Lina dunks her head in the cold water again and then rises when she's almost out of breath. Mrs Liu, that's what she said her name was, has her back turned to her and is keeping busy by the sink. Her and another female staff helped her remove her wet clothes earlier.
The cold water is really helping her sober up and cool her body down. Even her stomach is not hurting as much anymore.
"Here's a toothbrush you can use. Do you want to get up from there now, Madam?" Mrs Liu, kindly asked her.
"Please just call me Lina." She tells her. "Can you please help me get up? I feel better but I'm scared I might fall." She still feels shaky even though the bath helped her feel a lot better. The staff quickly went to her side to help her get up from the tub while Mrs Liu prepared the towel for her.
Now wrapped in a soft fluffy towel, Lina feels weird being waited on. "I feel better now, you may go. Thank you for your help."
Mrs Liu was going to object but they hear a knock on the door, Mrs Liu peeks her head and then looks back after a few seconds to call the other staff to follow her out.
"So, if you are sure, Madam Lina, we'll leave you now." She leaves with a smile. They head out and keep the door open, Henry is standing by the door. Calmly leaning against the door jamb.
Henry Wu, that's his name, or so he said. Lina really looks at him now. He looks good in his light blue long sleeves button up shirt and formal navy slacks. His hair still in its perfect condition despite what just had happened. He has it brushed up and styled neatly unlike when they met before. He removed the coat and tie that he was wearing when they met earlier.
Those eyes and lips…
Lina shakes her head and leans against the sink, "Stop it, Lina!" she chides herself for the direction of her thoughts, again. What is with this guy?
"What are you doing there? I need to get changed." Lina tells the leaning statue staring holes into her, making her conscious of what she's wearing. Or what she is not wearing.
"I'll help you out."
"NO! Thank you." she loudly tells him and then softly followed it with "I can do it." Lina is a little embarrassed showing such strong reactions to this guy.
"Okay, I'll stay here, behind the door, but I won't close it shut in case you need my help. Get changed." He tells her as he pulls the door closed with a small gap left open.
Lina quickly put on the shirt and shorts; in case he changes his mind. But she still feel shaky and weak so her movements are slow and a little jerky. She leans against the sink and slowly brushed her teeth with the new toothbrush Mrs Liu left for her so kindly at the sink. By the time she's done, she feels almost sick again and all too warm.
She hears a knock but didn't bother answering, it was followed by warm hands touching her back.
"How are you feeling now?"
"I feel hot." She honestly responds.
"Okay, let's get you into bed." Lina appreciates that he guided her into bed instead of just carrying her. He is holding onto her as they walked slowly to bed. It's getting embarrassing to be carried all the time.
They reached the bed and she gladly laid down. Pushing down the sick feeling that wants to engulf her. She does not get sick. Small colds and cough are all she gets so she's not used to this feeling.
"Henry, tell me what happened?" She asked with her eyes closed, feeling Henry moving around the room. She doesn't want to move. She's not stupid, she knows that what happened is not just a normal coincidence.
Instead of answering quickly, she felt the side of the bed sink down. Henry sat there, close to her head then started brushing her hair.
"I'll tell you all the details later but the short story is that you and Sam had taken the same drugs mixed with your drink. Sam must have taken more than you that's why John had to go with him to the hospital. Don't worry," he tells her before she panics. "He's stable in the hospital sobering up like you. Right now, we're still checking into what happened. I'm sure John will tell you when he's got all the details too."
" Mmm 'kay." She simply responds. Enjoying the brush gently going through her scalp and hair. Lulling her to sleep. As long as Sam and John are okay. She decided to trust what this guy tells her for now and worry about the rest tomorrow. Besides, John let her go with them so he must trust them too.
Lina was almost asleep she hears a faraway knock. The hair brushing stopped and there was some movement around her, Henry getting up from the bed and walking away.
Henry gently closed his bedroom door to meet John and Wang waiting for him in his living room. His room is actually a suite. When you enter the main door, it opens to his living room where the men are currently, it's also got his study and small dining area. His main bedroom is separated with another door and inside has the attached walk-in closet and the bathroom.
"Thank you for helping her", John said as soon as Henry closed the door behind him, "I will take her now and go back to the hotel."
"No, I can't let you do that", Henry responds as he blocked John from going past him towards the closed door. "She's peaceful right now but if we move her, she might get sick again. She will stay the night here and if tomorrow she wants to go back, she can go then."
"Look here, you..." John angrily moves towards Henry but Wang stopped him before he got close enough.
"John, think rationally here. Sam is in the hospital, if you take Lina with you back to the hotel, you won't have a backup in case that person attempts to do something in the hotel. Right now, we don't know what happened or who did this or what that person wants to happen. Its better she stays here, where she is safe, and you can be with Sam until he's fully recovered then we can plan what to do next." Wang tells John.
Wang pats John at the back and tells him, "John, trust me. Nothing will happen to her here. Not because of anybody, especially not because of Henry."
John took a few deep breaths, thinking hard after hearing Wang's words. "Okay, I'll go back to Sam and come back here early tomorrow. It's because I trust you Wang, don't disappoint me. Let me see Lina first."
Henry nods his understanding and opens the bedroom door. Lina's still in the same position.
John leans down and holds her hand and softly asks, "Lina, you're okay to stay here, right? I'll just go to Sam and come back tomorrow. Okay?"
Lina who doesn't want to move because she's scared she might throw up just squeezed John's hand back lightly and said "yeah", letting John know she heard him.
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Just take rest, you'll be fine, Sam is also fine so don't worry and sleep well, okay?"
John left the room after getting another hand squeeze from Lina and the door closed behind him.
Lina felt that there's only one person in the room with her now and it would only be Henry is in the room with her now so she softly say, "Hair".
Henry chuckled, "Yes, demanding little miss. Right away." And so he moved into the bed with her and went back to brushing her hair until Lina fell asleep.
When Henry was sure that Lina is deeply asleep, he arranged her properly in the bed. She just plopped down earlier so she was lying down across the bed. Now, she's properly sleeping with a pillow.
She's still a bit warm to the touch so he left the light blanket Mrs Liu prepared, by her foot. He sat down beside her and gently touched her face.
"I'm sorry I made you wait for too long", Henry whispers his apology. And softly kissed her forehead. With a last glance he then went ahead to take a quick shower and changed clothes. He changed into a grey cotton shirt and black joggers. He switched off the lights around them and got into bed beside Lina. He did think about if he should sleep in his sofa for the night but quickly decided against it. He'll take care of the repercussions if she doesn't like it when it happens. He would feel better to be right next to her to make sure she'll be fine. He pulled the blanket over the both of them and slept.
A few hours later, maybe the drug has been fully digested and out of Lina's system or the room just cooled down to a lower temperature, but Lina felt cold and moved to seek the source of warmth coming from beside here. She cuddled to the heater beside her, wrapped her arms around it and placed her leg over it.
Henry woke up with Lina's movement, worried she's sick again. But happily, let himself be wrapped up in her embrace as she settled down in her position and went back to sleep after he saw Lina's satisfied face, deep in sleep again.