Giving You Forever (7 page)

I laugh when I see Jamie at the campus coffee shop looking just as rough as I do.

“So, what number are you on?” Jamie jokes, grabbing the coffee cup from the shop employee.

“Um, this will be my third,” I chuckle, taking a sip of mine.

“Yeah, girl, last night was fun, but holy crap, am I feelin’ it today.”

With a grin, I nod my head as I reply, “Yeah, definitely not used to drinking like that anymore. How pitiful is that?”

“Well, seein’ how I don’t look much better, I’d say you’re not that pitiful.”

We walk to our first class together and laugh in between classes about how many times we’ve had to kick each other under our desks to wake the other up throughout the day. I’ve definitely caught myself doing the head jerk a few times, snapping myself back awake.

“Well, we did it!” I point out after our last class.

“How the heck we made it through this day I’ll never know, but props to us,” Jamie laughs.

“Yeah, well, I’m gonna go home and sleep for eternity,” I joke, thankful that the elementary schools were off today for some teacher workshop thing.

“Yes! Me too,” Jamie responds. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, friend.”

Letting out a sigh of relief as I pull into the driveway, I’m exhausted and excited to finally be home, more than ready to collapse onto my bed. I’ve never looked forward to sleeping this much in my life.

– NOLAN –

I haven’t heard from Alexa all day and it’s kind of making me nervous. Usually I get at least one text during the day just checking in and telling me that she misses me, but today–nothing. Thankfully, I don’t have to work late. We’re waiting for everything we ordered to come in, and the contractors are busy getting everything ready, so there’s not much for me to do other than supervise. After checking on everything, I decide to cut out early and go home to see my girl.

A smile creeps across my face when I open the garage door and see her car home, but when I walk into a dark and silent home my anxiety immediately rises. I look in the living room...nothing. I look in the den...nothing.

“Alexa? Doll? Are you home?” I shout, but get nothing in response.

With my nerves now through the roof, I take the stairs two at a time. I start to call out her name again, but lower my voice when I turn the corner to our room and see my beautiful angel sound asleep all curled up in our bed. Exhaling in relief, I sit down next to her side and softly run my fingers along her soft, porcelain skin. Her eyelids start to flutter open...she has to be the most beautiful living creature on this earth.

“Hey, baby,” I softly whisper as she wakes.

Rubbing her eyes and stretching, she softly asks what time it is.

“A little after seven,” I answer.

“Really?” she asks. “It’s that late already?”

I nod my head yes. “Are you feeling okay?” I use the back of my hand to feel her cheek, then forehead, noticing that she’s a little flushed.

“No, I still feel like crap, and now I’m getting all congested,” Alexa replies, sounding a little hoarse.

On cue, she lets out a nasty congested cough and my heart aches, seeing my beautiful girl not feeling well.

“Sounds like you’re getting sick, doll.” I caress her cheek with my thumb. “Have you eaten anything? I can get you some soup?”

“Not since this morning,” she answers somberly.

“I’ll go down to the cafe right now and get you some,” I tell her before kissing her forehead and standing up. “Get some rest, love, I’ll be right back.”

“Pratt!” I hear my last name being called from behind me.

Turning around to see who it is, I find Alexa’s ex, Collin, standing behind me.

“Hey, what’s up, man?” I greet him, extending my hand. Collin is a good guy and has always treated Alexa and I with respect. “How’s the wife?” I ask. He and his wife Summer just got married not long ago. Alexa and I were in attendance.

“She’s good. Married life is great.” He smiles. “Your wedding is coming up soon,” he adds.

I nod my head with a smile. “It is. Alexa actually just hired a wedding planner, so things are really starting to get underway.”

Collin chuckles. “I’m sure Alexa won’t spare any details. She has a pretty
extravagant
mind,” he says with a sarcastic grin.

“That she does,” I agree, matching his grin.

I excuse myself for a moment when I hear my order number called, notifying me that Alexa’s soup is ready, then return to where Collin is still waiting in line.

“Well, it was nice to see ya, man, but I gotta get home. Alexa’s not feelin’ well, so I just stopped to get her some soup quick.”

“Yeah, no worries. Get home to your girl,” Collin says like it’s no big deal. “Tell Alexa I said hello and to feel better.”

“I will. Take care.”

“You too, bro.”

When I return home, Alexa is curled up on the couch watching her reality shows. The end table is already covered with tissues and cough drop wrappers.

“What’re you doin’ out of bed?” I ask, pulling a bowl down from a cupboard.

She starts to reply, but is interrupted by a coughing attack. I quickly grab a glass of water and run it to her side. After downing half of it, she can finally find her words. “I needed to get up, but collapsed again when I saw the couch.”

Although there could never be a day that Alexa didn’t look beautiful to me, right now she looks so worn out and pitiful that all I can think about doing is cradling her in my arms and rocking her back to sleep. I bring my hand to her cheek, and she nestles in and closes her eyes, happy with the comfort. Seeing her so sick and vulnerable makes my heart break in a million pieces. I wish I could just transfer her illness to me instead. I’d rather be sicker than sick if it meant that she wasn’t.

“Would you like your soup?” I softly ask. “It’s Italian wedding, your favorite.”

Alexa’s eyes slowly open as she smiles. “Mmm, sounds good,” she responds in a hoarse voice.

After caressing her cheek once more with my thumb and gently kissing her forehead, I quickly get the bowl of soup off the counter, then grab the crackers, a spoon, and one of the TV trays. Once everything is set up in front of her, I fluff and prop the pillows on the couch, making sure she’s comfortable.

“Do you need anything else, love?”

Having just taken a bite of her soup, she smiles and shakes her head no. “No thanks,” she says after swallowing.

“Alright, I’m gonna go take a quick shower, but here’s your cellphone. I’ll keep mine on the bathroom counter. Call me if you need
anything
.”

Giving me an ‘are you kidding me?’ grin while tilting her head to the side, she assures me, “I think I’ll be fine, but thanks.”

I let out a little chuckle. She looks so cute, and I may have been just a little over the top with my catering to her, but she’s my girl. That’s what I do.

“Alright, well I shouldn’t be long.” I lean over and peck her cheek before making my way upstairs.

Chapter Seven

– ALEXA –

Waking up this morning, I feel like I have been hit by a tractor-trailer, or like I haven’t slept in days. All night I was coughing up a lung and blowing my nose. At one point, Nolan felt so bad for me that he ran to the twenty-four grocery store to get me some Nyquil.

God, I love that man!

Even though I never go to the doctors, other than my annual girl appointment, I promised Nolan that if he went out to get me some night time medicine, I’d make an appointment with my primary care physician in the morning. Holding true to my promise, I have to be at the doctor’s office in an hour. To be honest, though, I probably would have called anyway because I can’t afford to be sick right now. I’m knee deep with school and student teaching, then the wedding planning, and most importantly, Jamie and I have plans to go shopping after school tomorrow. It’s been so long since I’ve had a shopping buddy that there is no way I’m missing it.

Deciding that I should probably make myself a little more presentable, I take a quick shower, pull on a clean pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, then head out to my appointment.

After a short wait in the waiting room, and a quick check-up from my doctor, I receive the verdict that I have a sinus infection, and was prescribed an antibiotic to take.