Chapter Twelve
August
I hadn’t heard from Hal since he went home on Sunday, and it was Wednesday. I kept expecting to run into him in the elevator or a hallway, but nothing. Since our first date, we’d spoken or texted just about every day, so of course I began to question myself and whether I had done something wrong.
No question he’d wanted to sleep with me. We were both trying to be as straightforward with one another as possible, and if he was no longer interested, he could have just sent a short text. Not a great breakup but certainly honest.
I’d sent him a friendly message each of those days.
Not pushy or demanding but certainly something that could have been replied to with a similar greeting without saying too much.
But he didn’t. Keeping work life separate from personal could be a real challenge.
Although I did not have direct supervision of him, I needed to keep from stepping over the line.
And I did very well with that, at least on the outside, until today when I became too concerned to wait any longer, and I hopped over the line and landed on the other side.
Which just meant opening my laptop and going into the personnel records.
Then I cursed softly under my breath and took the rest of the week off.
Hal had called in sick Monday, Tuesday, and today.
A quick scan showed he almost never took a day off, so he must be feeling pretty bad to be out so long.
Riding down in the elevator, I made a grocery list in my phone, and as soon as I escaped from the parking garage, I zoomed right to the supermarket where I should be able to find most if not all of what I wanted.
It seemed to take forever as I cruised up and down the aisles checking things off my list. I didn’t know precisely what was wrong with him, but going on the premise that it was some sort of virus, I bought OTCs for both the stomach and congestion variety of illness.
Tissues, cough medicine, flue fighters for day and night, Pepto, anything I could think of. Even a vaporizer. And VapoRub.
Then I headed to the opposite side of the market and loaded in freshly made chicken noodle soup from the deli, crackers, Jell-O, orange juice, and a whole array of little foods that he might like if his stomach could tolerate it.
A quick stop by my place for an overnight bag because I hoped he’d let me stay until he felt better, and I was finally on my way.
His building was not fancy but not ghetto either.
Just the kind of place someone working their way up in a company might live until they could afford a house.
Clean, decently maintained landscaping, but nobody would ever accuse him of living above his means.
I left my overnight bag in the car so he wouldn’t think I was assuming anything, but the three paper grocery bags were coming up with me.
I wanted him to have a better home. But we weren’t anywhere near my having the right to suggest something like that. For now—I climbed the steps to his apartment—I would be satisfied with taking care of him as much as he was willing to allow.
At first, no answer came to my knock, but after being persistent, I heard the shuffling footfalls approaching and the door opened.
He was a wreck, pale, with a four-day scruff, and the whole house smelled musty.
His pajamas were definitely not fresh this morning, and he’d covered the rumpled flannel with a blanket around his shoulders.
“Oh no.” I set down my bags just inside the door and wrapped my arms around my shivering boy. “Why didn’t you call me? I’d have come right away.”
“You’re going to catch it.” He tried to shrug away, but I held on tight.
“You’re probably not still contagious, but I have an iron constitution anyway. Show me the way to the kitchen and I’ll get the soup on the stove then we’ll get you cleaned up and comfortable.”
“Honestly, I’m okay. You didn’t need to come over.”
“I think I did. So…the kitchen?”
He tucked the blanket tighter around his shoulders and pointed to the left.
“You sit down and let me get organized. I’ll be right back.
” This time, I got no argument, and after putting all the perishables in the refrigerator and dealing with all the rest of my purchases, I filled a saucepan with soup and set it on low to heat.
“Ready for a hot shower, Hal?” I returned to the living room and found him sitting as I’d requested, but he was in no shape to shower or anything else.
Poor guy was lying on the sofa, sound asleep, the blanket on the floor next to him.
I really thought he’d feel better if I got him cleaned up and into bed, but my grandma always said sleep was the great healer, so after covering him up again, I returned to the kitchen, turned off the stove, and found my way to the bedroom.
If he’d been sick for days, his bedding was going to need washing, and I expected his bathroom to be in need of a good sanitizing and polishing as well. No better time than now.
I found a set of fresh sheets in the closet as well as a down comforter in a plastic bag.
No doubt he only used it in winter, but his current blankets needed a good wash, so down it was.
Bundling the used bedding, I bagged it all to be washed and started on the bathroom.
It wasn’t dirty or anything, but I was much happier knowing I’d slayed all the germs possible, giving my boy a clean place to shower or bathe.
By the time I’d finished all these tasks and located a pair of clean pajamas in his dresser, I heard coughing from the living room. Time to take care of the man. I gave the neatly made bed a pat and returned to his side. “Time for a shower or bath. Your choice.”
“Are you really here?” He coughed again, and I didn’t like how tight his chest sounded. “I think a bath.”
“I’ll get it started.” Although nothing about this man was in little space, when I spotted a bottle of bubble bath on the windowsill in the bathroom, I couldn’t resist giving it a more tubbie feel.
I was glad I did when he saw the bubbles and sniffled a little. “A tubbie?”
“I thought you could use some comfort.”
“Yes please. I…I haven’t bathed in a couple of days.”
“You weren’t feeling up to it, which is why I’m here until you feel better.” Helping him out of his pajamas, I kissed the top of his head. “Now, a good soak, fresh jammies, and you can have your soup in bed.”
He allowed me to help him into the warm water and sank down until his shoulders were under the bubbles. “Oh my god, that feels good. Every muscle has been aching.”
“Have you seen a doctor?”
“Telemed. He said it’s something that’s going around and I just have to outlive it.”
I spun from where I was retrieving a washcloth from a drawer in the vanity. “He said that?”
Hal dunked under the water and came up with a head full of white foam. “Close enough. I should be getting close to the end. Of the virus.”
Kneeling beside the tub, I used the washcloth to clean every inch of him before letting him relax again for a few minutes while I got everything else I needed.
“All right, my boy, it’s time to get out.
” I held up a fluffy cream-colored towel and, when he stood up, enfolded him in it.
“We’ll have you back on your feet and feeling fine in no time. ”
Hal leaned into me with a sigh. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re very welcome, my best boy.”