Thirty Days Of September

chapter 27: Day 29, A Troubling Morning

The sound of retching jolted Aaron awake early the next morning. He sat up in bed, heart racing as he realized the noise was coming from the bathroom. He quickly got out of bed and hurried over, knocking gently on the door. "Atasha? Are you okay?"

A moment later, Atasha opened the door, her face pale and glistening with sweat. "I'm fine, I think," she said, her voice weak. "It might just be the cold weather this morning. I wasn't expecting it to be so chilly by the beach."

Aaron frowned, feeling a wave of concern wash over him. "You don't look fine. Do you want me to get you some water or something?"

She shook her head, trying to muster a smile. "I just need a moment. I'll be okay." But as she turned away to wash her face, Aaron could see the fatigue etched across her features.

After a few moments of silence, Atasha emerged from the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe for support. "Really, I'm okay," she insisted, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

"Let me make you some ginger tea," Aaron suggested, determined to help. "It's soothing and might settle your stomach."

"Thanks, Aaron," Atasha replied, her gratitude evident even as she tried to hide her discomfort.

As he moved to the small kitchen area, he glanced back at her, noting how pale she still looked. The vibrant energy she had displayed just days ago seemed to have faded. He quickly prepared the tea, wishing he could do more to ease her discomfort.

"Are you sure it's just a stomach ache?" Aaron asked gently, pouring hot water over the ginger slices in the mug. "You've been feeling off for a while now."

Atasha sighed, rubbing her temples as she sank into a chair at the small table. "It's probably just something I ate. I'm sure it'll pass."

Aaron returned with the steaming mug, handing it to her with a concerned expression. "Here, drink this. It'll help, I promise."

Atasha took a small sip, savoring the warm, spicy flavor. "It's really good. Thank you for being so sweet."

"Of course," Aaron replied, sitting across from her. "I care about you, and I hate seeing you like this. If you need to rest, just say the word. We can cancel our plans for the day."

Atasha shook her head, though her eyes reflected her uncertainty. "I don't want to ruin our last days together. We've been looking forward to this."

Aaron leaned forward, his gaze steady and reassuring. "You're not ruining anything. Your health comes first. We can always reschedule our activities, but I don't want you pushing yourself if you're not feeling well."

She appreciated his concern and felt a pang of warmth in her chest. "I really want to enjoy this time with you, though. Maybe just some fresh air will help?"

"Alright, how about a short walk on the beach? We can take it slow," Aaron suggested, his voice softening. "If you start feeling worse, we can head back."

Atasha hesitated, then nodded, a small smile breaking through her discomfort. "Okay, that sounds nice. Just a quick stroll, though."

Aaron stood up, helping her to her feet. "Let's grab a light jacket. It might get a bit chilly by the water."

As they prepared to leave, Atasha glanced at Aaron, her heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you for being so understanding. It means a lot."

"Always," he replied, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'm just glad to be here with you, even if it's not the best day. We'll make the most of it, I promise."

With that, they stepped outside, the salty breeze greeting them as they made their way toward the beach, the sound of the waves in the distance promising tranquility.

When he returned with the steaming cup, Atasha was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped together tightly. "You really don't have to worry about me," she said softly, taking the cup from him. "I'm just not used to the cold. I'll bounce back."

"I know you're strong," he replied, sitting beside her. "But if you're feeling unwell, we should take it easy today. Maybe just relax on the beach instead of going out."

Atasha took a sip of the tea, and a faint smile broke through her worried expression. "That sounds nice. I don't want to ruin our last days."

"It's not ruined," he reassured her, his brow furrowing in concern. "Let's just focus on you feeling better. We have plenty of time to enjoy the beach."

As they sat together in the quiet of their bungalow, Aaron couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Atasha's condition than she was letting on. He wanted to know if there was something deeper troubling her, but he didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready to share.

"Are you sure it's just the cold?" he asked gently, searching her eyes for answers.

Atasha smiled softly, though Aaron could see the weariness in her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure," she said, her voice trying to sound light and casual. "I probably just need to warm up a bit. The weather's been all over the place lately, and my body's just not adjusting as fast."

Atasha shifted in her seat, straightening up and giving Aaron a playful nudge. "Anyway," she said, her voice brighter as if she were determined to steer the conversation elsewhere, "we didn't come all this way just to sit here and talk about me feeling off. Have you thought about what we're going to do later?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by her attempt to change the subject. "Are you sure you're up for that? We can take it slow today. There's no rush."

Atasha waved him off with a light laugh. "Come on, I'll be fine. Let's talk about the beach. I heard the sunset here is supposed to be amazing, and I don't want to miss it."

Aaron leaned back, crossing his arms as he studied her. "You really want to talk about sunsets right now?"

She grinned, trying her best to seem carefree. "Yes, sunsets! And the food. Weren't we supposed to try that seafood place down by the pier? I'm thinking grilled shrimp, maybe some crab too. Sound good?"

He chuckled, realizing she was doing everything she could to deflect. "You're really pushing this, huh?"

Atasha shrugged, her smile widening. "I mean, when else are we going to get to have fresh seafood by the ocean? I've been looking forward to this, and I know you have too."

Aaron sighed, deciding to play along for now, but he kept his tone light. "Alright, seafood it is. But only if you promise to tell me the moment you're not feeling well again. No pretending you're okay when you're not."

She groaned dramatically. "Deal, deal. But I'm fine, really."

"Okay then," Aaron said, still cautious but willing to let her guide the conversation. "Seafood by the pier and sunset on the beach. But only if you're sure you can handle it."

Atasha smiled, her eyes twinkling with relief. " Now, let's make the most of our day. I promise, nothing's going to stop me from enjoying this time with you."

Though her energy seemed lighter, Aaron couldn't help but feel a subtle undercurrent of something she wasn't telling him. Still, he decided to let it be, at least for now, and gave her a nod, pretending to buy into her cheerful enthusiasm.