Chapter 36
It was Jacksonโs first time seeing that look on Zinniaโs face. She looked serious, totally different from the careless vibe she always gave off. She really seemed to love medicine.
Yannis didnโt expect much. He had seen way too many doctors over the years, and none of them helped. But seeing how focused Zinnia looked, he didnโt want to crush her hopes. He was already used to disappointment.
Perry sat nearby, watching as Zinnia checked Yannisโs pulse.
โDid something really bad happen to you before?โ Zinnia frowned as she asked.
Yannis wasnโt just losing sleepโhe couldnโt sleep at all, night after night. His body was totally worn out, and his mind was stretched thin. If it went on like this, one day his body might just give out. It could leave permanent damage. If it got bad enough, he might even end up with brain damage and never wake up again.
Yannisโs raised brows dropped a little. โI had an accident when I was a kid,โ he said. He didnโt deny it, but he didnโt go into details either.
โWear this for now. You really need sleep. If you keep going like this, your body wonโt be able to take it,โ Zinnia said.
She didnโt press himโshe knew every patient had their own privacy. She turned and rummaged through her small backpack, then pulled out a little herbal pouch and handed it to him.
โPut it under your pillow. Donโt think about anything,โ she said seriously.
โOkay. Thanks, Zinnia,โ Yannis said.
The moment she took out the pouch, he smelled that calming herbal scent. It was similar to Jacksonโs pouch but stronger. The smell made him feel comfortable. Maybe it was just because he was in a good mood today, but his aching, tired head finally felt a bit lighter.
Yannis accepted the pouch. Even if it didnโt work, he wasnโt going to turn down Zinniaโs kindness. Still, he didnโt really believe a herbal pouch could fix his insomnia. Every time he thought about the past, all he saw was blood. Every time he closed his eyes, those pale, lifeless faces came back. There was no way he could sleep.
It had been more than ten years. Heโd tried everythingโpills, hypnosisโnothing worked. When things got really bad, he had to be knocked out just to rest for a little while. But even then, heโd wake up in under thirty minutes.
โHere, take this too. Eat one before bed,โ Zinnia said, digging into her bag again and pulling out a small wooden bottle.
Yannis looked at the plain bottle she handed him. It had no label, probably something she made herself. It even had a faint medicinal scent, kind of like the way she smelled.
Maybe it was because she studied medicine, but Zinnia never wore perfume or makeup. She always had this light herbal scent on her, with a hint of bitterness if one paid close attention.
Yannis held the bottle tightly in his palm. It still felt warm from her hand.
He looked at Zinnia and saw that she was looking at him too. โTry it first. If it doesnโt work, tell me and Iโll make you something else,โ she said.
โTake the medicine after dinner if you can,โ she added. โYour bodyโs really tired. You need a good nightโs sleep.โ
โOkay. Thank you.โ Yannis tugged at the corner of his lips and gave a small smile.
Heโd heard this kind of reminder way too many times before. But somehow, hearing it from Zinnia, with that serious look on her face, made him feelโฆ at ease. Even he thought it was kind of strange. But he didnโt argue. He was afraid heโd see her frown again or that puzzled look she gave when she didnโt understand him. He was honestly kind of scared of the way Zinnia stared at himโlike she was about to scold him for being disobedient.
Their first meeting had been super awkward. And during the second, he totally embarrassed himself. Now that it was their third time meeting, he really didnโt want to mess it up again.
Yannis carefully put away the herbal pouch and the small wooden bottle.
โZinnia, can I have one too?โ Perry looked at her hopefully. โI canโt sleep well at night either.โ
โWerenโt you just having trouble eating?โ Zinnia turned to him, confused. He didnโt look like he had insomnia.
โI canโt eat, so I get really hungry at night. And then I canโt sleep,โ Perry explained.
โThen Iโll give you one.โ Zinnia didnโt think too hard about it. She reached into her small backpack again and pulled out another herbal pouch for Perry.
She thought the timing was kind of perfect. These two pouches were ones she had made earlier for Yosef and Timothy, but before she could give them out, the whole situation with Betty happened. After that, she never got the chance to hand them over, so theyโd just stayed in her bag. Since Yannis and Perry asked, she just gave the pouches to them instead.
Zinnia started to notice that rich people always seemed to be sick somehow. If it wasnโt insomnia, it was stomach problemsโor something else. The Shaw family was like that. Jackson too. And now even Jacksonโs friends.
She shook her head. She really didnโt get it. These people had everythingโmoney, power, nice clothes, great foodโand yet they were all messed up somehow. But then she remembered the kind of food the Shaw family usually ate, and it started to make a little more sense. If she had to eat that bland vegetarian stuff every day, sheโd probably get sick too.
โThanks! Iโll take good care of it,โ Perry said happily, accepting the pouch.
Since Jackson and Yannis both had little gifts from Zinnia, Perry felt like he needed one too.
โAll right, eat up,โ Jackson said, starting to pick out more food for Zinnia.
Zinnia went back to eating meat. The delicious flavors made her eyes crinkle with a smile. The other three watched her enjoying the food and couldnโt help but feel happy too.
โYou guys didnโt feed her or something?โ Yannis looked up at Jackson.
Zinnia looked so happy and grateful just eating chili con carne, like she hadnโt had anything good in a long time. She was skinny and small. Yannis wondered if sheโd grow any taller in the future.
โItโs the Shaw family that starved her,โ Jackson said without even lifting his head. Seeing how much she liked meat, he added another plate of it in front of her.
He glanced at Zinnia, about to ask if the Shaw family really hadnโt been feeding her properly.
โThe Shaw family?โ Yannis frowned. He had just come back to the country not long ago and hadnโt kept up with the Shaw family drama. However, his cousin had mentioned that there was this super annoying daughter in the Shaw family. Based on her story, Yannis didnโt like the Shaws much either.
Even though the Lynn family was connected to the Shaw family by marriage, Yannis didnโt have much to do with any of the Shaw Boys. The Shaws basically got rich thanks to the Lynns, so they werenโt exactly on the same level.
Now hearing Jackson bring them up, Yannis frowned, guessing that Zinnia might be that switched-at-birth daughter the Shaw family had just gotten back.
Back when he was abroad, Yannis had heard Jackson casually mention that his auntโs kid had been switched at birth. Jackson didnโt seem to care much at the time.
Since Jackson had always acted like he didnโt care about that new daughter, and now he seemed to care so much about Zinnia, Yannis hadnโt made the connection that Zinnia was that kid the Shaw family had recently brought back.
When Jackson introduced her, he had only said her name; he never mentioned her last name. So Yannis just assumed Zinnia was a Lynn too.
โJackson, Betty Shaw isnโt as sweet and gentle as she looks. You better protect Zinnia,โ Perry said.
Perry knew the whole story with the Shaw family. The moment he saw Zinnia, he figured it out. And thinking of the Betty he had met before, he shook his head and glanced at Jackson again. He felt like Zinnia was no match for someone like Betty. Zinnia wasnโt the type to fight or push for anything.
โOf course,โ Jackson nodded, then looked at Yannis.