“Is your husband due back tonight?” he asked. Pandora frowned and shook her head slowly. But this only made him look more worried than before. “Pandora, I would like someone to be here to watch over you tonight.”
She gasped, stopping her movement, and started to agree with him instead. “I could call someone?” She tried to make herself sound sure and confident, but it still sounded like a question.
“Okay, you do that. Come by my office tomorrow so I can look you over again.”
can’t. I am working early and most likely will be there late too. My boss‘ mother–in–law passed away.”
Benjamin scratched at his head. “Fine. I’ll come to you. Where do you work?”
“There’s no need,‘ she protested.
“Yes, there is.”
Th
“No.”
www
“Pandora! I found you in the rain. You were crying and trying to change a goddamn tire. You’re doing all of this because your ‘husband—” Pandora was taken by surprise that Benjamin spat out the word husband and did the same air quotes she had done earlier, “-canceled your insurance. You haven’t eaten in nine hours and your blood pressure is up. So yes, there is a fucking need.”
She opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say to him.
“I’m sorry,” seemed to come out, but Benjamin’s face just paled.
“No, I am sorry. The swearing wasn’t-”
She covered his mouth with her hand to silence him. “It was needed, and I warned you, I’m not a good patient.” She chuckled, dropping her fingers from his mouth.
Her eyes moved back to his and she found she was yet again disappointed that his tinted glasses were in place. Benjamin and she fell into silence as they looked at each other. The doorbell ringing made them both jump and he turned to leave the room.
“That should be your food,” Benjamin informed softly before he darted out of the door.
“What the hell was that Pandora?” she asked herself out loud. “You better not let him check your heart rate right now. It will be off the charts. Get your shit together girl. He’s married! HE IS MARRIED,” she reminded herself over and over until she heard him coming back.
“I wasn’t sure what to get you, Benjamin began speaking as he walked back into the room with three plates covered in food. “So I went with my usual order at my favorite Chinese place.”
Pandora looked at the plate and hummed loudly. This was the spread that she would order for herself, as well. “Oh, you better pull up a chair fast, and no crying when I eat more than you,” she warned him.
Benjamin stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to take the first bite of food before he allowed a relieved smile to escape.
北沢
‘Come on, grab your chopsticks and dig in. I can eat this all on my own, but that can’t be healthy so help a pregnant girl out. Besides we don’t want to get too fat or her doctor might have to tell her off.”
Benjamin chuckled but then he grabbed the chair from the corner of the room and pulled it up next to her. He sat down.
“Your doctor would tell you off your weight gain is good. Besides, if he has a problem with it, tell him to fuck off, or you’ll eat him too.”
Pandora snorted but continued to eat. “I already made a comment like that to him once, if I said it again, I’m sure he’d call the police on me,” she joked
between bites.
Benjamin laughed. “I am
sure he wouldn’t call the police on you.” She could tell he was staring intently at her. “Plus, I bet you’re one of his favorite patients.” Pandora felt her heart take off and her face heated up. “You’re the babies‘ favorite person,‘ she stated. She cleared her throat, knowing she needed to get off the topic. Tell me more about your training?”
Benjamin took a swig from the bottle of water he had brought up with the food. After swallowing, he slowly recalled his life as a med school student and how interning and residency had been for him. The stories lasted until Pandora was done with the food.
Humming sleepily, Pandora scratched her nose. She turned in her bed and hoped that if she stayed on her side, she would stop the feeling of needing to go
to the bathroom.
“Bean, Curd, just give mommy five more minutes,” she grumbled. Her dream changed to her using the toilet and she groaned, knowing she needed to get up.
“Hush, sweetie,” an unexpected voice said. “We’ve got a few more minutes,” the voice carried on.
She tilted her head, knowing she was slowly waking up; the voice sounded too real. Pandora opened her eyes about halfway and gasped, pulling back and seeing the mop of male hair.
“What the…” she trailed off as she sat up. Her bed buddy bolted up, as well. “Benjamin?” she asked. Her bladder quickly reminded her that she needed the toilet.
“Move, I need the toilet,” she told him and she scampered out of bed.
“Shit,” Benjamin hissed. “I am so late.”
Pandora looked at him, and then looked at her alarm clock, seeing it was ten o’clock already.
“Oh no, me too!”
She moved quickly into the bathroom and took care of her needs. She should have washed up but stepped out of the bathroom to let Benjamin in. “Bathroom’s free, she called while brushing her teeth.
She spat and dried her mouth before walking out, allowing him to walk in.
“Thanks,” he replied.
Pandora wiped her mouth clean with one of her face wipes and then started to apply her makeup.
“Do you have a spare toothbrush?” Benjamin asked and she looked at him in the mirror.
“Yeah, in the bathroom cabinet, second shelf.”
He nodded at her but didn’t say anything else as he turned, walking back out of her room. She moved to her wardrobe, pulled out her clothes, and laid them on her bed.
“I am getting changed,” she yelled, hoping it was loud enough for Benjamin to hear.
