202 Demand A Little More From Me

After resting in the hospital for a day Elle was allowed to leave with the instruction to pay better attention to her health and nutrition. Adam never left her side once during all of it. He stood by her side, attentively listening to the doctor's advice, and meticulously looking after her.

Elle felt apologetic as he helped her into the car the next morning, still in the same suit he had been wearing the day before. Feeling uncomfortable in front of Adam for the first time since they had started dating, Elle closed her eyes, rested her head against the window, and pretended to sleep.

She must have accidentally fallen asleep somewhere along the line, for the next thing she knew her eyes were fluttering open to see Adam's face hovering above hers. She glanced around, realizing that she was in his arms in the elevator of their condo.

"You're awake?" Adam asked softly.

"Yes, sorry. You can put me down now." Elle said with red cheeks.

But Adam continued on as if he hadn't heard her. The elevator dinged as they reached their floor and Adam gracefully stepped out, with Elle still in his arms.

"Adam, I can walk on my own." Elle insisted as she grew more flustered.

"Let me at least do this much." Adam said in return.

Elle couldn't continue to insist after that. She buried her face into his chest to hide her embarrassment as he carried her into their home.

Adam gently laid her in bed. "Do you want to eat? Or maybe you want to take a shower first?"

Elle hesitated for a moment before finally giving in to Adam's overextending care. "I feel gross. I want to take a shower." She mumbled.

Adam nodded. "I'll draw you a bath then."

Adam drew a warm bath for her, even going as far as adding bath salts to the water. Elle finally snapped when he attempted to follow her into the bathroom.

"I'll help you get in." He insisted as he followed her in.

"My arms and legs work fine. I can take my clothes off by myself. Get out." She snapped.

She thought he may still insist but instead Adam began to laugh. 'It was a joke' Elle realized as she watched him chuckle.

"I'm sorry I was upset with you yesterday." Adam apologized once his laughter slowed. "I'm not angry so please stop feeling awkward around me."

Elle felt her cheeks heat up once more. "Was it that obvious?"

"I can't believe you actually fell asleep while pretending to fall asleep." He began to snicker again.

Elle felt her heart swell. "Stop teasing me." She said with fake anger. "I'll wash up so get out now."

"Yes, ma'am." Adam obeyed and left her to her own devices.

Elle slipped into the warm water, letting it wash away her frustrations and soften the tension in her muscles. She soaked in the bath for a long time before washing up and coming out in a pair of soft pyjamas.

Elle wandered back downstairs to the kitchen where she had been expecting to see Adam preparing a light meal for her. Elle stopped in her tracks when she saw Adam sitting at the table casually, engaged in a light conversation with his mother who was standing at the stove.

"Ah, you're here." Adam said as he spotted her standing frozen at the base of the stairs. "Come sit down." Elle obeyed and took a seat next to him, shooting him questions with her eyes.

"I called her to ask what food would be best to make for you." Adam confessed. "When she heard what happened she insisted to come here and cook for herself."

"I can't believe you didn't call me sooner." Mrs. Hayes snapped from the kitchen.

"I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily. Besides, my mind was a bit occupied yesterday." Adam said in his own defence.

"Don't worry about a thing Elle. I've stocked a bunch of food in the fridge. I put a lot of vegetables in the dishes, it might not taste as good but eat and recover well first."

"You didn't need to go through that much trouble Mrs. Hayes." Elle said, suddenly feeling as if she were a burden again.

"It's no trouble at all but besides that, shouldn't you be in bed? I'm almost done here. Go sleep and I'll bring the food up to you in a moment."

"It's fine, I slept enough earlier." Elle replied. Adam quickly brought his hands up to cover his smirk while Elle shot him a glaring look.

"You need to rest." Mrs. Hayes insisted. "Go lie down."

Elle felt the her urge to argue weaken.

"Come on," Adam said as he rose from his seat and extended his hand out to Elle. She conceded. Elle accepted his extended hand and let Adam lead her back to their bedroom.

"Don't you need to be at work?" Elle asked curiously as Adam tucked her beneath the sheets.

"No." Adam replied simply.

"Are you sure? Will everything be okay?"

Adam let out a light sigh. "I already told you yesterday, everything will be fine. Don't worry so much. I can handle my business so just rest well and recover properly."

Adam ran his hand lightly through her hair once and then took up a seat in a chair in the bed next to her.

"Okay." Elle agreed softly.

After a few minutes Mrs. Hayes came into the room with a bowl of hot soup. "Here," She said as she handed Elle the bowl. "Drink this, I'll be right back with some water for you."

Once she had left the room again Elle looked towards Adam awkwardly. "What about you? You must be hungry too."

"I'm fine. Eat."

"But..."

Adam frowned slightly. "Can't you be even a little selfish? You're the one who's sick and yet you keep worrying about me. Can you not rely on me? Can't you demand even a little of me?"

Elle had been holding the bowl in her hands with tired arms. She was startled to hear his soft reprimands. His tone was stern but she could clearly see the worry and anxiety in his eyes. It softened her once more.

"Can you help me hold this then?" She asked shyly.

"Of course." He quickly took the bowl from her.

Mrs. Hayes returned at that moment with a glass of lemon water in her hands. She set it down on the night table and immediately took the bowl from Adam's hands. She took a seat in the chair beside the bed and began blowing on the steaming soup.

Elle watched doubtfully. Did his mother intend to feed her? She was mistaken, wasn't she? But as Elle expected, Mrs. Hayes slowly cooled a spoonful of soup before bringing it to Elle's lips.

"Drink." She instructed when Elle looked back blankly instead of drinking the spoon she had brought up.

Elle quickly drank the spoonful before saying, "You don't need to go this far. I can eat on my own. I don't want to keep taking up your time."

"It's fine, it's not as if I had much else to do anyway. What good is a mother if not for moments like this?"

Elle felt it again. A pain tore through her heart and tears stung her eyes as she replayed those words in her mind, again and again.

"What's this?" His mother teased. "You cry too easily Elle."

"It's because I'm sick." Elle complained in a whisper. "My eyes are watering easily because I'm sick."

"Are you okay? Does something hurt?" Adam asked as he quickly came to her side.

'Be a little selfish. Demand a little.' Elle remembered Adam's words. She slowly gathered her courage before asking,

"Is it really okay? Can I think of you as my mother?"

"Of course you can. I don't dare wonder what you thought of me as until now if this is the case." Mrs. Hayes teased lightly. "Now come, eat."

Elle conceded and allowed herself to be pampered to her heart's desire. Surrounded by warmth and family she rested for as long as she wanted.