Zack was not that fond of apples, but since Serena had taken an apple from the fruit basket, he did not decline and said, “I don’t want too much. Just give me a tiny piece.”
Serena washed the apple and sliced it into four pieces before giving Zack one.
Taking the apple slice, Zack uttered, “Why didn’t you peel the skin off?” “I always eat it with the skin like when I eat shrimp. I’ll eat the shrimp with the shell if you don’t peel it for me.”
Zack smiled. “Get me discharged and I’ll take you to enjoy the seafood here. The city is near the coast, so the seafood is abundant and cheap here. You can eat to your heart’s content.” ‘We’ll talk when you get better.” “Seren, my temperature hasn’t gone down, but I feel better than yesterday.
Let’s get out of here after I’m done with the IV drips, okay?”
Munching on the apple, Serena looked at him without saying a word.
Try as Zack might to cajole her, Serena refused to budge.
By then, Mr. Tank had returned with the nurse and some takeaway lunch. Serena fed Zack lunch and waited another half an hour before asking the nurse to administer the shot.
Mr. Tank did not stay for long. After delivering lunch, he gave an excuse and slipped out of there.
He had a feeling that the stink eye he got from Mr. York grew eerie when the latter saw him with the nurse.
If looks could kill, Mr. Tank would be dead right now.
It was not as though he was the one who suggested to the doctor to switch the medicine for a shot-it was the missus.
Serena had her lunch and said, “Take the first dose now. You can have the second dose after dinner.” “Seren, can I just have one shot?” “No.” “It hurts. I don’t want it anymore.” ‘What can I do to make you feel better?”
Zack pouted. “I won’t feel better unless I don’t get the jab.”
Serena removed the mask and said, “I can make your time worthwhile and give you something else to think about.”
She then leaned in, but Zack was one step ahead and stopped her.
Black in the face, he swiftly put the mask back on her face and uttered in a raspy voice, “Although I would really love that, I might give you my cold.”
Serena uttered with joy in her eyes. “Hang in there then. You’re thirty years old, Zack. How can a thirty-year-old manly man be afraid of a shot?”
It turned out Zack was afraid of needles.
Zack had better prayed not to be sick if he ever crossed her again. She would get the doctor to administer shots to him for any illness he had.
With Zack tensing his facial muscles without a word, Serena leaned into his ear and whispered, “Be a good boy and take the shot, Zack. Then, I can go all the way with you and go back. Call it a reward since I rushed over to take care of you.”
Zack’s dark eyes were sparkling.
He asked, “Can I?”
Sitting straight, Serena smiled through her eyes. “Once you get discharged from the hospital.
“How about it? Are you going to take the shot?”
Looking rather conflicted, Zack rolled up his sleeve and put his hand out in the end. He closed his eyes and took the shot like a champ.
While the injection was being administered, Zack convinced himself in his mind, ‘It’s an ant’s bite. It’s an ant’s bite.’
His wife would reward him handsomely once he recovered from the cold.
A certain somebody readily admitted that he had been ogling at his wife for a while now.
It was most intense when he got her dressed once. He had been troubled by wet dreams at night.
Serena was tempted to laugh as Zack tried to keep a blank face throughout.
“You can have the first shot now. The second shot can be administered later,” Serena said.
However, Zack told the nurse, “I’ll take the pain in one go.”
It was bad enough to suffer once, but the second time… He might as well tough it out all at once.
Zack then put on a brave face for the second shot.
Serena was speechless.
Well, at least Zack got his daily doses.
Serena watched as the nurse applied pressure to the injection site.
He stared at Serena with a straight face.
Serena added, “The nurse will put a bandage on your boo-boo.”
She plucked some grapes and plopped them into his mouth. “Have some grapes and take your mind off the pain.”
Serena then went to the loo.
Once she was gone, Zack held his arm and screamed silently.
Serena might just ask for more injections if he made a big deal out of it.
Zack stuffed his mouth with grapes and hid his pain.
He vowed to himself to take care of his health, so he would never get sick again.
Zack would rather die than take another shot.
Nevertheless, Zack thought the shot was worth it at the thought that he and Serena would become a real couple once he got better from his flu. Shhh…
He must not let anyone hear his thoughts, or he would get punished with more shots.
Ring, ring, ring…
Zack’s phone rang.
He grabbed his phone and realized that it was Nana.
“Nana.’ “I heard you’re in the hospital.”
Grandma May added, “I hope you’re okay.” “Just a cold, fever, cough, and sore throat. Nothing serious. I’ll be as good as new in a few days.”
With her mind at ease, Grandma May told him off, “Don’t overwork yourself. See, your body is susceptible to sickness when your immune system weakens. Since Seren is there, you and your wife can take time off work and spend some time together. Ultimately, you two get into fights easily because your relationship is not strong enough.” Their love for one another was not quite there yet.
Zack had developed feelings for Serena first and fell head over heels for her while Serena had only made a tiny step forward. She could shrink back into her shell at any time.
He fell silent.
Zack and Serena often got into fights not just because their relationship was not strong enough. His personality and habits were parts of the reason too.
It was unlikely that Serena would change for him. She was not the type to rely on men completely. Serena would not even let him in the loops of things that she could handle by herself.
Hence, he had to change for her instead.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? You always keep to yourself when I teach you how to chase your wife and build a relationship with her.” “I don’t know what to say,” Zack replied honestly.
Grandma May responded, ‘Why do I have such a senseless grandson like you? If your brothers and cousins are like you, I’d rather reunite with your grandpa than worry about all of you.”
Her sons and daughters-in-law were also worried, but it was the case of in one ear and out the other with these boys when their parents talked to them.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.