Brand New Puppet
With her hand clasped in her husband's warm and firm grip, Natalie steeled herself with a deep breath as Alonso knocked on his father's door.
"Come in, son."
Alonso opened the door with a smile on his face and let go of Natalie's hand. She understood she was supposed to follow him into the room but her feet remained glued to the spot. Not only was it her first time in this particular room, but the scene was far from easy to digest – her imposing father-in-law in his bedroom robes, appearing half his usual proud self beneath the thick quilts of his bed. As if that weren't challenging enough for Natalie, the man's eyes didn't even acknowledge her presence.
"I brought you your medicine, father."
"I told you a thousand times. I'm not ill."
Ignoring his father's protest, Alonso headed straight for the water bottle and glass on the president's bedside table.
"If pills are too hard to swallow, we can get you the liquid type."