Authors note (as of 11/23/2021) : I thank everyone who continues to read this version of A Little Love. I highly encourage you to look at the edited version where grammar is better and some ideas flushed out more. It also fixes a key problem in this chapter which many of you kindly remind me of. I'm this version, Ariana receives Nutella in which a previous chapter it is said she has a nut allergy. In the newly edited novel, Ariana only has a peanut allergy and thus, eating Nutella is perfectly safe. Cheers!
Chapter 10
Early Morning Phone Calls
Ariana
I'm currently curled up underneath a mountain of covers. The hood of my Fluttershy onesie is over my head and I am barely awake as I wait for a facetime call at 6:30 in the morning. I have my arms wrapped around Solstice, the horse Alec had bought for me when I was in the hospital.
It felt like two weeks had just flown by. I never did end up going to work on Monday like I had planned to. Well, I tried. I got up to go and somehow, Alec managed to convince me that I should stay home. Which, looking back, I wasn't ready to go back to work. I could barely walk a block without being out of breath and coughing. I talked with work and they said they could cover me. I even had another week off as the office was closed.
And...
I was still living in Alec's house.
Or at least for now. He hadn't kicked me out yet. I couldn't deny how... happy it made me feel. I felt more at home here than I had for the past year that I had in my parent's house. He had made me feel warm and loved. It made me feel fuzzy inside with feelings that I couldn't comprehend. He was always there for me. Sometimes... he was annoyingly there for me. If I had one complaint, it was that he was always asking for proof, especially when he had to go back to the office and left me at the house.
He kept making me lunches, labelling them in the fridge. They were cute little bento boxes with animal shaped food. And as much as I wanted to say, no, I was an adult. I yearned for the cute characters that he made, the black bear chocolate pancakes, and the little star and flower shape fruits he would leave me.
I hear my iPad start to ring with a facetime call and I lazily stretch for it while sitting myself up in my bed. I was not a morning person, so these calls were hard. The only reason that I was taking this call, was because it was my brother, whom I was finally getting to speak with after what seemed like a month.
"Hey sis."
I smile as my brother Daniel is waving from me while he is in some military bed, propped up wearing a tan colored shirt. He then looks at me funny and lifts his fingers to point at the hood of my onesie. "What are you wearing?" he asks with a bit of a laugh. I blush a bit before sliding my hand over my head to take off the hood.
"It's uh... nothing," I state. I was trying to change the subject. "How are you? It's nice to hear your voice after what... a month?" I ask.
My brother frowns at me. "Yea, I know, there's just been a lot of stuff going on around here. Not a lot of spare time, limited access to Wifi, and waiting turns to use it. Also trying to sleep when I can," he explains to me and I nod my head that I understand.
Throughout the last two weeks, Daniel and I had been talking through emails. Be it they were sporadic, but it was the only way he could contact me. It made me sick inside sometimes. Sometimes more than others. I hated not hearing from him every night to know that he was safe. Without confirmation, I was left to think that he wasn't alright. It was happening a lot more lately too. It was starting to leave me with nightmares and waking up in a cold sweat thinking about it.
Daniel knew that I had been sick and that I had been in the hospital. I told him that I was staying out with a friend that was helping me out until I could get back up on my feet. "You're feeling better, though right?" He asks. I nod my head again at him.
"Yea," I reply. "I finally feel like myself again. I can walk Binx without being too winded and do it without coughing my lungs up. Annnnnnnnd," I trail out. "It's my last day of medication!" Daniel smiles at me.
"Well, congratulations. I'm really sorry that I wasn't able to take leave to come to visit you." Though I am frowning in my mind, I don't show it. I shake my head at him with my eyes closed.
"No, it's all right. I know you're doing important work over there. The sentiment is there, and I appreciate you always looking out for me." I say.
Daniel and I continue to have a conversation and he finally started looking at me with a quirky smile. "Ariana... who are you staying with?"
I blush and look away. I scratch the back of my head and bite my tongue.
"Ariana..."
"I.... okay..." I go on to explain how Taylor had brought me to an event, how Alec had saved me from what was sure to be a bad situation. I then mention how he was the one that came to my house to drop me off, he had asked for my number, and that he was the one who took me to the hospital.
"You mean to tell me you are staying at a guys house, that you barely knew. How is that safe Ariana..." He asks scolding me.
"It's fine Daniel!" I say. I say it quickly and I'm surprised. He looks at me with a very quizzical look.
"Ariana... do you have a crush?" He had a grin on his face and it was making me blush.
"Shh," I scold as if Alec could possibly hear our conversation.
"You're not staying in his bedroom, are you? You haven't slept with him.... He isn't taking advantage of you..." Daniel then began to spout off a million questions. I smile at the fact that he cared so much for me. I use the iPad to show him the room. I mention how caring he has been, that he made my lunches. And, I may have mentioned that he made me prove that I finished eating meals. I tell him that they were always themed with cute animals.
"And he got me this." I show him Solstice. I hold it close to me.
"He's treating you like a child Ariana," Daniel says. I bite my tongue and I look down for a moment. I feel a pang in my heart
"I know he is... but... I... I like it." I admit. "Daniel... it's like... he's doing all the things mom and dad never did for me. I feel bad for saying it... but... it's... I don't know how to explain it." I huff. Daniel listens to me and nods his head.
"Well, I understand... a little... not really. But... if it's making you happy, it can't be bad." Daniel says to me and my heart flutters and I look at Daniel through the screen with wide eyes. It was the first time, someone other than Alec was saying that it was okay. "Also, as your protective older brother, you are required to give him my email to ask him questions. If you are going to date him, then I want to make sure he is good for you."
I blush when Daniel mentions the word date.
"I will... I don't even know if he feels the same way about me... he probably doesn't. He's probably tired of me now," I say. Daniel chuckles.
"I'm pretty sure if he was tired of you, you wouldn't be in that room." He sighs looking at his watch as a timer goes off. "I'm sorry Ariana, it was really great talking with you again... but I have to go. I'll email you, okay?" I nod my head.
"It was nice talking to you too. Be safe, okay?"
"Always."
The call ends and I set the iPad to the side and flop my head down, pulling the hood of my onesie over my head again. I close my eyes thinking about everything. I really was enjoying my time here and a part of me didn't want to leave. And as much as I was crushing on a man that I hadn't known for more than three weeks, I couldn't help it.
Binx crawls over to me to cuddle up next to my head and I reach for my cat to cuddle him next to me. I fall back asleep.
I sleep in until nine in the morning when I feel my shoulder being shaken awake. I groan loudly as I wanted to sleep more. I try turning away from the prodding but that didn't seem to work as I kept on getting prodded.
"Ariana, darling, it's time to take your medication. I have breakfast for you too," he states.
I wasn't going to miss his constant morning shakings awake for medication.
"No," I complain and I draw it out. I'm way too tired," I state. I didn't see him frown. But he lightly grabs my shoulder to turn me back on my back.
"Did you not sleep well?" He asks it so comfortingly. "Are you feeling well?" His hand reaches to my forehead. He didn't seem worried but puzzled.
I shake my head. "I'm fine, I'm just tired, I was talking to someone..."
"How late?" he said. "You shouldn't stay up that late," he scolded. "You need lots of sleep still." I sigh and rub my eyes.
"I was talking to my brother... early this morning... It was the only time he could face time." I groan. His face softened as he understood.
"I didn't know you were going to be talking to your brother. I would have said hello. He chuckles. "Come on, up, medication. It's the last day, you can do it," he prods me and I sit up in bed again and he hands me a pill and a glass of water.
He shifts my blankets a bit and sets a tray of food. On the plate was a piece of toast with Nutella smeared all over it. There were two blueberries for eyes and bananas that made the ears of a monkey and a mouth. I chuckle. In addition to the piece of toast was a bowl of yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. A cup of orange juice and a cup of coffee.
Alec moves to sit at the end of the bed, crossing one knee of his leg and Binx wanders over to him. Binx, for some reason really enjoyed being by Alec. I'm not sure why, because normally, he would hiss and stay away from men.
"Ariana... if... you're feeling up to it. I was wondering if you might like to... go out for dinner with me tonight. On... a proper date," he chooses his words carefully and I nearly choke on the piece of toast that I was eating. I have Nutella around my lips and I'm pointing my finger at me. My heart feels like it's going to come out of my chest.
"Me?" I ask.
I chuckle at me and points towards his lips to signal that I have food on my face and I grab the napkin to wipe it. I blushed to realize that I had made a fool of myself.
"Yes, you Ariana, and before you object. I mean, if I do want to go on a date with you. I've enjoyed having you here. You're sweet. And I would love to get to know you even more, now that you're not sick," he explains.
I lick my lips. I'm speechless and I don't know what to say.
"I... would really enjoy that."