My father and I got home at the same time. We had the war of who would pull into the driveway first. Both of us sat on either side of the end, waiting for the other to pull in. I could see his smile from the security light across the street.
He picked up his phone and put it to his ear.
Mine rang where it sat in the cup holder. I put the car in park and picked it up.
"I'm not supposed to talk on the phone while I'm driving."
That got a bigger grin from him. "You're not driving. The car is in park."
"Just pull in already. My feet are killing me."
Like a master at one handed driving, my father pulled in and I hung up on him. I followed after, parking in my usual spot next to his. I suppressed a cough as I got out. It was getting really annoying.
My father caught my face change and frowned at me.
"Please tell me you're not getting sick."
"Just a cold. It was chilly this morning when I went out." I hugged him tightly as he did me. "You missed dinner. I hope it was important."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. They want to tear down the old Hillman garage and put in some new..." I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "But you don't really care, do you? I'm sorry. I tried to get out of the meeting, let Jeremy handle it but..."
"Excuses are bad for you."
He sighed and hugged me tighter. "Then all I can do is apologize."
"Pretty much. No excuse is the only good excuse."
"You sound like your mother."
I let out a deep sigh. "I really miss her. Especially today."
He kissed the top of my head. "I should've been at dinner. You're right, there is no good excuse for missing it. I'm sorry."
"It's ok. I understand."
"You shouldn't have to." He pulled away but kept an arm wrapped around my shoulders. "It's getting cold out here. How about we go inside?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'm starving."
*
As the last couple of days of the week passed, the cough got worse. By Friday, I'd withdrawn my name from the tournament and replaced my practice time that day with a doctor's appointment. I wasn't overly excited. I hadn't been to the doctor's since I went there right after Cecil became Elite. I'd literally begged Dr. Wilson to tell me I had The Sickness. They had to call my father when I became hysterical because he wouldn't tell me I was sick. Even after he got there, I refused to leave, locking myself in one of the exam rooms and refusing to come out.
"Ah, Natalie Abernathy. Six pounds, nine ounces. 19 inches long. Small since you were two days over cooked."
He smiled at me, his Einstein mustache making him look comical. He'd delivered most of the babies in our small town and remembered each and every one of us.
"It's good to see you again. Well, you know what I mean. I would rather see you at church or downtown then in my clinic."
"I promise not to freak out on you this time," I joked.
"No need to worry, my dear. It's water under the bridge. Now," he opened my folder and looked over my complaint sheet, "it says here you have a cough."
He stood up and walked over, feeling under and around the top of my throat where my glands were. His hands were warm, strangely. They always were, making the 'doctors always have cold hands' rumor completely false. He concentrated on one in particular, nodding after a few moments.
He finished the check up, even taking a swab of the back of my throat.
"Well, my dear, it appears you are indeed sick."
"I knew it."
"More than likely it's strep. I'll have the lab look over the sample. In anticipation of them confirming, I'm going to go ahead and write you a prescription for amoxicillin. Use acetaminophen for fever reduction if you get one or for pain management. I hear those throat sprays do wonders as well."
"I know all of this."
He patted my knee in a grandfatherly way. "I know, dear. We miss your mother around here. Best nurse I ever had. Now they have these...technical community college degree natives who don't know squat. Charming people, don't get me wrong but..."
Dr. Wilson was the type to talk your ear off if you let him. Thankfully, my mother had taught me all the best tricks to wane him off his rambling.
"Can I still work?"
"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "No. You might be contagious so, forgo the working until one of my nurses gives you a call to confirm."
"I was supposed to baby sit for Emilie tomorrow night."
"Ah, yes, little Claire. Please cancel. I don't wish to see her in here for strep, or whatever else you might have, in the days to come. There is nothing wrong with a bit of caution."
*
When I got to the waiting room after checking out, I found Schylar and Allie sitting in the chairs, looking bored out of their minds. They both stood up when they saw me.
"Please tell me I didn't get you two sick too."
"No. We heard you were here and came for support," Schylar said, holding out DVDs from Redbox and a can of Campbell's Chicken & Stars. "I was going to go with the Dora the Explorer soup but Allie said that was childish."
"That's nice of you. I'm not a fan of Dora. Her voice gets grating if you listen to it for too long."
"I already called Emilie and I'm subbing for you so I can't participate in the festivities. But I helped him pick out the movies so you wouldn't be stuck with crap-made horror flicks and westerns."
"Hey!" He looked at her frowning. "There is nothing wrong with crappy horror flicks. Or westerns."
"There is when you can tell they used colored corn syrup for blood and fake prosthetics..."
I tuned them out and we left the clinic. The little building sat close to downtown but not in the same district. My father didn't own it but I was sure either he would be calling or someone on Dr. Wilson's staff would. I told him that morning that I had an appointment. I was 85% sure he was listening since he was the one who was urging me to go. He didn't like the sound of my cough, he said. Mom was the medical person in the family but Dad liked to pretend he knew what he was talking about. Apparently he'd read all the books and was prepared for anything, even though he left the sex talk up to Cecil's mom when I was eleven. I'd only been sick a handful of times so every bump, bruise, cough, or sneeze, he said something and worried needlessly.
"Nat, where are you going?"
I stopped walking and looked up. I'd completely bypassed my car and was walking across the parking lot. I'd spaced out, the whole world draining way. I stood there for a second, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. It was like my brain was stuck on deciding where I was supposed to go.
Then across the street, leaning against the building, I saw him. He was watching me again, but this time it was different. The look he had told me he was expecting something, making his right eyebrow lift just a little.
"Nat!"
I jumped and whirled around. "Sorry. I'm coming."
I jogged back over and Schylar opened my door, his one arm wrapping around me in a sort of hug.
"What were you looking at?" I glanced back over where I saw Cecil standing, and oddly enough he was still there, watching my interaction with Schylar. "You have sick brain. Are they sure there isn't anything else wrong with you besides strep?"
I looked back up at him and smiled. "Well, if it spreads I could get an ear infection or a sinus infection..."
"Aw! Cooties!" He let me out of the half hug and danced around in a circle, shaking his arms over his head in a strange dance. "Get'em off!"
I shoved him playfully, breaking him out of the dance. "Get in the car so we can go. This place still gives me the heebie jeebies."
He flashed me a smile and rounded my car, dropping his loot on the floor of the passenger seat before folding his lanky frame into the tiny car. I waved to Allie who was staying a good distance away so she wouldn't catch what I had. She blew me a kiss and got in her car.
Since she was the sixth child she got the hand me down car to drive. It wasn't all bad but it was a '99 Sunfire and it threatened to break down every couple of days. Until she turned eighteen and proved to her parents that she wouldn't crash a brand new car, she was stuck driving the clunker.
I glanced back where Cecil was. He still stood there, covered in shadow from the building. He was in his standard dark polo and dark jeans. He didn't fit the golfer stereotype when he was off the course. No khaki's and sweater vests for him. He had his own style and wouldn't sacrifice it to look like a poser. A polo was as close as he got.
I didn't wave this time, just got in my car and pulled out of the lot.
If he could ignore me for the past two, almost three years, I could ignore him now.
It wasn't until I got home that I found the note tucked under my windshield wiper blade. I pulled it out without Schylar's notice and quickly glanced over it. It wasn't who I thought it was from so I ended up smiling openly.
Hope you feel better. Call me later. –Union
His number was scribbled underneath and it was only then I realized it was all written on the back of a fast food receipt. It was for the Burger King just down the street from the clinic. It looked like he grabbed lunch, saw my car, and stopped.
That was nice.
But how did he know it was my car?
"Whatcha looking at?"
I held up the paper so Schy could see it better. I already knew he was trying to read it over my shoulder.
"OoOo. Looks like the new kid has a hard on for you."
"Oh god." I turned and smacked him. "You are...awful. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"
"Oddly enough, no. I don't think I've kissed my mother in a year."
"Just Brittany. No wonder you sound like a bitch."
"At least I got me some the other night. By the way you're acting, you..."
"I'm not going to sleep with someone just for the fun of it."
"No. You want to be in looovve and all that. Very commendable of you but it's not going to happen if you're still holding out for stone boy."
"I'm not holding out for anyone."
"Yes you are." We started walking towards the front door. "I saw the way you looked at him at the cocktail party as he walked across the stage with Caroline. You still have it bad for him."
"Schy..."
"I'm not blind, Natalie. Neither is anyone else. Why do you think your past two relationships failed? Both Shane and Owen came to the same conclusion that they were putting more into the relationship than you were."
"That's not true." I unlocked my door and walked in. "I was completely committed to both of those asshats and you know it."
"The point is, a guy isn't going to stick around if he doesn't think he has a shot."
I dropped my purse on the side table and turned to look at him as he closed the door.
"Why are you telling me this now? If I recall we had a perfectly good pity session complete with ice cream when they dumped me. Why didn't you bring this up then?"
"Because I know, just like everyone else, that Cecil is a sore subject for you. Jesus, you were in love with him for Christ's sake."
I balked at him. "How do you know that?"
I thought I hid it pretty well. I didn't think anyone knew, especially since I'd just figured it out for myself a few days before he got sick.
"Everyone told you guys from the time you could talk that one day you'd be together. You were like the town's sweethearts. It was only a matter of time for one of you to cave."
I folded my arms over my chest and continued to stare at him. Schylar was always brutally honest with me. Sometimes too brutal.
"Is that why...?"
"No. I'm your friend, Nat. I didn't race to fill his spot because I wanted to be with you. We're friends and that's all but I'm not him. The void he left is far bigger than even I can fill. But someone has to because he sure as hell isn't going to. Why do you think I hate him so much? Why Allie does?"
"So..."
"Give the new kid a chance. He wasn't here when everything went down with him. Maybe that's why it didn't work out with the other guys. They were too close to the situation. Union was blissfully ignorant in Maine." He smiled. "That's pretty far from Georgia."
"I don't know if..."
"I tell you what." He pulled the can of Chicken & Stars out of the bag. "We'll watch the sappy romantic movie Allie picked out for you, you'll eat, and then you call Union."
I paled. "No. I'm not calling him!"
"He left you his number for a reason. He even made it simple..."
"How did he even know it was my car?!"
"Allie and I might've bumped into him at the store." He bit his bottom lip. "He saw the soup and asked what was up."
"You told him I went to the doctor's..."
"And we might've said if he wanted to leave you a note, your car was the black Mercedes with the blue golf ball magnet on the bumper."
I rolled my eyes. "I can't believe you."
"I just want you to be happy, Nat. Is that so wrong?"
"It is when you mess with my love life."
He pointed at me, tilting his head to the side. "Non-existent love life." He came over and took my left hand, uncrossing my arms from over my chest. "See that line? You have a love out there somewhere. You just have to open your eyes and actually look for him. Or her if your persuasion changes."
The red line on my arm had never changed. Just like it never changed for any of us humans. If it was long, it usually meant a strong, life fulfilling love. Mine was pretty damn long and didn't have many swirls or kinks in it. My father told me it was because I was so sure of myself and what I wanted that I wouldn't waver for anyone.
I thought that person would be Cecil but...
I shrugged and pulled my arm back, pulling my thin sweater tighter around my shoulders. I was cold all of a sudden.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore." I looked him in the eye so he got the hint. "I'm not feeling all that great so..."
"Of course. I will go put this on the stove if you will put in the DVD."
"Deal."
And just like that the subject was done and over with.
*
I fell asleep on the couch right after Schylar left. Brittany called and he went running. I wasn't offended. I thought it was a little comical actually. I wasn't sure if he really loved her but he cared about her on some level, I hoped so anyways. I couldn't imagine my friend sleeping with someone just because.
It felt like I'd just fallen asleep when someone settled on the couch next to me, wrapping their hand around my left one. I was pressed tight between them and the back of the couch. I figured it was just Schylar since he said he would come back.
I didn't open my eyes, just squeezed his warm hand.
"You came back. Brittany must be losing her touch."
He didn't say anything just wrapped his one foot around my ankles, dragging them over so they were trapped between his feet. Much like...
Cecil used to.
I squeezed my eyes tighter, not really wanting to believe it. There was no way he would be here, no reason at all. Then again, for the past couple days, he was watching me more intently than he had in the past year.
"You always were a late bloomer, Tally."
My eyes popped open and I sat up. I was alone in my living room, the music from the main menu of My Girl filling the room.
It was just a dream. I looked at the clock and it was around nine. I'd been asleep for a good part of the afternoon. And I felt like complete crap. My throat felt like I'd swallowed glass and I had a fever...I thought. I was pretty sure since I felt like I was freezing but I was sweating. I reached for my phone which was on the coffee table. It was binging every couple of seconds.
Turns out it was the clinic.
Telling me my strep test came back negative as did every other test they did. The nurse told me I probably just had a 24hr bug and to wait it out. The doctor recommended Tylenol and fluids to speed things along.
I had a second voicemail and it was from my Dad.
He'd gotten a call from the clinic about my visit. "You're probably passed out on the couch so don't worry about going anywhere. I'll pick up your favorite soup from Bianca's and be home by nine thirty. I love you, kiddo."
My father was a complete lifesaver.
But now my dream had me completely worried.
Stupid dreams.