The Dress

Chapter 9

I woke up the next morning to Edward's groans as the bed shifted. My eyelids fluttered open and I took a good look at him. His face contorted with pain with every movement he made. Immediately, I jumped out of bed as I stared at him pitifully.

"What happened?" I asked.

"My muscles... ache." He groaned, then coughed.

I sighed.

"I'll take for you some cough syrup then I'll massage you; how about that?"

"Yes please." He gave me his crooked smile, but it was a little dull.

I grabbed my robe and walked down the stairs to the kitchen and found a maid there. I was relieved that I had finally seen one of the house staff. Once she heard my footsteps, she turned around and froze. She had brown hair bunned up and startled brown eyes. I smiled apologetically.

"I'm extremely sorry for scaring you like that. What's your name?"

"Corin, ma'am." She stuttered.

I smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Corin. Now, could you assist me in finding the cough syrup for Mr. Cullen? I'm afraid he's sick."

"Would you like me to call the doctor, Mrs. Cullen?" She asked timidly.

I shook my head.

"That's alright."

She nodded and scuttle away to the cabinet and opened it. I saw a glimpse of it and inside were medicine bottles ranging from big to small ones. She took a big one and handed it to me with a spoon on a ceramic tray.

"Would you like me to bring it up to the room, ma'am?" She asked.

"No, that's okay. Thank you very much for your assistance. You may go now." I told her.

"It was nice meeting you."

She nodded submissively and disappeared from my sight. I sighed and took a glass of water, going up with the tray in my hands. I found Edward lying down with his eyes closed, concentrating on his breaths. I took a seat beside him and placed the tray on the bedside table. His face glistened with sweat and I wiped some off his forehead.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Edward, you're burning up."

He opened his eyes.

"I know."

I poured some syrup on the spoon and he gladly opened his mouth to take it in even when it tasted bad. I quickly handed him the glass of water and he drank it all up.

"Is there a thermometer?" I asked.

He nodded. "Drawer."

I took it from the bedside table drawer and Edward opened his mouth when I slid in the glass thermometer inside his mouth. The alcohol in the thermometer quickly shot up, but I couldn't see the temperature. Almost immediately, I took it out and stared at the result.

Utterly shocked, I lost my grip on the thermometer and it shattered on the ground, the liquid seeping out of the glass. Quickly, I kneeled down to clean up the mess.

"I— shit," I cursed, picking up the small bits and pieces of glass.

"I'm so sorry—"

"Bella?" Edward croaked.

"What's my temperature?"

"You have a high fever," I replied quickly.

"Bella," his voice was suddenly stern.