And So I Ran - Complete

Chapter 29

I felt like hell. No scratch that. I felt like hell reincarnated and then sent back to hell again! No one, not even my worst enemy, should feel as crappy as I felt right now!

I made it to the bathroom in time, and trust me – it was a close thing – and was ingloriously chundering into the lavatory when Christian followed me. I wish I'd had the time to close, and lock, the door on the way in. But since I hadn't, I was subjected to his loving inquiries and solicitous offers of help. Sending him on his way with the request for a cup of tea, I dry heaved a few more times before finally righting myself, leaning bleary-eyed over the counter to sluice my mouth with water.

I hadn't felt this ill since Kate and José had convinced me to try sushi at a new, trendy and suspiciously inexpensive restaurant at college. It had turned out to be more tragic than trendy. For the next two days, the three of us had been as sick as dogs. Even now, Kate joked about it as the most effective diet she'd ever been on!

I'd managed to pull myself up and was perched on the side of the bed when Gail came in carrying a tray.

"Mr. Grey said you're feeling unwell. Here some tea and some dried toast. Eat and drink slowly – it should help."

"Please don't let him come in here," I moaned. "I don't want him to see me like this."

"I suggested Mr. Grey go for a run," she said conspiratorially, going to the tallboy and pulling out Christian's running gear. "Why don't you have your tea and toast then have a lie-down?"

"Can you tell Christian I'm going to try and nap? If I feel up to it, I'll go to work when I wake up."

It was almost midday by the time I woke, and I wasn't feeling too bad. I sat up and saw a gorgeous bunch of flowers on the tallboy. They hadn't been there when I'd fallen asleep, so I knew they must be from Christian. I stood, walking to see the card nestled in amongst the blooms when the smell overcame me. It was roses but on steroids!

The scent alone sent me hurtling to the bathroom, hanging my head over the toilet and dry retching. I was still there, wishing to die when I heard a knock at the bedroom door. Incapable of much more than a groan, I indicated for the person to enter.

"Not feeling better?" Gail asked, coming into the bedroom and then standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

"The smell of the roses..." I groaned, pointing vaguely in the direction of the vase in the bedroom. "It's too much!"

"Let me take them away," Gail said, grabbing the blooms and removing them from the room. I'd made it back to the edge of the bed when Gail came back into the room, handing me the card from the bouquet.

'Baby – I hope you're feeling better. I love you, Christian'

I smiled. Even when I was at my worst, heaving over a toilet bowl, Christian loved me!

"Ana? How are you feeling now?" Gail asked cautiously, sitting beside me on the bed.

"Better now the flowers are gone!"

"So, you've got an upset tummy, headache and are sensitive to smells?" she checked. "Anything else?"

"No?"

"Are your breasts tender?" she asked, giving me an embarrassed shrug.

I thought about it. Christian loved playing with my breasts, and they did seem a little more sensitive, but I failed to see what that had to do with my vomiting.

No.

No.

Oh hell no.

Gail saw the change in my demeanor instantly.