by M. C. Cerny
I grab my bag and go out to my car, driving around the New Brunswick area until I get to a less-than-favorable neighborhood containing small row houses with fences that keep small yards separated. Her house is in the middle of the block, and what looks like bus stops are on either end of the row. I hate thinking this is how she is getting around. I remember her being a senior with a car of some sort, but there is none in front of her house. I drive down and find a parking spot. Knocking on the door gets me no answer but, peeking through a window, I see a light on in the living room.
“Edith. Edith. Edie, open up the door. It’s, uh…it’s Jack Hamilton.” I don’t hear anything, but being that my worry is escalating, I do what I have to and damn the consequences. “Edith, I’m coming in. Stand back from the door.” Giving the door a good shove, it barely budges, but by the time I ram myself into it two more times, it breaks the hinge enough for me to push my way inside.
I look around the space, noticing how sparse and neat everything is. I call for Edith. Nothing. Turning around again, I find her curled up on the couch right in front of me.
“Edith. Edie, why didn’t you answer me?” I sit down on the couch next her and touch her bare shoulder. Heat meets my fingertips. It is then that I realize how cool her apartment is and how hot she feels under my hand. “Edie, come on. Wake up for me! Please!” Edith isn’t mine. She isn’t my girl no matter what I want. She is my student, but damn if the lines don’t blur when she needs someone to look after her. I shake her gently, taking in how she is dressed. A simple tank top, pink underwear, no socks, and a messy braid. She gives me no response, increasing my worry. I check her pulse, which is slow.
“Edie, come on and wake up for me.” This time, she barely stirs under my touch, but weakly tries to push me away. I just can’t remain so formal with her now. Seeing her helpless is killing me because she’s always been so tough to crack. “That’s my girl.” I say slipping. “You’re feverish and dehydrated, baby. Let me help you. Okay?” I find her cellphone on the floor, and picking it up. I turn it on, only to find it dead.
I go over to her sink and cabinets behind the sleeper sofa she hadn’t bothered to pull out for herself. Opening cabinets, I find neatly organized bananas, a club-sized box of Ramen noodles, and bulk-sized oatmeal. Turning to look at her briefly, I say sarcastically, “You like your fiber don’t you, Edie.” She moans a little and I can’t tell if she is even responding to my quip. She’d probably flip out if she actually heard me use her nickname I’d only heard her two cohorts call her.
Opening another cabinet, hoping to find a glass, I find a complete plate set and glasses for four. All are mismatched, but clean and cute…just like her. I pull out a glass and place it under the faucet, expecting running water. “Shit, Edith. Really? No water?” I make a note to call her landlord and find out what the fuck is going on.
I open the freezer, looking for ice to cool her down. Chicken cutlets and pizzas fill the space. A lonely container of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in my favorite flavor, mint chocolate, and an ice tray finally come into view. I dump most of the ice into the glass and check the fridge, hoping she has bottled water. “Edith, do you ever eat?” Opening the fridge is equally depressing, unless you consider a five pound bag of carrots and a jug of orange juice food groups. I know Edith has a full scholarship, minus the cost of room and board. I know because I checked into it. What is she doing with her money?
“Motrin?” I glance over at her. “Right. I’ll check in the bathroom.” Edith still doesn’t respond beyond a groan, so I riffle through the mirrored cabinet in her black-and-yellow 1970’s-era bathroom. I consider putting her in a cold bath to bring her fever down, but there’s no tub. Just a stand-up shower with a clear curtain, and two thin white towels, neatly folded. They aren’t even the fluffy kind like I have at home. She is breaking my heart just thinking about the squalor I see her living in. The bottle of Motrin is empty. I shake it in my hand before tossing it in the trash.
“Okay, Edith. I’m going to get you to drink this cold juice, then I’m going to help you put clothes on and get you in to see a doctor.”
She rolls away weakly, her head limp as I try holding her up. She won’t take any juice and her lips are dry. I put her on her back and listen to her chest, which sounds raspy. “Baby, there’s nothing I can do for you, so we’re going to the emergency room. You need something to get the fever down.” I brush her hair, which is wet and sticking to her scalp, off her forehead. “Clothes would be…?” I look around as she stirs in my lap.
“N-no,” she mumbles.
“What? No clothes or no hospital? Edie, I’m not giving you a choice, even though I like what you’re wearing.” Who doesn’t love a woman in a tank top and panties? The thought makes me cringe because, yeah, this ‘woman’ is still my student.
I locate the one dresser and a separate closet in the open room. It strikes me as odd that there is no computer or TV, just a bookshelf and the dresser. Leaving her on the couch, I look through the dresser, then find a small duffle bag in the closet. I grab two sets of cotton panty and bra sets. There isn’t much selection for clothes…a few tops, a few pairs of jeans, and a pair of sleep pants. It takes some effort to get her dressed. Propping her up, I manage to shimmy her legs into pants and her arms into a top. Of course, being the slight pervert I am, I appreciatively run my hands down her small ass and legs. She swats me away, grumbling. “I know. You can punch me later. I promise.” Smiling, I grab her shoes…a pair of those horrid black flip-flops and black converse chucks. I toss those in the bag. I’d contemplate later what kind of woman only had two pairs of shoes.
“Come on, Edie. Up we go.” She definitely will have some explaining to do after this. I feel like a total dick, making all my assumptions and now seeing her like this. I am shattered. Every probable reason leaves me. I get her into the car and buckle her in, feeling her forehead. “Just a little longer and you’ll be okay. I promise.” I drive to the ER as quickly as possible, leaving my car in the emergency lot and carrying her in until an orderly lead me to a cot in the hallway to put her on. The place was packed for a Thursday, every chair filled with screaming kids and moaning elderly folks.
“Sir, can I help you?” a nurse with a clipboard asks.
“Yes. She has a high fever and has been unresponsive. I found her unconscious in her house. I couldn’t get her to take any fluids.”
“Bring her in here.” I carry Edith to a small curtained room and lay her on the bed. It is the first time she actually stirs and opens her eyes, grabbing my shirt.
“Edie, you’re going to be okay. We’re at the hospital,” I say.
“N-no.” Edith cries a little and, with the help of the nurse, I have to pry her surprisingly strong grip from my shirt. I have to believe she is going to be okay, and I need her to believe it, as well. The nurse makes me step back.
“My goodness, she’s fevered. I’ll need you to step outside, sir.”
“With all due respect, I don’t want to leave her alone.”
“Are you family?” The nurse looks at me pointedly.
“No… She’s got a high fever and I was afraid something would happen if I didn’t bring her in.” This nurse is going to give me a hard time unless I can convince her otherwise.
“Sir, if you’re not a family member or a partner, I can’t let you stay. HIPPA laws and all that jazz.” She is clearly irritated.
“B-boyfriend,” I choke out. I am so getting fired for this. Job suicide seems to be all the rage, but I can’t leave Edith here alone.
She cocks her head to the side, unconvinced. “All right. While we get her settled and wait for the doctor to come in, I’ll need you to fill out this paperwork as best you can.” She hands me a clipboard and that is that.
Chapter Six
Edith
I feel like someone has taken me and beaten me with whatever blunt object they found, then ran me over with their car. My body hurt, my eyes hurt…god, even my hair hurt. I can tell it is
loosely braided and hanging over my shoulder. If I could have slept forever that would have been perfect.
“Edie! Oh, my god! Is she okay? What happened? I just got the text.” Shelby yells into my room, and I swear her mouth is right up against my sensitive ears, making me groan.
“Miss Moore, please. Edith hasn’t woken up yet.” I recognize Jack Hamilton’s voice right away. I wonder how I got here.
“I’d say she’s about to by the look of her heart monitor. Have they given her any pain medication? If it’s the flu, it’s too late for Tamiflu, but they can keep her comfortable.” Good old Aiden is here, too, ready to doctor me up like a lab rat.
“When did you bring her in? Why didn’t she call us to let us know?” Shelby sounds tearful. I want to reassure her I’m okay, but I feel too tired to respond. I can feel a hand lightly rubbing my arm. In a strange way, it hurts because my skin is so sensitive and achy, but it’s warm and comforting, too.
“I found her yesterday afternoon alone in her apartment. Her fever was so bad, I brought her here. Dehydration and the flu is the diagnosis. Her phone was dead, and it looked like she hadn’t moved from the couch in a while.”
Aiden grunts. “So you charged her phone, then texted us.”
“I figured she’d want familiar faces when she woke up. There’s no next of kin on her school forms.”
“She wouldn’t want them here anyway,” Shelby snorts. She is right about me not wanting my parents here. I open my eyes and squint. Everyone seems busy making plans about what happens next, ignoring me.
“So, what’s the plan? I mean, how long will they keep her here?” Aiden asks, putting his arm around Shelby, who is hovering near the end of the bed.
“If she wakes up a bit and takes in some fluids, they’ll discharge her…provided she has a place to go.”
“We’ll take her home,” the duo offers. The thought of going to Aiden and Shelby’s new love nest is not on my list of places to recuperate. I’ll be fine in my own home.
“I don’t think so,” I force myself to croak between labored breaths. I pray my aches and pains will diminish with each forced action.
“Whoa, easy there.” Jack grabs my hand and gently squeezes, while his other holds my shoulder down. I don’t know why he thinks I would attempt to move, as I’m feeling so shitty. It’s also the first time I let myself think of him as Jack and not just Mr. Hamilton.
“I better find a nurse to check on her,” Shelby nods, leaving the room.
“You need to rest, Edith. You scared the shit out of me,” Jack brushes my hair off my face. I wince at the touch, not sure if it’s because my hair is gross or if I’m in actual pain.
“Hurts, huh?” Aiden is checking my pulse.
“I’m not paying your co-pay fees, Aiden,” I cough the words out.
“I’m revoking your right to an opinion on any medical matters, Edith. Seriously, just rest and let us figure everything out.” Jack squeezes my hand again and pulls Aiden out into the hallway. I wish I could hear what they are saying, but Jack closes the door. I swear I hear him getting loud in the hallway, but I’m so tired. Maybe I drift off because the next thing I remember is Shelby gently re-braiding my hair.
“Oh, hey. You’re awake.” I open my eyes and watch Shelby as she ties off the end of my hair. “Jack went to go make sure you were clear to be discharged soon. Doctor just has to check you over.”
“Shelby?” I was confused. She is calling Mr. Hamilton Jack now? What transpired in the last twenty-four hours?
“Aiden had class and a Biology lab this morning, but he said he’d come back later.” Shelby is refusing to look me in the eye, which makes me think that something is definitely up.
“What’s going on?” I ask her, but then Jack and the doctor walk in.
“I’ll just wait outside.” Shelby backs away, pushing Jack out with her.
“Miss Willows, you’ve given your friends quite the scare,” the doctor says, looking over my chart.
“So I’ve been told.” My voice is still hoarse and a little husky. I watch the doctor flip through my chart and make notes. He listens to my chest and declares me alive, though I might have disagreed with him at this point.
“It’s not often we get a flu patient in a private room, but no worries. You’ll be on the mend soon. I don’t see why we can’t discharge you today. I’ll give you some scripts for some medication to manage your symptoms.” The doctor nods and quickly leaves. I’m sure that little consultation will be a hefty fee.
“Private room? What?” I whisper. My mind reels as I notice how the room is much nicer than your standard hospital room. I don’t know how I will pay for all this. There is a reason I lied on my college paperwork to save me on expenses like insurance and other things I’d rarely need.
Jack returns and sits down on the bed next to me. “Easy, Edith. I see your mind spinning. Everything’s been taken care of.”
“Where’s Shelby?” I ask nervously.
“I sent her to Whole Foods to bring back some food, other than Jell-O and high sodium chicken broth.” Jack holds my hand and, although I feel like an eighty-year-old woman with every joint swollen and in pain, a flutter in my belly reminds me that, for eighty, I still have a healthy libido.
“Edith.”
“Jack.” We both speak at the same time and I feel my skin blush, which has nothing to do with my fever.
“Go ahead.” Again we speak at the same time, which frustrates me more.
“I want you to come home with me.”
“I want to go ho… Wait. What? With you?” I’m so confused. I start to wonder what the heck is in these fluids they are pumping into my body.
“Yes, Edith. With me.”
“No,” I say flatly.
“Why not?”
“Because I want to be in my home. My space. Alone.” He’s not listening and it’s pissing me off.
“Well…I kind of broke the door to your apartment. You can’t live there without a door.” Jack is annoyed, which is fine because I am far from happy.
“It’s not my fault you’re destructive,” I pout. I would have crossed my arms if I didn’t think it would have tangled up the IV line in my hand.
“The doctor says you need help the next few days, and I’m offering. Besides, I can help you study for your exam.”
“It’s your class! Isn’t that kind of like cheating?” I try to sit up, but he gently pushes me back down.
“I don’t proctor my exams, and they’ve already been written by Professor Roth for the semester. I haven’t reviewed them yet. Besides, you need to learn the basic principles to pass the exam.”
“You’re going to get fired and you’re going to blame me when it happens.” I try to push him away, but he just grabs me and pulls me closer. His face is against mine and his hot breath heats my already overheated skin. I swear my legs are wet between my thighs, which makes me realize I’m not even wearing underwear at the moment. I squirm under his direct gaze. Damn.
“The only thing that’s pissing me off right now is my inability to let you go. What have you done to me?” Jack’s voice is husky. He rubs his nose against my cheek and ear, slowly dipping his head down to my collarbone, nipping it before returning to my cheek. I moan softly at the feelings that make my nipples pucker under the scratchy hospital gown. I close my eyes again and feel his lips against mine, forbidden and soft. When I smell the faint scent of sweet mint, my lips reach out and finally connect with his. His tongue grazes the edge and I open my mouth. He groans in unison with my own feeble sounds.
Nipping, licking, and sucking, I feel his hands trail down to cup my already aching breasts, fingertips barely touching the peaks. I grab him to kiss him deeper. Holding on like a lifeline, I suck his tongue into my mouth. I instantly realize I’m giving him my germs! I push him away, and he holds his forehead against my sweaty one, breathing heavy.
“What the fuck was that?” I whisper.
“The law of probability?” He chuckles an
d I try punching him, but I’m just too tired to make the effort right now.
“I’m transmitting my flu germs to you.”
“Impossible. I’ve had my flu shot. Kiss away, lovely girl. I rather like your sweet tongue in my mouth,” Jack growls and kisses me again, more gently this time, sweeping his tongue inside my mouth, making me crave him more.
Jack
The doctor finally discharges Edith into my care. He damn well should since I wrote the hospital a check covering all the expenses. Edith doesn’t know it yet and I know it will only be a source of contention, so I decide to omit telling her. Waiting for the hospital bill to never appear is my brilliant thinking.
“Easy, Karate Kid. You’ve been upright all of an hour,” I say to her. She looks like hell knocked her over and came back for a second swing.
“Those references only highlight our age difference, you jackass,” she grumbles as I force her to sit down on my couch.
“It’s only bothering you at this point. I can’t help it if you kids only watch garbage television and overpriced box office slumps.” I can tell she’s trying to not smile. Even weakened by her illness, she still looks beautiful to me.
“Ugh, I could sleep for another week.”
I push her messy hair off her face. “How about a shower?”
“Is that your polite way of telling me I smell?” She cocks her head in my direction, looking ready to pass out.
“Nah, I’d just tell you, but I’m thinking you’ll be more comfortable scrubbed clean and in clean clothes. You can nap while I catch up on work.”
“Right, because you stayed there with me all night long.” She looks at me and smirks, so I feel the need to instigate her just a little.
“Although, you do have hospital breath, so maybe I should loan you a toothbrush or something.” Her smirk changes. Maybe I went too far, but it’s fun getting Edith to give me a genuine reaction and not this thing we’ve both been fighting.