Secrets, Lies, and Deception

Chapter 15: The Sick and The Café

"NATE!" I shouted, banging the door wide open.

"Na--" I was to shout his name again when I saw him sleeping soundly on his bed.

I suddenly remembered what his aunt told me when we bumped into one another at the pharmacy. She explained to me that she isn't really his aunt. She's like Mrs. Gibbs, the owner of the apartment building. She told me that she only visits Nate once or twice a week, so she didn't know that he has been suffering from the flu lately. She only knew about it this morning. Learning about this, I immediately rushed to his apartment. I didn't even know that I remember how to get here.

I grabbed a chair and pulled it beside his bed. I observed him as he was sleeping so peacefully. Looking at him, he doesn't seem to have the flu, but suddenly he coughed, and he woke up.

"Luna? What--" he said but didn't finish because he coughed again. I put the back of my palm at his forehead.

"Nate! You're burning up," I said. Worriedly, I went over his drawers to find a towel. Good thing I immediately found one. I went to the bathroom to soak it with cold water and ran back to him to place it on his forehead.

"Just try to relax, okay? You need to rest," I said, trying to calm him down. He was mildly shivering. I pulled the blanket to him and made sure he was tucked in.

"I'll have to turn the heater on instead, okay? Just endure the hot air for a while. I promise that it will help you get your temperature lower faster. I'll grab some water," I said, standing up, but he held my hand weakly. I looked back at him and saw that he was frail and fragile.

"Don't worry. I won't leave," I said.

I went to his kitchen and checked what I could do to ease his pain and at least give him something to eat. Suddenly, the door opened, showing his so-called aunt.

"Luna!" she called, happy to see me.

"I'm sorry dear, but I can't stay since I have to go to my son's house to take care of his grandchildren. Will you be okay here?" she asked.

"Oh no, worries, Ma'am. I'll take care of Nate for you," I said, reassuring her that she can count on me. She smiled and nodded.

"Okay, so I bought the medicine that would help him and some food because he wasn't able to go to the grocery store. I'll leave it here, and I'll leave the rest up to you to take care of it. I really have to go. Thank you, Luna!" she said and left.

I breathed in a lot of air and slapped my face.

"Okay. We can do this!" I said, reassuring myself.

I haven't had, even once, been able to take care of someone who is sick. I really don't know anything... except how my father does try to take care of me when I am sick. I remember that he makes me porridge because I was picky when I was sick. But the problem is I don't know how to cook porridge!

I grabbed my phone and searched for "how to make porridge." I sound dumb! I know. But, I have been living like a princess for the past years in my life, so even this basic bitch is I don't know how to cook.

It's a good thing that I got all the ingredients I need to make the porridge. For the rest of the things that Nate's Aunt bought, I put it in the fridge. I got the following ingredients right in front of me:

1pc. Chicken Leg

1pc. Thumb-sized Ginger

1pc. String onion

3 cloves of Garlic

1 cup of leftover rice/uncooked rice

Salt