C8 Eight

"Nonna!" Jake shouted, coming out of the bathroom of his grandmother's VVIP treatment room and finding the older woman trying to prop herself up against the head of the bed. "You should have called me Nonna." He helped Barbara lean back by piling up a few pillows to make her comfortable.

"I'm not some old woman who should be treated like a sick person, Jake," Barbara protested. "Besides, I've been here for two days, and I feel like my body is getting sicker." She turned her gaze to the IV tube that was still faithfully attached to her left hand.

"Moreover, I can't go anywhere. It's boring here," continued Barbara, curling her lips sourly. "Can you take me away?" she whispered while narrowing her eyes meaningfully.

Jake chuckled at his grandmother's complaints that she could never feel at home in one place. He shook his head and sat down on the soft chair. "I know you are a woman so full of energy that you don't realize you are unrealising, Nonna. Be patient until the doctor sends you home; after that, we can continue our plans."

Barbara shrugged, unsure if the doctor would say what Jake had said. She took a deep breath, realising that human life always has a time limit. It's just that God gave her many bonuses so that she could enjoy the beauty of this world before changing to the afterlife. She turned her head and held Jake's warm hand, then patted it and said, "If I hadn't been helped at that time, maybe now I would be lying next to your grandfather and reuniting at the grave while drinking tea."

"Nonna..." Jake dismissed Barbara's sentence as a joke. Moreover, his grandmother looked so relaxed when she said those horror words. "Don't talk like that, Nonna. You have to live long according to your promise to me first. God has protected you."

"I know. And... who helped me at that time?" asked Barbara, knitting her eyebrows, trying to remember who managed to save her life at a critical moment.

"She's a nurse who happens to be on leave from work," answered Jake.

"Her name is Jake. I need her name to repay the angel's kindness," said Barbara, a little annoyed. "When I was half conscious, I couldn't see what was happening. Only shadows and the voices of people asking my name."

"The first person who helped you was Anna Asmita, then several Red Cross officers came to help Anna and carried out the actions directed by the girl," explained Jake, not wanting to see yesterday's terrible incident happen to his grandmother again. "She is brilliant and agile."

"Interesting," said Barbara, curious about the owner's name, Anna Asmita. "Can you call her to come here? I want to get to know her in person or invite her to dinner."

"I know, but not now. You should get lots of rest, Nonna..."

"I've had too much rest; an old woman like me doesn't need to lie down like a corpse for long, Jake." Barbara smiled enthusiastically like someone who had never felt pain. "Have you told your parents?"

Jake nodded quickly. "They said you should go home immediately. Long journeys aren't good for your health. You should keep Doctor Russo with you while you're here."

"I don't think that's an interesting idea. There my blood pressure would spike because of this scolding telling me not to be angry with those damn tourists," Barbara sneered, waving her hand so that her grandson wouldn't touch the name of their doctor. She knew that Doctor Dante El Russo was very talkative as a form of attention. But, if for a long time, there was prohibition after prohibition, of course, this would be boring for Barbara.

"If it's like this, I'm sure Doctor Russo will be even more angry," joked Jake; he could imagine the angry expression of his family's doctor who had served them for over a decade.

"Ah, have you given your father a solution?" Barbara asked, changing the conversation.

"Yes. Papa said he would limit the number of visitors and put wire on the guardrail," answered Jake. "He doesn't want to sort out visitors from Germany, Nonna. He says it violates tourists' human rights. So, I can't force Papa. You know he's also stubborn, right?"

Barbara shook her head while tapping her temples with her hands, which infused like a gesture typical of Italians who want to make fun of Fabio like a crazy person. "He should listen to your advice. If he is too nice, the tourists will be even more arbitrary!"

"Never mind, just leave it alone. If these two methods don't work, I will ask Papa not to accept more tourist visits. You have to relax your mind, Nonna." Jake took a glass of water from the top of the drawer and gave it to Barbara. "Drink first. Don't overthink, okay."

###

Anna applied moisturiser to the hands and feet of the woman who was lying weak with various life-supporting medical equipment. So painstakingly dressed up the mother, fragrant and clean, even though her consciousness has not yet recovered after head surgery due to bleeding in the brain. Now and then, Anna whispered that she would wait for Silawarti to wake up and couldn't wait to take her for a walk to enjoy the sunset while eating grilled fish.

When she was on leave like this, Anna always came to wait for her mother at the hospital, chatting with doctors and nurses who had been colleagues when she worked at IHC. However, when she had to go abroad for several months to collect money, Anna entrusted Silawarti to Saras - a colleague she considered her own family. It didn't matter to Anna that she had to pay for Saras' services because the girl wanted to maintain her trust in looking after Silawarti, unlike a relative who turned into a stranger.

After applying avocado-scented lotion, which moisturises dry skin, Anna put her mother's equipment into a bag to store in a drawer. Then she calculated how long Silawarti had been treated since the sudden fainting incident in the kitchen at that time.

Two months? Or more?

Anna shook her head slowly, unsure of her calculations—all her memories of the myriad responsibilities she had to bear since childhood were erased. Being the subject of ridicule due to not having a father, Silawarti has never married since becoming pregnant with Anna 30 years ago. She had to help her mother with a small business, selling rice at school and accompanying her mother when giving tutoring to children who needed additional classes in English and mathematics. The universe is fair; in times of difficulty like that, Anna was gifted with the intelligence to get a scholarship.

"Mom, Anna will go to Kuta later. Is that okay?" Anna asked, lamenting Silawarti's closed face and gently caressing her mother's cheek while supporting her chin with her left hand. "Anna hasn't played on the surfboard at home for a long time. If she doesn't use it, termites will eat it."

A glimpse of the past when Silawarti was still in good health and found that her son often spent time in the sea surfing made Anna's sensual lips grow. Silawarti would get angry if Anna lost track of time until her skin turned red from exposure to the sun for too long.

As a result, as is her hair colour, Anna is the most exotic among the girls in the village and at school. However, this does not cover the beauty inherited from Silawarti, especially the round eyes and adorable chubby facial features.

"Anna thinks Mother agrees," continued Anna, giggling. "Just an hour, right?"

Not long after, Anna's cell phone, placed in the drawer, vibrated, showing a call from someone deliberately named 'The Back Guy'. Her eyeballs reflexively widened, almost rolling to the floor, watching her device screen. Instantly, the pounding in Anna's chest, which had previously been expected, now seemed to have received such intense stimulation that she needed to be given an electric shock to neutralise the rhythm.

It wasn't Jake's nickname that caused such intense excitement, but rather the flash of Anna kissing his back on the lips. The intoxicating kiss that had haunted her for the past few days had drifted into dreamland, as if that one kiss had ignited something that Anna had never felt again. Even after their conversation that night, Anna had vowed not to get too carried away, considering that Jake already had a partner. So why is her heart beating fast now?

"Mom, Anna has to answer the phone, right?" Anna asked Silawarti. "Anna... doesn't want to deal with a guy who... already has a fiancé."

The call ended, but not long after, her cell phone vibrated again as if an emergency was happening there.

"Mom, Anna won't be wrong if she takes Jake's call, right?" Anna grabbed her device while wondering whether she should answer this important call. She got up from the chair and kissed her mother's forehead lovingly as she said goodbye, "Mom, Anna will go out first. Anna will come back later."

Then she hurried away after waving to the nurse on duty as a thank you for being allowed to visit. Then Anna's right thumb shifted the green icon and heard Jake's voice calling her name. The deep and low voice sounded sensual to the ears, like a lullaby at night. Unfortunately, things like this cause a pounding in the chest, which may not be able to return to normal even if she uses a sedative.

Anna looked up and took a deep breath, hoping the oxygen around her could keep her sane. Having a shred of hope in a man she had just met wasn't a good idea. Moreover, this man was not just any man. Jake is a seven-generation rich guy who can't be reached just because they are familiar with each other. She closed her eyes and tried to remember that Jake had his ring on his ring finger.

He's already engaged, Ann. Don't crush on other guys if you don't want to get karma!

"Anna." Jake's voice pulled Anna from the mirage of her own making.

"Y-yes? What's wrong?" Anna was confused beyond words. Damn! Why is she suddenly nervous about herself? Cursed the girl in her heart.

"Where are you?" Jake asked. "Are you at IHC?"

"Y-yeah... What's wrong?" Anna sat down in one of the long chairs in the hallway in front of the ICU so that it wouldn't be evident that the influence of Jake's voice had managed to melt her bones. She bit her lower lip in annoyance at herself as the image of fondling swirled around in her head. It was as if Anna's little mind wanted to repeat that time. She was feeling Jake's caresses further on her. Taste the taste.

Wake up, Anna!

"Nonna wants to see you, Anna," Jake said. "She wants to invite you to dinner privately at our house. Do you have time this Saturday?"

"Dinner?" Anna gasped in surprise.

"Yes. She wanted to thank you, you remember that--"

"Your grandmother will do anything to repay my kindness when she is better," interrupted Anna. "Jeez... don't bother; it's one of my duties when someone faints."

"I know, Nonna just forced me to call you Anna," said Jake. "So... you can do it this Saturday, right? I can pick you up at home."

"Jake..." Anna ruffled her short hair, unable to imagine Jake's Audi car parked in front of the house, which could cause the neighbours to talk. When the man dropped her off just in front of the supermarket, how many pairs of eyes were looking at the car owner to the point where the neighbours whispered that Anna had succeeded in hooking up with a wealthy widower? Some even mocked that Anna's behaviour was similar to Silawarti's.

"Don't bother. OK, I'll come, but don't pick me up. Just give me your home address," continued the girl.

"Are you serious?" Jake sounded enthusiastic.

"Yes, what can I do if your grandmother asks me to come. Besides, I'm afraid you'll be thrown into the sea if you don't obey what your parents say," joked Anna, rubbing the nape of her neck, which felt stiff.

"That's right. Nonna can do anything if she doesn't obey. Okay, I'm waiting for you this Saturday, Anna," said Jake. "I'm glad we can meet again," he said meaningfully.