by Jamie Knight
A few days later, I'm watching TV, waiting to grade the next batch of assignments, when I get a text message from an unknown number.
It reads: "Go to the park. Follow social distancing protocols."
That's weird. I think it must be a joke or something, so I ignore it. A few minutes later, I get the same text again.
Could it be from Stacey? No, I have her number saved already. Curiosity gets the better of me after a few moments, and I get dressed and walk down the street to the park.
I wait by the entrance, looking out at the street as I do. I text the number back. "I am here."
I get a quick response of "Turn around."
I'm a little cautious, but I follow the instructions. I'm not prepared for what I see. All spread out in the park are my students. They start clapping and cheering when they see me. Some are holding balloons; some have signs that say, "Goodbye, Mr. Winston, and we'll miss you."
I try to hold back my tears. I wave to them and call out, "Thank you. I'll miss you too."
One of the students shouts, "Don't thank us! Thank Ms. Stacey. She planned this.”
I'm overwhelmed by that. After a few more moments of being with my students, we all leave the park and head back home.
I quickly text Stacey. "Do you have Facetime?"
She replies a little while later with, "Yes."
“Log on. I need to call you."
A few minutes later, I'm back in my apartment. I fix my hair and clothes before I call her on Facetime.
She answers a few seconds later. "Hi!" Her voice sounds a little hoarse and weak. Her face looks very pale and tired. "Did you like your surprise?" she asks, smiling weakly.
"Yes. That was very sweet of you. Thank you so much for that. I don't know how you managed to pull it off,” I say.
She shrugs. "Actually, it was pretty easy to do." She pauses to cough into a tissue. My heart aches for her.
"How are you doing?" I ask her with concern.
After she finishes coughing, she answers, "I'm doing good. A lot better than before."
I can tell that she is putting up a front because we are talking. I can see how weak she is as she struggles to throw something away.
"I want to come and take care of you,” I say.
She looks at me in surprise. "Are you sure about that? I'm sick,” she says, uncertain.
"I'm sure. I can’t leave you all alone like that. I need to take care of you. Besides, you are more than worth the risk,” I say.
She gives me a tired smile. "Ok," she says.
I smile back at her. “I’ll be over soon," I say.
We end the call. I grab a bag and pack my laptop and other work-related stuff. I grab extra things I might need and throw them in the bag as well. I pause to make sure I have my wallet and keys. I tidy up the place a bit before I leave. I lock up behind me and then put my bag in the car.
I text quickly, saying, "I'm on my way. See you soon."
She texts back, "Yay! Can't wait."
I smile as I drive away from my place. I know this is the right thing to do; I can't leave her by herself in her condition. Besides, I want to see her and be with her. I make a quick stop at the store, getting essential items like soup, tea, crackers, and other snacks to help her sickness. Soon, I'm back in the car and on my way.
It's not that far to her apartment, but I make it there faster than I expected. I may have been speeding a little bit in my excitement to get to her. I text her to let her know that I'm outside. I grab everything from the car and walk into the building. I look at all the apartments. I see a door open and she waves for me. I can't keep the smile from my face as I walk over to her.
"Hi there," I say as she opens the door wide for me.
She smiles as happily as she can manage, then closes the door behind me. I quickly find the kitchen and take the bags in there.
Chapter 10 - Stacey
I'm so excited to have him here. I open the door and watch as he walks inside to my kitchen. I can hear him putting the bags of groceries down. I hurry and straighten up the living room as best as I can. He stands in the doorway of the kitchen.
"Where do you keep your pots and pans?" he asks.
I turn around and look at him in surprise. "You're cooking something?” I ask him with curiosity.
"I'm making you some hot soup and tea,” he replies with a smile.
I smile too. That's so sweet of him to do that. "Here, let me show you where they are," I say, walking towards him.
"No, no, no,” he says in protest. He takes me gently by the shoulders and leads me back to the couch. "You just sit here and rest. I'll handle everything."
I sit quietly on the couch. He picks up my blanket, folds it neatly, then covers me. Afterwards, he fluffs my pillows and props them up behind me.
"Thank you,” I say. I love having him here, but I feel a little awkward. I've never had anyone take care of me like this.
"No problem. That's what I'm here for,” he says.
He looks around the room and finds the remote to the TV. He hands it to me, and I smile up at him gratefully.
"The pots are in the bottom cabinet to the left of the stove," I say.
"Thank you,” he says with a smile.
He walks off to the kitchen. A few seconds later, I can hear him pulling pots out of the cabinet. I breathe a sigh of happiness, but it makes me start to cough again. He hurries back out of the kitchen.
"I forgot to give these to you,” he says as he hands me a bag of extra-strong cough drops.
"Oh, thank you!" I say happily.
I open the bag and pop one in my mouth. I can feel it soothe the ache in my throat. He smiles in response, then goes back into the kitchen.
I put the cough drops on the table and turn on the TV, flipping through the channels. I can't find anything good on. I'm not in the mood to watch the news, either. I've had enough of hearing about all this sickness and quarantine.
They are playing some comedy movie on one of the channels, and though I don't really like it, I leave it there for background noise.
A few minutes later, Chris walks out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl of hot soup and some saltines.
"Here you go. Just give it a little time to cool down. I'll be right back with your tea," he says.
I smile at him as I sit up on the couch.
"You are so sweet. You don't have to fuss over me like this,” I say.
He shakes his head in disagreement.
"I said I was going to take care of you. That’s what I’m here to do,” he says as he walks back to the kitchen.
I watch the movie, blowing on my soup. I nibble on a few crackers as I wait for it to cool down. When it's finally ready, I take a small spoonful. I'm surprised at how good it tastes, so I quickly eat more. The warm broth feels good against my sore throat.
"How’s your soup?" he asks as he returns with a cup of tea.
He also brings some sugar, lemon, and honey, setting it all on the coffee table and sitting on the carpet across from me.
"It’s delicious! What kind is this?" I ask between mouthfuls.
He smiles, pleased.
"It’s regular chicken noodle, but I added things like garlic and other flavors to it,” he says with a shrug.
"Well, it's the best soup I have ever had,” I say.
I grab more crackers and continue eating. He watches me happily for a few minutes, then turns around to watch the TV. I finish my soup as he watches the movie in silence. I lean forward to put my bowl on the coffee table.
"I don't know if you like this movie or not. I can give you the remote if you want to change it?" I say.
He turns to me.
"No, it's ok. I actually wanted to talk to you instead,” he says.
I reach for my tea and start mixing everything in it.
"What about?" I ask him as I take a tentative sip of it.
"Well,” he says as he turns to face me. I can tell this is going to be a serious conversation, so I give him my ful
l attention. "Ok. Well, I don't know if it's obvious or not by now, but I do have feelings for you. If I didn’t, I wouldn't be here,” he says.
I put the tea down and look at him. Shyly, I reach out to hold his hand.
"I feel the same way. Actually, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world because you’re here, risking your health and life to take care of me," I say.
He smiles again. "I told you, you’re more than worth it."
I smile at his words, then frown again.
"I'm just worried that us being together will cause problems. I work for you," I reply, sounding a little sad.
He gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
"That's what I was going to tell you. I think us being together will work out,” he says, sounding a little excited.
"What do you mean?" I ask, looking up at him curiously.
"Well, next year, you won't be my TA anymore. You’re being promoted to a new job,” he says proudly.
I look at him in shock. I don't know what to say. I have so many questions to ask him.
"I'm not going to say any more about it now. I want you to rest up and get well first,” he says.
I nod my head in agreement and sip more of my tea. He squeezes my hand softly, then goes back to watching TV. I feel so happy, having him here. I finish my tea and soup. I watch quietly as he cleans up the dishes and sits beside me on the couch. He looks bored by the movie, just like I am.
I put another cough drop in my mouth and say, "I have video games, if you'd rather play."
He turns and looks at me with his mouth open in surprise.
"You play video games?" he says after a few moments.
I nod in response. I get up and plug in the console. I go back to the couch and hand him a controller.
"This is actually my favorite game," I say.
He looks shocked again when he sees it's a shooting game. He turns to me and gives me the biggest smile I have ever seen. We spend the rest of the afternoon playing on the same team. I feel so happy with him.
Chapter 11 - Stacey
It's been two weeks. I have to say I feel incredible now. That felt like the longest period of my entire life. Even though I have no more visible symptoms, Chris still took me to the hospital.
He held my hand the entire time, talking video games with me while we waited for my results. We both sighed with visible relief when they said my results were negative. I had recovered completely. When we were back in the car, he gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.
"I'm so happy to finally be through with this sickness," I say happily as we pull up outside of my apartment.
"I bet. That was a scary thing to go through,” he says sympathetically.
He holds my hand as we walk back to my apartment. I pull the keys out of my purse and let us inside. He goes to the kitchen table, where we had both set up our computers to work side-by-side. He checks his emails and social media.
I turn the radio in the living room on. Light pop music fills the air.
"I hope this isn't bothering you?" I say.
"No, it’s enjoyable,” he says with a smile.
As he uses his computer in the kitchen, I listen to music and disinfect the living room. I take my pillows and blankets down to the laundry room and wash and dry them. Once they are clean, I take them back to the apartment, fold them, and put them away.
Afterwards, I spray the couch and living room with deodorizer and air freshener. I wipe the coffee table and every other surface down with disinfectant wipes. Satisfied, I clean the rest of the apartment. Once I'm done, I walk into the kitchen. I open the fridge and pull out a bunch of food.
"You must be feeling better. I've been watching you work nonstop," he says.
I laugh and smile at him.
"Would you like something to eat?" I ask him.
"Sure, whatever you have,” he says before turning back to his computer.
I decide to make leftover soup, along with sandwiches. I don’t want the soup to go to waste. I even make a small salad for us to share. He pushes his computer aside once I set the food on the table.
"This looks delicious!" he says.
I smile proudly.
"Thanks!" I say happily as I sit beside him.
We eat in silence for a few minutes, then smile at each other. This whole morning has felt so natural, as if us being together like this was meant to be.
"I'm happy that you liked that game yesterday. Did you want to play some more?" I ask him as we finish eating.
He shakes his head. "Actually, I just want to watch a movie and spend time with you,” he says with a little smile.
I stop eating for a minute. That answer is so sweet and unexpected. I lean over and kiss his lips softly. We both look at each other in surprise, then go back to eating.
Once we are done, I clean up our dishes. He waits at the table for me, then we walk to the living room together. We sit on the couch. I grab the remote.
"What should we watch?" I ask.
He shrugs. We flip through the channels and find a romantic comedy.
"Oh, this is a good one,” he says.
I look at him in surprise.
"You've seen this movie?" I ask him in shock.
He looks at me and shrugs again.
"I believe in love. I like love stories."
I smile at him. He wraps an arm around my shoulders. I cuddle into his side as we watch the movie.
We are about halfway through the movie when he starts to run his hand on my shoulder subconsciously. The gesture feels so good that I'm having a hard time concentrating on the movie. I keep stealing glances at him every few seconds.
"Is everything ok?" he asks when he notices me looking at him.
I nod and force myself to look back at the TV. A few minutes later, the two main characters in the movie are engaged in a moment of passionate love making.
We both look at each other and giggle nervously. We smile at each other and pause. Hesitantly, he leans forward. I lean forward and our lips meet in a tender kiss. Things escalate quickly between us.
The kiss becomes harder, more passionate. His hand cups my breast, while the other reaches around my waist to pull me to him. My arms wrap around his neck to pull him closer to me. We spend a few more minutes kissing, then pull away, gasping for air.
"Before things go any further, I should tell you I'm a virgin," I say, slightly out of breath.
He looks at me silently for a few seconds. We are on each other again. I lie back on the couch, pulling him on top of me. I moan as he kisses me, his lips moving quickly down my neck. My fingers twist in his hair, and he groans with delight.
He kisses my mouth again, his hands quickly undoing the buttons on my pants. He pulls them off and throws them across the room. I lay there in my blouse and panties. I unbutton his pants; he takes them off, followed by his shirt. I can’t get enough of his naked body.
"I promise to be gentle,” he whispers when he's back on top of me.
I'm already wet for him.
"I don't know if I want that," I say.
He looks at me in surprise.
"Just go gently the first time."
He nods and pulls my panties off.
He feels that they are wet already and kisses me again. I wrap my arms around him. I'm not nervous or scared; I'm so attracted to him and turned on by him. I want him so bad. He eases his cock gently inside me. He thrusts slowly the first few times. It feels so incredible. He’s so hard inside of me. I moan loudly. I've never experienced anything like this. "More!" He thrusts faster and faster. I spread my legs wider and hold him close.
I don't want to let him go; it's like I can't get enough. He kisses me, a deep, passionate French kiss that leaves me feeling even more hot. I can't get enough of that. He knows this and goes as deep as he can without hurting me.
"Oh, yes!" I scream out.
This is a thousand times better than anything I could have ever imagined. I don't want it to end, and neither does he. Each time I am
about to cum, I force it back. I love having him inside of me. I could get used to having him daily.
He kisses me again, and I lose control of myself. I can't hold it back anymore. I grip him tightly as I orgasm, my body going limp and loose. He holds tightly to me, thrusting faster and faster until he also cums. I think it's so sweet that he wanted to do it that way. Afterwards, he lays me on the couch.
I can feel him behind me, stroking my hair gently and kissing my face tenderly. I stare at the TV with a happy smile on my face. Neither one of us had been paying attention to the fact that the movie had ended.
When I finally have enough strength, I turn over to face him.
"That was incredible," I say happily.
He smiles. "I'm glad,” he says.
We stare into each other's eyes for a few minutes before I lean up and kiss him playfully. He kisses back. We play like this for a few seconds. I can feel myself getting turned on again. I squirm a little on the couch. He laughs and reaches a hand between my legs, starting to finger me.
I stare into his eyes as I grow wet at his touch. This feels so good and so exciting. I start to squirm and grind on his hand. His fingers thrust inside of me quickly, far better than any vibrator. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him as he fingers me.
He gently brushes my clit, and it's like all my nerves explode. I moan loudly.
"That's my girl,” he says playfully.
He thrusts his fingers faster inside of me until I cum again. I relax into the couch. He holds me and kisses me.
"I wasn't expecting you to be this insatiable,” he says teasingly. I laugh at him.
I say nothing as I get up from the couch, taking him by the hand. He looks at me, confused. I lead him into the bathroom and start the shower. After stripping off the rest of our clothes, I pull him in with me.
The warm water is already creating steam. It feels so good, I stand under it for a few minutes. I flip my wet hair over my shoulder and turn to face him. He still looks confused. I sink to my knees in front of him, the water in the shower raining down on us.
He looks at me in surprise as I take his cock in my hand and stoke it gently. Slowly, I feel it harden in my hand. His eyes widen as I put it in my mouth, slowly sliding it back and forth, as deep as I can go. I can hear his sharp intake of breath. Our eyes remain locked. I go slowly until he can bear it no more.