Glenda put the key in the door, then once it was open, she cautiously poked her head around it.
I understood why she was being cautious, but this was taking too long. I needed to make sure Sarah wasn’t hurt or unwell.
‘What can you see? How is she?’ I said, my fingers twitching with impatience.
‘Oh, Sarah, are you okay?’ Glenda said.
‘What’s wrong?’ I repeated.
‘She’s curled up on the bed. Looks like she’s in pain, I—’ The doorbell rang. ‘Drat. That must be my guests.’
‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘You go. I’ve got this.’
‘Sarah, I have Ben here. Is it okay if I let him in? I’ve just got some guests as the door, but I’ll be right downstairs.’
‘Sarah, can I come in and help you?’ I said, hoping somehow that if she heard the concern in my voice, it might put her at ease.
‘Okay,’ I heard Sarah groan, and the sound cut through me like a knife.
‘Back in a jiffy,’ Glenda said as she cracked the door wider.
When I saw Sarah looking lifeless on the bed, my chest tightened.
‘Sarah.’ I rushed over. ‘What’s happened? Are you hurt?’
‘It’s my period. Owwww!’ she cried out.
‘Shit.’ I crouched down at the bed. ‘Have you taken anything for it?’
‘All I had was paracetamol, but I finished the pack last night.’ She winced through the pain, clutching her stomach. ‘And I couldn’t… I haven’t been able to get up to buy more.’
‘You should’ve called me! I would’ve got you some. Let me ask Glenda. I’ll be right back.’
I raced downstairs, where Glenda was checking in a couple at the desk.
‘Sorry to interrupt, but do you have any painkillers? Paracetamol or maybe ibuprofen?’ I asked.
Glenda excused herself from the guests, disappeared into a room and came back a few minutes later with a glass of water and some paracetamol.
‘Thanks.’ I took them, then sprinted up the stairs taking two steps at a time. I knocked Sarah’s door, then returned to her bedside. ‘Here, take this.’
She sat up slowly like lifting a limb was harder than moving a mountain with her bare hands. God, she must be in so much pain.
Eventually she managed to take the glass. She tried to pop the pills from the pack but struggled.
‘Here, let me.’ I took the packet from her and pressed out two pills into her hand.
‘Thanks,’ she said, her voice hoarse and strained like it was a huge effort to just say that one word.
After popping the pills, she took a few gulps of water. My shoulders loosened slightly. Hopefully they’d work quickly so she could feel better.
‘Okay, so you lie down and rest. I’ll go and get you some breakfast and more painkillers for later. Is there anything else you need?’
Sarah shook her head, then curled up into a ball on the bed.
Shit. I hated seeing her like this. Right now, I’d give anything to hear her call me an arrogant wanker or Benjamin Buttface like she usually did.
I noticed that when I’d offered to help her with the video, she’d called me Ben-evolent, which was one of my nickname suggestions. I thought that was sweet. The truth was I didn’t care what she called me. I just needed her to get better.
