0.3| Shop For A Lady
3161 Words
"You are such a pain in the arse! Why can't you just stop?" Nigella's voice stopped him from leaving the room.
"What did you just say?" Elliot scoffed, he had heard her alright but he wanted to see if she had the guts to say it to his face instead of his back. He liked the fire he saw in her eyes, reminded him of his highschool days when he was nothing but a rich and rowdy teenager without his big brother stacking workload on his back.
He was still rich, just not that young anymore, age was one big deal he couldn't conquer.
"I said you are a pain in the arse! I want to leave!" She had said it without any emotions, completely void of resentment that she held in her voice when she first called him an arse. Elliot tilted his head. He could play this game all day.
"Okay." He agreed, "Let's leave."
"Not with you!"
"Well, you don't have a guardian in sight," he pointed at himself, proud of his earlier words with the doctor, "Except me. I signed you form."
Nigella's eyes flickered to him in disbelief. He followed the movements with his own eyes until they met. He held her captive, maybe it was the other way round, no one knew until they broke the trance, Elliot cleared his throat.
"Look here Sir -"
"Excuse me!?" He interrupted her mid-sentence. Offense was bright as day on his whole face, "I have a name."
Ahe took her time rolling her eyes at him bug didn't bother asking for his name. Elliot tapped his expensive shoes on the floor, waiting for her to address him with his name instead of honorifics.
"Fine! What is your name?" She finally asked. His grin must have been the reason the room was suddenly so bright. He stepped closer towards Nigella and once again took a seat on the metal chair next to her bed. She looked comfortable on the bed, Elliot noticed.
"I'm Elliot." He held out his hand for her to shake. She eyed his hand as if it was an atom bomb wrapped in a gift-wrap. Elliot should have been blowing off with offence if it was anyone else other than Nigella who took their time in shaking his hand. But because it was her, he only felt amusement spread in him. What a foreign feeling.
After calculating every thought possibly known to mankind she took his hand and gave it two shakes. He was taken aback at the lack of strength she had in her fingers. With the way she was stating her points earlier, Elliot had forgotten how weak she was.
She had barely gripped his hand, her hand was just lying against his in a weak connection. He curled his own fingers around her thin ones and shook it once before placing her hand on the soft sheets.
"I'm Nigella." She said.
'I know' he wanted to reply, his words drowned in his mouth, she already knew that. He nodded.
"Beautiful name." He said instead. How the atmosphere in the room changed from cold little bickering to awkward handshakes was a surprise to Elliot. He was used to business deals, he was never nervous when he accompanied his brothers to the worst of meetings.
Elliot needed water. A full jar of water was on the table next to her bed. He debated whether he should grab it or not.
"Elliot," Elliot would have definitely choked if he had gone for the water. There was nothing special about his name except that joined with his last name it showed his status in society. Nigella said it like he couldn't describe it. At home everyone called his name, his family yelled it out, said it with love, his friends called his name teasingly, encouragingly. Nigella's way of saying the single word changed his whole perfective of it.
It was strangely familiar her very far from anything he had every heard. Would he hold his breath everytime she said his name? Yes. Did he want to listen to it all day? Definitely. It was a possible threat to his heart, he had to admit.
"Are you a politician?"
All the strange feelings drained off of him when she asked him that absurd question. She said it so seriously that Elliot was tempted to fool her and say he was the president. She may even be dumb enough to buy it.
"Where did that even come from?" He made sure to let some of his surprise show.
She shrugged just enough for him to notice, once again bringing to his attention that she shouldn't be left alone.
"You are very adamant on helping me. I thought you were in it for some public exposure or something."
"Should I be offended?"
"You shouldn't, I don't know many politicians so I don't know what they are like. I'm assuming." She innocently put out. Elliot bit the inside of his bottom lip to keep himself from laughing.
She was bloody good at playing her tricks. She went from hundred to zero in a matter of words. But Elliot wasn't a weak player, he knew how to bag the prize.
"For now I'm nothing but your guardian. Your friend," he paused, "According to the form I filled yesterday. Co-operate well, Nigella or I might never let you go out of this room."
He leaned closer, she backed her face away until there was no more room for her. He saw no fear in her eyes, good.
Elliot touched her nose with his finger and bopped it, "Trust me, I'm the kind of person who can make that possible."
"You jackal!" She pushed him away.
"You said you have no family, you are weaker than a child, I have no idea where you live, do you even have a place to stay?" He asked, now that he thought about it, she did look homeless when he had hit her. Besides the blood, all she had on her skin was dirt and grime. Even with that thought looming in his head, he didn't cringe about holding her in his arm.
"I - I" Nigella stuttered out and looked down. Elliot sighed, she didn't even have a place to go and here she was holding her pride up on her head instead of taking his help.
"You are acting like an idiot."
"I don't want your charity!" She protested, fisting the sheets. Her body heaved slightly as she tried to keep her frustrated tears at bay. His eyes widen, he didn't know what to do. Maybe he shouldn't have called her an i***t.
"Nigella?" He called, softly, try not to break her. He gently put a finger on her shoulder. When she looked up her teary eyes made him gasp.
Elliot panicked!
"I'm sorry! You are not an i***t! I am!" He said so fast that he himself didn't know what flew out of his mouth. Did he just call himself an i***t? What an i***t!
"Don't want your pity, just go away!" She flung her pillow at him and hit him on the face with all the force she had in her body, which wasn't much but it still hurt his pride to be hit by a pillow for helping.
He didn't show it though.
"Do you take me as someone who gives away pity like gifts?" He asked sarcastically, "My pity is very important and I don't hand to anyone. Not to you. What I'm offering you is my help, which is much more valuable then my pity. I am a man of pride, if it's me who put you in this hospital room then it's my responsibility to make sure you are healthy again before I leave you alone. Are you understanding what I'm trying to say?"
Nigella nodded.
"Good. So now you are going to have breakfast while I talk to the doctor when you can leave." He patted her head and smiled. Nigella didn't answer him right away, nor did he curse at him as he left the room.
That has to be an improvement, right?
-----
"I don't understand why she can't leave! This is a scam! This hospital is a scam!" Elliot's voice could be heard from the doctor's office all the way to the end of the hallway.
"Please calm down sir -"
"Who do you think you are? I'm telling you to discharge her so why can't you? You said it yourself that she is fine now!" Elliot argued continuously. It was mainly a one sided argument that he was having, since the doctor didn't get the chance to speak more than four words at a time.
Elliot had very politely asked the doctor to sign Nigella's discharge papers so he could take her out of the hospital, he had no idea where he would take her, but she had to get out the hospital. He hates the sight of IVs on her hands.
If she needed nutrition, Elliot will provide it in plenty wherever she will be staying. Not the hospital though.
However, the doctor, Franco completely disregarded his request and started telling him how important it was for her to stay in the hospital. Elliot got mad.
"It is necessary -"
"I will have a doctor and a nurse for her on standby if she needs it. You have to discharge her." Elliot said, this time more calmly.
Franco sighed, "Sir, we have protocol. We have to make sure that the person who is discharging her is a genuine relative. That's our hospital's rule. If you are a relative then I can sign the papers now, but I know you aren't. Instead of making a scene in my office you must contact her family."
Elliot blinked and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "She's an orphan."
Franco's mouth opened in an 'O'.
"Well, I have to talk to her then in that case. She will make the last choice wheather she wants to go or not."
Elliot followed Franco out of his office, behind the doctor, stood a few inches taller. His suit was a contrast to his white coat, Elliot had to say that Franco had a good face but when he stood next to Elliot, he was vanilla. Plain and bland.
A nurse was in Nigella's room when they entered to get her opinion on their discharge. It was more of a fight between Franco and Elliot and Nigella had somehow become the Empire, she had the last say and the winner would be decided on that.
"Nigella." Elliot smiled wide, Nigella gulped down her pill with a glass of water. He noticed how her eyes widen when she drank water. It was very cute.
"Are you done here, Maria?" Franco asked the nurse. Elliot thought it was a very common name among nurses. In this world, was every Maria's dream to be a nurse? He didn't say it out loud, there was a heavy dose of offence in it that might hit someone.
Maria nodded and collected her stuff, she took one look at Elliot and scrambled out of the room as if her nurse hat was on fire. Elliot shrugged.
"We were discussing about your discharge, Ms. Spencer." Franco told Nigella. She blinked and nodded, she was well aware of that since Elliot had informed her about it.
"And he is not ready to let go of you for some reason." Elliot pointed at Franco. Franco sighed and retrieved a paper from his coat pocket. He handed it to Nigella.
"This is a discharge form. As you can see only a family member or your guardian can complete the discharge you. Mr. Knight explained your situation to me and it rules it down to your word. Do you trust him enough?"
Elliot narrowed his eyes at the doctor. The way he said the last line would easily be expanded into 'Or should I call security and throw him out?'
Nigella took a good look at the paper.
"I would like to be discharged, Doctor."
Franco eyed Elliot suspiciously but signed the discharge papers. In place of family's signature, Nigella put her own signature. On Elliot's request, Franco added tomorrow's date on the form.
"Why tomorrow?" He asked.
"I have something to take care of, just do as I say."
Elliot made sure Nigella had her lunch before he left the hospital. He felt gross in his clothes, he had to have a shower to get the smell off of him. He came home looking like he had pulled an all night party.
"You reek, Elliot." Marcus scrunched his nose at the sight of Elliot. He picked up a cushion from the couch and threw it at his younger brother.
"Shut up!"
Elliot slammed his bedroom door. He didn't even remember the reason he was still living with his parents at this age. He had properties in his name, places he could go to and yet here he was.
He took a good shower and made sure he smelled good. He changed into a casual jeans and a pair of white t-shirt and blazer. He fixed his hair like he usually did. He had a lot to do today.
"Marcus, give me your keys!" Elliot said. Marcus lifted an eyebrow in question but trustfully pointed to the coffee table. Elliot picked up the keys to Marcus' convertible.
"Don't wreck it!" He heard Marcus yell from inside. He pressed on the key and the silver convertible made a beep sound. His first stop was a nearby mall where he planned to pick up a few set of clothes for Nigella.
There was no way she was wearing those dirty clothes again.
He parked the car in the underground parking lot and went straight to the the store he thought had good clothes. He was completely clueless in selecting clothes and it didn't help that he didn't know what Nigella liked.
"You will be a little more helpful if you look at the clothes rather than at my face." He scowled at the sales woman's face who had offered to help him saying she knew exactly what ladies liked these days.
But she had been staring at his face all this time and Elliot was getting annoyed by it. Which made little to no sense because Elliot liked attention. But now he had to get back to the hospital and keep Nigella company.
"Sorry, sir."
After an hour of wandering different stores and being embarrassed about not knowing basic female fashion, he ended up with six bags full of clothes.
Elliot had found some help with a few husbands who were experienced in shopping for their wives, they guided him on his mission and he finally brought everything he thought Nigella would like.
His next stop was a convenience store.
It had nothing to do with Nigella, Elliot was craving some pop tarts and the store sold some his favourite brands. He picked up three packs. His eyes caught a packet of scrunchies and he picked two of them as well, those weren't for him, they were for Nigella.
He stuffed all the clothes in one large bag instead of carrying six different ones and left for the hospital.
Nigella was out of bed when he reached her room. She was taking rounds around the room with the IV drip in her hand. Her eyes were focused on coordinating her feet so she didn't see him enter.
"What are you doing?"
Nigella jumped, startled.
"Can you please knock next time? I don't want to die just yet." She placed a hand on her heart. Elliot dropped the bag of clothes on the bed.
"Don't worry, I'll not let you die just yet." He offered to take the IV drip from her hand, "Here, let me help you."
"I don't need your help."
Elliot rolled his eyes, "You never need my help Nigella, you are invincible. Give me the IV drip."
He said it with such a tender smile that she had to give up the drip.
"Are you allowed to walk like this? Shouldn't you be resting?" He asked, he held the drip in one hand and the other one was behind her, not touching her but ready to catch her if she stumbled.
"Maria said I should stretch my muscles a little, or they will ache."
He nodded. He helped her walk four rounds in the room and then helped her sit down on the bed. He hooked the drip on the stand.
"Is that Creed Aventus you are wearing?" She asked him. The question took him by Complete surprise, he didn't expect her to know the name of the cologne he was wearing.
"Yes," He said slowly, the next part came out of his mouth before he could filter it out, "Your boyfriend uses it?"
He went to retrieve the bag of clothes from the other side of the bed. He was experiencing a strange increase in his heartbeat as he waited for her to answer.
"Oh, ah," she chuckled awkwardly, "No, many male students in my college have it. The scent is literally everywhere."
"College?" He handed her the bag, "You are a Student?"
She took the bag and peeked inside, "Yes. My last year actually."
That peaked his interest. Elliot had the best years of his life during college, he was curious to know about her's.
"Really? What is your major? Which college?" He sat next to her and helped her pick out clothes from the bag.
"I enrolled in NYU for my last year. Business major."
"That's kind of hard." He aaid with experience. He was a business major too, it sucked the living daylights out of him during exam times. Mainly because he was busy having fun during the year and cram the night before the examination day.
"No, I like it. I enjoy studying."
She picked out a yellow top from the badly spread out bunch of clothes. He secretly smiled at her choice, that was the only item he had picked on his own without anyone's help.
"Where did you get this? Did you shop for me?" She got a pair of loose white pants to go with the top. "I like these. I don't need the rest."
"Just keep them, I already brought them."
"Okay, send me the bill later." She said and took a breath, "I can only pay in installments."
Elliot was not expecting that. When he thought she was normal, she did something that proved that she wasn't. What kind of girl tries to pay back for free clothes?
"You don't have to pay me back. Take is as a gift from me."
"No thanks, I can't take it then." She went to kept the clothes back into the bag but Elliot held her hand midway.
"Fine, fine. Have it your way. I'll even give you a discount." She nodded.
- Writer
