Absconding ✔️

23. Deserve

Arden Serrano

I parked my car next to a Methodist.

It was raining heavily and I couldn't drive properly. I had to pull over and there was a giant tree under which I decided to take some rest. I've been sitting here for the past 10 minutes.

It seems as if the rain won't ever stop pouring. It was raining so badly. I was getting hungry but there was no convenience food in the four large grocery bags that were present in the car with me.

I waited for 20 more minutes in the car listening to some music on the radio, whose signal was horrendous. It was so dark outside despite the evening hours of 5 or 6.

There were very few people on this road since it's actually an inside ally. I couldn't risk being seen on a main road so I usually take this shortcut. I generally juggle between different grocery stores or malls since that way the risk of someone spotting me is very low.

After a while, it felt as if the harsh rain took some mercy upon me and I was allowed to see the road clearer than before. It wasn't too much but somehow was visible enough for me to drive.

In the next 15 minutes, I pulled into the parking of the house. I got out of the car and carried two grocery bags with me into the house.

I switched on the lights and saw an empty juice glass on the coffee table of the living room.

"Jasmine! Can you help me with the bags please?" I called her name but she didn't reply.

She must be asleep.

I sighed and walked outside to get the other bags. Once I was inside, I decided to change into comfortable clothes, sweatpants, wife-beater and a hoodie.

I walked towards Jasmine's room and knocked. I didn't hear her usual music that's she plays while napping.

I walked inside her room but frowned when I didn't find her in there. She wasn't even in the bathroom. I checked the laundry room and the gym room which were both empty.

A feeling on unease started to fill me.

Where's Jasmine?

I looked in the backyard by the pool but she wasn't there either.

Is it possible that someone found our location and took Jasmine?

What if someone broke into the house and kidnapped her? The main door was open when I reached here.

The back door seems to be open too.

I walked towards the garden and it in fact was already open. I furrowed my eyebrows and walked further towards it to see a body on the floor.

It was Jasmine.

She was curled into a ball and was on the floor. She had a shawl wrapped around herself. She was completely drenched due to the rain.

I kneeled down to her height.

"Jasmine." I said as I shook her head.

She wasn't asleep, she was unconscious. I picked her up in my arms, bridal style and laid her on the couch in the living room.

I walked to her room and fetched some dry clothes and a warm comforter for her.

I walked downstairs and changed her into the clothes that I just brought.

She's gonna have my head when she finds out but I don't care. I then wrapped her into the comforter.

She looked like a cocoon. Cute.

I walked towards the electric fireplace and turned it on. I also turned on the radiator in the room. Deciding to let her body heat up, I walked into the kitchen.

I kept a pan on the stove and added some milk into it. I also started preparing some vegetables for the lasagna soup I am gonna make her later.

I added sugar and coffee into the milk. Once it heated up, I poured it into her usual mug and walked into the living room.

I sat next to her and shook her body with my free hand. I called her name out a couple of times. Thankfully after a minute, she tightly closed her eyes before weakly opening them.

"Arden? Thank God you're here." She said as she immediately wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. I hugged her back, stroking her hair.

"I'm was so scared of the thunder and the lightning." She confessed as I pulled away.

"Your body is cold since you stupidly sat under the rain." I handed her the coffee mug and she instantly took a sip.

"Thanks for this. I was so hungry." She said with a smile. I nodded in return. I know she loves milk coffee. It's her comfort beverage.

"Who changed my clothes?" Jasmine asked as she looked down on what she was wearing.

"Spongebob." I deadpanned.

"Tell me your eyes were closed." She said.

"Jas, it's nothing..." I started but she cut me off.

"Nothing you haven't seen before. I know." She said after she rolled her eyes.

"I had closed my eyes..." I started.

"Thanks." She said.

"After I changed your clothes." I said and she pushed me off the couch resulting in a minor bruise on my arm.

I deserve that.

QOTD: What's your comfort beverage?