Apartment 4C

“God, would you stop grinning? You’re making me feel sick,” Elliot complained.

Jake just shrugged, his grin not lessening at all. He and Elliot were eating lunch in his office while Gabe ran his Chemistry Club, and they were nearing the end of their allotted hour.

“It’s not my fault you’re not in a happy relationship,” Jake shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich.

“It’s not the relationship part I’m talking about – it’s the fact you’re bragging about how well-fucked you are,” Elliot said dryly.

Jake couldn’t help but blush a deep scarlet. Whoops. He hadn’t been doing it intentionally. But…okay, so since that incredible night, where he finally gave himself fully to Alfie and Alfie made him experience more pleasure than he’d ever thought possible, his life had been fantastic. Like, mind-blowing-sex-every-night fantastic. He and Alfie were in such a good place right now, physically and emotionally, and he really couldn’t imagine that he’d ever be happier. He just didn’t realise that he didn’t shut up about it.

“Sorry,” Jake apologised, wincing.

Elliot laughed, shaking his head. “Dude, I’m happy that you’re happy, I really am. I don’t even mind hearing the intimate details of your sex life, because hey, sharing is caring. But the hickies and the blissed out face and the glowing? Jealousy is not a good colour on me,”

Jake blushed a little more. Well at least his friend was honest.

“I’ll try to tone it down?” Jake offered.

“That’s all I ask,” Elliot mused.

They talked and ate for another 15 minutes, before Elliot looked down at his watch and cursed.

“Fuck, I’ve got an office appointment with a Junior kid. I’ll be back after, okay?”

“Sure, whatever. I’ve only got essay grades to log for the next 2 hours,” Jake shrugged.

It was true. Now the college year was winding down, Jake had a lot less work to do. It was quite refreshing actually.

Elliot just grinned, grabbing his sandwich wrappings before disappearing, leaving Jake to get rid of his own lunch before logging back into his laptop.

*

Half an hour into logging his students’ work, Jake’s computer chimed. With a frown, he noticed that he had a Skype call. Very few people were linked to his Skype, let alone anyone that would actually try to contact him in the middle of the day, but he clicked on it anyway…only to realise that it was his momma’s account calling him. Huh. Jake accepted the call and sat back in his chair to wait as the screen loaded, only to freeze as the screen showed his dad. Holy shit. His dad didn’t even know how to work a basic mobile phone, let alone Skype! And they never contacted each other, not like this! What the hell?!

“Uh, hi dad?” Jake said hesitantly.

“Oh good, this thing does work,” his dad grunted.

Jake’s stomach panged at the sound of his dad’s gruff voice.

“I didn’t even know you knew how to work Skype,” Jake mused.

“I got your brother Thomas to show me,” he shrugged.

Fair enough. That actually made sense.

“Um, is everything okay?”

Why would his dad take the effort to learn Skype like this, unless something was wrong?

Then his dad’s face took on a tired expression, far more exhausted and wrung out than he’d ever seen his dad look before, making him look far older than his years.

“Not really. It’s your momma,”

Jake’s blood ran cold. W-What?

“There was an accident yesterday, while she was driving home,” his dad elaborated.

Oh God. Oh God Oh God.

“Oh God. Is she…”

Jake couldn’t bring himself to complete the question.

“No, she’s alive, thank the Lord. Just badly hurt,”

Oh thank fuck. Still…

“How bad?” Jake whimpered.

“She, uh, she lost her left arm. Just above the elbow. And she’s still in hospital,”

“Oh my God,” Jake choked.

His momma had lost her arm? His momma was an amputee now? How was she going to cope? How were they all going to cope?

“I know you’re busy teaching your fancy college classes and whatnot, but I know your momma would appreciate it if you were here,”

Jake ignored the old jibe about his chosen career, his mind only focussing on one thing.

“Of course, of course I’ll come home. Um…I’ll need to arrange cover for my classes and take the last two weeks of the semester off work, but I can be down with you in the next couple of days?”

He needed to go home. Nothing else mattered.

“Good. Your momma will like that. I’d better go. Let me know when you leave,”

Blunt as always. Jake just nodded, not trusting himself to say anything further, and started crying as soon as the screen went blank. Fuck. Fuck, how was this happening? How was this his life? Everything had been going so well, everything had been going in his favour, and now the tables had to turn? And on his momma? How was he supposed to deal with this?!

“Knock knock,”

Oh fuck, Elliot was back. Jake tried to dry his cheeks, but Elliot noticed his state immediately, and shut the door behind him.

“Hey, hey, ssh, what’s wrong?” Elliot said, kneeling down next to him.

“My Dad called me on Skype, and said that my momma was in a car accident yesterday,” Jake choked.

Elliot paled. “Is she…”

“No, she’s alive,” Jake interrupted, “But she lost her arm and she’s still in hospital. My Dad wants me to go back to Abilene as soon as possible, so I’ve got to sort out my classes and take the last two weeks off work, before I drive down there,”

He felt like he was saying this all on autopilot, like he was still in a dream. He wished it was all a dream, not this hellish nightmare.

“Oh my God. Oh Jake, I’m so sorry. Look, just go now. I’ll sort out your cover lessons for you and book the time off for you. Just pack your bags and go,” Elliot said.

It was times like this that Jake was grateful for such good friends.

“Thanks. I just…God I’m so freaked out right now,” Jake whimpered, sniffing loudly.

He could get his shaking hands under control, right?

“There’s no way you can drive. When’s the next flight?” Elliot frowned.

Jake shook his head. “I hate planes, you know that. I’ll just compose myself and drive,”

“No, Jake, it’s too dangerous. You can’t drive for 10 hours, not when you're like this. Ask Alfie,” Elliot said firmly.

“What?” Jake said, confused.

Ask Alfie what?

“Ask Alfie to drive you. It’s about time he met your family,” Elliot said.

“This is not the situation to meet them in,” Jake said, choking a laugh.

Was that a laugh or a sob? He wasn’t even sure.

“Maybe not, but you know your momma wants to meet him, and you know you need the support,”

Fuck, yeah, he could use Alfie’s support right about now. But this wasn’t just about him.

“What about his work? He can’t just drop it like that,”

It was true – Alfie’s life didn’t revolve around Jake, and there was no way Jake could expect him to stop everything at the drop of a hat.

“Yes, he can. And he will, especially because you need him. And if you don’t call him, I will,” Elliot said simply.

Fuck. He hated it when Elliot got bossy with him, especially when Elliot was actually doing it for the right reasons. Jake’s bottom lip started trembling but he nodded, making Elliot smile sadly.

“Go tell Gabe what’s happening, and I’ll call Alfie to come pick you up,”

“Thanks, Elliot,” Jake said softly.

Elliot just nodded, squeezing Jake’s shoulder before he stood up properly and left Jake’s office. Jake took a few deep calming breaths before standing up too, saving all his work and turning off his laptop. He just needed to get home. Everything could work itself out after that.