Chapter Thirty-four.
Lina's heart sank as she glanced at the screen, her mind racing with dread.
Why should it be him - the last person she wanted to know about her condition.
This is all her brother's fault. He should have come up with something else, instead of telling Arnold she was hospitalised.
Panic set in, and she hastily tossed a pillow over the phone, as if suffocating the device would silence its insistent beeping.
But the ringing persisted, echoing through her room like a nagging conscience. She knew she couldn't avoid it forever.
The pillow, once a makeshift solution, now felt like a feeble attempt to escape reality.
Her fingers drummed nervously against the bedsheet as she debated whether to answer. What was he going to say to her? What if he mentioned the previous night at his place?
The phone stopped ringing for a moment and Lina released a pent-up breath.
She had barely set her phone down on the drawer when it started to ring again.
'Oh, shit!' She cursed.
'He wouldn't give up, would he?' She muttered to no one in particular, before she gave in to the pressure of the alarming mobile.
With a deep breath, and her trembling fingers, she answered the call.
'Hello?' She whispered, her voice barely audible.
The line crackled, and then Arnold's voice, low and smooth, spoke in a tone she's been foreboding: "Hey, how are you?"
'I'm, good.' Lina hesitated.
'And you?' She added quickly.
'I am fine also, thank you.' Arnold responded.
'And Frederick?' Lina blurted awkwardly.
'He is doing great as well.' Arnold chuckled, as though he was making fun of her awkwardness, which didn't go unnoticed by Lina.
'Why are you laughing?' She spewed suddenly.
'Nothing in particular, it just feels good to hear your voice.' Arnold whispered, sending chills down her veins.
'It's good to hear you sounding okay.' He added, as though he was trying to clear the air, while Lina just sat, too dumbfounded to speak.
'I got scared for a moment, when Christopher told me you were hospitalised. I started to deeply regret sending you home by yourself last night.' He stated.
'Oh,' The expression escaped Lina's mouth.
'You didn't have to beat yourself up about that. I am fine now.' She pointed out.
'What happened?' Arnold voiced, and Lina's heart skipped a beat.
That was a question she was afraid Arnold would bring up.
'My blood pressure shot up, more than I could handle, apparently.' Lina responded.
'I may have lost consciousness, according to my family.' She heard herself say, while Arnold snickered softly, thinking she was trying to downplay the situation.
But Lina really didn't want to be talking to Arnold about her health, so she decided to fill him in on the little informations, figuring she would avoid any further questions.
'I am perfectly fine now, though.' She assured him again, just when Arnold was going to say something.
'Perfectly fine??' She heard Arnold express.
'A high heart rate doesn't just go away.' He said, and Lina rolled her eyes, hoping he wasn't going to go on and on about her condition.
She certainly didn't want him worrying about her.
'Mine doesn't give up either.' He spoke again, and Lina melted at his attempt to open up to her.
'I mean, I take my supplements and medications religiously, but my silly heart doesn't give up on any chances to skyrocket, whenever I had a little problem.' He further explained, and Lina chuckled.
'Look at you talking about it, like it's just a regular migraine after a long day at the farm.' Lina chipped in, and Arnold laughed.
'Of course, it is not a regular migraine. But, one will not stop living just because life get a little difficult.' He noted.
'Although, the increasing blood pressure can actually kill somebody, but if you take you medications regularly and never means your check ups, you have nothing to worry about.' He added.
'Sure.' Lina whispered.
'Thank you very much for calling.' She added, wanting the conversation to go on and on.
'I could come by your place tomorrow, after dropping Freddie off at school, if you don't mind. I want to bring you my supplement prescription.' Arnold said.
'You may run it by your doctor, so as to be sure if it would work wonders for you, like it is for me.' He remarked.
'I don't mind.' Lina rejoined.
'Thank you so much for the kind gesture.' She added, completely marveled by his kindness.
'You're welcome, Lina. You must be tired, get some rest now.' Arnold muttered.
'Good night, Arnold. Thanks for calling.' Lina whispered calmly.
'Good night.' Arnold replied, and ended the call.
Lina took her phone off her earlobe, grining from ear to ear.
As she set her phone down, she felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach and lay back on the bed, basking in the afterglow of their conversation.
She felt her heart racing a little faster than usual, as she placed her hand on her chest.
Arnold had always managed to make her weak to the knees years back, but it is completely weird that he still had that effect on her.
Her feelings for him never exactly ended, but she had managed to lock it in somewhere deep and dark for the longest time.
Not until the moment she felt the heat from his body once again.
His hard and sturdy masculine torso against her soft plum breast.
His hand working its magic around her bare skin, and the lushness of his lips in hers.
A faint gasp whispered past her lips, a reflexive response to the memory's tender ache.
She wanted nothing more now than be in that position with him again.
She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't want him.
She was hungry for him, as much as his kisses conveyed his own hunger too, the previous night.
Her chest rose and fell with each breath as she thought of him.
'This isn't right.' Lina called herself to order.
'I shouldn't be thinking of him this way. This is wrong.' She blurted at herself, when Catherine suddenly made her way into the room.
'Thinking about whom, in what way?' Catherine throwing a rhetoric, shutting Lina's bedroom door behind her.
'Somethings just never change, Catherine. You still haven't learnt to knock before barging into someone's room, have you?' Lina uttered, jolting up right.
'I'm sorry. I brought your medications.' Catherine stated, and Lina's eyes drifting to the hospital pack and jug of water her sister was holding.
'Thank you.' She remarked, getting up from the bed.
'You do have an empty glass in here, don't you?' Catherine asked.
'I do.' Lina responded, reaching for her medications and jug of water from Catherine.
'It's always on the drawer.' She adding, sending her glance towards the drawer the glass was on.
'I will rinse it up for you.' Catherine volunteered after handing the jug and medication to Lina.
'Thank you.' Lina said.
'You're welcome.' Catherine replied, moving to the drawer to pick up the glass.
Then she went into the bathroom to rinse it under a running tap.
She returned shortly, and helped Lina pour a sizable portion of water in the washed glass.
'Here you go.' Catherine handed the glass to Lina.
'Thank you.' Lina smiled, taking the glass of water.
Then she opened the pack of medicine and took out the drugs in it.
She read the instructions on each drugs, before taking it all. After which she set everything aside on her drawer.
'Thank you, Catherine.' Lina said, retracing her step to the bathroom.
'Stop saying "thank you" every minutes. We are family.' Catherine proclaimed.
'Alright, sis. Have a good night rest.' Lina retorted, reaching for the bathroom door.
'Sure.' Catherine replied, watching Lina go in the bathroom to freshen up.
She moved towards the bed, slipping under the duvet, as she waited to go to bed with her sister.
Lina walked out in her bathroom robe, a few minutes after.
'You're still here?' She spat after spotting her sister in her bed.
'And in my bed also?' She added.
'Wouldn't you go sleep in your room?' She queried.
'No, Lina. I will pass the night instead.' Catherine proclaimed.
'And why is that?' Lina questioned, thinking her family may be trying to keep a close watch on her because she's depressed.
'Did mom ask you watch me?' She posed another question.
'No, sis. I was hoping we could talk, and maybe hug ourselves to sleep.' Catherine's voice cracked as she spoke, the emotion finally spilling over.
'After the unexpected outburst from everyone tonight, I particularly feel alone.' Lina could see her sister eyes shining in tear as she spoke.
'Mom wouldn't stop making references to the fact that I made you pass out.' Catherine's words softened Lina's emotions.
'Dad and mom started arguing again, about you, like they used to, after Christopher left. You are in your own world - Christopher's in his. Nothing has changed.' She broke down.
'I feel so left out.' She cried, forcing Lina's feet to her side of the bed.
Lina sat beside her, pulling her in for an embrace.
With a soothing murmur, she enveloped her sobbing sister in a gentle hug, cradling Catherine's head against her chest.
Her arms encircled her sister's waist, holding her secure as she leaned her own head down, resting it softly on top of Catherine's.
'I'm so sorry, baby sister. It's all my fault.' She whispered.