We Don't Have Forever

“Oh my god, Jonathan,” I muttered as my phone buzzed for the third time.

I was still behind in work! I’ve made it clear to him not to call me when I was at my studio… and he’s been calling me. Usually, he remembers after the first call goes unanswered. Not today though.

“What?” I answered and leaned back in my chair.

“Well, hello to you too,” he chuckled. Smartass.

“What if I was in a meeting and you kept calling?” I had to ask him.

“… Should have turned your phone off,” was his comeback, making me roll my eyes.

“What do you want?” I changed subjects.

“Um… Kathryn’s sick… and I don’t know… what to do,” he chuckled at himself.

“… Really?” I couldn’t believe it.

“I mean… do I make her soup? Cover her with blankets until she sweats it out?” he listed a few things off… and I wanted to laugh.

“What’s wrong with her?” I sighed instead.

“She says she has the flu,” was his reply.

“Don’t make her any food unless she asks,” I told him.

“But then what?” he huffed, growing frustrated.

“Make sure she drinks water at least. Keep her hydrated,” I replied and then heard cupboard doors opening and closing.

“Ok, what else?” he questioned with the ice machine able to be heard in the background.

“Pillows and blankets?” was my only other suggestion.

“She’s got plenty of those,” he told me.

“Well, then comfort her somehow,” I shrugged.

“How exactly?” I could just picture his brow wrinkling as he asked that… and it was such a cute mental image.

“Anything that you can think would comfort her.”

“But I don’t know…”

“Jonathan, you grew up with her. You know what makes her feel better,” I rolled my eyes. Is he really this dense? He can’t be…

“Ok, when are you coming home?” he asked next.

“Later,” I replied after I glanced at the time. I have so much to do! “I’ll bring dinner tonight. What do you want?”

“Umm…” he trailed off, thinking. “Kathryn likes Chinese, so that should be good,” he finished. I wanted to coo at him for taking into consideration his sister.

Going without a comment on his cuteness, I told him I’d be by later tonight with food. Once we were off the phone though, I was kind of excited to see him… and I couldn’t focus on anything. Getting to a good stopping point with my work, I gathered everything I would need to do a little at home and went out to my car. Before I went to Jonathan’s, I got the Chinese that he suggested I get.

I knocked on the door of his apartment and waited a little longer than usual for him to answer. When he did, a big smile was on his face that I hadn’t seen for a while. As he reached for the bag I was carrying, he bent down and gave me a quick kiss.

“Is she feeling any better?” I asked, stepping inside and sliding my jacket off.

“She’s been sleeping most of the day, so no updates,” he countered.

I nodded my head and stepped into the living room to see for myself. She was all cuddled on the couch with her blankets. Leaving her to rest, I went back into the kitchen with Jonathan. He was taking the boxes out of the bag. Sensing that I was staring at him, he glanced up and caught my smile.

“What?” he asked me.

“You two were alone… all day,” I told him.

“Yeah… so?”

“And no one was murdered and no things were broken.”

“Yeah, well… she’s sick,” he dropped his gaze from mine; his cheeks tinting pink.

I didn’t say anything else. I know they’re far from being fixed along with him and Patrick, but I hope this was a step in the right direction for them. I know they love each other. They’ve just been through a lot and suppressed how they felt towards the other. Lets just hope this was a little ice breaker and things will slowly get back to normal between them.