“You both took your time.” 

Julian was sitting quietly on the couch when we entered the villa.

“I went to pick up your things, I even arranged them in your room and I had lunch while waiting on you too. You guys went on a date or what?”

It felt like his eyes were scanning us from head to toe.

“I drove slower than normal. Figured it would help.” 

At Ivan's words, my brother nodded silently and got up.

“I packed your things into one of the rooms downstairs.” He looked at me. “Ivan’s room is upstairs, if you need anything call him or call one of the house staff.”

“Why are you talking like this is your house?” I frowned.

“I used to stay here a lot too.” he said, his voice low. “As long as Mom and Dad didn’t see me, they wouldn’t pressure me about marriage.”

Silence ensued after his statement and his gaze tightened.

I was sure. He was feeling sadness right now.

To get his mind off things, I had to clear the atmosphere.

So I said.

“Well, you are not getting any older. You need to give them grandkids and I need a niece or nephew.” I teased.

Julian grimaced, but after a while, he broke into a smile.

“Ivan and I are almost the same age, so he needs to get married too, right?”

I narrowed my eyes. 

I knew where this was going.

“Just go.” I shooed him away. “You keep bullying him every chance you get. Go or you'll miss your flight.”

“Right! My flight.” He blinked. “Really… should I stay with you?”

I gave him a deadpan look. “Just looking at your face frustrates me about not having a nephew.”

“Ha ha ha! Nice joke. I'll be out of your hair in no time.” He patted my hair and ran off before I could swat him away.

“Tch.” I clicked my tongue as he left.

Ivan walked up to me.

“Just in case you want to go upstairs, I'll have someone install a lift. That would be more convenient for you.”

His words more or less gave me permission to move around his house.

“Okay.” I nodded.

He walked behind me and pushed me to my room on the ground floor.

“Do you want me to move downstairs too?”

I turned to him, confused. “Why?”

He hummed. “I suppose it would be easier for you to access me if you need something.” 

“I'll be fine.” I dangled my phone in front of his face. “If I need something I'll just call or text you.”

“Right!” He mumbled, looking downcast for some reason.

“You can call one of the house staff if you need help with something.”

He opened the door and pushed me into the room.

“You remolded the room?” I blinked at the rails on the bed. 

“And the bathroom too?” 

Non-slip tiles, a discreetly placed shower chair and sleek rails.

All were present.

My chest felt warmer and I smiled at Ivan.

“Thank you for this.”

Then I got an idea.

“Push me to the bed.” I told Ivan.

He looked confused but did as I said.

“No, wait! I'll do it myself.”

I need to learn how to do these things so that I'll get used to it.

Ivan hovered close to me, as if any issue arise, he would jump in.

Okay!

I wheeled up to the side of the bed, then reached for the rail with one hand, steadying myself with the other.

I locked the brakes on the wheelchair.

My heart pounded in my ears.

With a deep breath, I pushed against the arms of the chair, lifting my body.

My legs dangled uselessly beneath me, but I kept going; arms straining, muscles trembling.

Until I could slide onto the edge of the bed.

With a little more shifting, I managed to sit on the bed.

I smiled at Ivan, ignoring the tingling in my arms and the slight sweat on my face.

“How did I do?” I gave him a toothy smile.

And he smiled back at me. “Good. You did very good.”

“Are you going back to work?” I asked as I tried to put myself back to the wheelchair.

His eyes followed me as I managed to do so.

“It's getting late. I'll accompany you for the rest of the day and go tomorrow. I can handle the remaining work at home.”

I gathered more sweat as I sat on the wheelchair. That felt like an exercise.

But it felt accomplishing to do these things by myself.

“I'll send my schedule to you.” 

That wasn't me asking for his schedule or anything…

Before I could say anything, he spoke again.

“Should I hire a caregiver for you?”

“No.” I disagreed. “I need to get used to this on my own.”

And besides it was only temporary…

Luckily, he didn't try to push me to agree. Having someone wash me would feel weird.

“Keep your phone close to you at all times, even if you're in the bathroom.”

I nodded seeing that he was serious.

“Are you feeling hungry?”

I nodded at his question.

“Then, let's go eat.” 

This time I didn't stop him as he pushed me to the dining table.

Food was in front of me in seconds.

As I took my spoon to eat, I felt him brushing my hair away from my face and packing it up into a ponytail.

“Thank you.” I smiled at him.

I felt like all I have been doing is thanking him for a while now.

“No problem.” He sat down beside me to eat.

We both ate in silence and when I went back into my room. I climbed the bed and he tucked me in.

“I'm going to sleep.”

“Okay, I'll be in my study. Call me if you need anything.” 

“Hmm.”

I watched him leave and his closed the door softly, behind him.

Then I fell asleep as my heavy eyelids closed.

When I woke up, it was dark already.

I tried to step down from the bed but felt nothing.

“I forgot. My legs aren't working again.” I grumbled, using my arms to get on my wheelchair.

I pushed myself to the bathroom and found myself staring at the toilet seat.

“Should I really call a caregiver.”

I really didn't want to.

I pushed the chair close to the toilet, then angled it slightly. It needed to be close enough that I wouldn’t fall in between.

I slid one hand to the grab bar on the wall and the other onto the chair’s armrest.

Then I shifted my weight, praying I wouldn’t tip over, and slowly lowered myself onto the seat.

My breathing was laboured.

“This is really hard.”

Do I need to go to the gym to build my arm strength?

Since I was all sweaty and sticky. I headed to the bathroom.

Ha…

When I sat on the shower seat, I breathed heavily. My arms ached. 

I flexed my fingers, sore from gripping the rails too tightly.

The doctor said that I would slowly feel some sensation but no matter how many times I pinched myself, I felt nothing.

“This is going to take a while.” I sighed.

I reached for the soap, one hand still clinging to the rail. But when I leaned to the side; my fingers scraped air. The rail wasn’t there.

I tilted, panicked.

‘No’.

And then, the floor came rushing up to meet me.

“Ahh!”

I fell face first on the floor. I cursed as pain assaulted me. 

My nose tingled with pain.

I hoped for it to not be broken.

But I felt some liquid flowing out of nostril. 

After using my hands to rub my nose, I noticed the feeling wetness on my fingers.

I was bleeding profusely from my nose.

“I'm bleeding! Shit!”

I could even feel my sides hurting.