Into The Orchard

VII

For the past few days, I had been waking up and falling asleep endlessly, being knocked out by the fever that had caught up with me after the incident in the mountains. I don't quite remember how I got to the Von Rostov house, or when it happened. Nor did I remember anything that happened before I passed out in Kevin's arms. All I had left of that evening were flashes of memory and Kevin's stories about what had happened. He said that because of the fever I was delirious and hallucinating. I didn't remember it, but I can believe it. Apparently, for the first few days after returning to the Von Rostovs' house, I talked all sorts of silly things, more than once in my sleep. This, in turn, brought me no solace. I dreamt of strange things, incomprehensible to me. When my fever was high, I would wake up screaming in the night. However, I did not know why I was screaming, nor did I remember what I had dreamed. The Von Rostovs immediately provided me with medical care. Some doctor, for the first few days, came to see me every day. He stated that fortunately nothing serious was happening to me. He also admitted that I had an extremely weak immunity to cold. While I was burning up with fever and sweating in bed unable to get out of it, Kevin experienced only a runny nose and a cough. He spent a great deal of time with me, practically never leaving my room, and puzzled me all the time. On the other hand, when he saw that I didn't have the strength, he would just leave and let me rest. Before that, however, he always kissed me gently on the cheek saying "everything will be fine". I wish I could remember how we got out of the valley in the mountains. Apparently a whole rescue team came for us and got to us by helicopter. I've never flown in a helicopter, so I really wish I could remember that.

There were other people rolling through my room besides Kevin, who as I said sat by me practically all the time. My mother Catleyn visited me often, although I didn't like it very much. This was due to the fact that every visit she made to my room ended with her crying. Recent events, and the prospect of my death, had shaken her badly. I could only hope that my mother wouldn't go crazy over all this.

Gregory visited me too, not always accompanied by Catleyn. Sometimes he came alone, but he didn't say much. The man himself must have been concerned about the situation. Just like Luna, who bought me a bouquet of colorful, beautiful flowers and put them in a vase by the bedside table. Aurelia and Bobby, on the other hand, were frequent visitors. Aurelia kept saying nonstop that I was an idiot. She was right, because my recklessness almost killed both Kevin and me. I still felt ashamed about it, although Kevin kept telling me not to worry about it, because it wasn't my fault. Bobby, on the other hand, jokingly decided that he would feed me. Even when my strength returned and I was already in touch with reality, the new cook found it extremely amusing if he personally fed me spoonful after spoonful of warm broth into my mouth. He did it in such a funny way that it was impossible not to laugh.

Buck also visited me, but this one, due to the visits of members of the Von Rostov family to my room, limited his visits to infrequency. As for Desmont... I have gaps in my memory about that. I remember that he was. I even remember him arguing with Catleyn at my bedside, however I don't remember what it was about. Shortly after that, Desmont disappeared from the Von Rostov house. At least, that's what I thought, because I didn't see him anymore. I didn't know myself what to think about it anymore. What to think about Desmont. I hated him, that was a fact. However, once I had cooled down from the shock I had experienced when I saw him, I began to ask myself questions. I knew I had to talk to him. I needed an explanation, but I didn't want anything else from him.

It was afternoon on a sunny day. I was just reading the book I had received as a gift from Kevin when I heard a knock on my room.

- Please come in. - I said, correcting myself while lying on the bed, at the same time placing my reading somewhere on the bed.