In Your Clutches

Part 18: Not For Us

AMELIA

"Do you want me to stay with you at night?"

"No I'll be fine. Thanks for checking up on me, Rufina." I didn't want her to leave me alone but I couldn't make her stay with me for the night.

"I definitely am sure to think that you need someone for the night. I am fine with staying here, sweetheart. I want you to feel better. Not that you're burdening me with this."

"I appreciate your concern but I'll be okay. I promise I'll be fine."

No. I'll never be fine with staying alone after what happened today. I had been in here going crazy with worry, my mind was all over the place. I hadn't even thought of the fact that I was alive. I was alive, yet I felt dead. Dead in a way that couldn't be explained despite using the finest of words.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Rufina asked, lifting her perfectly trimmed brow.

"Yes, please. You should rest, too. You've been taking care of me since I came home. And I'll be okay, don't worry about me."

"I can see, you sound like death."

"I sure do feel like it."

"Are you sure you don't want me to stop here and keep checking on you?"

"God, no," I told her. I felt bad enough that I got her so stressed and she persuaded me so much in letting her stay for the night to take care of me. But there was no way I was derailing her night.

"Then why don't you come with me to my room, sweetheart?"

"No thanks, Rufina but I think I got a lot to do here," I lied, the truth being that I knew I was not going to third-wheel there.

"Like what?"

But before I could form an excuse, she put me out of the misery, "Look, I know what you're thinking, and you being there is not going to be a problem. Asher would be angrier if I left you here alone when you're in this state."

Mentioning Asher's name did something to me but I couldn't care less. I knew what he felt for me, hatred. And I couldn't risk feeling anything for him when I already knew the outcome.

"That's really okay. I can take care of myself. I'm sure Asher won't care about me staying in my position so you don't have to worry about that. Have a good night." I faked a smile and she seemed to have noticed it.

Heaving a sigh, she came towards me and sat beside me. "Is there something that's troubling you?"

Something? Everything!

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Rufina allowed the person in. I just prayed it not to be Asher, but then whom were we talking about here? Since when did Asher start knocking on my door?

I could see Southern cuisine consisting of peppers, olives, garlic, artichoke, eggplant and ricotta cheese along with tomato sauce, meatballs and spaghetti, brought in by Claudia.

"Claudia, I'm not hungry." I tried to fake a burp but got interrupted in between.

"Stop acting. You haven't eaten anything whole day. I told her to bring these." Rufina scolded.

"But I'm not having any appetite. I don't think I'll be able to eat so much."

"L'appetito vien mangiando." Rufina said.

"I'm—"

"The appetite comes with eating." Claudia explained.

"Be a good girl and finish it, Amelia. You'll feel better." Rufina patted my back.