The Transplant ✔️

36. Full Heart, Empty Stomach

Jobe's POV:

Seventy-two hours: that's how long I had to go without seeing Jolie. It might sound odd to some, but being away from Jolie made me sicker than the flu virus had made me.

I could easily tell myself that I was a strong man, that I didn't need to see a woman every day to be happy, but why lie to myself?

"Awh, shit." I needed to use the bathroom, but I was surrounded by bulky blankets, a bucket, and an oversized amount of pain pills. I couldn't move, and it's not like I could get the maid to carry me to one of my bathrooms. I hated having a virus more than anything. Not being able to eat or drink, having a hurt back from dry-heaving, and shivers making your back hurt even more while you try to break the fever. It was an awful experience, but I was getting better, and in time, I'd be in tip top shape to see Jolie.

To think I was healing, but then I started to feel my stomach rumbling again when I noticed Lisa Montes was ringing for me on my phone. I needed to break it off with her, and usually I hate doing that over the phone, but I had no choice in my condition.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Babe, I miss you!"

"Yeah, I'm sick right now; you can't come over." I knew she wanted to come by, so I had to cut straight to the chase. I was glad I had gotten new locks for my house so she couldn't come in whenever she wanted, because it wouldn't surprise me if she tried to come in right after our call. I bet she'd shit a brick if she ever found our my locks were changed.

"Oh, there's s flu going around town. You better not have been making out with any slimy girls to be getting sick." Something told me she was serious.

"No." I muttered nonchalantly.

"Good! Ugh you better get healthy soon so we can do something fun together. Just make sure you're healthy before we hang out again because I do not look good when I'm sick." Don't I have such a loving girlfriend?

"Okay, but listen, we need to talk..."

"I have to go, babe! Call you later, kisses! Muah, muah!" I couldn't get a word in with Lisa!

"Wait, no no... I need to talk to..." It was too late to finish my sentence. The other line went dead, leaving me frustrated that I couldn't talk to her about our dying relationship. I was going to break it to her that we were history, but sadly, I couldn't get a much of a word out. I guess it is for the best anyway, for the both of us. I should break up with her like a man, in person, raw and unfiltered. Who knows, maybe she'll hit harder than Andy, which wouldn't be hard to do, if I were being honest.

"Guess it's time to get up." I told myself.

With not much energy than before, I managed to hoist myself from the piece of furniture, and drag my feet to the bathroom. Being dependent wasn't my thing, but I'll tell you what, this is probably the closest I've been to helpless. I could barely reach the sink without my stomach ripping me from the inside out.

After a long struggle, I was able to finish up in the bathroom, then drag myself back to the living room. But I didn't have a chance to sit down because there was a knock at the front door. I wasn't able to see a face from the inside of the steel door, but from the looks of the shapely silhouette that was visible through the top glass portion, it was most definitely Jolie. I made my way to the side of the door, refusing to unlock it.

"What are you doing here, Jolie? I told you not, under any circumstances, to come over here." I told her through the door.

"I know, but as you know, I'm not good at following directions. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I bought you something to make you feel a bit better."

"You can't come in here." I warned.

"Fine, I'll pass it to you by your mail slot." She passed a huge ziploc filled with brownies. I didn't dare tell her I had no stomach to eat them. Although, once I'm up and better, I am going to tear through those!

"Thank you, it was really nice of you to bring food. I appreciate it more than you think." I did appreciate it; the guts of that girl to show up here, with bacteria-infested air just to bring me brownies was unbelievable.

"You're welcome, Jobe. I guess I should go, now that I've checked on you. Or I could stay out here for awhile, if you're bored in there."

I placed my back against the door, cursing at myself to do the right thing. I wanted her to stay, but I also didn't want her to get sick. I wanted to see her so badly; maybe if I just took a quick peak in the mail slot. Ugh, no, no, no.

"Jolie, it's best you go home. I'd love your company, but I can't have you getting sick. Just because your beyond this door doesn't mean you won't fall ill."

"I made those brownies from scratch and I won't be invited in to eat one."

"Awh, Jolie, I..."

"I'm just kidding! They were ready-to-bake brownies and didn't take much time. Relax, I knew you wouldn't let me come in." She laughed.

"I do want to see you, though." I admitted.

She shuffled around the other end of the door, and it took her a while before she finally answered back.

"Does someone miss me already?" She teased.

"No...A little bit, maybe." I slunk against the door, dragging my body until I was sitting on the floor.

"Good, I'll see you later, Jobe." She was smiling, that was easy to tell from her playful tone of voice. She sure knew how to play on my heart strings, and I was too much of a sucker to stop her.

"Alright, bye Jolie."