“Please let me know if he gets any worse. I know there’s nothing I can do from here, but I’d like to know.”
I promise that I will and disconnect.
“What did he say?” Alex asks, coming into the living room.
“He called to wish him a happy birthday.”
“Did you tell him how Rama’s acting?”
I nod. “Maybe I shouldn’t have. He sounded very concerned.”
“I really think it’s exhaustion and he’ll be okay with some rest. He’s sleeping again. I need to go to work. Try to get some liquids in him.” Slipping into his shoes at the door, Alex adds, “I wish I didn’t have to go to rehearsal, but I don’t have a choice.”
“I’ll be fine.” Leaning close, I kiss him softly on the lips. “Have a good day. I’ll see you tonight.”
After Alex leaves, I go in Rama’s room and get him out of his work clothes, so he’ll be more comfortable. Then I clean the apartment before taking a shower. I almost drop my towel when I turn the corner and come face-to-face with Rama.
“You’re up!” I exclaim, staring at him stupidly.
“I thought you’d be at the office,” he says tiredly. Dark circles make his eyes appear hollow.
“I took today off. Happy birthday, by the way. Are you feeling better?”
“I…yeah. I’m about to leave for work.” He turns, and I follow him to the front door where he starts to put on his shoes. All my relief from a moment before disappears.
“Rama. Aren’t you going to shower and change? You’re in your underwear.”
He stares at me blankly before looking down at himself.
“Oh. What happened to my suit?” His hand falls from the doorknob, and he glances around as though unsure what to do next.
“Alex helped you out of it last night, don’t you remember?”
He shakes his head.
“I really think you should rest today.” When he doesn’t say anything, I sigh. “Go in the bathroom. I’ll bring you a fresh towel.”
Listlessly, Rama heads down the hall. I hear him turn on the shower. When I arrive with the towel, he’s standing under the water, shivering.
Opening the door, I stick my hand in the spray.
“Fuck, it’s freezing cold!” I turn the faucet toward hot. “Are you okay?”
He nods, and I retreat, leaving the bathroom door ajar. A few minutes later, when I hear him cross the hall into the guest room, I follow.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“Why do you keep asking me that?” Dropping his towel, Rama steps into a pair of clean boxer-briefs.
“Because you’re acting so strangely. You have been since you came home last night. Do you remember Aunt Sunnee being here?”
Rama pauses a moment before resuming dressing. “I’m fine. I’m late for work.”
“I think you should take the day off,” I say again.
“I need to be there,” he says as he does a very poor job of tying his tie. I continue to argue, but in the end, he leaves the apartment.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Pravat