This Love | ✓

Part 19

"Claire," I groaned, stretching out her name so it sounded like kill-air. "You're already late for work. You should go."

"But, darling, you're so sick," she complained. Handing me a small vial of translucent, golden liquid, she said, "It's eucalyptus oil. Take a hot bath with this. It should help you feel better."

Before I could thank her, my eyes began tearing up. I collapsed into a fit of painful sneezes. Grabbing a tissue from a giant box of Kleenex, I blew my nose violently, wincing as my skin burned from the pressure.

"I would take the whole day off if I could," Claire sighed, shaking her head miserably. "I don't want to leave you here like this, but I can't get out of the board meeting today."

"I'll be fine," I promised, even though I felt like death warmed over. Fresh tears trickled down my cheeks and my nose itched uncontrollably. "Go, Claire. You're late."

"You don't look fine at all," Claire said, horrified. "Look at how your eyes are tearing up!"

She reached over, brushing away the traitorous tears with her perfectly manicured fingers. "You shouldn't have gone to the beach so late at night." 

I remained silent, unwilling to mention that Jason and I had gotten soaked to the bone when we fell straight into the freezing ocean. If Claire found out, she would panic and start to imagine highly improbable scenarios of drowning, hypothermia, fever, and whatnot.

A shrill, urgent ring emanated from the pocket of her sharp trousers.

Pulling out her phone with an exasperated sigh, Claire said to me, "It's from work."

"I'll be okay," I assured her, my voice sounding nasally and rough to my own ears.

She stood up reluctantly. "Will you promise to call me if you need anything at all?"

"Yes, I promise," I assured her, raising my voice to be heard over her phone as it continued to ring. 

"All right, darling," she said, pressing the Decline button on her phone. Leaning forward to kiss my forehead, she murmured, "I better go now. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"I will," I mustered a weak smile. "Bye, Claire." 

I held my breath and waited, carefully listening to the clip-clop of her high heels on the wooden floor until the sound disappeared. When I heard the front door close with a reassuring click, I released my breath, coughing and sneezing until my lungs rattled like a box of rocks.

My legs turned to jelly and tears clouded my vision as I climbed out of bed, the vial of oil and the box of tissues grasped within my fingers. The idea of a warm soak in the luxurious bathtub propelled me towards the bathroom.

The wait for the tub to fill up was agonising. I shifted around on my feet, staring at my dreadful reflection in the large, well-lit mirror. I frowned at my tomato-red nose and frizzy hair, sticking up in every direction. My eyes, watery and surrounded by dark circles, looked as though the life had been sucked out of them.

Finally, the tub was filled to the brim with hot water. I uncapped the vial, pouring a few drops of oil into the water. Almost immediately, the strong aroma of eucalyptus wafted into the air, wisps of steam rising from the pristine white tub.

Surprised that I could smell the medicinal oil despite my clogged nose, I stripped and climbed into the bathtub. My muscles unclenched as the hot water seeped into my thirsty skin. Resting my head against the cool porcelain, I closed my eyes.

***

Two hours later, I was comfortably installed in front of the TV in the living room. The therapeutic eucalyptus oil had cleared my nose, rendering my sneezes and coughs infrequent.