Chapter 106 - The Morning that Came (2/2)
”Your imagination is uncanny,” Gabriel says, snickering. ”That's exactly what she's doing right now.”
”Oh, Jesus, you two,” Claire says, exasperated. She stands up from the bed, but before she could take a step, she shrieks—she's only wearing a top as her skirt is missing. She grabs the blanket to cover herself, and makes a face at the man still talking on the phone.
”Did she just scream?” Miguel says, laughing now. ”What happened?”
”I'm not sure. But I just saw the most amazing and the longest legs I've seen in my life.”
Miguel isn't sure what his brother is trying to describe, but he has an inkling, and instantly, a slight pang of jealousy pierces his heart. He would die to see what his brother just saw.
”Stop it,” she says out loud now, no longer scream-whispering. ”Your brother is being an ȧss, Miguel.”
”I'm not even doing anything,” Gabriel says. He laughs as Claire throws a pillow in his general direction.
Miguel could only laugh on the other end; it's all he could do to stop his jealousy from pouring forth. He could only imagine her, at this point in the morning, so fresh and glowing from a restful sleep; and his awareness that all he could do is ”imagine” her while his brother is actually seeing her right now only sinks his heart in the depths of despair. He stares at the phone in his hand and wonders why in hell did he even call? What was he thinking? Then he remembers. ”Your medicine, Gabriel. The doctor gave me the oral versions of the ones they were administering to you intravenously. Since you suddenly bolted out of the hospital last night.”
”Were they angry?” Gabriel says.
Miguel drily laughs. ”You're the big boss, the chairman of the board, Gab. If they were irritated at your behavior, they concealed it perfectly. Remember to give a little credit to those nurses and that doctor.”
”You do it, please,” Gabriel says. ”Give them a raise or something. I get sick so rarely that anyone who treats me should feel like they've won the lottery or something.”
”Sure,” Miguel says. ”Do I send these medicines to Claire's place, or to yours?”
”Well, send them over here. At her suite. I might stay a while.”
There it is again, that little pang of jealousy. He could only imagine the joy of being with her. Miguel sighs. ”Okay. I'll call up your butler.”
”Are you all right, man?” Gabriel says, noticing the gravity in his brother's voice. ”Or is it you who is ill, this time? Let's have you checked.”
”Don't be crazy,” Miguel says. ”I'm completely fine. Enjoy the day, man. You deserve it.” He hangs up before Gabriel could say goodbye.
That's odd, Gabriel thinks as he puts the phone back on the receiver.
Meanwhile, Claire has turned the blanket into some sort of a long skirt, and she's giggling at her handiwork. ”Can I replace Miss Cassandra now as your stylist?”
”You can replace a hundred Cassandras,” he says, as he stands up and takes her hand. ”So what a total non-plan do we plan on having today?”
She shrugs. ”What about a long soak in the tub?”
Gabriel's eyes go huge. A soak in the tub? Together with her? He swallows a sudden lump in his throat. It's still so early in the morning, but this is shaping up into one of the best days of his life. ”A soak in the tub sounds just about right,” he says, as he starts unbuttoning his hospital shirt.
”That's what you deserve, big man,” she says, giggling like one of those Japanese pȯrn stars.