Woodbridge Recollection : The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 18: Pressure.

  I gasped and Georgina moved the rag away from me.

"Oh," she whispered. "Shh, shh. Sorry."

I shook my head and then breathed in deeply to relax. Georgina leaned closer and pressed the rag gently against my bottom lip. The antibacterial Dettol stung the cut on my lip, but I tried my best to sit still.

Georgina dabbed at the cut gently, clearing away all the crusted blood and then tossed the rag in the kitchen bin.

"There," she said. "That should heal better, now." She picked up the Dettol bottle and twisted the cap back on it.

"Thank you, Georgina," I said.

She smiled at me, rather sweetly.

"Let me see your hands," she then said, holding her own out towards me. I lifted my hands and she pulled them carefully towards her face. She observed them, finding the bruises darkening the knuckled of my right hand.

"This will heal fine on its own," she said softly. She let go of my left hand and gently patted my right. "Just stay away from the punching bags for a few days."

"Okay," I said as she let go my hand.

Georgina walked over to the kitchen sink. She opened the cabinet above it and placed the Dettol bottle inside, amongst a collection of emergency medicines. She then turned the sink faucet and washed her hands.

"At least we know for sure that you're not helpless," she said. "The skills are still in there."

"Yeah," I agreed. I crossed my arms against my chest and leaned back against a counter. "And if he tries it again, I won't hold back."

I noticed a smile touch the corners of her mouth. She turned the faucet and the tap turned off. She picked up a dish towel and dried her hands on it.

Somehow, her smile seemed to light the mood a little further. I had to admit, I owed it to these people a little. The heart to heart conversation with Maximus had touched me rather well, and now, it seemed like I may have misjudged them a little too quickly.

"And that smile?" I asked.

Georgina let out a tiny bubble of laughter.

"Nothing, my dear," she assured me. "It's just funny to hear you sound like your old self again. I always found your temper amusing. You get the cutest discoloration in your face; it goes red. I always found that to be one of your most outstanding qualities."

I cocked my head.

"My face going red?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"No," she said. "The way people seem to underestimate you because of how small you are and how cute you look when you are mad. But then you'd hand them their arses on a plate." She laughed out. "It always made me proud."

I guess that was a nice thing to say. However, I still felt odd whenever these sentimental moments rose between us.

I managed to show her a kind smile.

"Okay," I eventually said. "I'm going to go read, now. My curiosity about this place is still very much unsatisfied."

Georgina nodded.

"Of course," she said. "I've put your coat back in your closet. It's clean again."

"Thank you," I said. "I appreciate it." With that said, I turned and then slowly walked out of the kitchen.