-Adam-

Standing at the entrance of Miriam Hospital Chamber, I delicately knocked on the door while holding a package. A slender woman in her late twenties sits on the bed. Whatever it is that she's reading has clearly captured her attention. Unprepared for the unexpected knock, she looked up and looked at me. Unexpectedly, she beamed.

"Can I come in?"

"Ben, you came. Of course, you can come in." She waves me over. On my approach to her, I return her smile.

"Yes, I have. Forgive me, I should have come much sooner, but I wanted to give you room to recover." I extended the package I was holding to her. "This is for you."

Unwrapping the box, her smile becomes wider as she discovers what I bought her. Treats that she loves.

"My favourite kind of chocolate is it. My deepest gratitude. I love it."

She playfully shoves me on my shoulder. "Hey, I met Shelley!" she says with a thrill. "I have to admit that when Matthew described her to me, he neglected to emphasise how lovely she was."

"Where in the world did you meet her?"

"In the mall," as I put it. "Her assistance was invaluable while I was selecting a wedding present for you and Matthew."

"Her taste is impeccable," She says. "Her personality appeals to me. Without a doubt, she is the one for you."

"I share your belief. If only she could see it for herself. She has no faith in me."

"Doubtless, she will. So, you two have only recently crossed paths. If you give her a little time, she will probably come around. Not to mention, I have the impression that she has feelings for you. Your near mention always made her eyes light up, and I could see it whenever we were talking. An insatiable curiosity about you consumes her."

With a heavy sigh, I plopped down on the bed beside her. "She has piqued my interest. Assuming it doesn't terrify me would be dishonest of me. Numerous college-aged women had my heart, but I was choosy about who I let into my life. It is puzzling to me as to why Shelley is unique."

She placed a hand on my shoulders and whispered, "I know there's something special about her."

"If I understand you well, you're referring to her refusal to bend or give in to the will of any guy, no matter how much they try. My mum would be so much better if she was more like her. If she hadn't given in to my father's abuse, maybe she would have been happy."

"After all those years, I still cannot forgive myself for not seeing what was happening to my mother. I can't believe she kept my father's abuse of her away from me all those times I was in law school."

"If I hadn't come back from school unannounced, I wouldn't have found out that he has been locking her in the basement, so he would keep her from going to her modelling gigs. He even does that when she refuses to sign off money to him."

"I hate him so much. What kind of man will do that to his wife?" I balled my fist so tightly that it began to turn red.

"Hey there! Does it still occupy your thoughts? Everyone knows that she has broken off contact with your father and is now being herself again."

"I know, but that took a lot of therapy sessions to get her there."

As Matthew walks in on our talk, he asks, "Am I interrupting something?"

"Nah, I don't think so. My parents' names came up while we were catching up."

"Oh, I perceive. To some extent, I get that." Matthew says this while he offers his wife a can of Pepsi.

"So, Ben, how was the discussion with your partners at the firm? I learned that you extended your stay here, according to Blackson, who informed me that you contacted them."

"I thought he did. Sure enough, they were on board with my choice; the only catch was that I needed to set a return date for them."

"It seems like I will be staying for a little longer," I said.

"That's fantastic," Mathew exclaims. "Shelley supposedly phoned in sick today, according to Blackson."

"Really, I had no idea." How did that happen?

Midway through his sip of Pepsi, he speaks. "I don't know either. According to Blackson, she had contacted her supervisor to request time off work due to severe pain."

"Oh, I perceive. Although I appreciate the details you provided, I'm thinking I'll just drop by to see if she needs anything. Listen, I'm leaving. Bye." In his haste to leave, he says this.

With an air of suspicion, Miriam examines her spouse.

"What?" Your expression is completely off-putting. Matthew states.

"Tell me why you would tell him that. Have you not considered the possibility that she may prefer solitude?"

"She might not want company, but she sure needs something." Says Matthew.

"Matthew Kofi Yeboah. Are you the one saying that? It's unbelievable to me." she shook her head in disbelief.

***

-Shelley POV-

"Ding dong". The doorbell rang.

"At this very moment, who may be knocking on the door? Just my boss, coworkers, and Dr. Blackson are aware that I will be staying home."

Who could this possibly be? It better not be Sarah; if it is, I promise to murder her. I am not feeling well enough to help her overcome her hangover or, even worse, her sadness.

Resentfully, I get out of bed and walk to the door, dressed in sweatpants and a grey tank top. The doorbell won't stop ringing, as well as the door's pounding sound, and it's taking over the house, making me even angrier.

"I am coming for the love of Christ. That person must be fucking dying to be pounding on my door in such a manner." I yanked open the door, and there was Ben, poised and waiting outside.

"Ben," I ask, "why are you in this place?"

"After hearing that you're sick, I figured I'd drop by to see if there was anything I could do to help."

"Is that why you were knocking on my door in such a manner."

"You were keeping long in answering the door. I thought something might have happened to you."

Sighing, I said, "There is absolutely nothing you can do to help. No worries here. It's not that bad. If I can soothe others from severe diseases, I can certainly ease my own ovulation cramps. Your presence is superfluous. A combination of over-the-counter pain relievers and warm compresses has helped me tremendously. You can tell that I am taken care of."

"Sure, I get it." As he examines me more closely, a hint of uncertainty rises in his voice as he says, "However, there are other ways I can assist you."

"Like what?"

"Preparing an adequate supply of hot pads and responding quickly enough to your calls at the door are also important considerations so that you may avoid making guests wait for long," he says with a Smirk.

"A har-har! quite amusing. Clearly, Ben, I am not in the mood for jokes right now."

"Just so you know, I am not the type to accept rejection gracefully. Your posture makes it quite obvious that you are still experiencing discomfort. Please allow me to assist you with some household tasks. I solemnly vow that I shall possess the qualities of an exemplary gentleman."

For some reason, he keeps insisting on being present for me. At the moment being here by ourselves is inconvenient for us both.

"Alright, I just don't feel like arguing with you at the moment. You should be able to navigate the house on your own. I need to get some rest."

"Would you like me to prepare some warm pads?" Making his way inside the house, he asks after me.

"Oh, absolutely! The one I was using is probably icy by this point. No thanks to you."

"And for that, I am sorry. Please tell me where to find it."

"Probably dropped it on the sofa. The kettle is located on the kitchen benchtop." With that, I lock myself in my bedroom.

"Now, let's part with this coat, so we can begin preparing this warm pad for her." As he walks to the kitchen, he sets his coat on the sofa.

In just a few short minutes, Ben had the heating pad prepared and was on his way to her bedroom door. "Shelley, I have your heated pad ready for you," he adds as he knocks. "Am I required to bring it in?"

"Hold on a second. I will be right over."

As I pried open the door to my bedroom, I stepped in front of him, blocking his path as if to stop him from having a peek. I took a deep breath as I stared at him. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, revealing a few hairs on his chest, and he was holding the hot pad while his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The aroma of his cologne wafted through the air. I knew he was attractive, but damn, the mere sight of him is completely distracting my thoughts.

Aware of my stare Shortly before I could utter a word, Ben grimaced. Out came the hot pad, which he then prodded towards me. "I am grateful" was all I could manage to say.

"You are most welcome," he says with considerable reserve. As I delicately remove it from his grasp, his fingers brush against mine.

"Have you had anything to eat since earlier?" he inquires.

"Just not yet."

"Would you like me to prepare a meal for you? Is soup possible?"

"Ow, you cook too?" I ask, tilting my head to one side as I prop myself up against the door frame. "Do you have any limits, Ben?"

He raises an eyebrow at me and asks, "Are you sure you want to know?" with a playful grin playing on his lips.

"Disregard that. By the way, I really couldn't possibly ask that of you. You have done so much already."

"No problem whatsoever. A bowl of ginger chicken soup is on the way." His words come as he walks towards the kitchen. The way he acted, so enthusiastic, made me laugh.

Back in bed with the hot pad on my lower abdomen, I drifted off to sleep after enjoying the flavorful soup that Ben had made for me.

She may be sleeping now, which is good. I hope when she wakes, she will be much better. I am glad I was able to convince her to let me stay.

I can't even imagine how much pain she might be going through right now. Although I didn't have a sister growing up, a woman nurtured me. I'm sure it's never easy for them.

Ben collapses onto the couch, feeling exhausted.

_

A/N: Writing this chapter was a bit challenging. I hope you love it. Don't forget to vote and leave a comment. As a result, it encourages me to either finish the story or drop it.