Fruit of Misfortune (7 page)

“He will.”

“Get out of my room.”

“No,” he said, touching my cheek. I trembled
more. “Your temperature continues to drop.”

“I h-hate you.”

“No you don’t, my sweet. You’re only a thin
line away from being in love with me, and Dahveed has every right
to feel jealous.”

“He’s not j-j-jealous of y-you.”

“I can feel it in him.”

“Then you must f-feel how much I hate you
right now.”

“I ignore those emotions. But when it comes
to matters of the heart I feel everything—what you felt when you
heard me speak for the first time, the surge that spirals through
your blood when I touch you. Do you know how I know this? Because I
feel the same thing when your skin touches mine. And do you know
why? Because you and I yearn for each other, Isis. You don’t have
to be empathic to know that.”

“You’re d-deluded.” My teeth chattered.

“It’s strange,” Eros said, ignoring me. “I’ve
never felt this sort of attraction for anyone. I can’t ignore it,
and frankly, I don’t want to. It’s like you’ve bathed in
pheromones, and it sickens me with an emotion that I’m unable to
explain—and I like it.

“Did you know that nothing I’ve ever truly
wanted in life has been given to me—like you, for example? I’m
starting to believe that I’m cursed.”

“Well, sucks for you, doesn’t it?” I curled
myself into a ball. “G-go away. “

“No.” He stood from the bed, and pulled the
covers off my chest. “Your lips are turning blue. I’m taking you to
the hospital.”

“I told you, I’m not going.” I yanked the
sheets from his hand.

“Yes, you are.” He flung the covers off me
and to the floor.

I noticed the tips of my feet had turned a
greyish-blue shade.

“My feet…”

“Merde.” Eros lifted the sheets from the
floor, placed them over me, and raced to the bathroom, where I
heard the steady flow of water begin to run.

It was difficult to grip it with trembling
hands, but I managed to take my phone from the nightstand to dial
David’s number.

“Put that thing down.” Eros drew the covers
off me. “You have hypothermia. I’m putting you in the bath.” He
pulled me close, and then draped his arms over me, ready to
lift.

“Get off me!”

“Eros!” David growled from the bedroom
door.

For a moment, I stopped shaking, and my eyes
widened in panic. Eros twisted his neck to look at David, who stood
at the foot of the bed, now, almost snarling.

“She’s not well,” Eros said, uncovering my
legs.

“What is that?” David frowned.

“Don’t ask me how, but she’s hypothermic. She
has to be put in the bath with very warm water,” Eros said.

“Hypothermia?” David walked to the side of
the bed.

“I’m so c-c-cold,” I said.

David covered me with the blankets and hugged
me.

“Put her in the bath,” Eros said.

“No,” I protested.

David shook his head. “She’ll go into shock,
if I do that.”

“I’m… not going… in the w-water,” I said.

“She won’t go into shock.” Eros cocked his
brow. “Do as I say, and put her in the bath.”

“Don’t.” I clenched David’s arm as a
plea.

“Isis, your lips are completely blue.” David
touched my mouth. “Putting you in warm water will raise your
temperature.”

“Just t-take me… t-t-to… the h-hospital,” I
stammered.

“Oh,
now
you want to go to the
hospital?” Eros lifted a hand in the air. “Okay, go to the
hospital. I hope you’re partial to warm water enemas, because
that’s what you’ll be receiving there.”

“Is that t-true?” I looked at David.

David nodded.

“But I’ll f-freeze to death in water,” I
said, feeling like I was about to lose consciousness.

“You listen to me,” Eros said. “Your pupils
have started dilating. That indicates that your body temperature is
at eighty something degrees Fahrenheit and dropping. That is ten or
more degrees below normal. Do you know what happens after this
stage… do you?” Eros’ panicked face warned me the answer wouldn’t
be good.

I shook my head.

“Cardiac arrest,” Eros said, with a firm
look. “To be honest, I’m surprised you’re still lucid and
conscious.”

I widened my eyes and looked at David.

“You have to go in the water, Isis,” David
said, kissing my forehead. His breath felt like a cold gust of air
against my skin.

“Okay,” I nodded.

My feet were numb. I was unable to walk, so
David lifted me and took me to the bathroom. Meanwhile, Eros called
Camilla to help me undress. I refused to take off my underwear in
front of her. Camilla wrapped me in a large towel and called David
to lift me into the tub, towel and all.

Though I could see the steam rising, the
water felt ice cold on my skin. I stayed there for over an hour.
Camilla made sure the water stayed warm.

Slowly, the circulation returned to my limbs
and my skin turned back to its natural color, with the exception of
a few blue specks on my fingers and toes. I felt drained from the
aggressive shaking, but that was it. Nothing like this had ever
happened to me before.

I was able to dress myself, so Camilla
stepped out of the bathroom, taking the wet towel and clothes with
her. I heard Eros and David attempting to keep their voices down,
as they spoke in the bedroom.

“There’s something you’re not telling me, and
I demand to know,” Eros said. “Fructus est?”

There was that weirdly phrased question
again. Why did he insist on asking if I was pregnant?

“Of course not,” I heard David say. “It must
be a virus.”

“I doubt that. First, she had a fit of
anxiety, then she vomited on my shoes, and then for no reason, her
temperature dropped to the point of hypothermia. And I heard you
call your family asking them to come as soon as possible. There’s
something not right, my friend. The signs all point to one
thing.”

David said nothing. I wondered if he would
tell Eros about me being Creatura. Did he have enough confidence in
Eros to reveal something so critical? Before I could find out if he
would confess, I opened the bathroom door.

“My lovely...” David stepped in my direction,
and placed his hands on my face. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better.”

Camilla walked past us with a pitcher of
water and a glass and placed them on the nightstand. She swung a
towel over her shoulder, and then sat on the chair she had set next
to the bed earlier.

“I no go.” She glanced between David and
me.

It was sweet of her to take concern, but
aside from the exhaustion and a light soreness, I didn’t feel sick
at all.

“You’re not going to let her sit there all
night, are you?” I asked David.

“If not her, then it’ll be me who stays, but
I doubt we’ll be able make her move from that chair.”

“Well,” I sighed, “then… I’ll be right back.”
I headed to the bedroom door, past Eros.

Camilla rose from the chair with one arm bent
at her waist, rambling.

“Where do you think you’re going?” David
asked.

“The kitchen. I’m hungry. Can I get you
anything?”

Eros glared at David. “A miraculous recovery.
Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I’ll join you.” David ignored Eros.

“Oh, Isis, one thing…” Eros said with his
shoulder against the doorframe. “Remember to tell David about that
thing we talked about, oui?”

“Right,” I said, and quickly made my way to
the stairs.

“What did you two talk about?” David asked,
catching up to me.

“Just small talk. Nothing noteworthy.”

“Mhh.” David tightened his lips. “Then why
did he say you had to tell me something?”

“I…” I paused for a few seconds, “think…
that… uh…” My mind was blank as we crossed the living room. “Well…
the thing is…” I stepped into the kitchen.

“What? Just tell me.”

“I… I thought about it, and I do want to go
to Chios Island.”

“We can’t go. All our plans for travel are
postponed. That includes Kyparissia. Your condition needs to be
evaluated first.”

“But I feel fine now.”

“Yes, but I’m concerned. Beyond concerned. I
was going to take you to the hospital as soon as your temperature
was normal, but my mother wants to see you before they run any
unnecessary tests. She and Gemini will be arriving tomorrow
night.”

“I know. I overheard Eros mention it while I
was in the bathroom. Only, I don’t understand why they need to
come. I could see a doctor, instead of going to the hospital. They
don’t have to make the trip on my account.” I took a bite out of a
piece of bread and grabbed a pitcher of milk from the fridge.

“Isis, you do realize how serious this is,
don’t you?” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I think I should
take you to the hospital, regardless of what my mother says.”

“I feel a lot better. Really. There’s no need
to take me,” I said, rummaging through the freezer. “Where do you
keep the meat? Never mind. Found it.”

I placed the two steaks on the counter behind
me. I opened the other door to the refrigerator and found some
leftover pasta, which I placed next to the meat. Then I pulled out
some fresh vegetables that I cradled in one arm. Satisfied with my
selection, I closed the doors to the fridge. “Do you have
potatoes?”

Camilla and David were standing next to the
refrigerator, staring at me like I was some strange animal.

“What?” I asked, looking back at them.

“Are you planning on eating
all
of
that?” David asked.

“Oh, did you want some, too? We can
share.”

“You don’t seem the least bit worried. It’s
past midnight and you’re sick. Do you really think putting all that
food in your stomach is a good idea?”

Mumbling under her breath, Camilla took the
vegetables from my arms and returned them to the refrigerator.

“Okay?
”
I frowned. “I guess I’ll
starve till morning.”

“Here,” David said, splitting open a
pomegranate. “Persephone’s fruit of misfortune.”

“Well that doesn’t sound appetizing at all,
but
I’m going to eat it anyway. And just so you know, I draw
the line at the grapes of wrath, so don’t try to feed me any.”

David smiled as I picked a crimson seed off
the fruit.

“I’m a lot like a pomegranate, you know?” I
rolled the seed between my fingers. “I’m a fruit of
misfortune.”

“No, you’re not. You haven’t condemned
anyone.”

I stared at him for a moment.

“Yes, I have, but you’re too noble to admit
it.”

“Isis…”

This time, he didn’t have the right words to
say. And to be honest, I was glad because I hated faking smiles. I
hated pretending that everything would be fine. I hated knowing I
was his doom. And however hard he tried to convince me that I
wasn’t, there was nothing that could be said to change what I
was.

“Mi scusi.” Camilla interrupted our silence.
She took the fruit from me and handed me a bowl with water. She
lifted my arms and positioned the dish on my head.

“È Mal’occhio,” she said, making the sign of
the cross over my forehead.

I looked to David for a translation.

“She says it’s the Evil Eye—a superstition.
She’s attempting to rid you of it.” David tried to subdue his
smile.

“I don’t believe in that stuff,” I said. “Is
it bad manners to stop her?”

“Yes. Now hold still. It’s entertaining to
watch.”

I gave David a playful scowl.

Camilla took the bowl from my hands and
placed it on the counter. She grabbed a small bottle of olive oil
and dipped her thumb in it, and then placed it over the water to
drip.

“Ah,” she gasped, her eyes wide, and poured
salt into the bowl. She then took a knife and parted the substance
using cross shapes.

“What’s she doing?” I asked, leaning over the
marble counter.

“Cutting the curse of the Mal’occhio using
salt and a knife.”

“Does that work?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’m not superstitious.”

***

Once Camilla was done with the Evil Eye
ritual, and I had finished eating my piece of fruit, all three of
us returned to my bedroom. Camilla sat in the chair, next to my
bed.

“She’s a good nurse,” David said.

I nodded. “How long has she worked with your
family?”

“Five good years, but in another two, my
mother will have to let her and Paulina go and hire another set of
hands. People tend to get suspicious when they don’t see us age. We
hire immigrants because it’s not likely that we’ll ever run into
them again after they’ve been let go.”

“That’s a shame. I really like her.” Paulina
not so much.

“I have an early day tomorrow, and you have
to rest,” he said, settling a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do you
feel well enough for me to leave you for the night?”

“I have a private nurse. I’ll be okay.” I
felt nervous about being left alone with Eros—the French Cupid—the
next day. Already, I was planning on locking myself in my room.
“Will you be gone all day tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow’s meeting should be brief. Not more
than half the morning. My phone will be on if you need to reach
me.” David kissed my forehead. “Good night, love.”

“Good night.”

***

It seemed like I had been asleep for just
minutes, when I felt someone’s stare on me. I opened my eyes and
found Eros sitting on the bed by my side, a large knife on his
lap.

I gasped and held my blanket to my chest.

“What are you doing here?” I said.

“Bonjour, my sweet. I hope you slept
well.”

Not answering, I stared at the pointy cook's
knife.

“Oh, are you wondering about
this
?” He
raised the blade. “I found Paulina putting it under your bed in a
glass of water early this morning.”

“You shouldn’t be in here.”