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Din had insisted she was fine about ten times, but Rose was a woman on a mission. She dragged her back to their bedroom—and the thought of it being theirs still sent shivers down her spine even weeks after their wedding—and didn’t let her leave for work.
“P’Din, don’t be stubborn,” she pleaded, covering her with a blanket. “You’re burning up. Working is only going to make it worse.”
“But the farm—” She tried to reason.
Rose gave her no room for argument. “The farm can survive a day without you. I’ll call Kaew and ask her to handle things for today.”
Feeling like she had already lost a fight without it even properly starting, Din lay back on the mountain of pillows Rose had produced and tried to forget about the pile of work waiting for her back at the farm’s office.
Rose was a whirlwind of movement—fixing her already perfect pillows, taking her temperature, giving her medicine, bringing her soup, and not leaving her side for a moment.
Even through the haze of the fever she could no longer deny, Rose was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. The concern on her face for Din’s well-being seemed to only amplify it. Still, she felt bad for causing that worry, regardless of how lovely Rose had been this whole morning.
“I’m sorry, N’Rose. I didn’t want to bother you,” she said when Rose took her plate away and brought her another dose of medicine.
Rose shook her head immediately. “Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault you’re sick. Besides, we’re married. That makes us a team. If you need me, I’m here.”
She smiled iridescently, and Din was once again reminded of the fact she had spent most of her life in love with that smile.
The mention of their marriage still hurt more than it should. No matter what Lom said, Din knew the truth. She knew Rose wasn’t her real wife. She knew their life together was a scam that wouldn’t last forever. Even when Rose joked like she just did, even when she told her they were a team and together in their fight against Wusu and his father, she couldn’t run away from that fact.
She just wished it wasn’t all a lie. And that wish was stronger than her, stronger than the certainty that it could only end in disappointment and pain for herself.
But how could she not lean in when Rose gently cradled her face to check her temperature? How could she not smile when Rose frowned in concern when she didn’t eat enough?
Instead of making a fool of herself by spilling all that, Din smiled weakly at her and said, “Thank you.”
Rose waved her thanks away and settled by her side on the bed. She turned on the TV and started looking for a movie they could watch together.
Din didn’t pay any attention to it, just enjoyed the opportunity of staring at Rose without being caught.
If this was going to hurt like hell once it was over, she would make the most of the time they had.
Very slowly, almost hesitantly so, she leaned her head against Rose’s shoulder. She remained still for a moment, terrified of having crossed a line, but Rose just shifted closer to lace an arm over her shoulders, bringing Din’s head down to rest against her.
For some precious moments, Din forgot about her more than valid worries and unavoidable heartbreak.
For a while, they were just two wives holding each other up.