Mig’s POV

I sat on the couch in the living room after lunch. Fleur was outside with Elva, showing her around the house.

My mind flew back to when I saw her unclad. I couldn’t seem to get the image out of my mind. Her body was thick and beautiful, with alluring curves.

I kept stealing glances at her while we were eating lunch. Her boobs pushed against the T-shirt.

Even the jeans fitted her like second skin.

Her shape was just overwhelming.

Of course I should stop this! She’s a stranger, for goodness’ sake. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I slapped the remote control on my head and kept mumbling.

"Mig," I heard Fleur call, interrupting my thoughts. I turned and saw Fleur and Elva standing behind me.

"Elva wants to borrow your favourite novel. She read the summary in the library and said she would like to read the entire novel, so I brought her here to ask for your permission. Can she take it?" Fleur asked.

That was my favourite novel, but I had no choice — not when Elva was using those cute eyes to plead with me.

"Please, bro. I know it’s your favourite, but just lend it to her for some days," Fleur said, and I nodded.

Elva shifted behind her, and I wondered if she was shy to ask me herself.

"Okay, but please make sure it doesn’t get torn," I said, and a smile lit up her face.

"Thanks, Mig," Elva said.

"You are welcome. And trust me, you’re gonna enjoy it," I said, and her smile widened.

"Come, Elva. I have to show you your room before I leave for work," Fleur said.

"That room I was in…" Elva mumbled.

"Oh, that’s my room. I just thought you’d like your privacy, so I decided to give you another room. But we can stay together in mine if you want," Fleur said.

"No, it’s okay. I will stay in the other room you prepared for me," Elva said. "But the clothes are still in your room," she added.

"Okay, let’s go pack the clothes to your room," Fleur said, and they both walked away. Fleur led the way, while Elva was at the back. I kept staring at her until they cornered into the passage.

"Mig, get a grip on yourself," I mumbled, slapping the remote control on my head.

"Ouch… It hurts."

Elva’s POV

I lay on the soft bed in my new room after Fleur had shown me around the house.

She had left for work, saying she was on afternoon shift.

My room was as big as Fleur’s. It had a one-seater couch beside a little shelf, a fireplace opposite the bed, and a bedside table with a table lamp on it. The floor was covered in floorboards — virtually all the floors in the house were.

I checked the bathroom, and it looked fine.

This house was big. I kept staring in surprise when Fleur was showing me around. It was big and beautiful with clean surroundings. She showed me the stable, and I saw their two horses. She also showed me the farmhouse.

But what interested me most was the library. There were tons of novels in there, and I had the urge to read them all.

Did I read novels before? I asked myself. But how would I know?

The first novel that caught my fancy was Mig’s favourite novel. The summary really got me, and I yearned to read it.

I stared at it in my hand and smiled. I was glad he agreed to lend it to me.

I positioned the pillow comfortably beneath my head and began reading.

**

"Oh my God… to hell with Nicky, for embarrassing Elara on her first day in school. This seems more interesting than I thought…"

I heard a knock on the door and stood up from the bed. I slipped my feet into the bunny slippers Fleur gave me and walked to the door.

I opened it and saw Mig standing there.

"Hmm… I was thinking if you’d like to watch a movie with me," he said.

Ohhh… I badly wanted to continue reading the novel, but I couldn’t turn him down — not when he had been so nice.

"Okay, I would love to," I said, and he smiled. I closed the door and followed him to the living room.

I saw some biscuits in a wide plate with two cups of chilled orange juice. I sat on the couch while he went to switch on the TV and insert the disc into the DVD player.

"It’s a K-drama. I purchased it when I went to the city," he said, walking back to me. He sat on the couch beside me.

"City?" I asked.

"Yes. We are in the countryside of Australia — Fraser Island, to be precise," he said.

"Ohhh," I said.

"The countryside is a beautiful place to live. The only disadvantage is the power supply. The power is supplied once in a while, but with the fresh air and the natural things you’ll see around, you won’t even notice the power issue," Mig said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Of course," he said.

Where did I stay before? Was it in the countryside or the city? I thought, but I couldn’t remember.

Gosh, why can’t I just remember a thing? I thought furiously.

"I believe the floor is the best place to sit or lie while watching a movie. So, should we?" Mig asked.

"Of course," I said, and we both slid to the floor and began watching the movie, crunching the biscuits and sipping the juice.

"I’m home!" we heard, and we turned toward the door.

It was Fleur, holding two full big nylons.

"Welcome, Fleur," I said, standing up to meet her.

"Welcome, sis," Mig said.

"Thanks, guys," Fleur said.

"Elva, come with me. I need to show you some things," Fleur said.

"Mig, can you please pause the movie? I will be right back," I said.

"Okay," he said.

"Thank you," I said and followed Fleur to her room.

We entered her room, and she handed me a nylon bag.

"Fleur, the clothes you bought for me are okay for now," I said, already feeling like a burden.

"No, Elva. I would have bought you more in the morning if I knew you would be staying here. Just accept it, okay? You really need it," she said, and I collected the nylon from her.

"Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.

"It’s nothing," she said. "And take this," she said, stretching a smaller nylon bag to me. I collected it with a "thanks."

"It contains some sanitary pads. I hope you didn’t forget how to use it?" she asked.

"No. Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.

"It’s okay. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?" she said, and I nodded. I couldn’t resist the urge to pull her into a hug.

Was this how nice people were?

How could these people be so nice to a stranger overnight?

Fleur was nice and caring — the perfect definition of a nurse.

I hugged her and sobbed quietly on her shoulder.

"It’s okay, Elva. I understand. Don’t cry, okay?" Fleur said, and I nodded, pulling away from the hug.

"Thanks so much, Fleur," I said.

"It’s nothing… Now go meet Mig. You’re keeping him waiting," she said, and I nodded, thanked her once more, and left her room.

I walked inside my room, dropped the clothes in the cupboard, the sanitary pads on the shelf, then hurried back to meet Mig.

I entered the living room and met him patiently waiting.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mig," I said, sitting on the floor beside him.

"It’s fine," he smiled, and we resumed watching.

But my mind kept drifting to the novel I was reading. I couldn’t wait to finish watching this movie. I needed to go and read what Nicky did to Elara at the cafeteria.

**

We finished watching the movie, and I said thanks to Mig. I stood up, about to continue the novel when I heard sounds from the kitchen.

"Is someone in the kitchen?" I asked Mig.

"Yes, it’s Fleur. She’s preparing dinner," he said.

"Wow, I didn’t know it was evening already," I said and went to join Fleur in the kitchen.

...

We finished eating dinner. Fleur and I washed the dishes, and we all sat in the living room and watched another K-drama for a couple of hours.

I started yawning and was already half-asleep on the couch when Fleur woke me up to go to my room.

We exchanged goodnights.

I landed on my bed immediately I entered my room and fell into a dreamless sleep.

T.B.C

Fleur’s POV

I yawned and opened my eyes at the sound of the alarm. I slipped the blanket off my body and sat up. After switching off the alarm, I got to my feet, wore my flip-flops, and headed to the bathroom.

I’m on morning shift, so I have to get to work before 9 a.m. I reached the bathroom, pulled off my pyjamas, and placed them on the sink. I have to get pyjamas for Elva soon, I thought as I put on my shower cap and got under the shower with sponge and soap in hand.

I took a towel from the cabinet after bathing and tied it firmly around my body.

Plus a towel for Elva, I thought.

I walked to the sink to brush my teeth. When I finished, I hurried back to the room, opened the wardrobe, and brought out a cream armless gown with a belt. I opened the drawer, selected my underwear, then walked back to the bed. I laid the clothes out, dried my body, and applied body lotion.

I got dressed, and within a few minutes, I was done.

I picked a pair of black shoes and quickly slid my feet into them.

I brushed my hair, applied hair lotion, carried a black shoulder bag, adjusted my dress once more, and walked out of my room.

I knocked on Elva’s door but got no response. I knocked several times—still nothing.

Or could she be in the living room? I thought.

I peeped into her room and saw her still asleep on the bed with a novel on her chest. She was still in yesterday’s outfit. I really need to get her pyjamas today.

I didn’t want to disturb her, but I had to tell her something.

I tapped her shoulder twice, and her lashes fluttered. She was waking up.

Elva’s POV

I opened my eyes at the taps on my shoulder.

Yawns

It was Fleur. She was already dressed for work.

“Good morning, Fleur,” I greeted, sitting up.

“Morning, Elva. Hope you slept well?” she asked.

“Yes, Fleur, thanks,” I said.

“I didn’t want to disturb you, but I just wanted to tell you that you can microwave yesterday’s leftovers. I’m running late and won’t be able to make breakfast,” she said.

“Okay, I will,” I replied.

“Bye, I’ll be back by afternoon,” she said, heading to the door.

“Bye,” I said.

“Arrgh,” I groaned and fell back on the bed. I felt like sleeping more, but it was already morning.

I got up and walked to the cupboard. I opened it, and a blue blouse with black shorts caught my eye. I picked them out, grabbed my underwear, and headed to the bathroom.

I pulled off the clothes I was wearing and set them aside for laundry. I wore the pink shower cap and got under the shower.

I brushed my teeth and dressed in the bathroom. I didn’t know if Fleur took my measurements, because the clothes fit perfectly, like they were made just for me.

I walked out of my room and headed to the kitchen.

I brought out yesterday’s leftovers from the fridge, plugged in the microwave, and placed the meal inside.

I leaned against the kitchen counter with my arms folded beneath my chest, waiting for the food to heat up.

I wondered where Mig was.

Should I ask if he wants some?

“I better do,” I said and walked toward Mig’s room. I knocked gently. I was about to knock again when the door opened, revealing Mig. His hair was messy, and he was still in his pyjamas.

Even like that, he still looked perfect.

Heat rushed to my cheeks as we stared at each other. I didn’t know why I was always shy around him.

“Good morning, and I’m sorry for disturbing you. I’m microwaving the leftovers, so I came to ask if you want some,” I said.

“Oh… sure. I’ll join you soon,” he replied.

I nodded and walked away, releasing a sigh of relief when I entered the kitchen.

I switched off the microwave and brought out the hot meal. I dished the food into two plates and carried them to the dining room. Then I went back to get two bottles of water and two glass cups.

I sat down, unsure whether to wait for him or not. I decided to wait a few more minutes. If he didn’t come, I would start eating.

**

I perceived the scent of shampoo and heard approaching footsteps. They grew louder as he neared the dining room. I didn’t need to turn—I knew it was Mig.

He sat opposite me and… damn.

He looked hot.

He was wearing a black sweater and grey pants. He looked fresh from the shower, and his thick black hair was dripping wet. He licked his lips, and I almost shivered.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” he said, and I nodded, swallowing hard.

We ate in strained silence. My thoughts were all over the place.

As soon as I took my last spoonful, I stood up, walked to the kitchen, and placed my plate in the sink. I started washing it with more effort than necessary.

I washed, rinsed, and placed it in the drainboard, then dried my hands and walked out of the kitchen.

“I’ll be in my room,” I said to Mig. He nodded.

I felt his gaze on my back as I walked away. I entered my room and gently closed the door behind me.

I sat on the bed, picked up the novel from the bedside table, opened to the page I stopped at, smiled, and continued reading.

Mig’s POV

Arrrgh!!

Why does she have to be so damn attractive? She is exactly my type. I like ladies with more flesh. She is beautiful, with nice curves, and I found myself staring at her while we ate breakfast. Her deep black eyes glistened, her lips looked pinker than yesterday, and her face was starting to regain its color.

Her black hair had a natural shine even without lotion, and it was so long it spread down her shoulder to her waist.

I was about to start a conversation when she suddenly stood up and went to the kitchen. Then she walked back to her room.

Of course, my gaze rested on her back as she walked away.

“Oh, God, get a grip on yourself,” I scolded. She was just a stranger who would leave once she regained her memory.

I stood up. I needed to go feed the horses. I grabbed some carrots from the store, filled a bucket with clean water, and walked to the stable.

I opened the small door, dropped the carrots and water, and smiled as I walked toward the horses.

We had two horses in the stable, Clea and Con—Fleur’s and mine. Clea was mine, and Con belonged to Fleur.

I rubbed their backs and they neighed in recognition.

I picked up the carrots and fed them. They chewed quickly, so I kept giving them more until the carrots were gone.

I placed the bucket of clean water in front of them, and they dipped their mouths into it.

I was about to rub Clea’s back when I suddenly heard a loud bang followed by a scream of pain from the house.

“OMG, that’s Elva! I hope she isn’t hurt,” I thought, rushing back inside.

TBC…

Elva’s POV

My throat felt dry, so I got up from the bed and walked out of my room with the novel in hand. I wanted to get a glass of water from the kitchen. I was reading while walking.

I didn’t even notice there was a stool in front of me. I tripped and fell loudly to the floor. I grabbed the edge of the table to steady myself, but the table toppled over and fell on me with a loud crash. The flower vase hit my head. I screamed in pain.

I pushed the table off me and felt a sharp object pierce my ankle. I cried out when I saw the deep cut, blood dripping everywhere. And the worst part—the novel was torn.

His favourite novel.

I should have left it in my room. I was too engrossed in it. That was why I didn’t see the stool. And now, I had torn his novel.

He had warned me not to tear it.

He was definitely going to be pissed. Arrrgh.

I heard footsteps and quickly hid the novel behind me. The door opened, and Mig rushed in.

My heart pounded as he walked toward me.

“OMG, you’re bleeding! What happened?” he asked worriedly, crouching in front of me.

“I wanted to get a glass of water. I didn’t see the stool and tripped… sorry for worrying you. You can go back to what you were doing. I’m okay,” I said.

Oh God… his novel, I thought in fear.

“No, you’re not okay. Your bandage is soaked with blood, and your ankle has a deep cut. I have to call Fleur,” he said, standing to reach the telephone on the shelf.

“No, don’t call her. I’m fine. She might be busy,” I said, but he ignored me and dialed.

“Hey, Fleur… Elva is badly hurt… okay, be quick. I’ll take her to her room,” he said, then hung up and came back to me.

“Sorry. I know the pain must be unbearable,” he said, stretching his hand toward me. But I couldn’t take it—I was still hiding the torn novel behind me.

“Is your hand hurting too?” he asked, and I quickly nodded.

“Oh… sorry. Let me see it,” he said, reaching again. I shook my head, panic rising.

He sighed. “Okay. Let me carry you to your room then.”

My eyes widened. If he got close enough to lift me, he would definitely see the torn novel.

“No!” I blurted out. I raised my hand to stop him—forgetting that was the hand holding the novel. It slipped out and fell to the floor.

My body went numb.

He stared at it. His eyes widened in surprise. Then he buried his face in his palms, running his hands through his hair.

He was pissed.

“I’m sorry,” I said immediately. “I promise to get another copy. Please, I’m so sorry. It wasn’t intentional. It tore when I tripped. I’m sorry.”

I wished he would just look at me.

He did—and he smiled.

What?

He smiled.

He wasn’t angry.

He chuckled. “Was that why you didn’t want to take my hand?”

“Yes,” I said, shocked at how calm he was. I had torn his novel—he should be mad.

“Of course I’m not pissed at you. It was an accident. I can always buy another one. Don’t feel bad,” he said.

“Thanks, Mig,” I whispered.

“So can you take my hand now?” he asked, stretching it toward me.

I nodded and took it. He pulled me up.

I yelped. I had sprained my ankle.

“Sorry, Elva,” he said gently.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder to support me. Each step sent sharp pain shooting through my ankle, and I panted.

Suddenly, Mig lifted me into his arms.

I almost gasped.

He carried me like I weighed nothing. He didn’t even strain. He actually smiled.

“I thought it would be easier and faster this way,” he said with a grin.

I smiled too. I didn’t know how I ended up resting my head against his chest, closing my eyes.

His broad chest was more comfortable than a pillow. I felt warm and safe in his arms. My pain disappeared.

Before I knew it, he’d reached my door. He kicked it open and carried me inside.

Oh no… I don’t want him to put me down. I want to stay like this forever, I thought silently.

But he gently lowered me onto the bed. The moment he let go, the warmth faded and the pain returned. He sat beside me and held my hand. It felt good—but not as good as being in his arms.

Still, it was something.

The door opened, and Fleur rushed in.

“What happened?” she asked, dropping her shoulder bag on the bed.

“She tripped over the stool and fell,” Mig explained.

“Ohh. Sorry, Elva,” Fleur said.

“Thanks, Fleur.”

“Mig, please get me the first-aid box from my room. I need to change this soaked bandage and clean her ankle,” she said. Mig left immediately.

“Sorry for making you worry and interrupting your work,” I said.

“No, it’s okay,” she replied.

Mig returned with the first-aid box. Fleur opened it, wore her gloves, removed the soaked bandage, and placed it in a disposable bag. She cleaned the blood on my head and ankle with cotton wool before applying antiseptic. I winced at the stinging pain.

She wrapped clean bandage around my head, then placed cotton wool on my ankle and covered it with a bandage.

“You won’t be able to walk properly for a few days,” she said. She disposed of the stained items, removed her gloves, and took out a pack of medication. She poured some brightly coloured pills into a small saucer.

“Mig, please get a glass of water,” she said. Mig stepped out and returned with it.

Fleur handed the pills to me with the water.

“They’ll make you sleep and help with the pain,” she said.

I took the pills and swallowed them with water.

Fleur adjusted my pillow, making sure I was comfortable.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

Within minutes, I felt sleepy. The medication worked fast.

“Mig, let’s let her sleep. I have some things to discuss with you.”

That was the last thing I heard before falling into a deep slumber.

TBC…