I am a bit better at it than him.)
...
Balancing everything on a tray was much harder than Penfold made it look like. He always brought me breakfast in bed on my birthday, and he makes tray carrying look easy. I do hope he's better soon.
Using my elbow to awkwardly open his door, I walk in and notice him sitting up in his raised bed. His bed was covered in used hankies, and I made a note to bring a bin in later for that.
"Penfold, what a mess you've made in here!" I tell him, in an attempt to keep some good humour.
"Borry Chief, but bi beel awful." Penfold replies with a moan, before he suddenly coughs. Oh, the poor chap- he's got a very bad blocked nose! I smile tenderly on seeing him wipe his nose on his sleeve. I'm aware it's a disgraceful habit, not to mention disgusting, but he looks a lot more vulnerable right now. I walk further in with the tray and place it on the chest of drawers, before I sit down on his bed.
"Chief, please ban you leave? I bon't want to get bou sick."
"Nonsense, Penfold. How can I leave my love here to suffer a cold? Thye may not be serious, but they're more annoying than Jeopardy Mouse on a bad day." He smiles at me. I smile back, and then before I can stop myself, I quickly lean in and give him a quick peck.
On seeing his typical panicked look, I couldn't help but both grin and roll my eyes at the same time. That's the Penfold I love. He always seems to worry about small things. But I have learned in the past that when it comes to Penfold, sometimes the small things are more significant than they first seem.
"Penfold, I'll be fine. If I kissed your mouth or nose, I'd be in trouble." I tell him. "But I don't fancy getting myself snotty, so I'll refrain for the time being." I hand him the soup. "Eat this. It's apple and onion."
On seeing his face morph into a very detailed picture of disgust, I try hard to stifle a chuckle.
"Oh, it's not that bad. It's just soup. I've learned it can help with colds, and besides, you're not keen on chicken seeing as we work with one."
He nods in agreement, before reluctantly picking up the spoon and eying the contents suspiciously.
"Good grief," I mutter under my breath. He was still staring at it, and he refused to try a morsel. Hmm- should have gone with something a bit more standard, I think.
In the end, I gently wrestle the spoon from his fingers and feed the soup to him, like how one would nourish a young child.
He glares at me crossly, not speaking, as was the case for the last eight or nine paragraphs. He continues to eat the soup, but with each mouthful I can clearly tell he's not enjoying it. He slowly and reluctantly ploughs through the strange concoction in front of him, until he empties the bowl.
Smirking at his pout he planted on his face, as well as feeling a bit sorry for him being stuck in bed dealing with the cold, I hand him his tea and then I gently give him a hug round the neck. I hear my beloved assistant let out a tiny noise in between a whimper and a purr. (It's a strange combo, I'll admit, but hey, I know he's happy with it.)
...
I release him and he drinks his tea in quiet contentment, whilst I make one sided conversation with him (in my defence, he was dealing with a congested nose and a developing sore throat.)
"Chief, bhat bwas the errand bou went on?" He asks me suddenly, causing me to jump.
"Oh, it was- that is, I mean to say is, erm..." I hesitate, before I start fiddling with the sleeve on my suit.
That was when my boyfriend suddenly releases a massive sneeze, making me jump. His nose began leaking nasal mucus like a broken tap, and I immediately fish in my pockets for a hanky I can offer him.
"Borry, bove." He says weakly.
"Its fine, my dear." I reply nonchalantly, and promptly hand him a clean handkerchief I always carry around. "Here, use this."
"Banks." He takes it and blows his nose.
"You're welcome." I tell him. "I'll tell you what- you can find out about it once you've had some sleep. Okay? You still look really awful."
"Bell, bi beel botten, Chief." He replies in frustration.
"Aww..." I coo affectionately. I gather my little hamster in my arms and hold him. I knew he should get some rest, but I felt that giving him a cuddle would help him feel better.
Sure enough, he lets out a little sigh of pleasure. It's congested and a bit muffled with his face buried in my shoulder, but it doesn't fail to send warmth down my spine and a glow to my face.
...
Presently, I feel a dead weight on my shoulder, and I gently disengage myself from our cuddle to find out that Penfold was asleep. His philtrum was red from rubbing, his eyes watery and his nose runny-
And yet, I wouldn't change him for anything in the world, because he belongs in mine.
After I lay him down him lightly amidst his sheets, I ruffle his hair, and kiss his cheek once again. This time, the kiss lasts longer and I'm able to pour my love for the sweet little hamster that I call my soulmate into such a tiny gesture.
Because Penfold is the one who taught me that sometimes, small things have more significance than it initially appears.
Get well soon, my love.
