Aiden and Aveline
Ten
You know, Aiden could be so offhand sometimes.
But, then again, he could become the sweetest, most tender boy in the world.
Like…the time I was sick.
I got really sick really fast. It was like, he dropped me off at home after one of his ‘errands’ and the next morning I was as sick as a salty dog.
He came to pick me up the next morning for school, just as he did every morning. Now, he would pull up every day at the exact same time every day. I would just step outside and he would be there. If I didn’t step out within about five or ten minutes, he would come into my house to check on me.
That particular morning, I was laying on the couch, half dressed and sweaty and cold, waiting for him to stroll into the house in his lazy, casual way, expected him to see me sick and maybe for him to offer to stay, but to otherwise be rather indifferent to me.
So, when he came in, took one look at me and rushed over, I was surprised. He dropped down to his knees, stroking my hair firmly and bringing his face so close to mine that his nose was touching the base of my nose.
“Aveline, baby, I’m so sorry,” he groaned, “Baby I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Aiden,” I began to protest, my voice hoarse and faint.
“No, sugar, just hold on, I’ll take care of you,” he promised, suddenly jumping up and disappearing into the hallway.
He came back a few minutes later with a few pillows and quilts. He wiped the sweat off my forehead before wrapping me up in the quilts and putting the pillows under my head and feet. Then, he disappeared again, coming back with a thermometer and he stuck it in my mouth without saying anything.
A few seconds passed and it beeped; he took it out, muttering, “One oh two point three…oh my poor baby,” before hurrying back into the kitchen.
He came back in about ten minutes later with some toast and a glass of orange juice. He helped me sit up and consume the food he gave me, then eased my back down onto the pillows.
“Aiden…thank you,” I whispered, smiling feebly up at him.
He smiled tenderly back at me, and kissed my forehead. “You’re welcome, doll baby, now shhh, go to sleep,” he ordered gently, his voice so soft it was barely audible.
I did, in fact, go to sleep soon, wondering what had come over Aiden, wondering why he was acting the way he was. Was it karma, was it guilt? Or was it genuine affection? As I drifted off, I remember thinking that it didn’t matter, that he was there when I needed him and that that was all that mattered.
I woke up a few hours later, and he was still there, watching the TV on mute in the living room with me. He took my temperature again, asked how I was feeling, fed me a little more, then talked quietly to me for a few moments as I went back to sleep.
And he stayed there the rest of the day, taking care of me in that tender way of his, every action as loving as could be. It amazed me, but the fact that he cared as much as he seemed to made me so happy. And I told him.
“Aiden…you make me so happy sometimes,” I told him softly, looking up at him sleepily.
He seemed taken aback, but he quickly covered it with a sweet smile. “Do I doll baby?”
“You do, Aiden, you do, just with how tender you are and…and how good you take care of me,” I murmured.
He smiled. “Well sugar,” he whispered, putting his head next to mine, “Sometimes, with the things that you say and the places you’re willing to go, the support and love you always show, you make me the happiest man in the world.”
But, then again, he could become the sweetest, most tender boy in the world.
Like…the time I was sick.
I got really sick really fast. It was like, he dropped me off at home after one of his ‘errands’ and the next morning I was as sick as a salty dog.
He came to pick me up the next morning for school, just as he did every morning. Now, he would pull up every day at the exact same time every day. I would just step outside and he would be there. If I didn’t step out within about five or ten minutes, he would come into my house to check on me.
That particular morning, I was laying on the couch, half dressed and sweaty and cold, waiting for him to stroll into the house in his lazy, casual way, expected him to see me sick and maybe for him to offer to stay, but to otherwise be rather indifferent to me.
So, when he came in, took one look at me and rushed over, I was surprised. He dropped down to his knees, stroking my hair firmly and bringing his face so close to mine that his nose was touching the base of my nose.
“Aveline, baby, I’m so sorry,” he groaned, “Baby I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Aiden,” I began to protest, my voice hoarse and faint.
“No, sugar, just hold on, I’ll take care of you,” he promised, suddenly jumping up and disappearing into the hallway.
He came back a few minutes later with a few pillows and quilts. He wiped the sweat off my forehead before wrapping me up in the quilts and putting the pillows under my head and feet. Then, he disappeared again, coming back with a thermometer and he stuck it in my mouth without saying anything.
A few seconds passed and it beeped; he took it out, muttering, “One oh two point three…oh my poor baby,” before hurrying back into the kitchen.
He came back in about ten minutes later with some toast and a glass of orange juice. He helped me sit up and consume the food he gave me, then eased my back down onto the pillows.
“Aiden…thank you,” I whispered, smiling feebly up at him.
He smiled tenderly back at me, and kissed my forehead. “You’re welcome, doll baby, now shhh, go to sleep,” he ordered gently, his voice so soft it was barely audible.
I did, in fact, go to sleep soon, wondering what had come over Aiden, wondering why he was acting the way he was. Was it karma, was it guilt? Or was it genuine affection? As I drifted off, I remember thinking that it didn’t matter, that he was there when I needed him and that that was all that mattered.
I woke up a few hours later, and he was still there, watching the TV on mute in the living room with me. He took my temperature again, asked how I was feeling, fed me a little more, then talked quietly to me for a few moments as I went back to sleep.
And he stayed there the rest of the day, taking care of me in that tender way of his, every action as loving as could be. It amazed me, but the fact that he cared as much as he seemed to made me so happy. And I told him.
“Aiden…you make me so happy sometimes,” I told him softly, looking up at him sleepily.
He seemed taken aback, but he quickly covered it with a sweet smile. “Do I doll baby?”
“You do, Aiden, you do, just with how tender you are and…and how good you take care of me,” I murmured.
He smiled. “Well sugar,” he whispered, putting his head next to mine, “Sometimes, with the things that you say and the places you’re willing to go, the support and love you always show, you make me the happiest man in the world.”