Chapter Forty
An idea.
An idea that could save me from all the trouble of finding another house and everything. Well, it won't save me from my brother or something but it was the main unresolved issue at the moment, that needed a solution.
The idea gave me a very much-needed hope. If this works then I would have a place to stay, a place to eat with all other facilities. This needed to work.
The moment that idea clicked in my head, I felt super energised. It gave me a very needed boost to go ahead with the work.
I rubbed the sleepiness of my eyes and stood up. Glancing down, I regarded the sheets that I slept on. It was messy even though I could hardly think that I moved much on it. I didn't think that I tossed and turned or anything like that since I was so tired, and fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed.
Anyway, without giving it much thought, I picked up the sheets and folded them. Flicking off my blanket, I got rid of the wrinkles and folded them as well. After I packed up everything, I put it all in the corner. Finally, I inhaled a deep breath. Turning around, I walked over to the door and opened it.
Right in the same moment, it was forced open from the other side.
I came face to face with Nelson.
He was standing outside. Looking just as shocked as I was. He was not expecting me on the other side of the door like I was not expecting him. It surprised us both. We stood there, looking at each other until, like somebody shook us at the same time, both of us snapped out of our trance.
He glanced away and my gaze shifted to the ground. At last, Nelson cleared his throat. I glanced up at him. He squared his shoulder and fixed me with an expressionless gaze. "Thought I should wake you up." He said.
"Right." I said, nodding.
"Opening hours for the restaurant would begin in a few hours. So, you should get freshened up before customers start showing up. I made you some coffee. Would you like some?" He asked me.
"Yes, sure. Thank you." I replied. Feeling grateful for his hospitality. It was unexpected but welcomed. I thought he would just ask me to get out as soon as I get up. It felt good that he was doing something that he did not need to.
He hummed. "Okay, good."
I just gave him a tight smile because I did not know what else to do.
He nodded his head, "Right so." He said as he backed away. Abruptly, he stopped.
"Oh, I completely forgot." He said. Walking over to me, he pulled out a new toothbrush from his side pocket and handed it to me along with a new toothpaste. "You will need this." He told me and I blushed.
I did not know what he was insinuating. That I needed it to brush my teeth or that I had a morning bad breath. All this time, standing here, I didn't even realise that I must have bad breath in the morning. Did he smell it?
I took all those things from his hand and whispered with my head down, "Thank you." Trying not to blow my bad breath on him, if I had any.
"Okay, then." He commented before I felt him disappear. I closed my hand on my eyes, feeling embarrassed. God, this was awkward. And embarrassing. Why did I not notice it before? Now, he knew what my morning breath smelled like. This was so ... embarrassing.
But what could I do now?
I closed the door behind me and headed for the bathroom. A shiver went through my spine and I shook myself.
Forget about this. I told myself. There were many more things that needed my focus right now. This was not it. In fact, this should be the last thing that I need to be worried about right now.
With this reasoning in my mind, I freshened up. To make sure that my mouth was not stinking, I washed it three times with water, even after I had already brushed my teeth and cleaned my mouth. When I was satisfied that I was presentable and my breath did not stink, I walked out of the washroom.
When I entered the room, I saw the pallet of blankets that I had packed up in the corner, gone. The table, one that I ate my dinner on, was now resting up. Right, in the middle of the room. It must have been Nelson's work. Clearing the room and setting up the table for breakfast. If I was not wrong then this room was the place where all the customers will eat too.
Pulling my thoughts away from it, I sat down near the table. But then something clicked in my head. I should help him. He did not need to do any of this, but he was doing it and making me breakfast. The least I could do, was to help him in it. I began standing up when the door opened and Nelson walked in with a tray. I was in the middle of standing up.
"Do you need help with that?" I asked, not sure if I should go over to him and take the tray from him. Nelson put me out of my dilemma and shook his head.
"No, sit down, please." He told me. I did what he asked and sat down. He put the tray on the table and sat down on the other side of the table.
"I thought I could help." I said, taking a look at the tray. Two coffee cups, a plate filled with cookies and a bowl of cornflakes with milk in it. It smelt so good. I wanted to eat it all so badly that I could hardly control myself. Out of nowhere, I was reminded of midnight, when I thought that he had drugged it but did not.
Now that I remember, I put all the dishes to the side and fell asleep right after that. Nelson must have been the one to take the dishes away. Another thing he did, that he certainly did not do. However, that makes me wonder, did he come here while I was asleep? And, did he see me sleeping here? I pushed all the thoughts away for a few minutes. It did not matter anyway. The only thing that mattered was my idea. Which I hope works.
Making up my mind, I opened my mouth to speak but was stopped by his question.
"So, what happened to your face and why did you say that you can't go to a clinic for your wound?" Nelson asked.
Oh boy. I did not see this question coming.