Love Me Patiently, Love Me Honestly

John

Maddie took some Tylenol PM for her pain and we were laying side by side in her bed. She was so funny on pain meds. She really had no threshold for medication, and the tiniest thing made her loopy. She kept talking about stars and airplanes. She was so cute.

Eventually the pills kicked in and I could tell she was tired. I wrapped the blankets around her and went to lay on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Maddie asked, sitting up.

“I’m going to sleep on the floor. I don’t want to kick your ankle or anything.” I already felt bad enough.

“No! Come lay with me! I want you to sleep in the bed with me.” She smiled. “Even if you do kick me, I’ll be knocked out.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Positive.” She said and laid down, patting the place next to her.

I laid down and wrapped myself in the blankets. Maddie had a good sized bed, so I was able to lay down without causing her discomfort.

“Do I smell or something?” She asked, facing me.

“No…why?” I asked.

“You’re so far awayyy.” She whined.

I smiled and moved closer to her. She snuggled into my chest and I didn’t object. She fell right asleep but I was wide awake.

Sitting there, I had a thought. People say children can’t love because they don’t know what love means. I pardoned that as true for my whole previous teenage years, but now, watching Maddie sleep in my arms, made me realize how much I love her right now. And even though when we met I was just a stupid kid, I’d loved her since then, too.

****

The next morning I woke up before Maddie. I got out of bed quietly and walked downstairs. I threw some breakfast together for her and placed it on a tray. I walked it back upstairs and out it by the side of the bed she was on. She inhaled and woke up. She smiled when she saw the breakfast.

“Yumm.” She said. “Thank you!” She smiled.

After breakfast I helped her walk down the stairs and we watched TV in the front room. Garrett came over around noon to check on Maddie.

“Yes, tell everyone I’m fine.” She told him.

“Okay, will do. So what are we gonna do today guys?” He asked.

“Let’s go see a movie!” Maddie said.

“Sounds good to me.” I said.

“Okay, I need to go shower first.” Maddie said as she started to get up. Garrett lifted his eyebrows as to suggest something and I rolled my eyes.

“Uh, do you need help or anything Maddie?” I asked as she stumbled and almost fell to the floor.

“No! I’m fine, geez.” Maddie said, annoyed. She never was one to admit she needed help.

Once she was upstairs and in the bathroom, Garrett turned to me.

“Did anything happen last night between you two?” he asked.

“Nope.” I said, looking down.

“That’s a drag. I’m totally rooting for you.” He said.

“Thanks.” Just then I heard a loud bang upstairs, like something fell. I knew it came from the bathroom and I shot up.

“I’m okayyy!” I barely heard Maddie yell.

“You should go up there.” Garrett said.

“She’s showering dude.” I said.

“You’ve never seen her naked?” He asked, his eyes widening.

“Um, no? Have you?” I asked.

“Yes! The summer before she left. We all went skinny dipping!”

“Are you kidding me!? Where was I?” I asked.

“Ohhh, you were with Courtney for that one.” Garrett said. Courtney, my ex-girlfriend. I had almost forgotten about her. “Are you mad?”

“No. Well, not that I didn’t get to see her, but that you guys did. Ew.” I said.

Another bang came from upstairs. I stayed seated. But silent. I waited for Maddie’s assurance she was okay. Nothing came.

“Dude! Go!” Garrett said.

“I can’t!”

“Johnnnnn.” I heard Maddie’s cry. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could and opened the bathroom door.

“Madds? Are you okay?” I asked.

“No..” She said, quietly.

“What do you need me to do?” I asked.

The shower curtain opened and Maddie was laying on the floor of the shower. She had the parts of her body I shouldn’t see covered and she looked miserable.

“Could you get me a towel?” She asked, embarrassed.

“Of course.” I handed her the towel that was hanging on the rack. I held out my hand for her to grab and turned my head opposite of her.

“Okay, I’m good.” She said. She stood on the far end of the shower, so the water wouldn’t hit her.

“What happened?” I asked, facing her now.

“I reached for the bottle of shampoo and just…fell.” She looked down.

“Aw, baby…do you still need to finish?” I asked, noticing the water was still running.

“Yeahhh. But I don’t want to fall again, it hurtsss.” She pouted.

“Well, how about I go get you your bathing suit, that way I can help you?”

“Okay.” She laughed.

I came back with her bathing suit and once again turned away.

“okay, let’s do this.” She said.

She stood on one foot and tilted her head back. I put shampoo in her hair and began washing it. The sleeves of my shirt got soaked in a matter of seconds and the rest of my shirt was turning out to be that way too.

“John! Why don’t you take your shirt off?” Maddie suggested. I did as she said and continued to wash. Once we were done I shut off the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel. I looked under the sink to find another towel she could use for her body, and by the time I found one she was shivering. I wrapped it around her tiny body and rubbed her shoulders as I helped her out of the shower.

“You know you’re the greatest right?” She asked me.

“I do.” I smiled.

****

Maddie

I pulled into the parking lot of the school and parked next to Garrett. He was waiting in his car. He helped me out and got my crutches out of the back seat. He handed them to me and threw my backpack over his back.

“How are you today?” He asked as we began walking.

“Great.” I replied sarcastically.

“Not getting a hang of these crutches?”

“Not at all.” I replied.

“John is helping a lot though, right?”

“Yeah, he’s been great.”

“That’s good.” Garrett smiled big.

“Whattt?” I asked.

“Oh, nothing.” he replied with another smile. He opened the door to first period where Pat was already waiting.

As soon as I walked in everyone asked me what happened and I told them. Everyone wished me well and I thanked them.

I got to 2nd period late and the teacher excused my tardy. I sat down in a seat next to Matt in the theatre, Pat was with Lacy and he smiled at me.

“What happened to you!?” he whispered.

“I sprained my ankle, I was riding a quad and it tipped.”

“Ouch,” he replied.

Class went by so slow, but the teacher let me out a few minutes early so I could walk to my class. She told me to take someone who was in my 3rd period, so I took Matt.

Right when we got there the bell signaling the end of 2nd hour rang. Mr. Watts greeted us as we walked in and Matt carried my bag to my seat. Mr. Watts called Matt over to his desk and I hit Kennedy with my crutch.

“Ow!” he said as he turned around. “Oh, it’s you. I heard John maimed you!”

“Yeahh.” I replied.

“What happened though?”

“Well, I was riding his quad and-

“What!? Ew!” Kennedy said just as the bell rang. I laughed and turned around. As Mr. Watts began teaching a girl walked into our class. She had bleach blond hair and was really tan. She was tall and skinny, but looked a bit too fake for my taste.

“Do you know who that is?” Kennedy whispered in my ear.

“Should I?” I whispered back.

“That’s John’s ex-girlfriend. Courtney. They dated the last half of our Junior year. She was still a Sophomore.”

“How come I never met her?” I questioned.

“She never really liked the fact that John was best friends with Carly. So he just kept her away from you guys all together. She’s the biggest bi-” Kennedy started and I cleared my throat as she started walking towards us. “Hey Courtney!!” Kennedy said and gave her a hug.

“Hello Kenny. Long time no see.” She smiled and sat down in the seat next to mine.

“Oh yeah, what a shame.” Kennedy said and I laughed. She looked at me and rolled her eyes, then looked back to Kennedy.

“I got switched into this class, so now we have the whole year to catch up!” She clapped her hands together.

“Awesome!” Kennedy said and turned around to his work station. I wondered if she really couldn’t hear the sarcastic tone in his voice.

“Hey, do I know you?” She asked. I turned and she was looking at me.

“Uh, no, I don’t think so.” I said, hoping she wouldn’t think of anything. I was slightly afraid of the preconceived ideas she had of me.

“No, No, I remember seeing you in a picture, in my ex-boyfriend John’s room. Actually a lot of pictures.” She said bitterly. “Do you know John?”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I know John, he’s my…really good friend actually.” I said.

“It all makes sense now.” She said and turned to face the chalkboard. I looked at Kennedy and his eyes were wide. I mouthed “uh-oh” and he shook his head as if to agree.

After school I walked to my car and John was there, but so was Courtney.

“Courtney’s back? NOOOO!” Pat cried.

“She sits right next to me in my Calculus class! So awkward! I don’t think she likes me.” I said.

“I wouldn’t doubt it..” Garrett said.

“Hey baby!” John said and gave me a hug. He looked relieved we were there.

“Hey guys, nice to see you again.” Courtney smiled.

“Uh, yeah you too.” They mumbled then got in their cars and drove away as quick as they could.

“Johnnn, why don’t you take me out to lunch?” Courtney asked, touching his arms. Ugh.

“Uh, well, I was just gonna go hang out with Maddie.” He said and I shot her my fakest smile.

“Well, I’m sure she won’t mind, do you gimpy?” She asked. She was talking to me like I was a 5 year old.

“No, I don’t mind at all.” I said through my teeth.

“But Madd-” John started but the blond troll cut him off.

“Thanks hun! Let’s go John, I’ll drive.” She said and began pushing him towards her car. She turned around and waved. One of those ‘I‘m better than you’ waves.

I rolled my eyes and climbed into my car. I saw her pull out and as she was about to pass me I sped out right in front of her and then slammed my breaks. I leaned my head out the window and turned so I could see her face. I smiled and waved.