Marrying a Rich Bum

Help Brings Catastrophe

"Are you shivering?" bima asked worriedly, looking at Mariana's body curled up behind the blanket, her lips looking pale.

Mariana did not answer.

"Miss."

"Madriana."

"What?" ask Confused.

"Call me Mariana."

"Mariana's? Is your name Mariana?"

Mariana nodded weakly.

"Are you shivering?" Bima repeated. Mariana nodded weakly again, her body trembling.

Bima put the back of her hand on Mariana's forehead.

"Your fever is very high. Wait for. I'll take the compress."

Bima picked up Mariana's shirt, tore it a little in the arm and wet it in the bathroom. Gently Bima compressed the forehead of mariana.

Half an hour passed, instead of her fever dropping but Mariana's body turning pale.

"Marina. You're getting worse."

"If I die, please return my body to my parents. I brought the ID card" whispered Mariana.

"Hey. You're not gonna die. You'll be healed. Calm down."

"But my head is spinning."

"At any minute."

"I'm limp."

"You have to be sure."

"thank you. I felt like I was no longer on earth. Thank you for saving me from those bastards." Mariana's voice was getting weaker.

"Marina. Do you believe me?" asked Bima hesitatingly.

Mariana opened her eyes slightly. Very little, then a little.

"I'm sorry before, I didn't mean to steal the opportunity."

Bima then stood up, took off the t-shirt attached to her body and threw it to the edge of the bed. Then she took off the mariana blanket and went up to the bed.

"Trust. I don't mean to be disrespectful or willing to take advantage."

"But you..."

"Just sleep in my arms. My grandmother used to say, a mother's warm skin can lower her sick baby's fever. She always asked my mom to be bare-chested if I had a fever, then hugged me tightly."

"I'm not a baby" protested Mariana softly, but her shivering body inched into Bima's arms.

Bima grabbed the body of mariana, hugging it tightly. "Sleep, and calm your mind. You're fucked up. Don't worry, everything's gonna be okay."

Mariana nodded weakly.

Two minutes later Bima could feel Mariana's breath start to get regular. The woman fell asleep quickly. Maybe because the influence of the trauma he had just faced made his body so tired.

***

"Wake, Bima! Wake." Bima opened her eyes.

"You're really embarrassing!" Bima turned her head towards the sound, her eyes catching some middle-aged men who were surrounding the bed where she fell asleep.

Bima gasps. She prepared to stand up as her hand felt the weight of Mariana's body still in her arms. The woman looked so sound in her sleep that she could not catch the whispers around her.

"What are you doing with that woman here?"

"I-i..."

"You know the highest law that applies in this village."

"But, i... It's..."

"You're really tarnishing the good name of this village, son. I'm so ashamed of you."

Bima stared at the old face with gray white hair, who stared back at her with a disappointed look.

"Not... I-i didn't... I'm..." Bima stuttered. It was eager to refute their accusations, but his current position was not in favorable circumstances for him.

"Dress is polite, we will wait for you outside," said another man in a calm voice, although Bima could clearly feel the shiver of disappointment within her tone.

"But, elders..."

The five old men walked out without looking at Bima who was still confused, then closed the door slowly.

"Marina. Mariana, wake up."

Mariana opened her eyes, writhing.

"We're in trouble..."