Chapter 11 Caring

"Stop pushing that vile stuff to my mouth!" Lisa rasped disgustedly eyeing the spoonful of dark green liquid Jennie was urging her to take.

Jennie frowned at her husband's stubborn tone but persisted, climbing the bed to straddle the Thai woman's waist to pin her in place careful not to spill the liquid.

"Nini, I appreciate you straddling me like this but not while forcing me to take that foul-smelling liquid. It ruins the moment," Lisa complained with a groan, grabbing a pillow to cover her face.

"It's for your cough! Get your mind out of the gutter just this once and take this," Jennie clamored, past being cajoling already. For twenty minutes, she's been urging Lisa to take the cough medicine, but the Thai woman proved to be hard headed saying she only needs water and some rest to get over her illness. "If you don't take this, I'll force you to take castor oil."

Lisa flung the pillow off and barked a nasty sounding cough. "Castor oil is a laxative, Jennie!" She exclaimed after her coughing subsided, narrowing her eyes at the brunette on top of her. "Are you sure you want to make me feel better? Or are you here to play a prank on me while I don't have any energy to fight back?"

Jennie shook her head and her lips turned up into a funny little smile. "I'm kidding, Lisa. You're being such a kid with taking a simple cough medicine. I want you to feel better."

"Cough syrups are for kids. I will take a capsule or tablet form of cough medicine," Lisa argued, still averting her face from the spoon hovering close to her mouth.

"Liquid medicines take effect faster than the solid ones."

"How do you know this exactly? Have you taken care of a sick person before?"

"No..." Jennie shyly admitted but there was a sound of protest in her voice when Lisa raised an impatient brow. "But Mrs. Song said it works that way and you can't argue about her experience with sick people. Grandpa seconded her reasoning."

"God!" Lisa groaned, raising both arms heavenward then letting them fall to her chest when she coughed again. "Why is everyone against me in this house?!"

Ignoring her dramatics, Jennie slipped a hand on her nape to support Lisa to prop up against the pillows by the headboard of the bed and lifted the spoon close to her mouth again.

"Please?" Jennie entreated with a girlish pout.

Looking at her imploring eyes which she could have sworn showed an indication of worry, Lisa heaved a defeated sigh and after letting a wave of dizziness pass, sat up against the pillows.

"Only for you," Lisa grumbled but there was no trace of irritation or anger in her voice.

Jennie smiled and carefully slipped the spoon between her open lips. Lisa winced at the ugly taste and swallowed, immediately grabbing the glass of water Jennie handed to wash out the taste of medicine. She emptied the glass in one swig before handing it back to her and leaned back against the pillows weakly wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

Satisfied, Jennie moved from her straddled position but Lisa quickly grabbed her hips back in place. "Stay," the dirty blonde haired ordered. When the brunette was about to protest, she added in a gentle voice, "Please."

"You have to rest, Lisa."

"You promised you'd sleep here. My being sick doesn't change a thing." Lisa closed her eyes in weariness adjusting her body so that she lay comfortably on the bed as she tightened her hands on her wife's hips. "And I will rest better with you here."

"Why do you have to be so cute? It's impossible to say no to you." Jennie said it in way that sounded like she was exasperated by her request but Lisa sensed the humor in her tone even without seeing the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips.

After replacing the empty glass and spoon on the tray atop the square side table, Jennie slid from Lisa's hips and hold and sit on her legs next to the currently sick woman's chest.

"Thank you," Lisa mumbled as her hand reached up to her temples and fingers began moving to massage her head. The motion of Jennie's fingers made Lisa sigh and relax deeper into the soft pillows, slowly soothing the throb in her head.

"I wasn't planning on sleeping in my room, Lisa. You're sick. What kind of a wife would I be if I don't take care of you?" Jennie told her matter-of-factly. It would appear her attention is focused on the massage she was doing but in truth she can't seem to stop touching Lisa. "Unless you change your mind."

"Why would I change my mind?" Lisa murmured, her hand crept up to rest on the brunette's thighs and began lethargically caressing the skin just below the hem of her shorts sending a jolt of sensation to run through Jennie's nerve endings.

Jennie shrugged forcing to ignore her hand drawing indistinct figures on her skin and voiced out teasingly, "Because I'm making you drink cough syrup."

"For you, that's an unpleasantness I'm willing to take." The words seem to flow out of Lisa's mouth naturally. It gave Jennie a feeling that Lisa had enough practice saying that to many women.

Jennie chuckled softly, trying her best not to let her words affect her. "You have a way with words, Lisa. I give you that. Even an illness can't dampen your enigmatic side. I don't blame the ladies for wanting to be associated with you."

Without a moment pause, Lisa said in a yielding voice, "You are the only lady associated with me, Nini."

At the moment. Jennie's mind reminded out of nowhere, but she paid no heed to the voice and smiled at the sick woman not knowing what to say.

Lisa opened her eyes after a minute when she did not come up with a witty comeback and eyed her strangely. "That's it? No—'yeah right, Lisa' or 'you're only saying that coz' you want to have sex with me?'"

Her voice was soft and weak but Jennie could see from her face that Lisa wanted a reaction from her. "Are you—are you saying that because of sex?" Jennie asked, intently watching her handsome face that was nestled on the fluffy pillow but she did not stop massaging her head.

Lisa shifted sideways and took hold of the brunette's hips, motioning Jennie to lie down next to her. When Jennie stretched out on the bed by her side, Lisa held her face close so that they were staring eye to eye and Lisa muttered in a firm voice that was meant to erase any doubt from her mind, "No."

And it did. The simple 'no' made Jennie's cheeks feel warm and her already erratic pulse became even more jumpy. For whatever reason, she let out an inaudible sigh of both relief and pleasure. Jennie knew, if Lisa asked her right now to have sex with her, she would say yes. In fact, the idea has been bothering her since last night.

However, it's probably not the right time. Partially because Lisa is sick and Jennie's main concern at the moment is to make her well but mostly because she realized earlier honeymooning at this time, with Patrick still in the house and Lisa being so busy with work, isn't really what she'd consider romantic.

Jennie's fairly certain she wants her first time with Lisa to be romantic . . . whatever that entails it.

Sure, she had been touched before by her exes, but the tide of sensations Lisa evokes when she touches her is an entirely different experience for her. Wonderful would be the word she'd use. Yet, it seems not even enough to describe how the Thai woman really makes her feel.

Jennie doesn't want to go far afield in finding reasons for whatever feelings are involved in her decision since the terms of their relationship still hasn't changed. She's just willing to overlook all her reservations and enjoy her passion for Lisa. She's entitled to that and besides it was getting harder and harder to resist the Thai woman with alluring dark hazel eyes . . . she's only human after all.

Earlier, when she was taking pictures of Patrick, thoughts of consummating their marriage crossed her mind time and again. Her mind kept thinking back to their make out sessions that it became an effort to keep herself from blushing in front of the old man.

Who knows what out of this world comment Patrick would have said if he noticed how her mind was wandering to his granddaughter? Although, Jennie reckoned, he probably would have been pleased by the direction of her thoughts.

And Lisa would have been too if she wasn't so sick to notice the excitement on her face when she came home earlier. Admittedly, she was a little dampened by her being sick. She was actually looking forward to tonight, almost certain that their make outs will end with sex. That thought alone made her heart race and her body quiver animatedly.

But Jennie got a hold of herself and immediately felt like a wench for thinking about sex when she should have been worried for Lisa. She had silently berated herself then shoved all thoughts of sex aside to take care of her husband.

The thought came creeping back into her head though. There's something about being this close to Lisa, her eyes hazy from the heat of her fever, her dirty blonde hair slightly messed up but nevertheless still showing a charming side that arouses her senses.

Who's horny now? Jennie's mind asked and again she had to shake off the thought.

Smiling, Jennie pushed her face closer and kissed Lisa's forehead gently. The Thai woman was so close to her that she could study each of her eyelashes and see the intense color of her eyes that looked like had specks of light and golden in them, probably from the reflection of the light in the room.

It should be a crime for a woman to have such mesmerizing eyes. Jennie thought to herself.

Lisa chuckled quietly. "No one has ever told me that before."

"I—said it—aloud?!" Jennie gasped, wide eyed and slightly flustered by her own inattentiveness leaning away from the Thai woman to see the girlish smirk on her face.

Stop thinking about sex Jennie! She's sick you idiot!

"I don't mind."

"Of course, you don't! Anything to fuel your innate arrogance is always welcome." Jennie pinched Lisa's arm as her cheeks grew hot in sudden embarrassment.

"Ouch!" Lisa cried, jerking her arm away from her fingers and engulfing her hand in hers. "I'm sick, Nini. I need tender loving care not to be pinch to death."

Tender loving care sounds nice. Get a hold of yourself, Jennie! She rolled her eyes pretending to be annoyed but her lips couldn't help but twitch in a guilty smile. "My goodness, you are demanding!"

Lisa did not quip back smartly. Instead she smiled at her and carefully drew her small frame close for a hug so that Jennie's face was pressed against her warm chest.

"Being sick sucks," Lisa griped quietly. "This is your second night here with me and I end up ill. I'm a lousy husband."

Jennie didn't know if Lisa realized it but she has a way of saying words that sound so sweet at the most unexpected moments. Her attraction to the Thai woman is growing along with attachment but instead of squirming away like she usually would, she welcomes it with an open mind.

The doubt in her head about their marriage had been slowly ebbing since they became friends. And a huge chunk of it chipped off when she had the talk with Patrick. She doesn't have to worry that much anymore—well, she does but only where Chaerin was concerned.

And right now, that particular concern seems too remote to happen. Chaerin is most likely enjoying herself with her father's fortune and has forgotten about her, which is working well in her favor.

"I wouldn't say that," Jennie whispered to Lisa's chest, feeling the heat seeping from it because of her fever. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to be a proper wife and take care of my sick husband."

Lisa's brows furrowed and tilted her chin up to stare at her face. Confusion was etched on her expression and she also looked shocked by what she said.

"First you say I'm cute then my eyes mesmerizing. Now you want to be a proper wife? Not that I'm complaining, Nini, but . . . am I missing something here?" Lisa asked suspiciously. "What happened with you and Grandpa while I was in the meeting?"

"Nothing!" Jennie replied pulling an innocent look. "You should go to sleep now. I'll be here when you wake up."

Lisa seemed to read her facial expression for a moment, then when her drowsy mind couldn't come up with a proper explanation for the sudden change in her—vibe or is it outlook?—gave up on figuring her out and relented, "Yeah. I should probably sleep this off."

"Good." Jennie inched away from her so that she can rest comfortably on the bed. Pulling the covers up to the sick woman's waist, Jennie felt her forehead with the back of her hand and kissed her cheek. "I'll wake you up after four hours. You have to take medicine for your fever."

Lisa nodded with a weak smile then her eyes slowly drifted close. After some minutes, Jennie let out relieved sigh while watching her breathing begin to even out. She was in imminent danger of jumping the sleeping woman. She never expected her attraction—desire for her husband to be this strong once she let's go of her self-possession.

It's completely out of character for Jennie to desire someone this bad and at this inopportune time. It was like Lisa switched something on inside her body during their make outs that's making her think like a sexually promiscuous woman.

Feeling the sudden need to put some distance between her and a sleeping Lisa, Jennie carefully moved off the bed and quietly crept out of the room to find her cellphone. At times like this, Irene would be the one to call.

Once she found her phone on the rectangular table in the second floor hallway, she quickly dialed Irene's number and waited for her to answer after five long rings.

"Why hello Jennie Ruby Jane Kim! You finally remembered me," Irene said a bit derisively. "I thought you disappeared off the face of the Earth with that husband of yours."

"Rene, don't be such a drama queen," Jennie rebuked with a laugh. "I'm sorry I haven't called you in a while. But I texted you often, didn't I? I've been busy and I'm sure you are too."

She heard Irene yawn, intentional or not, she didn't try to hide it. "I'm always busy but I make time for friends, Kim. My texts are actual sentences not one-liners like what some people's text," Irene huffed but Jennie knew her friend well to be aware that it's all part of Irene's dramatics.

"Irene, I'm sorry. Things have been a little crazy lately," Jennie said sincerely then she added on a jest, "I'm on my knees, begging you to forgive me."

"How do I know you're on your knees? Don't get smart with me Jen."

"Okay. I guess I shouldn't have called—"

"Fine. I forgive you," Irene conceded and Jennie almost laughed out loud but did her best to smother the sound from escaping past her lips.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm a great friend, I know." Irene muttered impatiently then Jennie heard a door banging before Irene said, "So, it's been weeks, what's been going on between you and husband dearest? Did Manoban throw you on the floor and fucked you senseless already?"

Jennie's brown orbs grew wide and she gasped. Is she really that desperate for Lisa that even Irene who can't see her can sense it?

What kind of sexual bug has gotten into her?!

"No, Irene." Jennie mumbled. "Nothing like that or even close to it."

"What the hell is that woman waiting for?!"

"Me."

There was a short pause on the other end and then a sound of water running. "Well then, what are you waiting for?"

"Her."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done to my friend?" Irene retorted, altogether confused and impatient. "Jennie Kim makes sense when I talk to her. She's waiting for you and you're waiting for her?"

"Yes."

"I get why she's waiting for you but you—why are you waiting for her? Does little or big junior Lisa need prepping before she can perform? My opinion of her just went down several notches—I swear."

"She needs TLC."

"Tomato, lettuce and uhh . . . catsup? Whatever for?" Irene said in an incongruous voice. "Weird much."

"Tender loving care! Are you being intentionally dense? She's sick, Irene."

Irene exhaled an exasperated breath and the sound of water stopped in the background. "Sick as in sick or sick as in she has sexually transmitted disease? If it's STD, I suggest you start looking for another lover. I don't care how rich, handsome or how good she is in bed. It's not worth getting STD for."

Jennie almost choked in her laughter, widely looking along the hallway for any servant who maybe passing by. In a hushed tone, she explained, "She has a fever and cough, Irene. She's been stressed with work and Grandpa is also here—"

"Stop right there," Irene commanded, immediately ceasing her explanation. A door closing was heard again and an indiscernible voice of someone else talking.

"Is there someone with you? Who was that?" Jennie couldn't help but ask.

"It's the radio," Irene replied easily. Then went back to the topic. "Correct me if I'm wrong . . . are you telling me that you're finally ready to have sex with Manoban but she comes home sick and unable to get physical with you?"

"Yeah . . ." Jennie whispered, suddenly uneasy with the conversation.

Irene made a clicking sound with her tongue and Jennie can almost see her shaking her head in disappointment. "You—how bad?"

Jennie cupped a hand over her mouth and groaned into the mouthpiece. "I think . . . it's bad," she affirmed. "This has never happened to me before. But she's really sick. I'm sure sex is not in her head right now and even if it is, she doesn't have the strength."

"That bad, huh?"

"Like a craving for food."

A peal of unexpected laughter echoed thru the phone. "You've got it bad, Jen!"

"Yes, it's bad. We've established that!"

"So what's the problem? You've got it bad. Do something about it."

"Stop saying bad! I don't want to want her at this time. Her grandfather is here. She has this tendency to interrupt and barge into our room. Can you imagine being caught in the middle of sex by a seventy-year-old man?! " She whined in agitation. "I feel like an inconsiderate human being for even thinking of sex when she's sick. I'm worse than a wench!"

"You're overreacting. That's bad," Irene averred dismissively. "Here's what you do, first, lock your door to keep nosy old man out and as additional measure, place a heavy table or cabinet against the door just in case. Then tell Manoban you want her and I'm sure she'll get over her illness quickly."

"I can't do that! I'm not that daring. I'd rather she make the first move. Will you stop saying bad!"

Irene snorted and in bored tone, she offered,