Exes' Baggage And More

CHAPTER SIXTY

Andrew's eyes widened. Slowly he lifted his head and looked at Macy. The woman's hand was still touching him. There was a cold sensation from her palm. In addition, he can also see how pale her face is. Hell, the guilt began to fill his heart.

"I'm sorry..."

Macy shook her head. "You aren't."

Then the woman then pulled her hand away from Andrew's face and walked towards the foyer.

However, before she could put on her sandals, she suddenly fell. Her legs felt so weak that they couldn't support her body.

Suddenly, Andrew approached her and made sure that she wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay?" asked the man worriedly.

Macy took a deep breath from her mouth. It seemed that the argument with Andrew had exhausted all her remaining strength for the day. But she had to return to her unit.

"Macy..."

The editor ignored Andrew and tried to stand up on her own. However, her body was very difficult to move. Then, with a quick decision, Andrew carried her to the living room. And even though she wanted to protest, it was difficult to even make a sound.

After sitting Macy on the sofa, Andrew rushed to his room to get a thick blanket. When holding the woman, he can feel how cold her body is right now. And when he returned to the living room, he walked carefully because the floor was still wet from Macy's splashing cold water on him earlier.

Andrew draped the thick blanket over Macy's body. He held her close to make her feel warmer.

The writer noticed that the woman's face was still pale and even her lips started to look blue.

Heck, the room temperature isn't even cold and it's already nearing summer.

"Macy, I'll take you to the hospital, okay?"

The woman shook her head. Oh, she doesn't want to go back to the hospital again. Just a few hours ago, she was discharged from the hospital. If she comes back again, her doctor will probably order her to stay in the hospital longer.

Andrew sighed. He touched Macy's face and rubbed it gently. Maybe with his body temperature, he can warm her. Back then, when he was nine years old and nearly hypothermic from the Seattle winter, his mother held him close. Skin contact. Doctors at the hospital's ER said that it was much more helpful than warming the body with a blanket.

But at this time, his clothes were still wet. It would only make Macy's condition worse. And without saying anything, he returned to his room.

Macy pulled the blanket closer when Andrew left the living room. Heck, the doctor didn't say it would turn out this way. She grabbed her legs and hugged her body tightly. Oh, she hopes Andrew raises the temperature of his room because she's already shivering from the cold.

Before long, the man came out of his room again wearing only a thin T-shirt and shorts. And when he approached Macy, he removed the blanket covering Macy's body. Then he also tried to take off the woman's trousers. The editor realized what the man was about to do and grabbed his wrist.

Andrew looked at Macy. "I'm just trying to help you, Macy. Trust me. I won't do anything to you."

Hell, Macy doesn't believe it easily. Not ten minutes ago, they had a big fight and a drunk Andrew tried to touch her. How could she let him take off her pants at this time?

"Macy, please..."

Go to hell with it all! Macy pulled her hand from Andrew's wrist. The man took it as a consent from the woman. He then took off the editor's pants. For a moment he thought about whether he should take off her shirt, but he brushed it off.

Andrew then sat on the sofa and pulled Macy's body in his arms and again covered them both with a thick blanket. He hugged her tightly and tried to make them skin contact. However, he realized that she was so tense in his arms.

"Your current body temperature is dropping so fast," whispered Andrew. "Since you don't want to be taken to the hospital, this is the only way I can think of. Otherwise, you might end up with hypothermia."

Macy glared at Andrew. She rested her head on the man's warm shoulder. "H-hypothermia? By summer?" she stammered.

"Perhaps your body went into great shock. From yesterday's punch to our argument earlier," Andrew answered her. "I'm grateful that reaction came when you were still here. If your condition drops when you're already in your unit... I..."

Andrew sighed. Oh, he can't imagine how Macy's condition would be if that woman collapsed in her unit without anyone knowing her condition. Her life might be in danger. Without realizing it, he tightened his embrace – positioning the woman's body comfortably between his legs. He then kissed Macy's head.

"I'm really sorry, Macy. For everything that I did and said."

He could not continue anymore.

Macy didn't say anything. Apart from nothing crossing her mind, she could feel that her body was getting weaker. It was as if her remaining strength had been drained. However, Andrew's warm body, the roar of his breath and the caress of his hands helped her a little. She felt comfortable in the man's arms.

Alone...

After their great debate earlier, this time the atmosphere was very quiet and awkward. Especially with what they argue about the relationship between them. The man who hugged her tightly had admitted – time and time again – that he liked her. Just liking. It can't be more than that. And she just admitted that the man had hurt her. It sounded as an implied confession of her feelings for Andrew.

You're so stupid, Macy Bianca Cruz.

The editor sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm really stupid."

Andrew flinched at Macy's words. He thought that the woman had fallen asleep. The man's body temperature slowly also began to warm up. Looks like the skin contact was quite successful.

"Why do you say that?"

Shit, it seems she is talking too loudly.

"Nothing. It's nothing,"

Andrew looked down slightly so he could see Macy's face. The pale color slowly disappeared and the woman's breathing also became regular. Oh, he really didn't think that this method worked so quickly. However, he still doesn't want to let her go.

"Macy, do you want to talk about it again?" said Andrew.

Macy didn't say anything. Her eyes open slowly. She knew exactly what the man meant. "What's there to talk about? It's all very clear, isn't it?" she answered.

Then she released herself from Andrew's embrace and moved to the other side of the sofa, slightly away from the man. Actually, she wanted to go back to her apartment, but her feet still felt like jelly and she didn't want to embarrass herself anymore by falling in front of Andrew when she tried to walk.

Andrew looked at Macy quietly. He took the woman's hand and intertwined their fingers. Luckily the woman didn't immediately brush it off. But the editor just stared at their intertwined hands.

Andrew slightly moved closer to Macy. "Tell me what to do."

"Stop doing this," said Macy who then looked at Andrew closely. "If you keep at it, you'll only hurt me more. So, stop."

"Macy..."

"That or you should start being honest with your own feelings. You said you liked me, right? But at the same time, you still hold the memories of your past with Nina," Macy said quietly. Oh, she was getting really tired. But she has to finish this conversation now.

She then took a deep breath. "Nina is dead, Andrew. You can't live in the past forever. And I'm not telling you to forget it. But you have to start looking at your future. I know you don't want to choose, but here's the situation. You will always be faced with all the choices. So, take your pick."

*****