Slap!
A hard slap hit Geralt's cheek. Martin looked so angry at his son.
"I asked you to take care of your sister, but I made her suffer! Why don't you go straight home? You should be home from campus by three in the afternoon!"
Geralt said nothing, and Martin's words offended him deeply. Geralt had never intended to harm Clara. He also panicked when he learned that Clara wouldn't budge in the pool.
"I didn't know Clara couldn't swim, Dad," Geralt tried to defend himself.
"She has asthma, Geralt. She can't just be out in the cold."
Geralt didn't know about this, and Clara never explained it.
Matty came out of the room where Clara was being treated. She held her husband's hand. Matty looked shocked.
"How is Clara?" Geralt wanted to know how she was.
"She is fine. The doctor did his best."
Geralt felt so guilty, but he didn't want to be blamed. He didn't know Clara's condition. If he had known, then he wouldn't have acted so carelessly.
"I am sorry. I never meant to harm Clara. I didn't know she had asthma." Geralt tried to make amends to Matty.
"It's okay, Geralt. You don't know anything. It's been a year since I've seen Clara's asthma flare up. I've always been worried, though. Before moving here, Clara wanted to stay in New York. I didn't because I was worried about her condition. She can actually handle the situation. Clara always carries an inhaler with her."
Matty's explanation really hit home with Geralt. He regretted not taking Clara home first and then to Scarlett's house.
"You don't need to worry, Geralt. It's my fault for being careless. I warned Clara to hurry home because I knew she didn't have her jacket," Matty said.
For some reason, Geralt felt even more guilty, and he also became annoyed at his Dad. Clara was just a stepdaughter, but his Dad was so attentive. Meanwhile, Martin was not like this to him.
"Clara is awake. Would you like to see her, Geralt? You might have something to talk about."
Geralt honestly didn't feel up to seeing Clara. He would feel even more guilty, but at least he would have to ensure that Clara was better.
"Alright," Geralt replied.
Geralt entered the treatment room for Clara. Clara's body was lying on the bed. He saw his step-sister using a tube to help breathing. Geralt sighed as Clara's eyes opened.
"Hi," Clara greeted in a hoarse voice.
For the first time in his life, Geralt said nothing. He was so worried. He was afraid that Clara would die because of him.
"I am sorry," Geralt said.
"Well, you said sorry. Wow."
"I am not joking. You almost died because of me."
"I didn't know you could be such a considerate guy."
"Just shut up. You're freaking me out, b***h!" Geralt was annoyed that Clara continued to mock him even though Geralt was really afraid that Clara would die. Although she didn't like Clara's existence in her life, Geralt couldn't possibly have evil thoughts of killing Clara.
Clara looked at Geralt, who was showing remorse. This is the first time Clara sees Garalt with this expression. Clara took Geralt's hand, held it, and smiled at Geralt.
"It's fine. You don't know that I have asthma. I wasn't focused at the time anyway."
"Why?" Geralt asked instead.
Geralt's question instantly made Clara blush. She vividly remembered Geralt having s*x with Scarlett.
"Can't you ask me out on a date with your finance next time? You tainted my eyes. I'm not supposed to see scenes like that." Clara could only protest now. At Scarlett's house, she couldn't even move. She was mesmerized by the erotic scene.
Geralt pulled a chair closer to Clara's bed, then sat down and looked at Clara's life with a tube inserted to help her breathe.
"You're overdoing it. Who doesn't have s*x on these days? And why are your cheeks red when you talk about it?"
Clara didn't want to answer. She was too embarrassed to talk about s*x. She tried to change the subject to something else.
"Is my mom mad at you, Garalt?" Clara was worried that her mom was overreacting to her condition.
"Think for yourself. Why are you worried about me?"
Clara thought that Geralt was so sweet when he was angry.
***
The doctor said that Clara could go home. She did not need to stay at the hospital. She returned home.
"You need to rest a lot, Clara," Martin was attentive to his stepdaughter. He didn't realize that Garalt was observing his attitude towards Clara.
"Thank you, Dad. But I have to leave for college soon. I don't want to lose the opportunity to study." Clara's condition was normal.
"Today you have to take the day off. I've already informed the university." Matty didn't let her daughter move too quickly. "I'll take you to your room. You have to be married."
"I can do it myself, Mom." Clara was honestly disappointed that she couldn't go to college. She had only been to college once and had to take the second day off. This was really embarrassing. "I'll go to my room."
Clara went to her room feeling upset. She felt better, and there was no harm in going out. Arriving at the room, Clara immediately lay down on the bed. She grumbled. Clara hated it when she had to miss out on important things like lectures.
There was a knock on the door. Clara was too lazy to get up, but she had to. When she opened the door, she saw Geralt standing in front of her room. Geralt just walked into Clara's room.
"What are you doing?”