Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Depend on Me

His eyes sprung open, staring incredulity down at the tawny eyes. There was something in those eyes that managed to enrapture his mind. Anxiousness, worry and… curiosity? His forehead rucks up like a carpet and he wasn’t sure if his ears were playing tricks on him.

“Do it.” Her voice cracked at the end of the sentence not able to inhibit the nervousness reigning her veins any longer. Whatever courage she had just now crumbled and her eyes darted around the room, refusing to meet Brandon anymore. “The doctor advised us to follow our normal routine. The more we do the higher the chance that I recover my memory. So,” Her voice slowly dwindled into a whisper as a blush dusted her cheeks. “If this is how you greet me in the morning, then just do it.”

 “You sure?”

Her eyes snapped at him, her expression turning into a scowl. “It’s not like your kissing me on the lips, just do it. You’re making me feel really stupid for saying anything.” She grumbled the last bit disgruntled.

Crow feet radiated in the Corner of Brandon’s eyes, mischievousness brewing in them. “But I normally kissed your lips too.” He moved his mouth near her ear and the breath that carried the low voice tickled her skin. “And I’m not talking about the lips on your beautiful face.”

“You…!” Cherry’s face combusted in flames and her heart forgot how it should beat as only gibberish escaped her mouth. And once the eyes that were like the moist earth locked with hers her heart went errant and her words eluded her.

“I need you to understand how much power your words have over me princess, and how some of those words can send me over the edge as I want nothing more than to have you crying under me.”

Forget the endearment that he used for her just now. That voice should be a crime! The deepness of it had a way of igniting her internal engine, making her toes inadvertently curl up from delicious tingles.

“The audacity.” She said and wanted to smack herself for sounding so breathless.

There was a subtle smile on his lips. “I just wanted to clarify that I’m not here to be friends with you. I’m trying to make you fall for me.”

“You’re doing a poor job at it. You’re only freaking me out.” Cherry retorted.

Brandon arched his brows at her, the smile on his lips showing no sign of falling. “Are you sure? Because from the looks of it you’re already falling for my voice.”

There was a startled look in her eyes as the tips of her ears were glowing red. “You heard my thoughts.” That wasn’t a question but a statement and the smile that only grew in width confirmed it.

“More like you spilled your thoughts-“ Cherry send him a glare that told him she will do some harm if he says one more word. “Okay, okay, no more teasing. Good morning princess.” He finally pressed his lips against her forehead before hooking his arms under the hollow of her knees and her back, sweeping her of her feet earning a surprised yelp from Cherry. Her hands now finding their way digging in Brandon’s oxford shirt.

He waltzed his way to the dining table, pulling out the chair and lowering Cherry down on it, before taking his own seat in front of her. The rumbling of her stomach became profound again once her eyes laid on the toast in front of her.

Her drool was about to escape the corner of her mouth when her nose caught on to a smell that hit her with a wave of nostalgia. Her eyes drifted to the tea next to her plate the vapor of it carrying the cinnamon scent and as if it bewitched her, her fingers coiled around the ear of the tea mug, guiding it to her mouth. Closing her eyes, she took one good whiff of it.

Cinnamon tea, thats-

“That’s your favorite.”

“Huh?” Her head snapped up to look at Brandon, watching how he took a sip from his own mug with his eyelids shut. A smile plastered on his lips as if he knew she was staring at him with a baffled look. Her gaze questioning him once again if he heard her thoughts, but there was no need when she was an open book.

“You always needed cinnamon tea to start your morning. No cinnamon tea was a cranky Cherry.” He elaborated.

Is that so? She thought inwardly. It’s true that cinnamon tea was her happy drug, but more so because its scent evoked memories of childhood in her. With the tea she was once again in her room. Filled with dolls. A desk decorated with tea sets and her child self using one of those cups to drink from together with her teddy bear.

At first she didn’t like the tea. It was a random tea she found in one of the kitchen’s cupboard of her parents one day. She just needed it to mimic the noble women, princesses that she saw on TV. But it slowly grew on her and she now can’t live without it.

She didn’t know that she needed it to function in the morning though. She eyed Brandon, wondering what else he knew about her, but when he opened his eyes and peered over his cup to lock his gaze with hers she swiftly whipped her head to the side. Her cheeks now tinted with red.

Putting her tea down she cleared her throat before grabbing the toast and stealing a bite from it. “Where did you sleep last night? You weren’t there when I woke up.”

“Well,” He chimed. “I guessed with what happened yesterday that the last thing you needed was waking up to a face that you barely know, so I slept in the guest room.”

The skin between her eyebrows puckered. “But I know you.” Obviously she doesn’t remember Brandon, but they had spend some time together in the hospital. Enough for him not to be a stranger anymore. It’s not like she suffers from amnesia every time she wakes up.

“Not well enough for you to depend on me.” His remark came out of left field, and she could only stare at him with only the sound of the water dripping down the faucet and hitting a dirty plate filling the room.

“Why did you do that?” The words that she wanted to say dispersed into thin air on seeing the seriousness entering his eyes. No need for reiteration as she knew what he was talking about.

In guilt she avoided her eyes, answering in a voice that lacked life as she lowered the toast back on the plate. “The crutches weren’t there-”

“I know I forgot to grab the damn crutches from the car,” Reaching over the table he placed his hand against the side of her face, caressing it, giving it a gentle nudge so that her doe eyes met his. “But why didn’t you call for me?” He spoke in quiet tones that reflected the pain in his eyes.

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Cherry lowered her eyes, them darting everywhere except to his face as if the answer that she was looking for was hidden in this room. “I don’t know.” She whispered in the end. Their baby already had to be kept for days in the mortuary prior her release from the hospital. Left alone in the dark chilly place. The thought alone brought shivers down her spine and made the guilt in her chest swell up. At that moment the wish to bury her child as soon as possible overtook her rationality.

“Sorry.” She apologized.

Retracting his hand Brandon leaned back in his chair, sighing as he combed the fringes on his forehead back only for the strands to fall back one by one. “I’m not saying this to have you apologize to me, Cher. I just want you to understand that nobody enjoys seeing their significant other who’s still recovering from an accident sitting on dirt under the cold rain.” He explained. “I want you to lean on me- trust me.” The words that started with a stern cadence softens at the end matching the lips that inched into a rueful smile. “Okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded. Brandon beamed at her. “Great, shall we continue finishing our breakfast? You have you’re first appointment with your therapist today, right? I will pick you up after I’m done with work.”

“Okay…” Cherry wasn’t sure whether she should be happy or worried that she’s going to let someone dissect her mind until she becomings a heaping mess of tears.

“I heard you talking to someone just now. Who was it?” Cherry queried, trying to sequence their topic to something else.

Brandon hummed. “Your parents called. They wanted to check in how you are, but since you don’t have a phone at the moment, they had to call via me.” He answered between bites. Cherry nodded thoughtfully before parting her lips and letting words out that had Brandon paralyzed.

“So when are they coming to visit us?” One innocent question, but it stole the moisture from Brandon’s mouth where the crumbs of the toast now felt like sandpaper. He quickly took a sip from his tea to quench his parched mouth.

Never, is what he wanted to say but instead he said, “They said that they would visit us soon after taking a look around the city.”

“Really?” Cherry questioned, her eyelashes fluttering obtuse as she cocked her head to the side. “That’s weird. It’s not like it’s their first time visiting this place.”

“They also mentioned something about spending some alone time together as it has been a while that they went on a vacation together.” Brandon added quickly. Cherry couldn’t see it, but behind that lazy smile a slight tremor went through his hand that was holding his cup.

Cherry nodded thoughtfully. “Typical them. Still so lovey-dovey after tens of years of marriage.”

Brandon hummed in agreement as he emptied his teacup. He stood up from his seat, gazing at his imaginary watch on his left wrist. “I’m going to be late for work.”

Merriment contoured Cherry’s face as her eyebrows rose to her hairline, her chin now resting on the heel of her palm as she commented, “There’s no watch.”

“And you don’t have imagination.” Brandon retorted as he waltzed to the place where they had deserted the crutches bending over and grabbing them before walking back to Cherry and perching them against the round table.

“Don’t worry about work. I’ve already informed them of the situation.” He informed her, smoothing the hair from her forehead before placing a chaste kiss on it. “I love you.”

There was a sharp intake of breath coming from Cherry. Once again his words created a breach between her brain and her heart. The distorted pounding of her heart creating a burst of butterflies in her lower belly whilst her mind tried to pull out every drawer of rationality in her brain to use it against her and chastise herself for letting this man’s actions have so much effect on her.

Feeling the candid air slowly becoming awkward as the silence stretched out Brandon said, “You don’t have to answer to my feelings. I’m just doing our routine just like the doctor recommended, okay?”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Okay…” Her voice came out inaudible and croaked as the adoration in Brandon’s eyes was chocking her up. She cleared her throat before ushering again through her barely parted lips, “Okay.” And the smile made its way back on Brandon’s face.

She’s so adorable. Brandon thought watching Cherry’s cheek becoming glowing red. “Take your time getting to know the house while I’m away. If something happens or you need me the landline phone is next to the TV.”

In response, she took a huge bite from her toast before raising it up. “As long there’s food I’ll be fine.” She remarked waving her toast around, her voice muffled by the bread that filled her cheeks.

“Right.” He chuckled, rolling his eyes at her playfully before walking to the door and grabbing his stuff. Opening the door and with one foot already over the threshold he threw one glance over his shoulder in to the empty hallway, hesitating if he should leave her alone when,

“Is the reason you are trying to freeze me to death right now by keeping the door open because you’re worried about me? If so, then stop worrying and just close the door! I can take care of myself.”

Though her words blew the clouds that daunted his mind away, it also made space for the ache that he felt in his chest as he didn’t like the way she was disregarding him. His eyebrow arched as he scoffed in response. “I see that someone doesn’t need their new phone since they are so great at taking care of themselves.” He chimed, whistling nonchalantly as he slowly closed the door until there was a hairbreadth of an opening left.

“Wait... Wait!” Cherry’s keening voice freighted with panic as Brandon’s words finally dawned on her. “Did I say that I can take care of myself? I meant to say that-“

“Too late.” He bluntly cut through her words as he completely shut the door. Snickering when Cherry roared out his name. Once his shoulders that rattled from the laughter quiet down his expression went flaccid and the humor in his eyes dimmed as he grabbed the phone, that has been vibrating since he waltzed out the house, from his trousers’ back pocket.

His expression soured thinking that it was Dean who called only for his expression to morph in a surprise when he saw April’s name on the screen.

Accepting the call he brought the phone to his ear as he stepped in to the van, the phone now wedged between his ear and his shoulder whilst putting his seatbelt on. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you seriously asking me that right now?”

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