Love of a Stranger

Ob1MegOb1

Author's Note: Thank you to all of you that continue to read this story! Enjoy Chapter 23!

Chapter 23

(Jasmine)

The breeze was cool against my burning skin. It felt like I was burning all over from anger and so many other things. I still couldn't believe that woman had shown up here. Maybe I was angry too that Erik probably wanted to speak to her as well. Could it be that my anger against her was more out of fear that if given the chance…would Erik run back to her?

"Jasmine," William said in front of me. It made me jump which didn't happen very often. I must have been lost so much in my own thoughts that I didn't even hear him walk up. "Sorry," he said sitting down beside me putting his hand gently on mine, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You just startled me," I said softly, "I guess I wasn't really paying attention."

"I don't blame you," William muttered.

"Where's Rebecca?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"She's in the kitchen. Ev decided to join us for dinner so Rebecca is helping," I nodded my head just happy she was okay and away from all this craziness. "Jasmine?" he said a slight edge of concern in his tone, "You're shaking."

"Am I?" I said my own voice shaking, "that's actually what I was thinking about. I don't know whether to be angry or scared."

"Jasmine," William said softly.

I shook my head wiping the tears that were attempting to run down my face, "This has been a horrible day."

"Jasmine he's not going to leave," William said softly once more, "He would never do that."

Jasmine smiled sadly, "I know it's just…after all this time, I am still so unsure about him."

"Jasmine! William!" Rebecca said bounding up from the sound of it, "Dinner is ready."

"Thank you," I said wiping my face very quickly and discreetly as William and I got up.

(William)

She was struggling, and it was very plain on her features that she was upset. I looked towards the house at the window that belonged to Erik. I hoped that beyond all belief that the words I had said to her would not end up being a lie.

I stumbled a bit as I caught Jasmine who had nearly fallen. "Are you okay?" I asked quickly.

"Yes I am fine, I just tripped," she muttered putting on a false smile, "My goodness you would think you would be used to that fact by now."

And as usual when she was upset she was hiding behind her wit, but I knew her better than that. I prayed for Erik the day he would have to encounter her at her worst. But as we sat at the table and I watched her, I could tell something else was wrong.

"Will Erik be joining us?" Ev said very cordially as she sat down.

"He has an important visitor so he might be late," I jumped in immediately.

"A visitor truly?" Ev said surprised.

"Ev," Jasmine said irritably as we began to eat.

"I don't mean that in a bad way excuse me," Ev said, "it just caught me off guard was all."

We talked pleasantly after that and I had to admit it was very peaceful. For our family to be around the table again and talking. At least it would have been except that I noticed Jasmine wasn't eating.

"Jas," I asked, "are you okay?"

She shook her head, "I'm fine, just not very hungry," she said slowly getting up, "I think I might retire early today." I wasn't buying that, well maybe she would retire early only so that she might avoid everything else this evening. She slowly got up and headed toward the staircase.

I turned back to address my family, and then I saw something fall out of the corner of my eye.

(Jasmine)

It's amazing how even when you can't see you can still feel that sensation of being dizzy. I had barely left the table when it hit me, and then before I had even realized it I had fallen to my knees. Everything felt like it was burning all over my body.

"Jasmine?" I heard William say concerned. The scraping of his chair against the floor sounded so loud and blaring while his voice was so faraway. I felt his cool hand on my forehead and it felt so good that I knew something was wrong.

"My god you're burning," Willliam said worry etched in every feature of his voice. I then felt weak and started to fall but William caught me lifting me up in his arms. "Aunt Ev, she has a fever."

I then felt him going up the stairs, and it felt so hard to breathe. It was a feeling I was all too familiar with. Fevers, were something I had to fight off all my life, but recently they had disappeared entirely. But this one felt bad, and it had only just begun.

I felt William pause for a moment and I knew where he had stopped. I grabbed his jacket tugging it, "Please no."

"Jasmine," William said insistently.

"Please William no," I said just as insistently, "Please I need to lie down." Thankfully he then hurried me to my room. Erik had more important things to worry about than a run of the mill fever with me.

As William laid me on the bed the sheets felt so cool. "We need to get her out of her clothes," I heard Ev say coming in the room. "Give me a moment for that William."

As William left I felt Aunt Ev very tenderly remove my dress and shoes. She left my undergarments on and then laid me on the bed. She pulled the sheets over my entire body, and already I could feel my body beginning to warm.

"No," I said wanting to throw off the sheets.

"Things never change," Ev muttered, "Still the same as you were as a girl. You need to stay covered darling."

I heard the dripping of water, and then I shuddered as the cool rag was placed on my forehead. William came back in the room from the sound of it as he asked, "How is she?"

(William)

It was amazing how quickly she had gotten worse. I had not seen her in such a bad state in a long time. Probably was the fact that she was stressed and had been out in the rain twice yesterday. But it could not be coincidence that the moment this situation occurs with Erik and Christine that she gets sick. For some reason Jasmine's fevers had always revolved around stressful situations and this was no different.

"William," Ev said coming over, "I know you want to be here but I need you to leave."

"Forget it I'm not going to," I said insistently.

"Her body is weak and vunerable right now," Ev said, "and with your condition, the last thing we need is her catching it too."

I bit my tongue at that. That hadn't even crossed my mind at all. She was right, I couldn't stay with her, not when I was sick myself. "Then who will stay with her?" I said anxiously.

"I will stay with her," Ev said simply, "Its not the first time I have had to watch her when she was sick. And hopefully when his visitor has left, Erik can help as well."

I slowly nodded my head already knowing that was an iffy thing at best. I went outside letting out a deep sigh. "Is Jasmine okay?" Rebecca said beside me. She must have come up from the dining room because of all of the commotion.

I leaned down putting my hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry we are going to keep a close eye on her, and before you know it she will be all better."

"Shouldn't we tell Erik?" Rebecca said.

"Not now…lets wait until his visitor leaves okay?" At that Rebecca reluctantly nodded her head…and so did I. At this point we didn't really have that much choice.

(A little later)

"She's getting worse," Ev said coming out of the room, "Her fever refuses to break and I am starting to get worried. I am going to send for a physician because we cannot afford to wait anymore."

I nodded my head solemnly. This was bad…Jasmine had never had a fever like this in a long time. If it was bad enough to get a physician involved this could truly be bad. "Let me take Rebecca to bed as well," Ev said indicating the sleeping form in my lap. I had forgotten that she had laid by my side for a while now. I nodded my head slowly getting Rebecca at least to a standing form as she led her away.

I slowly made my way up the stairs and sat down across from Jasmine's room. I wanted to be in there with her so much, but it wasn't worth the risk. Jasmine's fevers tended to get very emotional and dark, dredging up old memories and hallucinations. I laid my head back as my breathing starting to labor a little. It was nothing compared to the last few hours but I just wanted to sleep more than anything. I closed my eyes and sighed maybe sleep would be kind to me tonight.

And then what felt like a few moments later somebody was shaking me gently, "William?"

I jolted up immediately recognizing the voice, "Erik?" I was taken aback by his appearance. He seemed lost and tired…his eyes faraway and his overall appearance disheveled. "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that," Erik muttered, "why are you out here?" At that my eyes immediately went to Jasmine's room.

"It's Jasmine," I said softly. His eyes went wide as I went on to explain what was going on.

(Erik)

I barely heard what he was saying to be quite honest. My mind was so jumbled and confused, that I didn't know where to stand. My meeting with Christine was still fresh in my mind, but it was slowly being overcome by my concern for Jasmine. "How bad is it?" I asked unable to keep the concern from my voice.

"Ev just sent for a physician. Her fever isn't breaking, and I'm worried Erik," he said his face for the first time showing signs of fear. "She hasn't had a fever this bad in a long time, and the last time it was this bad…it was horrible."

Without a second thought I turned towards her room. Placing my hand on the knob I paused for a moment and took a deep breath before heading inside.

I was completely taken aback by her appearance at first. She was always so strong and when I saw her in these moments of weakness it always made my heart race. She was pale and tossing and turning, her whole body shaking. I slowly walked over picking up the rag that had fallen from her forehead. As I placed my hand against her forehead I could not believe how warm she was. Even the presence of my cold hand caused her to shiver and cringe.

"I'm sorry," I muttered withdrawing it. I walked over and wrung out the rag before replacing it on her forehead. I sat down on the edge of the bed holding her burning hand. "I'm right here," I muttered.

Her hand still trembled in mine, and I still felt that edge of fear in my heart. If only there was a way I could reach her, but I knew only so well how lost fevers could make you feel. "Please," she suddenly muttered drawing my attention, "Please don't leave," her voice sounded so sad. There were so many things that could be causing that sadness. "Don't you love us?" she muttered again. Her hand gripped tightly to mine surprising me. "Don't you?" she said again.

My heart fell as she said that…."My god," I muttered slowly picking her up and holding her against my chest, "is this my fault?" She had thought I was going to leave…the stress with that along with everything else today…had I been the final thing to tear down her defenses and make her weak? Had I been the pathway for this burning sickness?

"Jasmine," I said my own voice breaking now. "I'm so sorry," I said my voice shaking.

There was a great lapse of silence between us. Her breathing was still labored and her body still trembling. And it was in that moment that I even found myself asking God to please let us make it through this night. Because even though I still couldn't say it truly aloud yet I knew that I loved her. I loved her above all others and that I would stay by her side, until the day death took one of us….preferably me before her.

She stirred in my arms her warm hand reaching up and touching my cheek. "I forgive you," she muttered. At that I felt myself breaking down inside. And that's when I knew that she was the one…because she had said the words nobody else….even some of the people I had cared about the most…had been able to say.

I held her close gently kissing her forehead, "Thank you…" I barely managed to mutter my voice was breaking so much. It was then as I kissed her that I noticed she was drenched in sweat. I quickly touched her forehead and I felt a great relief coursing through me. "William!" I called outside my voice catching a little. The door swung open and I looked at him relieved.

"Her fever is breaking finally," I said softly.

Willliam smiled gratefully, "I'll go tell Ev," he said turning to go out but then he turned back for a moment and said, "Thank you Erik." He closed the door behind him, and I leaned back smiling to myself. To my surprise a few tears rolled down my face. What was it about tonight that everybody was being so emotional?

I gently laid Jasmine back down on the bed raising the covers up to her shoulders. I went and turned off the light in the room and then laid on the other side of the bed but still faced her. Her face starting to look more and more peaceful as her fever continued to break. I smiled laying my hand on top of hers and then I closed my eyes hoping that for once sleep would be kind to me.

TBC

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