~Chapter 18~

"So you're saying that you threw her, your own child, out in streets in this weather just because you suspected that she's trying to seduce your new husband?"

A nod was followed to this question. The one who questioned stared at the other woman in the room in disbelief. She wondered how this woman opposite of her sofa is sipping her coffee so casually without a worry in the world about her own her child whom she claims to have kicked out of the house in this harsh weather. It's hard to believe that this casual coffee sipping woman is her sister.

Is this how mother had raised us?

"I….Are you even sane inside your head, sis?"

The addressed woman, the blonde, slowly looked at black haired young woman who was staring at her with some emotion that was not recognizable by the former.

"What's wrong with simply defending my own man?" the blonde's mentality was out of reach of the black haired woman's understanding. The latter haven't even touched the coffee that was served to her. She had promised to visit her niece and even if it was raining hard, she still drove on to see the eight year old, but when she arrived, her niece was nowhere to be found!

She stood up and proceeded towards the door. "Where are you—"

"Emilia may not matter to you even if she's your daughter sis, but she does matter to me, more than anything even if I am not her birth mother but because she is my niece."

Rio suffered a panic attack during his sleep. He started to struggle to breathe, cry and asked, begged, requested someone to stop but his suffering continued. Emilia never encountered such situation before. She didn't know what to do. She tried to look up in the internet but her connection was denied due to the thunderstorm outside that didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

"Rio Rio please wake up! Calm down! You are in your own house." Emilia tried to wake him up. But he was unable to open his eyes and struggles even more. She didn't know what to do. Should she call the emergency number? She tried but the mobile tower decided to betray its customers at that point.

Should she kiss him? Will it work if she tries to distract him? But he's still in the midst of sleep though….

"Ah fuck it." She decided to take her chance. So she held his struggling body down and leaned forward to press her lips at him. At first it was a bit messy but Emilia increased her strength of her grip on him and deepened the kiss even more. She didn't even know herself that from when she had climbed on top of him when she was only kneeling down at him—she realized it only when she was flipped on her back on bed, under Rio Sanders.

And it was at that moment, the room, the locality and the town had a power cut.

In the pitch black darkness that was occasionally illuminated by lightening, two bodies stared at each other. The one on her back stared wide eyed at the panting almost half naked young man who too stared at her through his half lidded eye lids behind his locks. Then he descended on the girl, took her by surprise as he claimed her lips and reminded her of their time in the janitor's closet, empty classroom. Emilia doesn't know if it is Rio's special skill or talent but despite having no dating experience (probably), he is one hell of a good kisser, enough to make one forget about the surrounding. However that kiss didn't last long before he collapsed on top of her, drifted to sleep, her hot breath tickling Emilia's neck.

Emilia's face burned once again and the burning sensation travelled up to her neck as she remembered what happened between her and him of which he has no recollection of she is sure. She tore away from her reminiscence when she smelt something burning. She quickly turned off the gas. Luckily, the soup did not get burned.

Rio could hear sounds of cutlery, pots and pans from the kitchen downstairs. He wanted to follow her too but before he could take a step or so, he fell back on bed due to extreme weakness. So he waited for her in the flimsy light that the candle provided. Soon, the odd blonde emerged from the door of his bedroom carrying a tray of bowl full of hot soup and another candle.

"Careful, its hot." The soup looked clear with oddly shaped vegetables even though it has a bit of burnt smell. Rio cautiously poked the vegetables, then had a spoon of it. It wasn't bad but wasn't too good either, but definitely had a unique taste, the vegetables were not cooked fully unfortunately but it was edible and the burnt smell added an extra flavor to that soup.

"Uhm how is it?" Asked a sheepish voice. The wild rain has shifted to the form of drizzle now but the electricity is yet to be restored.

"It's e-edible." Replied the sick boy.

"Um I did wipe you down since you were sweating lot…." This earned a choking cough from Rio; ".....are you okay?"

"Yeah kegh ugh i-kegh I'm fine. What were you saying?"

"I wiped you down since you were sweating…." Emilia flushed upon seeing Rio clutch his pajama shirt self consciously. "….uhm uh d-don't worry I just wiped the upper body only really!"

'I didn't have the balls to go further, down there, because I don't want to do this to a sick person!'

Rio had finished eating, he had licked the bowl clean. "Where is your medicine cabinet?"

"Oh it's that drawer."

She opened the drawer to take out the medicine and the electricity was restored. Emilia's mobile too pinged to signal that it has resumed it's charging. It was at that time Rio had a good look at what she was wearing. She was wearing his old sweatpants and his checkered shirt, and the way the shirt is clinging to her body it is likely that she may not be wearing any undergarments.

Observing Rio lowering his head and flushing and noticing the reason for it, Emilia once again flushed as well. All of a sudden both the teenagers became conscious of each other's presence in the room.

She is flushing a lot today.

"H-here is your medicine." He received the paracetamol tablet from her and after a bit of twiddling and fidgeting, she announced; "Y-you should consult a doctor still. A-and uh.... now that the rain has stopped, I'll be g-going then!"

Emilia ran through the downstairs, collected her bag, her clothes that weren't dry due to the prolonged power cut and rushed to the front door.

A soft voice stopped her from exiting the porch of the house.

"Emilia!" A rare smile appeared on the face of the teenage boy who stood at his front door with a blanket around him.

"Thank you!"