So Far Away

By Nell Iris

Engaged couple Zakarias and Julian are convinced nothing can separate them ... until a global pandemic hits. Zakarias catches the virus with mild symptoms and isolates in the couple’s guest house.

The few meters dividing them might as well be the moon as he watches Julian, an ICU nurse, work himself to the bone, unable to support him the way he needs. Frustration and worry build as the weeks pass.

Will Zakarias be declared healthy before Julian burns out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: May 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646567720

Nell Iris

Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love. Nell writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Book preview

4

Chapter 1

As I step out on the porch of our guesthouse, a cold wind washes over me, making my teeth chatter. The chill nips at my fingers as I fumble with the zipper to close my hoodie, penetrating my flesh, making me shiver. A dense cloud cover is subduing the early morning light, not even a sliver of sky is visible, and thick fog is hiding the ground. Were I to step off the porch, it wouldn’t reach higher than my knees, but it’s so milky and substantial, I wouldn’t be able to see my feet.

My breath comes out in a misty cloud as I flip the hood over my head. I shove my hands into my pockets, but it doesn’t help. Goddamn, it’s cold this morning.

I glance at the empty driveway, then back at the door behind me, and chew my bottom lip. If I hurry, maybe I can go back inside and find some warmer clothes to put on, but just as I reach for the door handle, the sound of Julian’s SUV rumbles in the distance, approaching our house. So I shove my hands into my pockets, determined to tough it out, unwilling to miss even a second of seeing his dear face.

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, trying to bring warmth to my limbs by moving, I watch as the truck comes around the corner, turns onto our driveway, and parks behind my car in the carport.

Even when Julian climbs out of the SUV, I stay on the porch and don’t jump onto the grass, jog across the lawn, and fling my arms around his neck like I’m dying to. I’m desperate to touch him again, but I can’t. Not yet. So I visualize my feet shooting roots deep into the ground, keeping me where I am so I won’t throw all caution to the wind. But even with deep, thick roots, it’s difficult to just stand here and wait.

As soon as the car door is closed behind Julian, his gaze searches for me. Even from here, I can see his shoulders relaxing when he catches sight of me. He raises his arm and gives me a tired wave before grabbing his backpack from the backseat, slinging it over one shoulder, then making his way toward me.

My heart clenches at the sight of him. The circles under his warm brown eyes are huge and almost black, and his trademark soft smile is absent and replaced with a downturned mouth. He’s lost weight; he’s wearing his thick winter coat this morning, and it’s saggy on his frame where his muscles usually threaten to burst it at the seams. Even his steps lack their usual bounce and energy, and after all this time together, I know it’s only his iron will propelling him forward.

I curl my hands into fists in the pockets of my hoodie. Dig blunt nails into my palms, taking out my frustration on my poor hands over not being allowed to sweep him into my arms and fuss over him the way I want to. He needs to sleep for a week and eat all the food I can cook for him, and it’s killing me to not be allowed to be there for him.

When he stops right on the invisible, but overwhelmingly tangible, safety line we’ve drawn around the guesthouse—far enough away so we won’t have to wear masks to be safe; I want to be able to see his face—he offers me a weak smile.

Oh, love, you look exhausted.

How do you feel?

We both speak at the same time.

No fever today. My stomach feels good, too, I say, quick to answer his question. His nurturing personality, the one that drove him into becoming a nurse in the first place, won’t be able to relax and think of anything else until he knows how I’m doing.

That’s great. His smile widens a fraction.

Yeah. Let’s hope it sticks this time.

The fever is the most persistent symptom that I’ve had of the virus currently sweeping over the world, making millions of people sick, killing too many. It’s been mild but stubborn and has come and gone over the last few weeks, making me frustrated and impatient. I’m a terrible patient at the best of times; I can’t be still and rest unless I’m completely knocked out with whatever illness I’ve caught. Feeling well enough to be able to

Reviews for So Far Away

[L'eau · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story was fine, but I didn't really enjoy it like the author's other stories. Maybe because I'm an ICU nurse, and experiencing how the world and healthcare have evolved over the CoViD-19 pandemic vs the dichotomy of what the public hears and understands is... I don't even have words for it. I just want to shake my head and face palm in reaction.