THE AMERICAN PATIENT

Chapter Four – Waking, Part One

Robert woke as the early morning sun infiltrated gaps in the curtains, allowing rays of light to dance around the room with the morning breeze. He opened his eyes slowly. His head was still thumping against his ears and he felt chilly. He wondered where he was momentarily, until yesterdays activities came back to him. He was at Elizabeth's, in her guest room and Elizabeth was lying next to him.

Wait, rewind that last bit... Yep, Elizabeth was lying next to him!

She was led on her side curled into him, a hand lying casually across his chest. He turned his head to look at her.

'My God you're beautiful,' he thought. He had a vague recollection of an early morning wake up call for medication, he remembered going to the bathroom, but after that it all got terribly fuzzy. So he was left to wonder how it was, that this, in his eyes Goddess, lay slumbering beside him. He didn't want to know he decided because it might be a dream from which he might suddenly wake up from. So he continued to lie there, completely motionless; too scared to move despite his body's aching stiff joints, for fear that he, or she would waken, and she'd start her usual routine of tolerating him.

They lay together like that for some time, until a child's happy babblings carried on the air shattering the peace. Elizabeth woke instantly, the mother in her immediately gauging how her child was. Ella let out a giggle and Elizabeth automatically smiled and relaxed. Robert kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep, unsure of what to say or do. He expected her to get up and slip away as fast as she could, but he detected no movement from her whatsoever. Then, the hand left his chest and he felt her body begin to shift.

She's leaving.

She placed a hand on his forehead to feel if he was still fevered. He was.

"Robert, wake up, it's time for more ibuprofen." She moved her hand from his forehead and cupped his cheek rocking him gently.

Robert opened his eyes and turned to look at her. She was still lying on her side, propped up on an elbow. She was smiling at him and despite his uncertainty, he could not help but smile back.

"Hey, there you are. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Err, pretty crappy if I'm honest, but better than last night," he said, keeping his voice as neutral as he could. She was acting like they woke up together all the time and he was confused, unsure of his footing and he didn't like the feeling.

"Right, well lets take your temperature then." She reached over for the thermometer, sat up and turned back to him. "Come on then you know what to do."

He eyed her warily, before obediently turning his head to one side allowing her access to his ear.

"100.76, you're definitely on the mend, but as your doctor I suggest you take it easy today," she said, still sitting beside him. She was so close he just wanted to reach out and touch her face, to pull her back down next to him. Instead he opted for the familiar and looked from her to himself, then to the bed, raising an eyebrow, before looking pointedly back at her.

"I see you took my advice on improving your bedside manner to heart," he said in a low seductive voice.

She blushed and smiled abashedly, but did not snark back at him as he had expected her to. Something was not right.

"Lizzie, have I woke up in the twilight zone or something?" he blurted out. "Last night you're dropping me on my ass for a comment like that, and today I wake up with you sleeping next to me. What's going on?"

"I thought you were asleep until a moment ago?" Elizabeth said wearing a knowing smirk.

Damn, the woman doesn't miss a trick.

"Well I may have woken up and fallen back to sleep," he squirmed having been caught out.

"Nothing is going on Robert, you were a bit ropey when you came back from the bathroom so I stayed to make sure you were okay and fell asleep. Okay?" She stood up then, reached for the bottle of ibuprofen and extracted two before turning back to Robert. "Here, take these. I'm going to go and get Ella up."

He took the pills and swallowed them before collapsing back down onto the pillow.

'Okay,' he thought to himself, 'let's just play this one by ear and try not to do anything stupid.'

Elizabeth reappeared with Ella in her arms a few moments later. "Hey sweetie, say hello to Robert. He's feeling a bit poorly so we're going to look after him until he's better."

Robert waved a hand at Ella and said "Hi." Ella giggled and waved back.

"Right then. Breakfast. What would you like Robert?" Elizabeth asked.

"Erm, think I'll just stick to toast if that's okay. Am I allowed to get up then, Doctor Corday?"

Elizabeth laughed over her shoulder, all ready heading out of the door. "If you're up to it."

He looked around the room, then at himself. Gingerly he swung his legs off the bed and stood up, slowly transferring his weight. He was up. Carefully he made his way downstairs, following the sound of merriment to the kitchen, where he stood observing the scene for a time. Elizabeth was swinging her hips in time to a tune on the radio, and Ella sat in her high chair squashing banana into her hair. He stood just inside of the doorway committing the picture to his memory, feeling honoured to be witness to such a scene.

Elizabeth jigged around and noticed Robert standing in the doorway. He was leaning on the partition watching her and she felt herself blush. He looked less flushed in the face and appeared stronger. He was still bare-chested and she took in the broad shoulders, strong arms and well-defined chest and stomach muscles.

"Let me get you a clean shirt," she said quickly and chastised herself. 'Pull yourself together woman, you'd think you'd never seen the male body before!'

She ducked in and out of the utility room, and tossed him a clean t-shirt, which he caught and looked at sceptically. "Chicago Bears! I'm not putting that on!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Cause I'm from Philadelphia!"

"You're not from Chicago?"

"Yeah, that's why I just said I was from Philadelphia!"

"Oh, just put it on already!"

"No."

"Robert..."

"Lizzie, would you put on a French football shirt?" Elizabeth flinched at the suggestion. "No, didn't think so – I'm not wearing it."

"Fine."

She disappeared back into the utility room before emerging with another t- shirt and a huge grin on her face. She tossed the garment to Robert who caught it automatically.

"Lizzie, this is pink!"

"So?" She stared at him defiantly, the challenge dangling in the air.

Robert looked down at the two shirts in his hands, back up to Elizabeth and back down to the shirts. Shrugging his shoulders, he threw the Bears one onto the counter top and pulled the pink t-shirt over his head.

"How'd I look?" he asked pulling it down over his chest.

Elizabeth laughed at him. "Suits you sir! Think we may have just found your colour!" she said turning back to the coffee machine.

Robert poked his tongue out at Elizabeth and Ella giggled and smiled shyly at him. He trudged in and took a seat at the island next to her and smiled back at her.

"You up to juice?" Elizabeth asked. Robert nodded still smiling at Ella. Elizabeth turned back around and carried on putting together toast and cereal. She turned back when Ella burst into giggles and Robert chuckled. "What are you two up to?" They looked at each other all conspiratorial and Robert winked at Ella who giggled again and put a finger to her lips. "Secret mommy."

"One night in my house Robert and you turn my daughter against me?"

Robert shrugged his shoulders then put a hand to his mouth and coughed. Elizabeth placed toast and juice in front of him before turning to get her bowl of cereal and her coffee. She sat herself opposite him and they ate in silence, Elizabeth occasionally looking up as Ella would giggle and Robert would try his best to look innocent.

He ate as much as he could before pushing the plate away, and muttered a thank you.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Elizabeth asked, her tone clearly disapproving.

"It's all I feel like," he said in a grouchy voice. His head was beginning to hurt again and he was cold. He looked up at her. "So, what have you got planned for your week off?"

"Nothing really, just going to hang out with Ella." She smiled at her daughter then, who beamed back.

"So how long are you planning on keeping me hostage?" he asked.

"Until you're better."

"I may not get better then," Robert said quietly, looking down at the unfinished toast. Elizabeth heard him though and looked at him and noted he was shivering.

She stood up. "Come on, it's back to bed for you."

He looked up at her, the strain evident in his face. He'd thought to argue, but to be honest his energy was sapping fast.

"Wait there," she said and picked up Ella. She carried her into the lounge and deposited her in front of the T.V and turned on the Disney Channel. As she turned back, Robert was at the foot of the stairs looking a little unsteady on his feet.

"What part of 'wait there' did you not understand?" she scolded him.

She automatically put her arm around him, just as he stumbled and helped him back up to the guest room. She got him onto the bed and pulled the sheets up around him.

"Try and get some sleep, okay? You need to rest."

Robert looked at her with droopy eyes and mouthed 'thank you'.

She was about to leave when she had a thought. Shaking him she said, "Do you want me to go by yours and pick you up some things? You know, maybe some clothes that aren't coloured pink?"

He chuckled a little. "If it's not too much trouble?"

She looked at him impatiently, so he carried on. "Well, you've already got my keys, address is on my licence in my wallet. Err, I dunno jeans, t- shirt, toothbrush..."

"I get the picture Robert. Oh what about that bear of a dog of yours?"

He closed his eyes and turned his head away from her.

"Gretel died last year," he said sorrowfully.

"Oh, I'm sorry Robert."

"Yeah."

She was reminded of just how much she didn't know about him and felt a twinge of shame. All she seemed to have done their whole 'relationship' was take. He'd loved that dog she knew and he must have been really upset when she died, and she hadn't even noticed, or worse still...she had noticed, but hadn't cared enough to ask. She felt awful.

"Get some sleep okay?" she said sadly and left.

He closed his eyes in answer and drifted off.

TBC

Please don't hate me for killing Gretel.