CHAPTER 13
A STRANGER TO THE RESCUE
Her eyes opened slowly trying to take in her surroundings but she did not recognize one single thing that she looked at. This place, this bed, nothing about this seemed familiar. The door opened slowly as a tall dark hair man entered the room. How are you feeling, he said in a soft voice. She looked up at him with her big brown eyes that seemed lost in this moment, "DO I KNOW YOU", she said. He walked over to her and placed a tray of food by her bed, and gently took a cloth and wiped it over her forehead. "The fever seems to be gone", he said to a bewildered Erica. " Eat up and we will talk later", he said as he was walking out the door.
She knew that she should be frightened but somehow she was not. Questions seemed to come from every direction as she tried to make sense of what was going on and why she had no recollection of this man or this place. She reached over to the tray and was surprised by the pain that she felt in her entire body. "Wow, I feel like I was hit by a truck", she screamed out. "Not far off" he said as he stood in the door way once again. He moved across the room towards her and this time she could see his features but she still did not recognize him. His hair was lighter than she first recalled and he was not as tall, but he was handsome that she could not deny.
She was not sure what to do as he reached her bed, but the expression on her face told him that she was a now a little frightened. Its ok, he reassured, you are safe now. May I, he said, as he position himself next to Erica. Her face was a little bruised and had some minor scratches, but nothing that in time would not dissipate. He reached his hand up and moved the hair that had fallen in her eye, and took a deep breath; "you really are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen", he said. Erica pulled her head away from his hand to let him know that she was not comfortable with his statement.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, it's just"...He paused for a moment to try to find the words to tell her what was on his mind.
"It just that I have been taking care of you for days
now and it is amazing to see your eyes opened. I have
watched you in this bed at the brink of death. There
were nights I did not think that you were going to
come back from that place that your mind was at.
So to see you with those beautiful brown eyes looking
back at me that is enough to bring a man to his knees".
There was sincerity in his voice that told her that he was not trying to harm her and she looked back at him with a heart- wrenching smile that moved him deeply. "Let's get you out of this bed" he said as he reached for her arm to help her.
"I know that you are sore, but moving around a little
might help with the stiffness; besides it's a beautiful
day out there, let's try to enjoy it".
She opened her mouth, but he gently rubbed his finger's against her lips. The way he touched her mouth was familiar and loving to her, but her mind could not create the image behind this feeling. He still had his fingers pressed against her lips requesting her not to speak as he softly spoke to her, "there will be lots of time for questions, but not now".
It was a beautiful day indeed as the two slowly walked along the path and took in the sites. He could tell Erica was getting tired, so he suggested that they head back to the cabin and let her rest. The walk down the path seemed longer coming back than when they began and it was starting to show on Erica's tired body. She could barely manage to walk another step when he picked her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way. He opened the door to her room and gently laid her on the bed. It did not take long for Erica to fall asleep, but this time he knew that were ever her dreams took her tonight, tomorrow she would awake.
A STRANGER TO THE RESCUE
Her eyes opened slowly trying to take in her surroundings but she did not recognize one single thing that she looked at. This place, this bed, nothing about this seemed familiar. The door opened slowly as a tall dark hair man entered the room. How are you feeling, he said in a soft voice. She looked up at him with her big brown eyes that seemed lost in this moment, "DO I KNOW YOU", she said. He walked over to her and placed a tray of food by her bed, and gently took a cloth and wiped it over her forehead. "The fever seems to be gone", he said to a bewildered Erica. " Eat up and we will talk later", he said as he was walking out the door.
She knew that she should be frightened but somehow she was not. Questions seemed to come from every direction as she tried to make sense of what was going on and why she had no recollection of this man or this place. She reached over to the tray and was surprised by the pain that she felt in her entire body. "Wow, I feel like I was hit by a truck", she screamed out. "Not far off" he said as he stood in the door way once again. He moved across the room towards her and this time she could see his features but she still did not recognize him. His hair was lighter than she first recalled and he was not as tall, but he was handsome that she could not deny.
She was not sure what to do as he reached her bed, but the expression on her face told him that she was a now a little frightened. Its ok, he reassured, you are safe now. May I, he said, as he position himself next to Erica. Her face was a little bruised and had some minor scratches, but nothing that in time would not dissipate. He reached his hand up and moved the hair that had fallen in her eye, and took a deep breath; "you really are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen", he said. Erica pulled her head away from his hand to let him know that she was not comfortable with his statement.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, it's just"...He paused for a moment to try to find the words to tell her what was on his mind.
"It just that I have been taking care of you for days
now and it is amazing to see your eyes opened. I have
watched you in this bed at the brink of death. There
were nights I did not think that you were going to
come back from that place that your mind was at.
So to see you with those beautiful brown eyes looking
back at me that is enough to bring a man to his knees".
There was sincerity in his voice that told her that he was not trying to harm her and she looked back at him with a heart- wrenching smile that moved him deeply. "Let's get you out of this bed" he said as he reached for her arm to help her.
"I know that you are sore, but moving around a little
might help with the stiffness; besides it's a beautiful
day out there, let's try to enjoy it".
She opened her mouth, but he gently rubbed his finger's against her lips. The way he touched her mouth was familiar and loving to her, but her mind could not create the image behind this feeling. He still had his fingers pressed against her lips requesting her not to speak as he softly spoke to her, "there will be lots of time for questions, but not now".
It was a beautiful day indeed as the two slowly walked along the path and took in the sites. He could tell Erica was getting tired, so he suggested that they head back to the cabin and let her rest. The walk down the path seemed longer coming back than when they began and it was starting to show on Erica's tired body. She could barely manage to walk another step when he picked her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way. He opened the door to her room and gently laid her on the bed. It did not take long for Erica to fall asleep, but this time he knew that were ever her dreams took her tonight, tomorrow she would awake.