Free Not First Love by Jennifer Lawrence Page B

not let her get hurt. He would love her without asking for anything in return.
     
    *****

FIVE
     
    When Arthur woke up next morning, he found himself on Jan’s bed. It was late in the morning. He looked around himself but as he tried to move his head, he felt a severe pain. It was all over the head. His neck muscles felt sore. He only remembered feeling asleep outside Jan’s door.
    Jan came and placed her palm on his forehead. “You had a light fever,” she said. He tried to get up but she told him to stay put.
    “What happened?” he asked.
    “You feel asleep in wet clothes last night. I found you outside shaking with fever and brought you in. You undressed yourself and slept on my bed. Remember?”
    “I dreamt something like that I remember,” Arthur strained. So that means he is lying naked, on Jan’s bed, he realized. “Where are my clothes?”
    “I washed those. It was full of lipstick and stank of alcohol. Anyway, I will get coffee for you.”
    Jan came back with coffee and cookies. She helped him raise his head slowly. The sides of his forehead were screaming in pain. He sipped the coffee, it brought him relief. Jan passed the cookies to him. The pain came back. He pressed his forehead with his fingertips. They were many things that came to his mind but the headache overpowered him. He put his head back on the pillow and shut his eyes in pain. Jan told him to finish the coffee.
    Jan placed her hand on his forehead and massaged it. It felt better. “Relax Arthur. Don’t think anything. Get some more sleep.” She pressed the sides of his forehead.   Although Arthur had had a mug of coffee, he started to feel sleepy. When he fell asleep he last saw Jan beside him on the bed massaging his head.
    When he woke up, it was afternoon. Jan was sitting on chair close to the bed and reading a book. Arthur’s headache was fully gone. He smiled at Jan.
    Jan placed her hand on his forehead and said, “No fever.”
    “No headache, too.”
    “Great.”
    “Do you mind if I borrow your sheet? I need to get up.”
    “Technically it’s not mine. It belongs to Zilo. But yes you can.”
    Arthur wrapped the sheet around his waist like a towel. Jan looked seemed to look away and get busy with something. Arthur went downstairs and saw the mess that the hall was.
    The floor was wet and untidy. A strange smell hung in the air. The smell threatened to bring the headache back. He searched for his things. He was relieved to find his bag and laptop dry, he had stuffed everything away in a cabinet yesterday, especially his laptop and the screen. He undid the sheet around him and wrapped the towel and went to the bathroom. He needed a long bath to clear his head.
    When he came out, he found the windows of the hall wide open. The smell had vanished, almost all of it was gone. Most of the floor had been wiped clean, only a portion was left to do. Jan was outside taking the food packets from Patrick and nodding her head. Patrick seemed to go on talking endlessly. 
    He went out to talk to Patrick, “You are late.”
    “I was just apologizing to your girlfriend.”
    Jan looked at Arthur in surprise and suppressed her smile.
    “Man you won’t believe it. Many of the staff at the cafe didn’t turn up.” Patrick complained. “It seems that either people have run out of excuses or there is an epidemic in town. So many people have called in sick today.”
    “What happened?”
    “Headaches. All have headaches. All around the head and neck, each and every one. If you want to see Monday blues, come to town. But here’s what I tell you, when you got to do a job on Monday, don’t party late on Sunday night. It’s common sense. I heard there was a party here too last night.” This last sentence was addressed to Jan.
    “Yes there was. But we are all fine, as you can see.” Jan replied.
    Patrick about to say something when Arthur cut him off. “You must be getting late isn’t it? Jan let Patrick go. I am