Burning Bright

Chapter Two - 2

“Thinking about Nadia.”

“Oh, please be serious,” she chided.

“I have been browsing the internet…and thinking about you. I’m serious.”

“So what have you been thinking about me?”

Abba laughed. “I see you are still your curious self.”

“What? You thought one little surgery would turn the curiosity off? You would have liked that, wouldn’t you?”

“I might. I keep telling you, you are too curious for your own good. Anyway, I was thinking how much I’ve missed you. Talking to you, walking with you, going on dates with you, hearing your crazy laughter – everything about you.”

“Aww…that is so sweet, Abba. I miss you too.”

 Nadia fought back tears. He was being so sweet and she was so emotional; that was not a good combination.

“I am sorry for the long silence, I just could not seem to communicate,” she added quietly.

“It’s okay. I just went crazy wondering if you were okay and what I had done for you to not want to talk to me. A part of me even missed your never-ending questioning – just a little part though.” He laughed.

Nadia laughed too.

“Of course you like it when I always ask questions, you just won’t admit it. And I did want to talk to you.”

“Wait a minute. Why are you up so early anyway?”

“Don’t blame me – blame the doctors who woke me up too early. I was having this nice sleep too,” Nadia complained.

“Oh, you poor thing. Get back to sleep then. Go on,” he urged.

“No, they’ve taken the sleep away. Besides, I am having fun talking to you.”

“Well, if you say so then.”

She could hear him beaming. She liked how the morning was going; excluding the doctors’ visit, of course.

“So, when is a good time to come see you?”

“Come see me? Are we not talking now?” She wondered why she did not like the idea of him coming to see her.

“Yes, we are, but of course I need to come check on you. You just had a major surgery!”

“Oh, it’s not a big deal. I will be home soon and you can come visit me at home. There’s no rush.” She nervously chortled, trying to sound normal.

“If I did not know you better, I would think you did not want me to see you in a hospital.”

“Well it’s a good thing you know me better then!” She dodged what he was driving at. “So, how is Cat?”

Cat was Abba’s cat. She found it to be a ridiculous name for a cat, ironically.

“Cat is fine. So, what is it?” His voice sounded serious and concerned now.

“It’s nothing! I just don’t think it’s such a big deal. I will be back home, and you can come visit, just like old times. Well, not really like old times, because I will be using crutches now,” she made a weak attempt at humor.

“Well, okay, if you say so.” He sounded sad, although she knew he was trying to mask it.

Nadia felt horrible for what she had done. He only wanted to visit. The conversation had been going amazingly well, and all of a sudden, it had turned to this. Why had she told him not to visit? It was always a pleasure seeing him.