THE HEIRESS (Sample)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

He leapt from the bed, sweating. His smooth-haired chest heaving as he panted. He blinked, trying to adjust to the dimness of the room.

A single tilting candle, melted to half stood in the middle of the room on a candle stand. The flame flickered briefly as if an invisible figure just went past it. Only where the candle stood was bright but the rest of the room was cast into darkness.

He glanced at the bed across the room, the sheets were almost fallen to the floor and the bed was empty. He quickly propped on an elbow wondering where Robert had gone to. He was about concluding that he might had gone for a leak when the wheezing cough of Robert’s mother drew his attention.

Not wanting to return to his constant horrible nightmare about his past, he swung his feet off his bed. When he stood, the floor board creaked under his weight. Standing barefooted, he walked out of the room to the other room.

He had felt more at home ever since Robert first brought him here and when he saw the young boy’s plight, he always wanted a kid brother anyway.

As he approached the door, the stench of the room hit him. He didn’t wrinkle his nose nor frown in disgust because he had gotten used to it due to his stay here and was almost accustomed to every smell in the house.

He leaned on the door way, watching Robert dab his mother’s forehead with a wet napkin. He would dip the napkin in a little bowl of almost dirty water which might have resulted from washing her body, wring out most of the water and  wash her.

“Call the doctor tomorrow!”

Startled, the boy spurn around. “Aidan?”

Aidan stepped into the room fully. “You heard me, summon the doctor tomorrow.”

Robert glanced at his mother then back at him. “Need I remind you that I have no such money to cater for her medical expenses?”

“And would you rather watch her live in such painful agony? With each day that passes, she fades with time. She’s doing the best she can to stay alive for you, one hell of a a fight she’s putting up for your sake.”

“I know...” Robert said with a sigh letting the napkin fall to the floor with a sloshing sound. “I can’t watch her die.” He rested his forehead on his palm, wearily.

“Then it is high time I did something about it.”

Robert turned to look at him, eyes wide and suspicious. “What are you talking about?”

“I will go to the Dock tomorrow, I should be lucky to find work, any wage I get should be enough to commence treatment on her.”

Robert stood to his full height, surprised. “You would do that for her?” He gestured at his sleeping mother.

“I do nothing for her... I do it for you, Rob.” Aidan replied tersely.

“Oh!” Robert looked away, remembering Aidan despised women for reasons he wasn’t ready to share. “I will work with you!” he stated quickly. “She’s my mother not yours.”

Aidan cringed unnoticeable at the mention of the word ‘mother’. “If you are going to help her, let me help you. She is my responsibility.”

Aidan clapped the boy’s shoulder. “Then do not deny yourself a good sleep. You are a brave lad. If you want to help, finish up and return to bed, you look so pale.”

Robert nodded, hope lighting up his face.
Aidan turned to leave, remembered something and stopped. “If you need me, I am going out to the porch, sleep has eluded me tonight.”