Chapter 26: 26
It took twice as long to get home from the hospital. Nausea kicked in as soon as they got in the car. It
was like the motion was wreaking havoc on Nichs. They had to pull over four times to let Nichs
get out so he could get sick on the side of the highway. By the time they reached the pce, he was so
sick and weak that Stephen and Octavius had to carry him from the car through the house to his room
on the third floor.
They got him to bed, and he was out as soon as theyid him on the mattress. Kinsley brought the
nket up and tucked him in to make himfortable, although she was not sure he would even
notice. He looked dead lying there in the bed.
Kinsley left the room and went to find Naya and Teegan. The three of them would spend the rest of the
day nning the wedding. Nichs would never notice she was not with him.
***
Nichs heaved as he knelt over the toilet. He had woken with the sudden need to be violently ill. The
muscles of his body trembled with the strain. “Nichs,” he heard his brother’s voice and then
footsteps as Matthew came into the room. “I see you are not doing well. I thought I’de to see if you
were awake.”
Nichs voided his stomach once more and thenid his head on his arm, draped over the edge of the
toilet. He heard the water turn on, and then he heard something nk. Matthew’s hand touched his
shoulder and helped him sit up. Then Matthew took his hands and guided them to the ss he was
offering him.
“Here, some water to wash away that nasty taste in your mouth,” Matthew said, his hand gripping
Nichs’ coaxing him to lift the water to his mouth. The rim of the ss touched his bottom lip, and
Nichs began to drink.
Nichs made a face. “It tastes weird,” heined weakly.
“That is just the vomit in your mouth. Keep drinking,” Matthew said as he forcefully tipped the ss,
forcing Nichs to drink everyst drop. “There we go,” he said happily as he took the ss away.
Nichs heard the ss as Matthew ced it on the counter. “Let’s get you up off the floor,” Matthew
said, and Nichs felt his brother pull his arm around his shoulders as Matthew snaked one arm
around Nichs’ waist and heaved him up off the floor and onto his weak, unsteady feet. “So,
undignified to find the Crowned Prince on the bathroom floor.”
Matthew helped Nichs back into bed. Heid back as his brother took hold of his ankles and lifted
his feet up onto the mattress, getting him on the bed fully. Nichs rolled onto his side, his arms
hugging his stomach. He had sharp, burning pains. The cramping was so intense. It hurt.
Matthew stroked his sweaty hair. “Do not worry, brother. You are not alone. I will be by your side every
step of the way.”
***
Naya opened the door to Nichs’ private room and let herself inside. Dinner would be served soon,
and she wanted to see if her son felt up toing down or if she should have the staff bring his
evening meal up to him. She closed the door and walked over to the bed where Nichsy sleeping
soundly. She almost had not the heart to wake him. Maybe she should not. Naya decided to leave and
let him rest.
“Is it time for dinner?” She heard Nichs ask.
Naya stopped and turned to face him; he stilly there with his eyes closed. “I thought you were asleep.
How did you know I was here?”
Nichs rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He stared straight ahead, and she was not sure she
would ever get used to that vacant look in his eyes. “I could smell your perfume,” he confessed.
“Yes, dinner will be served soon. Will you being down?”
Nichs groaned as he sat up in bed and ced his feet on the floor. “I wille down.”
“Will you eat?” She asked.
He shook his head. “Probably not, but I will socialize.”
“Do note down on our ord. If you want to rest, no one will me you for noting to dinner.”
He chuckled. “Every day, I am one day closer to death. So long as I have the strength, I will spend as
little time in this bed as possible. I am going to live what little life I have left,” he then snapped his
fingers, and Brutus jumped up from his doggie bed in the corner and walked over to Nichs. Naya
watched as Nichs stood up and took hold of the harness bar Brutus wore and then made his way
around the bed to her side. “Now, shall we go down for dinner?”
Naya smiled. She admired her son’s strength and conviction. “Well, then let’s join the others.”
***
Kinsley sat at the table, enjoying her meal, while Naya filled Nichs in about the ns for the
uing wedding. She looked over a few times to see Nichs looking weary. He had not eaten a
thing all day, and if she was, to be honest, hisck of nourishment was starting to concern her. In the
short time, she had known him, Nichs had lost weight.
While everyone spoke, Kinsley noticed how Nichs slowly slumped, and his hand went to his
stomach. Every once in and while he’d flinch like he was in pain. His hand went to his stomach, andContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.
Nichs sucked in a sharp painful breath as he leaned forward. Kinsley ced her hand over the one
he still had on the table. “Nichs, are you alright?” She asked, bringing an end to the conversation
around the table.
“I think… I should go back… to bed.”
“Octavius!” Samuel yelled, and the servant appeared almost instantly. “Please take Nichs back to
his room.”
“I can make it myself,” Nichs said, standing up. He stepped away from the table, and his knees
buckles. Octavius flew across the room and caught Nichs as he fell, preventing him from hitting the
floor. He hoisted Nichs back onto his feet with Nichs’ arm draped around his shoulder and his
arm around Nich’s waist, keeping him upright. “Then again, maybe a little support would be
eptable.”
Octavius walked Nichs out of the room, and Kinsley looked at those still around the table. “I think he
is getting worse.”
“Yes,” Samuel agreed. “His health certainly has taken a downward turn.”
Naya tossed her napkin on the table. “We should call Dr. Horton.”
“Darling, I am sure it is just a side effect of the therapy. It is to be expected,” Samuel said, reaching out
to take his wife’s hand. “There is nothing the doctor can do. Nichs just needs to rest.”