Barely Breathing (The Breathing #2)(37)

I nodded, not completely paying attention; a part of me was still trapped in the dark.

"It gets better," he promised, noticing my disconnect. He sounded so sure of his words.

"How would you know?" I peered into his dark brown eyes, trying to look past them for answers, but he wouldn't let me in.

"Believe me, it does," Jonathan whispered, looking away. In that quick moment, the confidence in his eyes faltered, giving way to something else. I wasn't quite sure what I'd seen, but I inadvertently shivered when I caught a glimpse of it.





11. All Better



"How are you feeling?" I asked, when my mother slumped down the stairs the next morning. Her nose was raw and red around the edges; her eyes were watery and puffy. She looked miserable―I shouldn't have even asked.

"I think I'm dying," she snuffled.

"You should go back to bed. Tell me what you need and I'll get it for you."

"Tea," she requested pitifully. "And some flu medicine so my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode anymore."

"I'll get that," Jonathan offered, appearing at the kitchen entrance, showered and dressed.

"Thanks," she said in a nasally voice, before sneezing into the balled up tissue in her hand. "I wish you weren't seeing me like this."

"Don't even go there," Jonathan consoled with a warm smile. "You're sick, and even sick, you're beautiful." He wrapped his arms around her as she flopped onto his chest. He held her and smoothed the damp strands of hair that were stuck to her feverish face. He was braver than I was. I was afraid of going within three feet of her. She was oozing from every orifice.



       
         
       
        

"I'll bring the tea up in a minute," I told her as Jonathan escorted her back up the stairs.

"I'll be right back," Jonathan announced a few minutes later on his way out the door.

I brought the tea to her room and set it down on the night stand. She had her eyes closed and the blankets pulled up to her nose.

"Do you like him?" she asked as I was walking toward the door.

I turned back toward her. She propped herself up on her elbow and carefully sipped the hot tea.

"Jonathan?" I clarified, not expecting her question.

Before I could answer, she said, "I really like him, and I hope you do too."

"Um, yeah, sure. He's nice."

"Thanks for the tea." She nuzzled back into the blankets, closing her eyes with a grin on her face. Even in her sickness, she was still a love-struck teenager.



"Looks like you'll get to watch the game after all," I noted after Jonathan returned from the pharmacy. "Where are you going?"

Jonathan hesitated. "Actually, I told Rachel I'd stay here with her."

"I'm not going anywhere," I offered. "I can take care of her if you want to do something else."

"I'd rather stay here, if that's okay."

"Sure," I answered in surprise.

"Where are Evan and Sara?"

"Evan's at Cornell with his brother, and... I don't know what Sara's up to."

Jonathan looked over at me, hearing the change in my tone upon mentioning Sara. He didn't ask; he just nodded.

I offered to pick up football food while Jonathan tended to my mother. Especially since we were running low on …  everything. I'd pretty much assumed the role of grocery shopper in the house. My mother would shop when she wanted to prepare a specific meal, but with our conflicting schedules, that wasn't very often.

I didn't mind too much. She'd leave me a twenty and a small list of things she needed. The list was usually more than twenty dollars, but whatever. I covered the rest with the money that was deposited into my account each month. Money I hadn't had access to for years, but was now in my total control.

I'd gotten to know the aisles well enough to get in and out of the store quickly. Except for today―it was insane.

"I think every person in three towns was at the grocery store today," I complained to Jonathan, struggling with white plastic bags strung across both arms.

"Let me help you." Jonathan rushed from the living room, relieving me of half the bags. "Is that everything?"

"If it's not, then too bad. I'm not going back to that zoo." I slipped off my shoes and followed him to the kitchen. 

"I meant, is there anything else in the car?" He smiled at my dramatic response.

"No, this is everything," I answered, embarrassed by my reaction. "How's Rachel?"

"Passed out," Jonathan responded, proceeding to empty the bags and put everything in its place. "I have to go out for a while. Would you mind covering for me until I get back? I'll be here in time for kick-off. If she wakes up, just tell her I went to buy more tissues or something."