He rang the doorbell for a second time. It was seven pm on a Saturday, late but not late enough that she wouldn't answer. He looked at the documents in his hand, too many loose papers for him to try the letter box. Granted she would reorganise them anyway, but leaving them strewn across the hallway floor probably wasn't wise.
The hallway light came on and she opened the door.
"Sorry" she said. Her eyes were red and her voice was strange. Then she coughed. "Just drop them and run away. Save yourself" she moved out the way so he could drop the items on the table, which he did. He looked back at her with a frown. She was wearing white cotton shorts and a matching blouse, both slightly too big for her. Her hair was wavy and her skin had a sheen to it, skin he hadn't seen before. Her arms wrapped around herself, shivering or shaking, he wasn't sure.
"I knew you looked peaky" he said.
"Charming" she rested against the wall and closed her eyes.
"It's a hundred degrees in here. Have you drunk enough water?" He said.
"Yes, mum"
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes"
"Don't lie" he walked past her to the kitchen. "Go back to bed" he called. He heard her following him and he stopped. "Go to bed. I'm sure you've got soup here somewhere" he said.
"But I-"
"Just go" she frowned and wandered back to the stairs, concerning him with her lack of usual stubbornness.
Twenty minutes later he climbed the stairs, trying to ignore the lack of professionalism and the intimacy of his decision to help her.
The room smelt like her perfume. Her bed sheets were white and looked almost obnoxiously inviting. She was tucked in the bed and he nearly laughed at how she had fallen instantly back to sleep despite his presence in the house, laying on her side with her head resting on a pillow and arms wrapped around herself. The only part of it that really surprised him was the books, six in a stack on the bedside table and two laying on the bed
"Rachel" he said, placing a tray on her bedside table. She hummed in response. He reached for the two books on the bed.
"Don't lose my pages" she said suddenly, squinting and sitting up slightly so she was resting back on her elbows. Her voice was raspy and had that soft moan-like quality that came with sleepiness. Eddie immediately reprimanded his imagination. Then she coughed again.
"Right" he put the books down carefully. "Soup, tea, water, paracetamol and an apple. You'll be fine" he listed. She smiled in the same way she had when he had worn a tie for her. "Stop it" he warned.
"I didn't-" she laughed.
"Rachel" he warned.
"I appreciate it… I was going to call it cute but you look like you'd strangle me for it" she said leaning across so she could retrieve the bowl. Eddie's jaw clenched, telling himself that the comment was not at all suggestive and had slipped out because she wasn't currently herself and absolutely meant nothing. "Thank you, Eddie" she said sincerely.
"Yeah well, don't want you coughing all over me come Monday" he said.
"You can drop the grumpy persona you know… it's just us in here" she whispered. He gave her a withering look.
"Just… text me if you need anything" he said.
"Careful what you wish for, Mr Lawson" she smiled.
He was still thinking about her pajamas three hours later when his phone vibrated.
Thank you again x
Go to sleep, Rachel x