Color Blind

Chapter Twenty-Six

AN: Nirvana's 'Polly'.

* * *

Nancy needed a new job.

She had come to this conclusion rather suddenly, after having to make up an excuse yet again as to why she couldn't go to lunch with Dr. Call-Me-Tom. She hadn't quit yet, but she had picked up a newspaper on the way home.

Cole met her at the door looking very shaky and uncomfortable.

"Hi."

"Hey."

He followed her into the other room, rather like a puppy. Nancy wondered what was going on. She didn't want to deal with this right now. She wanted a shower and some alone time first.

"Cole? Are you okay?"

"Fine...hey, you got a newspaper."

What...ohh. Right. He'd said something about looking for a job.

"Yeah. The clinic's not doing so well, I thought I'd join you in the search."

How easy it was to lie like that! She felt a little guilty for doing it, but she wasn't about to share. There was such a thing as TMI, after all. Besides, he probably wouldn't have told her if she hadn't guessed it on her own.

"Really?"

Shit. Did he know? God, she couldn't even tell him a little white lie!

"Yeah. I'm just worried. I don't want to up shit creek without a paddle."

That made him laugh. Good. Now maybe he'd stop asking.

He lay back on his bed and got partially under the covers. Was he sick again? She wouldn't have been surprised if he was. He was prone to respiratory illness. She hoped he wouldn't come down with pneumonia anytime soon.

"I am going to take a shower." she said. "You can look through that, if you want."

To be honest, she really doubted he'd be able to get a job at a restaurant or something. With a history like his, getting a job period was going to be a problem. She didn't say that aloud. No need to discourage him.

Dinner. What were they going to have for dinner? She hadn't gone shopping in a while...um...damn. She had no clue. They could go out, she supposed, but she didn't feel like bothering to do her hair up nice.

Fuck it. She would go to the store and take her shower later. Maybe Cole would go with her. He was better at cooking than she was, and a bit more inclined to actually bother in the first place.

"Cole?" she called. "I have to go to the store. Want to come?"

He was silent for a few minutes before replying.

"Sure."

* * *

Cole didn't really want to go to the store. All the same, he made sure his sleeves were straight and dug out his sunglasses. There really wasn't much point in the sunglasses, but they hid the fact that his eyes were sunken in a bit too much. Was that permanent? Fuck it, it didn't matter.

The store was crowded and bright and he wanted to go home. Nancy didn't look too happy either, which was some comfort. They wouldn't stay long, then.

He never would get used to the dirty looks and subtle-or not so subtle-insults. He'd learned long ago to just ignore them, but that didn't make it any easier.

"Cole? Are you okay?"

"Just a little tired." he lied. "My head hurts."

That part, at least, was true.