Page 76 of Teaching the Kot'oll Coach

“Winnie! Hey!”

Chapter 31

Telke

What have I done?

I... I hold Winnie when she leans to the side, seemingly falling off the couch.

“Winnie!”

Did I scare her?

She said she didn’t want to mention her past. I told her it was fine, and I understood, yet...

I pick her up from the couch and carry her to her bedroom. I have no idea what’s happening. Maybe she doesn’t want to talk about her past so badly that she faints.

Maybe she’s the one needing a check-up, not me.

I put her on her bed. The apartment is temperature-controlled, so she can’t be having heat stroke.

I take her wrist and feel for her pulse. Her pulse is throbbing alive, so... “Winnie, don’t scare me.”

Do I call the medics? Do I scream?

I pat my pocket, not feeling my phone. Maybe it’s in the living room, on the coffee table.

I turn to grab it when Winnie strokes my thigh; where she can touch it when she’s on the bed. “Winnie! I thought you fainted or died.”

She snorts a laugh but ends up choking. I pat her hand for her to let go of me. “I’ll get you water.”

She nods and rests on the pillow, letting out a heavy breath. It pains me to see her hurting, but she doesn’t even let me help.

I head to the kitchen. Ossa is sitting next to his bowl, meowing and watching me. Does a cat understand my words? Probably not.

“Ossa, do you know what’s with Winnie?”

He meows again. Maybe he knows Winnie’s name.

I take a mug and pour water into it. “I hope she doesn’t hate me or think that I’m too dumb to help.”

The cat comes to me and rubs his back on my legs. What does that mean?

I suppose it means he doesn’t hate me.

Or... Maybe he thinks that I’m one of his toys... Maybe a back-scratching pillar.

He is away and back in his corner when I head to the bedroom again.

Winnie is still on the bed. She is awake, but staring blankly at the ceiling.

“I got you water.”

She sits up and puts up a smile. “Thank you.”

I want to know what’s happening. I want to help her.

She pats the empty spot by her side. “Thank you.” She sips on the water before putting it on the bedside table. “Sorry, I don’t mean to worry you.”

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