"CALM down, Bianca…" I whispered to myself as another thunder reached my ears.
It was already midnight. I was curled up here in the nook of the kitchen tiled floor. My head was buried in the hollow between my knees, my hands covering both my ears.
I woke up in the middle of the night with a strong thunderstorm hitting Pasadena.
"It'll pass. It'll pass…" I continuously muttered to myself, my lips slightly quivering in cold.
I could hear the heavy downpour of the rain outside. It was like the sky had gotten furious and decided to punish everything beneath him.
"Bianca…?"
I didn't know how long I was there in the dark when I heard a familiar voice.
"Bianca?" I shut my eyes as the kitchen light blinded me.
"What are you doing there, Bianca?"
It took me a moment before I looked at him.
Gideon… in his wheelchair was in front of me. His hair was a mess, his eyes a little slanted for waking up in an ungodly hour, his thick eyebrows in a deep furrow.
"I woke up without you beside me…" He said, his voice husky. His blue eyes were looking at me with deep concern. "What are you doing here?"
I gritted my teeth. "Just go back to sleep, Gideon."
"What's wrong?" he probed. "Why do you sound nervous?"
A booming thunder hit my ear that made me jerk. I shut my eyes tight.
"You're afraid of thunderstorms?"
"No shit, Sherlock," I muttered sarcastically. I opened my eyes and gave him a sharp look.
"Now, go back to bed and leave me alone here."
"It's cold here, Bianca."
He moved closer and touched my arm. The warmth of his hand immediately traveled through my skin.
But I don't need it. I don't need his warmth. I don't need his presence.
"Just leave me out here, Gideon," I scowl, pushing his hand away from mine.
His eyes lingered on me… then he sighed and maneuvered his wheelchair away from me.
I watched him as he disappeared from the kitchen. Of course, he'd leave. That's what he did before.
"What the fuck are you doing there, looking like an idiot?" Gideon asked, he was scowling at me while holding a glass of water in his hand.
He found me sitting on the tiled floor of the kitchen. My hair was a mess, and my hands on both sides of my ear.
I bit my lower lip. "I'm afraid of thunderstorms."
"What? Are you kidding me?"
The devil in front of me grinned, as if my situation was a comedic relief for him. "A fucking thunderstorm, really?" His laugh echoed in the kitchen.
I gritted my teeth, my entire being never bothered with the cold. "Just fucking leave me alone, Gideon."
He shot his brow as he placed his empty bottle on the counter. "Of course. You don't expect me to fucking stay here with you."
I smiled sarcastically after remembering that memory. With or without amnesia, he still leaves. But of course, who said I need someone with me—
My lips parted when I saw Gideon come back. This time, he was holding a quilt.
"Why did you come back?"
"I only leave to get this." He said, tossing the comforter in front of me.
I frowned. But the next thing he knew made me drop my jaw on the ground.
He got out of the wheelchair and slumped himself on the tiled floor. He let out a soft curse when his buttocks hit the hard marble.
"Gideon?! What are you doing?"
I had suddenly forgotten about the thunderstorm happening outside.
Now, we were both sitting on the tiled floor. Him beside me.
He didn't answer me. Instead, he picked up the comforter and put it around my shoulder.
The cold I was feeling was slowly disappearing and was getting replaced by the warmth of the comforter…
"Why are you doing this?"
"You're my wife. I can't let you stay here alone." He looked at me. His blue eyes were as gentle as his voice.
A sarcastic smile formed on my lips. "That's not what you said to me before."
"Has this happened before?"
I didn't answer. I just gritted my teeth.
"I'm sorry…" I heard him sigh. "I'm sorry, Bianca."
"I don't need your apology, Gideon."
He sighed once more. "Care to share with me the reason you're afraid of the thunderstorm?"
I gritted my teeth. "Stop asking as if you're concerned."
"I am, Bianca." His head turned to me. His face inches away from mine. I could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Whatever I said in the past, I hope you can forget them…"
"Well, too bad. I have a sharp memory." I smiled sarcastically.
But then I shut my eyes with a loud thunder.
"You can hold my hand, Bianca."
He held out his hand to me. I glanced at it but didn't take it. "Shut up, I don't need your help."
He pursed his lips. "You're stubborn."
I rolled my eyes and leaned my head on the wall.
I sighed. "I had a dog," I muttered in a small voice.
I didn't know why I suddenly found myself talking. "It was gifted to me by my mother on my 5th birthday. But I lost him. He got hit by lightning."
"I'm sorry, Bianca…"
A sad smile appeared on my face. "That night… I cried for hours while slumping on the kitchen floor—his favorite place in our house."
"Your dog… what's his name?"
"Pluto. He's a brown bloodhound. He's been with me for two years. He's a very clingy dog. And sweet." I sighed. "After what happened to him, I became terrified of the thunderstorm."
"I understand…" He softly muttered. "That must be traumatic for a seven-year-old kid."
I tilted my head to his side. I saw him looking at me with a thoughtful expression.
"I'm sorry, Bianca," he muttered softly.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I'm sorry about the way I treated you before."
I pursed my lips. Now that he had lost his memories, he became an apologetic asshole.
"Just shut it, Gideon." I dismissed him, but my voice was soft.
"Are you sure you don't want to go back to bed? It's more comfortable there."
"I already told you, just leave me here."
He ran his fingers through his hair. As if something was frustrating him. "If only I could walk right now, I will carry you to the bed."
I raised my brow at him. "As if I'll let you carry me."
He let out a soft chuckle. His voice was deep. "I'll still carry you nonetheless."
"Aren't you cold?" I asked. He was only wearing a white shirt and sweat shorts.
"I'm not."
I looked at his body. Damn those muscles.
"If I am cold, would you share the comforter with me?"
I rolled my eyes at him.
He chuckled. "Are you aware that you're looking prettier when you do that?"
"W-what?"
He playfully grinned. "That eye-rolling thing. You're too cute when you do that."
I suddenly realized that I had already forgotten about the thunderstorm outside.
"Shut up, Gideon." I grabbed the comforter and stood up.
"Where are you going? Are you okay now?"
"Going back to bed."
The rain was still heavy but I could no longer hear thunder. I started walking to the kitchen door.
"Wait. Are you gonna leave me here?"
I stopped and turned my head at him. He was still slumped on the floor.
I could leave him there. But I won't do that. I was here to take care of him. Besides, I'm not an asshole.
I sighed and walked back to him.
"Don't do that next time," I said before helping him sit back in the wheelchair.
"I won't. I promise I won't leave you again."
My lips parted. "That's not what I'm talking about."
His blue eyes bored into mine. "Yeah. But I wanted to let you know, Bianca. I won't ever leave you again."