Page 34 of Fragile Love (Fragile 3)
“Really?”
“Yeah, you do. It’s good to see you getting better.”
“It’s been a long road.” She gathered the bowls and took them to the sink. “These meds seem to be going really well with me, and I haven’t developed any more trigger foods. That I know of, at least.”
“Awesome,” Andrew replied, obviously distracted. She looked behind her and saw him trying to grip his crutches right and position them under his arms.
I won’t bother him while he’s thinking so hard. When she heard him take the first step, she told him to go pick a movie. He disappeared into the living room, leaving her alone in the kitchen to rinse the dishes and wipe the table. She was done quickly, and found herself staring at the night sky out the kitchen window. The tops of the evergreen trees swayed in a little wind that hadn’t reached the ground yet.
Come back in a hurry, she thought to Cayden, wondering if he was in the air yet. I can’t stand this distance much longer.
“I found it!” Andrew yelled. “Are you done?”
“Coming,” she shouted back, wringing out the dish rag one more time. The warm water felt so good running over her cold fingers; it reminded her of the shower earlier—and the fun events that had happened next. I could do that again now.
“You look kind of tired,” Andrew commented as she walked into the living room, seating herself on the couch next to him.
I had my own kind of hardcore workout earlier, she thought, fighting the urge to say it out loud. She stifled a secretive smile. “I’m all right,” she said instead. “Ready for the work week ahead. Press play now; I’m ready to watch!”
Andrew didn’t question further and started the movie, flipping off the lamp beside him. Gray Cat climbed into his lap and demanded to be pet while the movie played.
Within half an hour, Lillian was fast asleep.
SHE WOKE UP AS THE sun had just risen above the treetops. Stretching her back and feeling the blood flood back into her limbs, she looked around at the warm morning light that cast the living room in a rich layer of gold. A thick blanket was covering her; a pillow from her bed had somehow made it to the couch.
How did he do that? she wondered drowsily. He must be figuring out his crutches much faster than we expected.
The couch seemed to hug her body; she didn’t want to move the warm blanket from on top of her, but the sunrays were going to heat the room up before too long. Shaking her head to wake up a little, she looked at her phone. Good, it’s not too late. Her routine wasn’t going to be thrown for a loop after all.
Dragging her feet to the kitchen, she was met by the two cats talking to her and wrapping themselves around her ankles. “I hear you, kitties,” she croaked at them, giving them a stroke before starting the coffee machine. “Breakfast time! Go to your bowls.”
They stayed by her feet, harassing her until the food was actually in their dishes. She smiled as she watched them chomp away at their breakfast. Bending down, she gave them a last pet right along their backbone, using the back of her fingernails to lightly rake their skin. Their backs arched with her hand an
d they purred, but their focus on eating wasn’t swayed.
Lillian stood, moving into a patch of sun hitting the floor, and stretched again. Quiet mornings like this were the best; something about the feel of chilly air and a warm house inspired her. Be good, she thought to the day.
She washed her face and changed into leggings and one of Cayden’s sweatshirts. It fit him perfectly, fitted enough to show off his physique but loose enough that he didn’t seem pretentious. It hung off Lillian’s frame like a potato sack, but she didn’t care. It was warm and soft, and it smelled like him—and there was no way he was ever getting it back. Geez, she thought, looking at her reflection as she hugged the sweatshirt around her body. Letting myself miss him is really different than constantly telling myself that I’m better off without him.
As she walked back to pour herself a mug of coffee, she noticed a few things on the floor that might get in Andrew’s way while he was getting accustomed to the crutches. The sun was bright, filling the house now, and she reveled in its warmth on her body while she tidied up.
Stacking a few random cables in the hall closet, she listened carefully for any signs of life from Andrew. His room was quiet; she wondered what time he had gone to bed. Maybe he read for a long time after the movie. She did feel a bit sorry for him. Reading all the time and not being able to move much can’t be any fun for him. Andrew had always been a pretty active person. Seeing him so stationary was as odd for her almost as much as it must have been for him.
She ate a bowl of granola with bananas, yogurt, and almond milk while she stood at the window and watched birds congregate in a tree outside. The way they interacted was so interesting, and she thought about starting a little journal about their activity every morning. As she swallowed the last bite, she filled the bowl with water in the sink and wrote down what she had eaten in her food journal. I will dare to put a check mark beside this, she announced to herself triumphantly. No triggers here. Good job, guts!
Her phone beeped before she could sit at her laptop and start to work. Hoping it was Cayden, she danced over to the counter and opened the message.
Good morning, gorgeous!
Her heart leapt to see the message from him. Hey sexy! How was the flight?
Smooth, he replied. I took a great nap.
I fell asleep on the couch.
Does the bed still have our scent?
Feeling cheeky, she went to her room and sent him a photo of her bed, still in disarray from their romp last night. I don’t know about your gym, she typed to him, but here’s mine.
