His Unwanted Bride ~Editing~

Chapter Sixteen: Alexios

     As if on queue, a bucket was lowered through the small opening in the ceiling of the elevator. I quickly removed the items and placed them beside me. There was a small first aid kit, a thermometer, six bottles of water, a package of saltines, a blanket, a walkie talkie, a pen and small notebook, and a flashlight. Once I removed the items, the bucket was pulled back up through the hole.
     I heard a beeping sound and looked down at my phone it was at 45% battery life. "My battery on my phone is running out, but I just recieved a walkie talkie from the rescue team. Is it alright if I hang up for now?" I asked the dispatcher.
     "Yes, that is alright, please feel free to give us a call back if you need anything. I can give you my direct number," she spoke.
    "Thank you," I quickly jotted down her number and ended the call.
     In my arms, Tabitha began to shiver and shake once more, her teeth chattered in her sleep. She wasn't cold outside in 29°F weather, but she was cold now in a heated elevator. I rubbed my hands up and down her lace covered arms. She looked like royalty, her gown spread around her, her long black curls falling from her updo. I took the blanket and wrapped it around our bodies as I held her close.
     Carefully I began to remove the bobby pins and clips from her hair until it all rested at her shoulders. "Please just hang in there," I whispered as I opened the first aid kit. I pulled out the thermometer and put one of the disposable covers around the part that goes in your ear.
    I checked her right ear as it was closest to me. I waited impatiently for the beeping letting me know that it had read her temperature. I looked down at the screen. 104.9°F was her temperature.
    I took a cold water bottle and raised it to her forehead. I held it in place for a bit, hoping it would help her cool down. "Just hold on, I will get you out of here," I mumbled into her hair. "I promise, I'll look into you more. You said I knew nothing about you and you were right. Give me the chance to rectify that. Please," I whispered to her.
    Just then her phone rang from the small handbag she had dropped on the other side of the elevator. As I started to move toward it without disturbing her, it stopped ringing. I relaxed back into my position just as my phone rang.
    "Hello?" I said as I answered the call.
     "He-hello Mr. Laventis, do you know where m-my s-sister is?" Clarissa's voice came over the phone. She sounded like she had been crying.
    "Clarissa honey, you can just call me Alex. Is everything alright?" I replied to her.
     "I had a bad dream and I need my sister," she cried. "She's the only one that makes it better."
     "She can't talk right now, but would it help if I kept you company for a bit?" I asked.
     "Y-yes," she replied.
     "Okay, I want you to lay back down and keep the phone on speaker phone next to you," I spoke as I stroked Tabitha's hair. "You and your sister seem pretty close," I spoke trying to make small talk.
      "She keeps me safe. Even when she shouldn't have to," Clarissa replied. "Mommy and daddy aren't good people.  Tabby gets hurt alot and sick alot but she takes care of me since Momma and Papa won't unless someone is watching."
     "What do you mean?" I asked worriedly.
     "They don't care. They don't take care of me, so Tabby does."