"Why did you sleep here?" James Blackās voice dropped a bit. "How can you curl up in the corner and sleep? Arenāt you tired?"
"I was afraid that youād wake up and see me still asleep, and you wouldnāt call me if you needed something," Jane Sampson sat up and then giggled, "Iām not tired."
"Even if youāre not tired, itās not good for your cervical spine to lie like that. Go back to your companion care bed," James Black motioned with his lips toward the next bed, "Get down."
Jane remained sitting there, continuing to shake her head, and then asked, "Are you thirsty? Why did you wake up so early? Or are you hungry? Did you have your meal last night?"
She asked so many questions that James Black didnāt know which one to answer first.
"I woke up naturally at daybreak, itās still early. Go back and sleep for a while, Iāll call you if I need anything," James Black said, then sighed, "Be good."
Only then did Jane begin to move her body and get down from the bed.
But instead of going back to sleep, she pushed the companion care bed into the corner and went straight to the bathroom.
In no time, she returned carrying a basin and a toothbrush.
"Iāll help you with brushing teeth and washing your face." Jane Sampson shook the toothbrush in her hand at James Black, "The nurse said your hand shouldnāt touch water and canāt exert force for a few days, so Iāll hold the toothbrush for you. Even if itās not perfectly clean, itās better than not brushing at all."
James Black saw that Jane had brought out all the stuff, thought about it, and then nodded, humming in agreement.
As soon as Jane saw his response, she immediately flashed a smile at James Black, her eyes gleaming when she smiled.
A person who had never taken care of a patient before, one not accustomed to serving others, was not particularly gentle in caregiving.
At least when it came to brushing James Blackās teeth, Jane felt she wasnāt doing a very good job. The toothbrush kept bumping into Jamesās mouth, and she glanced up at him guiltily several times. Seeing no change in his expression, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he had a difficult temper, luckily he wasnāt too delicate.
Jane used the basin she brought to prepare mouthwash for James, and after he finished brushing his teeth, she went back to the bathroom to get another half basin of water to wash his face.
James could feel that Janeās movements were even gentler when it came to washing his face than brushing his teeth. He had abrasions on his cheek, and her hand, holding the towel, moved across the wound as if it was a feather, extremely gentle and cautious.
"Jane, I have tough skin," James said to her, "Feel free to scrub harder."
No sooner had he spoken than he caught a disapproving look from Jane, which left James confused, as he couldnāt see anything wrong with what he had just said.
Yet he could clearly sense that Jane wasnāt happy, so James kept quiet, waiting until Jane had put everything away and came out of the bathroom again. Then he spoke, "Go back and sleep a while longer, Iām fine now."
Jane stood by the edge of Jamesās bed, looking at him closely, her gaze falling on his face, and she muttered, "Such a handsome face, now looking so bad."
Before James could respond, she changed her mind and said, "Iāll go buy you breakfast."
After saying this, she grabbed her wallet and mobile phone and hurried out of the ward as if she were afraid James would call her back.
James watched her retreating back, realizing it was too late even to call out to stop her.
He wasnāt sure if the hospitalās dining hall was open at this time.
Jane had already run off, and as James lay in the bed, his eyes fell on the companion care bed pushed into the corner. In his mind, the image of Jane curled up next to him, asleep, naturally emerged.
Her words and the way she clutched the corner of his clothes, all made Jamesās heart tremble fiercely.