Now, as she stood in their home, the weight of his accusations felt like a cruel echo of that past humiliation. The thought of how she had once tried to make their anniversaries and birthdays special, only to be dismissed as trivial, weighed heavily on her. She had meticulously planned dinners and decorations, her efforts a testament to her love for him, only to have her gestures belittled as unnecessary and uncomfortable. The memories of her attempts to celebrate their life together, only to be rebuked for them, were a painful reminder of the futility of her past efforts.
The argument ended with Andros grudgingly offering to take her out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary. The offer was half-hearted, a feeble attempt to patch over the cracks in their relationship. Celes accepted, clinging to a faint hope that the evening might provide some solace.
They went to a quaint restaurant, where the atmosphere was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the coldness that had settled between them. For a while, they managed to maintain a semblance of peace, sharing a meal in silence. Andros seemed ill at ease, his glances at his watch betraying his preoccupation with something else.
As they finished their meal, Andros' phone rang. Without glancing at the screen, he turned it facedown and continued eating. But after a few seconds, it rang again.
"You won't answer that?"
"They can wait."
It rang again.
"You can answer it. Maybe it's an emergency."
Andros sighed loudly and took his phone. But his expression changed upon seeing the caller's ID. And judging from his expression alone, Celes knew who the caller was.
“Szar. What's wrong? You sound worried."
Szar?
[Andros, it’s Reign. He’s developed a high fever and it’s not going down. I’m really scared. Can you come over?]
It was not on loudspeak, but it was loud enough to hear from her frantic voice.
“What’s his temperature? Have you called the doctor?”
[It’s 39°C. Almost 40! I’ve called the doctor, but they’re not available right now. I’m doing what I can, but I’m so overwhelmed.]
“Okay, stay calm."
Andros looked at Celes as if to gauge her reaction, and Celes nodded.
"Go," she mouthed, before bringing the slice of steak unto her mouth.
"Okay. I’m on my way. I’ll handle it. Have you tried any remedies or given him any medication?”
[I’ve given him some fever-reducing medicine, but it hasn’t helped so far. I’m really worried, Andros.]