His arms, already wounded, ached anew as he carried her downstairs.
Enduring it, Nathan descended with the sleeping Lucinda cradled in his arms.
Thirty minutes later, they reached the lab, where Aldric had promptly returned upon Nathanâs call.
Placing Lucinda on a drip, Aldric turned to Nathan and remarked, âYou appear exhausted.
Rest in the next room.
The infusion will take at least 2.
5 hours.
Iâll take care of her for you.
â
Nathan, holding onto Lucindaâs hand, hesitated to release her or take a seat.
âNo, thanks.
I already feel guilty for waking you up and asking you to come here.
How can I ask you to care for my wife on top of that? Go get some sleep.
Iâll call you when the infusion treatment is finished.
â
Watching Nathanâs evident fatigue but persistent desire to be with Lucinda, Aldric couldnât help but recall the night she delivered medicine for him.
He sighed, âYou both share such deep affection.
If only you could enjoy a peaceful existence without enduring numerous challenges.
â
Grasping Lucindaâs hand, Nathan affirmed, âWe will.
These hardships will fade away.
Lucinda, our children, and I will have a joyful life together.
â
âAllow me to keep you company.
Sleep eludes me anyway,â Aldric suggested, settling into a chair.
He attentively noticed the red, inflamed wounds on Nathanâs wrists and approached to inspect them.
âNathan, your injuries are severe.
The wounds on your wrists are quite conspicuous.
â
Nathan glanced at his wrists casually.
âNo worries.
Itâs just a minor issue.
I can manage.
â
Sighing again, Aldric considered patting Nathan on the back for comfort.
However, the thought of the wounds covering Nathanâs body made him pause.
His hand was suspended in midair, and after contemplating, he chose to retract it.
He urged, âNathan, you canât reach the wound on your back, can you?
Sit down and let me assist you in applying medication.
â
Nathan shook his head, declining, âIâve already used a swelling-reducing spray on my back before coming here.
It wonât impact my daily life.
I donât need your ointment.
â
Seeing Nathanâs determination, Aldric refrained from further persuasion.
Instead, he quietly attended to Lucinda alongside him.
The two men stayed in the ward for over an hour.
Nathanâs stability wavered, prompting him to lean on the bed and close his eyes momentarily.
Aldric, concerned, advised, âNathan, if she has a relapse tomorrow, consider using a tranquilizer on her.
Donât let yourself be a punching bag again.
Look at your injuries.
If youâre attacked again, I doubt you can endure it.
â
Nathan remained silent, focusing on regulating his disrupted breath due to pain.
Aldric, standing beside him, attempted to assist and suggested, âHow about this? Tomorrow night, wear protective clothing to minimize the harm she can inflict on you.
â
Nathan responded noncommittally, âLetâs discuss it tomorrow night.
Tonight, I just want to watch over her.
â