Torrential Love

Chapter Twenty-Two

~ YAEL ~

The woman in the picture was a splitting image of her. Brown eyes, strong nose bridge and thin lips. She stared at the picture in wonder, her mind picturing the woman with Duncan. Happy and alive. But when she pictured it, the woman morphed into herself because they looked so similar.

Duncan reached out and took the picture from her hurriedly, putting it back into his wallet. He blinked at her repeatedly.

"Maya does not look like you," he said.

"She do!" Yael said.

"No, she doesn't."

Yael scoffed. "Lie to yourself!"

"Whatever, we're not having this conversation," Duncan said, getting up and leaving her side. Yael watched as he returned his wallet to his wardrobe and came back to remove the candlelight by her bed to snuff it out. He tucked himself into the sleeping bed and Yael shook her head, turning in as well.

But the next morning she woke up, a dull pain in her lower stomach pressed against her mind. She groaned and tried to shift her position on the bed, but it did not help. She groaned again and the next time she turned to the other side on the bed; she realised Duncan was hovering over her by the bed, deep concern lining his brows.

"I'm ok," Yael said to him.

He placed his hand on her forehead. "You look pale."

"Really ok."

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah."

His brows furrowed in worry. "I can't imagine what you're going through."

"It be fine," she said, and groaned.

"No, this won't do," he said. She watched as he walked over to the kitchen to fumble about the drawers. She put her hand under her cheek as she observed him. He removed a silicon bag from a drawer and filled it up with hot water. Then he brought the bag back to her. "Here, put this over where it hurts."

"Thank you," she said, taking it and placing the hot water bag on her lower stomach. She sighed in happiness as she felt her pain lifting. "Ahh, this good."

"Do you feel better?"

"Much better."

"That is all that matters," he said, brushing her hair back from her forehead.

"No worry," she said.

He smiled and went back to the kitchen. She reclined on the bed in a sitting position and picked up her language books. She studied hard and was about to take some notes in a blank book when Duncan came back to her.

She looked up at him. He had a kind smile on his face and in his hands was a big mug with what looked like hot chocolate, mixed with marshmallows. Her eyes widened, and she felt her stomach growl. It looked so good! She sat up higher on the bed as he passed the mug to her and she drank from it. He picked up her covers and brought them closer up her body, shrouding her with the warmth from the sheets.

"Thank you," Yael said.

Duncan sat by the edge of her bed and turned on the television. He flipped through the channels until he found a funny channel. Placing the remote control down, he went over to his heater and carried it over to her bedside, turning the heat up. He returned to her side with a broad, kind smile.

"Geez, Duncan," she said. "I a Queen?"

He laughed. "I'm treating you like one, aren't I?"

"Yeah!"

"I just wanted you to feel better," he said. "Are you feeling better?"

"I am."

"That's what I want to hear," he said, patting her head.

She laughed a little, thinking about how content she was. But images of Maya suddenly flashed across her mind and in that instant, she saw an emotion blooming across his face.

Pain.