「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(178) Stranded

Lynn's POV

After the crisis-ridden morning, it was pleasing to have the cake-baking process completed smoothly despite that impending migraine. After prudently setting the cake into the fridge, I tiredly rolled out to the living area and slumped into my chair.

Lazily picking up a magazine, I randomly browsed through the glossy pages while waiting for James to return from collecting the night's ham from the butcher's but my eyes struggled to remain open and the next thing I knew, I woke up in a foreign bed.

Alarmed by the unfamiliar surroundings, I quickly propped myself up on my elbows and frantically scanned the boxlike room but was unable to locate my chair. Nervously, I looked around again, this time spotting a small note on the adjacent nightstand.

You fell asleep. I didn't want you sleeping on the couch so you're in my room on the upper floor. Just give me a shout when you're up. -James

I cursed and sighed in exasperation, reading of his considerate but negligent behaviour.

"James!" I called, inflicted with tremendous and escalating panic as I was defenselessly stranded without my chair, but there was no appreciable response.

"James!" I yelled again, louder and more impatiently this time, as I yanked off the covers.

Tediously dragging my paralyzed legs to dangle limply off the edge of his mattress, I hurriedly shifted to the corner of the bed and strenuously stretched over to reach for the chest of drawers by the exit. Getting some fingertips to its counter top, I mindlessly lugged my body towards the sturdy cabinets but not having a firm enough grip to really support anything, I lost my deadweight to gravity and it simply crumbled to the floor as James burst in.

"Lynn!" James exclaimed anxiously and scurried to my side.

"Where's my chair?" I cried shakily, hysterically tugging on his arms as James grabbed my waist and swimmingly hoisted me back to the bed.

"Lynn, just calm down. It's downstairs," James coaxed as he diligently brushed the streaming tears away from my cheek.

"Will you get me into it, please?" I desperately croaked, looking at him pleadingly and he readily nodded as he conscientiously fetched my chucks I never even realised were no longer on my senseless feet.

Swiftly lifting me into his arms, James promptly marched through the door and immediately made a left on the cramped squarish landing between two flights of stairs, steadily descending to the ground level.

Rocking naturally in his arms, my frail physicality was granted a surreal immunity being pressed snugly against his warm muscular chest and I wearily reclined onto the seemingly dependable frame that provided an obscured sort of sanctuary as he took confident steps to conquer my ultimate nemesis.

Carefully replacing me into my chair that was still at the same position in the sitting room, James attentively tucked away the messy locks of hair fallen onto my moist face and I uncontrollably broke down again as immense guilt channeled through me.

"James, I'm begging you... Whatever you do... Never separate me from my chair again, please..." I sobbed intermittently, hindered my the choking tears in my throat, and he directly pulled me into a hug as he sat himself on the armrest of his nearby sofa.

"I didn't mean to, but the stairs are just around the corner and I was afraid you might get hurt if you didn't see them in time," James explained, gently stroking my back to soothe my nerves, as I unknowingly wept into his shirt.

"I didn't want you hurt," he reiterated softly and there was a light tap to the top of my head, seemingly a peck.

"I'm truly sorry, Lynn," James apologized, lowering his head to meet my gaze with his eyes of sincerity and I swallowed as I prepared to speak.