Carry Me Home

Forty

Evelyn

"I thought you were going to leave next week. You told your aunt and uncle that you were going to move into your own flat next week," Dad exclaimed, watching me frantically pack everything into a suitcase. 

"I want to spend as much time as possible with him." Dad sighed and sat on my bed. He patted the space beside him and I followed suit. 

"Evie honey, it'll be okay. Your Rowan won't leave you. We live in a world today where the technology we have can fix just about anything."

"Rowan's condition only has a twenty-six percent survival rate." He moved his hand up and down my arm as a form of reassurance but at this point nothing but seeing Rowan could reassure me. I grabbed my suitcases and dumped it into my car. However, before I left there was still one person I had to say goodbye to.

Elliot was in his usual place - the kitchen. He was reading a cookbook and highlighting the titles of recipes that were of his liking. I tapped his shoulder and he slowly turned around, making sure not to close the book.

"Oh, it's you, Evelyn," he said, straightening his pose.

"I just wanted to say goodbye," I said, twiddling my thumbs because of how awkward everything had suddenly become. 

"I thought you were moving out next week?"

"Something came up and I want to move out as soon as possible."

"Was it what happened yesterday?" I shook my head as soon as he brought up yesterday's incident. "Oh, ok. Well you will be missed. You made my day a little brighter over these two weeks."

"Ditto." He shook my hand and waved goodbye.

Arriving back at Rowan's flat brought about mixed feelings within me. I was ecstatic to come back but the memories of yesterday still haunted me and they will forever.

"Evie, you're back!" Hayden said, opening the door for me. "You're right on time as well because I'm going out shopping and Rowan's got the cold so if he asks for any help do give it to him. Oh, and your room is the one in between mine and Rowan's." 

Hayden walked out after pushing me in and pointing me in the direction of Rowan's bedroom. I walked in a saw him fast asleep with a wet towel placed on his forehead. 

He's a medical student and this is the best he could come up. 

I picked the damp towel off his forehead and went to go and get an ice pack. He shivered slightly in his sleep the second the coldness of the pack came in contact with his skin but then he didn't move after that apart from the movement of his chest. I tucked him in properly and went to go and make some chicken soup for him. 

I slaved over the stove making the soup for him and remembering to put in some sweetcorn because he likes the texture of it in his soup. I carefully poured a small amount into a bowl and left the rest for later. As the soup cooled down a bit I went to go and put my belongings away. 

"Hayden," Rowan croaked from his room. His voice was hoarse from the cold but it was loud enough to hear since the place was all quiet. I rushed over to his bedroom and went over to him to see what was the matter. "Oh, it's you, Evie." He half-smiled at me before shutting his eyes again.

"Did you want something?" I asked, resting at the edge of his bed.

"I'm hungry."

"I've made chicken soup. Do you want some?"

"Did you put sweetcorn in it?"

"Yes, I did," I laughed quietly at how he tilted his head whilst making his little demand. I went to retrieve the bowl of soup and upon returning Rowan had already sat upright. I handed him the bowl but he strictly said that he wanted me to feed him, to which I just rolled my eyes. He acted like a little kid when feeding him - he'd ask for his food to be blown on or he wouldn't open his mouth. He'd get distracted by the smallest of things or he'd get excited quickly and would nearly whack the bowl out of my hand. "There. All finished."