Three Means Coffee

42

Heading to Błażej's apartment, he wondered if he hadn't agreed to Monika's request too quickly. Maybe there was a perfectly reasonable reason why he didn't want to contact either of them. Why had he only mentioned to her that he wasn't feeling well? Maybe he did get sick and didn't want to worry anyone about it, but the lack of contact had the opposite effect. I won't know until I get there, he thought finally and mentally urged the driver so that he could get there a little faster.

He managed to enter the building without using the intercom because an elderly woman was leaving the building with her canine companion for a walk. He held the door open for her and mumbled a polite greeting. Grandma smiled kindly and wished him a Happy New Year, emphasizing that he would find love. Makary was a bit scared by this, so he quickly thanked her and also wished her all the best.

He found the right number without a problem and hesitated a bit before pressing the doorbell. But then he realized that now that he was here, he couldn't go back. There was no response for a long time, so he pressed the button again. After the third attempt, he wanted to call Monika and make sure that Błażej couldn't go somewhere, but then he heard a commotion. The person of their worries opened the door and leaned out slightly. Makary knew after one look that he was bad. Błażej was pale, but his cheeks and nose were reddened, his eyes darting, absent-minded, his lips dry, cracked, and he shivered. His legs buckled under the first year because he hadn't expected to see him, actually, he hoped he wouldn't have to see anyone for the next few days.

"What are you doing here?" asked Błażej, in a weak and wheezing voice, his hand automatically went to his sore throat.

"Monika was worried and sent me," replied Makarios. A caring mood woke up in him and enthusiastic to take care of him. "Even if you don't want it, I'm coming in and taking care of you," he announced, not allowing his beloved to protest. "Go back to bed."

"But..."

"Don't make me repeat myself, Błażej. I'll make you tea and warm up the food. When was the last time you ate something?"

"Yesterday before noon," the brown-eyed muttered, giving up.

He went back to bed, not even having the strength to think, and besides, Makary looked as if he had no intention of accepting any refusal from him. Błażej looked at his watch and was surprised to realize that he had slept for over twenty hours. I must be really tired, he thought and started searching for his phone. He finally plugged it into the charger and it took him a while to find out how many times he had been called. The phone was buzzing with an overabundance of New Year's greetings from college friends and colourful pictures with wishes from distant acquaintances. He sighed heavily, he didn't have the strength to write back now. The short trip to open the door made him dizzy now.

Makary's presence seemed a little unreal to him, and he assumed that his imagination was playing tricks on him, or that he was in a very real dream. After resting for a while and deciding that he looked too terrible even for an apparition, he decided to take a shower. He vaguely remembered asking if he had any medication or where he kept fresh sheets. After a quick shower and a meal he could barely taste, he felt a little better. He took the drugs he was given. He was sure that he had somehow managed to do it himself and he just wanted the hazel-eyed one to be next to him. Błażej felt drowsy, sniffling, and, fighting another wave of fever, fell asleep again.