Husband With Benefits

Erasmi Frost lay still on the sterile, white hospital bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if it held the answers to a decade of silence. The hum of medical equipment and the faint echoes of distant footsteps were the only sounds that permeated the otherwise silent room. His body, once full of vitality, seemed like a mere shell of its former self. The soft beep of the heart monitor provided a steady rhythm while a lone window in the corner of the room, allowed a sliver of daylight to pierce through the thick curtains, casting a feeble glow on the linoleum floor. It had been the same each day for the past many years.

Today, however, something was different. Erasmi’s eyes, which were usually clouded with years of desolation, flickered with a glimmer of consciousness. It was as though a dormant ember had sparked to life within him. Many memories seemed to dance in his mind, the wild abandoned laughter of a young woman being at the forefront.

Erasmi took a deep breath as if savouring the air he had long neglected. The silence hung heavy with anticipation in the air. His gaze moved slowly, taking in his surroundings, pausing on the picture that lay beside his bed, of all of the brothers standing around their grandfather. His eyes narrowed and his fingers clenched.

Summoning strength that had long lain dormant, Erasmi’s trembling hand reached for the bed railing. For the first time, he felt the need to move, to see the world that he had long left behind. The cold metal provided an anchor as he slowly manoeuvred his body into a sitting position. A wave of dizziness swept over him, but he clung to the edge of the bed, steadying himself.

"Get up, Erasmi," a whisper echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder of a time when voices other than his own resonated within these walls. "Erasmi, you’ve been here long enough. Won’t you come to me now?"

Summoning every ounce of strength, Erasmi shifted his weight, attempting to move his legs over the edge of the bed. The sudden movement caused him to tire easily and he almost fell back. But he refused to give up.

The muscles, unused for years, protested like rusty gears finally set in motion. A tremor coursed through Erasmi’s frame, but determination glinted in his eyes.

The room seemed to hold its breath as Erasmi’s feet made contact with the cold floor. The stark silence amplified the echoes of his own heartbeat, the only sound that accompanied his solitary endeavour

In that moment, Erasmi Frost defied the boundaries of his self-imposed exile, alone but resolute. He was about to stand up and take his first step when the door opened and a figure rushed in," Mr Frost!" The nurse almost screamed startling him and making him pause.

Erasmi turned his head and glared at the nurse, startling her. She had long been used to this patient laying there, not saying anything. Feeling his sudden glare almost gave her a scare as she quickly bowed, "I am so sorry, Mr Frost. I was just startled. Let me call the doctors and the physio therapists. I will be right back. We’ll inform CEO Frost as well..."

"Stop." Erasmi rasped, his voice scratchy from not being used for so long