The Blackout ⤖ George Russell

E I G H T E E N

"Nora can be cranky," Hugo warned George. "We are in a trajectory where we are reducing the use of medication. She has good days, but I'm afraid today isn't one of them."

"I can handle her," George assured him. "I have seen her cranky before, I know how to deal with it now," he smirked and took off his coat.

Hugo smirked. "She's upstairs. Give me your coat," he said.

"Thanks," George said and gave Nora's dad a smile. Hugo walked towards the wardrobe while George went upstairs.

He was surprised to get the call last night. Mainly because it was in the middle of the night, but also because he expected things changed after the kiss. Things already had changed for George since Abu Dhabi, but Nora didn't remember it. George couldn't put his finger on the call, he had no idea why she called or why she wanted him to come.

The door of her bedroom was open. George walked in, having a smile on his lips. It was silence in the room, he only could hear the flowing water of the shower. He found an empty room. She must be in the shower since the whole family was downstairs. Weird, since she knew George was coming. He sat down on her bed and decided to wait.

Thirty minutes passed. George had enough time to study all the notes on the wall; it was impressive to see how she started her own investigation, it was like a police wall with all the clues of a homicide.

George was getting worried. He got up and made his way to the bathroom. George knocked on the door. "Nora?" He knocked for a second time on the door, this time louder. "Nora?" He still hadn't got an answer. His fingers wrapped around the doorknob. "Nora, I'm coming in if you don't answer," he said and pushed the handle down, what was open to his surprise. "I'm opening the door, and I will enter the bathroom now."

The worst-case scenarios went through his mind: what if she slipped and what if she was unconscious? What if she ran away? What if she did something to herself?

George opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes fell on the fragile body of Nora, who sat in the shower with her clothes on. George didn't hesitate to run to her. Nora seemed to be absent, she didn't even notice George entering the bathroom. He stepped inside the shower and felt the cold water on his clothes.

"Jesus Christ Nora," he said and turned the knob to a warmer temperature. "It isn't healthy to sit in a cold shower."

The water slowly changed to a pleasant temperature. George sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her cold body. Nora gasped for air and leaned her head against his chest. His back was touching the cold wall, it gave him goosebumps. The warm water streamed down both of their bodies, it felt odd to wear clothes in a shower, but that was a side issue now. The tears burst forth like was from a dam, spilling down Nora's face. It didn't stop. Sobs filled the bathroom, she collapsed again. Nora's breath was shaking, just like the rest of her body.

"It's okay, I'm here," George said and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm here," he mumbled against her skin, and he was rocking her slowly.

The sobbing was broken apart by short pauses for recovering breaths, it was ripping through her muscles, bones and guts. Nora softly pressed the side of her face in his chest and her arms around his arms. The tears melted together with the water. Nora bit her lip, which made her chin tremble like a small child because she was trying to hold it in after a while. It needs to stop. It didn't last for long. Tears started falling down again, without a sign of stopping. She felt empty. Her tears moulded with the water of the shower.

"Just breath," George said when he noticed the irregular breathing and gasping for air. "Breath, Nora. Let's breathe together, alright?" She nodded at his question. "In through the nose," he said and breathed in. A gently, but deep inhale entered her body. "And out through the mouth," he said and breathed out. She breathed out. They kept doing that for a few minutes until Nora got her breath under control.