The Girl Who Wheeled

FOURTEEN.

Mel stared at Damien as his eyes suddenly went dark.

She was confused because she didn't know what that meant,

"I had an emergency, that's all" he finalized.

"Care to.....talk?"

"Really? You'd listen?"

Mel nodded eagerly.

"That's very cute,MM," he said. "I'm not sure I should be bombarding you with my issues"

"But you just bought me scotch eggs," she pouted. "I can at least return the favour"

Damien laughed,and looked up to meet her gaze.

Her orbs were staring at him.

She was smiling,but not too much.

His eyes went from her eyes to her nose,to her lips,and then to her-

His breath got hitched in his throat as realization dawned on him.

She was obviously in her night gown,meaning-

"So,are you gonna tell me?" She asked,and his eyes met her eyes again.

He shook his head,as if trying to compose himself.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat. "I went to attend to my grandfather"

When he said that,he blew out a heavy breath

"Is he alright?" Mel asked.

"He's not,MM" Damien chuckled.

"Oh" Mel said and put her fingers in her mouth, already nibbling on her nails.

"Don't do that,MM... I'm not about to tell you some scary story" he laughed.

She withdrew her fingers from her mouth and wiped them with the tissues on her nightstand.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" Mel asked, adjusting her glasses as they fell off her greasy face.

"He has a stroke," Damien said,and Mel gasped,clamping her hands over her mouth. "But it's not a complete one. The left side of his body is paralyzed,so I was called from the hospital because most times,if I'm not around,he doesn't agree to eat or do anything"

Mel stared at Damien as his facade slowly crashed down.

His perfect side was crumbling right in front of her.

He looked like a baby.

"And I really don't want anything to happen to him... He's closer to me than my own father is.. I grew up with him by my side,and I'm just trying to do all I can to ensure his survival"

Damien's voice broke,but to Mel's surprise,his expression was stoic.

He was crumbling inside,but on the outside,he was a perfectly built skyscraper.

"It's really not easy for me because my dad-"

And he stopped talking,he sighed heavily.

Mel noticed this and racked her brain for anything that could make him feel better.

"You don't have to talk about your father now" she said. He looked up as strands of his black hair fell on his eyebrows.

He nodded,but remained quiet.

"Do you want some chocolate?"

"Not now,MM" He said.

"But Hudson said chocolate makes everyone feel better"

"Maybe that works for him"

"It doesn't work for you?" She asked him,and a small smile appeared on his lips.