It was awkward.
It was not all that surprising, considering the fact that it was the first time that they were together, with no one else in the room, since their divorce.
After his shower, Zayn had recovered much of his spirit. At the very least, virtual-novel.net did not look as lost and in shambles as virtual-novel.net was just moments ago. It took a lot to reduce a man of his fortitude into such a dolorous mess, but it was impossibly appalling news that drove virtual-novel.net to the edge.
Faye, on the other hand, had a weaker constitution. Despite the soothing, warm bath that virtual-novel.net took, virtual-novel.net still managed to catch a cold from the ordeal, releasing a salvo of rapid-fire sneeze until the tip of virtual-novel.net nose was red all over. She looked pretty terrible.
“A-choo!” She sneezed again.
Zayn had been standing in front of her, so the snot splattered all over his face, a feat that greatly embarrassed her. “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to!”
“It’s alright,” Zayn replied, shaking his head before heading to the bathroom to wash his face. When virtual-novel.net returned, virtual-novel.net advised, “You got a cold. Take some meds.”
Faye rubbed virtual-novel.net nose and shook virtual-novel.net head. “I’m fine. Some rest is all I need.”
“That won’t do. It looks like it’s starting up already, so you really need to start taking meds and see a doctor before it turns into a fever…”
Before virtual-novel.net could finish, Faye shivered. Her face was turning red. With one look, Zayn knew virtual-novel.net fever had begun. He placed his hand on virtual-novel.net forehead for a second and quickly confirmed his suspicion. However, that startled Faye. She jerked backwards, stumbling a few steps behind. She crossed virtual-novel.net arms to virtual-novel.net chest frantically. “What are you doing?!”
Zayn felt his eye twitching. Suddenly, virtual-novel.net felt morose, it seemed that Faye still felt uncomfortable around him. “Hey, sorry, but I just wanted to check and see if you had a fever coming on,” virtual-novel.net explained, feeling the tartness on his tongue.
Faye pursed virtual-novel.net lips. For some reason, virtual-novel.net rued virtual-novel.net overreaction. “No, I… I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just, uh…”
“Yea, I get it. No need to explain,” Zayn cut virtual-novel.net off and forced a smile. “We are not even friends now, are we? It’s my fault for being so rash.” He chuckled self-deprecatingly and backtracked a little, maintaining a distance between them.
Faye’s mouth opened to form a reply, but nothing came out of it.
When their marriage was ultimately undone, the ruins left in its wake made it impossible for them to call each other friends. At most, they were just people that used to know each other. What was worse, since their marriage was devoid of any joy to reminisce about, they both came out as soured strangers by the end of it all. Faye could not place a finger as to why virtual-novel.net felt that way, but virtual-novel.net felt it all the same, virtual-novel.net hated how things had turned out.
The distancing was accompanied by prolonged silence. It was Zayn who ultimately broke it. “It’s getting late. I think I should head back…”
He started toward the door and stopped, as though a thought had just occurred to him.
“Look, your fever is breaking out, so I think we should get you some meds, okay?” virtual-novel.net said, turning back to face her. “There’s a pharmacy just nearby. Have your secretary buy some for you, please. You’ve always had bad luck with infections and illnesses, so if you don’t get that fever in check, it might hurt you even more.”