Faith, Friendship, and Passion Ch. 02

I simply said, "Ok," but inside, my head was swirling with guilt and excitement. Guilt because my wife just asked the lady I cheated on her with to take care of me. Excitement because I would get to see Rebecca...and not because I was hoping for sex. I still felt horrible and I wasn't even remotely interested. Rebecca had become a very close friend over the past year and I relished any opportunity to spend time with her. Trisha and the girls headed out the door and my mental anguish about Rebecca quickly faded away as I drifted off to sleep again.

A couple hours after Trisha and the girls left, I was startled awake by my cell phone alarm she had set as a medicine reminder. I opened up the prescription bottle and took out two pills. I was about ready to reach for the glass of water Trisha left for me when I heard the front door latch turn. I startled a little before I heard Rebecca's voice call out, "Brad? It's me. Are you awake?"

"I'm in the living room."

I heard her footsteps approaching. As she entered the room, she said, "Trisha gave me a key before she left. How are you?"

"I'm ok. Thanks for checking on me."

Rebecca saw the two pills I was about to take in my hand. Without asking, she took the glass from the end table and said, "Let me get you some fresh water."

I watched as she walked away from me toward the kitchen. Her dark blue, heavy polyester dress audibly swished as her legs moved underneath the long, barn-like fabric. She dumped the old water into the kitchen sink, and then filled the glass with new ice and water from the refrigerator dispenser. Rebecca gave a little smile as she walked back toward me with the fresh glass of water.

She handed me the glass and I took the two pills in my hand. "Thank you," I said after I swallowed.

"What else do you need?"

"I'm fine. I think I have everything right here within reach." I smiled and pointed to the large assortment of items Trisha had put on the end table.

"Ok," she said as she straightened the blankets that covered me and tucked the excess around my legs. "I need to go do some cooking for Thanksgiving tomorrow. We have some family coming over. I'll check in on you again later tonight."

"Ok. Thanks."

Rebecca briefly stroked my shoulder with her hand as an unspoken gesture that she cared then walked out of the room and toward the front door. I heard the door open and then latch closed.

I turned ESPN on the television and promptly fell asleep again. I awoke about an hour later feeling incredibly hot and discovered I was drenched in sweat. I kicked the blankets that covered me off to the floor and stripped down to my boxer shorts in an attempt to cool down. I took the glass of now room temperature water off the end table and quickly downed it. Over the next hour, I remained awake but in some kind of half conscious state. I could hear the sports commentators on television but I had no idea what they were talking about.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep for another hour or so. This time I was shivering when I awoke and my teeth were chattering like it was below zero in the house. It was a contradiction amongst my senses. While I could feel my body was shivering like it was cold, my eyes saw beads of sweat covering my skin like I was in a sauna.

I reached down to retrieve the blankets that I had kicked on the floor earlier. I covered myself with those and then did the same with the whole stack of extra blankets that Trisha had left for me. I must have had 6 or 8 blankets over me after I was finished and yet I was still shivering.

Over the next half hour, I gradually shed the blankets layer by layer as I started to feel warmer. Eventually, I found myself without any blankets and still burning up.

This ruthless cycle of hot and cold was my new reality. I still felt exhausted and desperately wanted to sleep but was too uncomfortable to do so. Rebecca gave me temporary distraction from the discomfort at around 8pm when she called my cell phone to ask how I was doing and to remind me to take my medicine. The alarm Trisha had set on my phone started vibrating in my hand as I was talking to Rebecca.

I told her I was fine although I could do without the never-ending cycle of hot and cold. Rebecca said she was just finishing up a few preparations for their family Thanksgiving and then would be over in about an hour to check on me in person. I protested saying I would be fine but I could tell she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I simply said, "See you soon," and hung up the phone.

I was in the midst of a hot spell when I heard the front door open and Rebecca say, "Hello? Are you awake?"

"Yes. Just holding down the sofa to make sure no one steals it." I responded in a slow, exhausted voice.

I was seated in a slouched position at one end of the sofa and had my feet propped up on the coffee table that resides in front of the sofa. All the blankets that provided warmth during my cold spells were scattered around me on the floor and sofa. I was now laying there half conscious in only my boxer shorts.

Rebecca walked in the living room and immediately scolded me, "Brad! You are not 'fine'! Look at yourself! You're sweating to death!"

She immediately went into nurse mode. She grabbed my empty water glass from the end table and walked to the kitchen as fast as her stride-limiting long dress would allow. Within a matter of seconds, a fresh glass of ice water found its way into my hand.

After passing off the full glass of water, Rebecca spun around and swiftly walked back to the kitchen. I noticed her feet were bare. She must have removed her shoes at the front door when she came in the house.

The cold water tasted good. I took several small sips and swished the refreshing water around my mouth in an attempt to overcome the cottonmouth feel that comes with being sick. As I did, Rebecca was frantically opening and closing kitchen cabinets in search of something. After going through about 6 or 8 of the lower cabinets, I heard rattling of pans and then saw her stand up holding a large mixing bowl. She placed the bowl in the sink and began filling it with water.

While the bowl was filling, Rebecca nearly ran through the living room toward the staircase upstairs. She shot up the stairs and, in a few minutes, returned down with a short stack of towels in her hands. On her way back through the living room, she tossed the towels onto the coffee table in front of the sofa and continued back into the kitchen. I heard the faucet turn off before Rebecca appeared in the living room cautiously carrying the large mixing bowl full of water. She set it on the coffee table next to the towels and then pushed all my discarded blankets out of the way.

Rebecca stepped around the coffee table and stood next to where I was seated. She reached down and pulled up the bottom of her oversized, frumpy dress enough that she could position herself the way she wanted on the sofa. She planted her right knee on the sofa and then sat down facing me so her right ankle and foot was folded underneath her left thigh. Her left leg hung off the front edge of the sofa.

After she was settled, Rebecca reached over and selected a small hand towel from the stack on the coffee table. She dipped the towel into the bowl of water and then squeezed the excess water out of it. Starting on my forehead, she gently cleansed the beads of sweat from my skin. Her petite hands lovingly ran the moist towel over my face and neck. She pulled the towel away and rinsed it in the bowl of water. After wringing out the excess water, she placed the towel on my chest and slowly worked from my collarbones out toward my arms.

The cool, damp towel felt so good on my hot skin. I closed my eyes and continued in my semi-conscious state focusing only on the relief Rebecca provided. My only awareness was the slow, loving motions her hands made with the cool towel. First over my upper chest, then arms, then the sides of my torso, then my stomach. The tender touches on each portion of my body were briefly separated by the sound of Rebecca rinsing and wringing the towel in the bowl of water.

After finishing my upper body, I could feel Rebecca shift her position on the sofa. The next thing I felt was the towel slowly moving from the top of my foot up my shin. She carefully covered the top and back of my legs up to the bottom of my boxer shorts. Her hand then guided the towel down to my left knee and began to slowly cleanse my inner thigh. I opened my legs slightly to facilitate her movements. To my surprise, she did not stop when she reached the bottom of my boxer shorts. Her hand guided the towel beneath the leg of my shorts and brought cool relief to my upper leg. I then felt her towel covered hand over my flaccid penis. She wiped its length and rolled it between her towel-covered fingers before moving down to cup my balls with the cool towel.

Under normal circumstances, my cock would respond to Rebecca's touch but this was different. Although she was touching me, it somehow didn't feel sexual. It felt very loving and caring...but not sexual.

When she was finished beneath my boxers, Rebecca dipped another small towel in the cool water then neatly folded it into a long narrow strip. She laid the folded towel on my forehead and gently pressed it into place.

Still with my eyes closed, I felt her stand up from the sofa and then heard water being dumped into the kitchen sink. I was now in a completely different state than I was before Rebecca's arrival. Not only had she cooled my physical hot spell, her soft and compassionate motions had completely eased all forms of tension in my mind and body.

Pneumonia is an amazing illness. With the inflammation caused by the Pneumonia, my lungs just couldn't get enough oxygen to supply my body when awake. No matter how much I slept I was still exhausted. The several hours before Rebecca's arrival were my longest period of being awake since I left early from work on Tuesday afternoon. With the combination of being awake for a few hours and Rebecca's relaxing caresses, I drifted off to sleep before she even returned from the kitchen.

******

I awoke at 2am to my cell phone ringing and found it within an arms length on the coffee table. It was Rebecca reminding me to take my antibiotic pills. I looked over to the coffee table to see a full glass of water and two pills. I also realized that I was lying fully on the sofa rather than sitting with my legs propped on the coffee table like I was when I fell asleep. I was now covered with a blanket and the alarm on my cell phone had been turned off.

I suddenly felt closer to Rebecca than I ever have before. In the midst of preparing Thanksgiving for her family, she was selflessly looking after me. She had taken it upon herself to care for me. This was not the "checking in once or twice a day" that Trisha had asked of her. Rebecca turned off my cell phone alarm and personally took over the six-hour reminders. And beyond that, she was lovingly anticipating my every need.

My thoughts were filled with her for the next hour. While I thought of how our friendship had grown over the past years, it also dawned on me that I had slept for 6 hours and been awake for a seventh hour without having any hot or cold spells. Rebecca's towel bath must have relaxed me enough to break the cycle. I wondered if it was coincidence or if she knew it would help. I noted in my mind to ask her the next time she came over. Eventually, I drifted to sleep again as wonderful thoughts of Rebecca consumed my mind.

My next pill reminder wake up call was at 8am on Thanksgiving Day. I could tell from the banging of pans and other kitchen noises that Rebecca was well into preparing Thanksgiving dinner. I told her not to worry about me and enjoy the day with her extended family.

I flipped on the television and watched ESPN Game Day. After listening to some of the commentator's build up hype, I started looking forward to seeing the Lions game. They actually had a chance of winning. I hoped I could stay awake long enough to see some of it!

After a couple hours of watching ESPN, my eyelids started becoming heavy again and I dozed off for a little while. I woke up on my own around 1pm...just in time to see the beginning of the game. Perfect!

While watching the game, my mouth started getting dry but my glass on the end table was empty. I thought about it for a minute and decided to go to the kitchen for a refill. If I actually stood up, it would be the first time I had been off the sofa in almost 48 hours. I thought to myself, "I must still be dehydrated. I haven't peed in two days!"

I scooted to the edge of the sofa and slowly stood up. I wobbled a little before attaining a steady balance. I then successfully walked to the kitchen and returned with a fresh glass of ice water. I know it sounds ridiculous but it felt like a huge victory at the time.

I realized I was starting to feel better as I watched the game. The antibiotics must have been starting to work. I'm sure all the sleep helped too!

Just a few minutes before 2pm, I heard the front door open and then shut. Rebecca walked into the living room carrying an aluminum foil covered plate. She smiled broadly and jokingly said, "So you can't stay awake when I'm here but you can for a football game!?"

"Um, sorry about that. I think I'm starting to feel a little better now."

Holding up my fresh glass of ice water, I continued, "Look. I even got up and walked to the kitchen."

Rebecca laughed as she kicked off her shoes by the coffee table and said, "What's next? Mt. Everest?"

"I was saving my energy to move to the arm chair later this afternoon...but maybe I'll do Everest instead. Good idea."

She changed subjects as she set the plate down on the end table. "When was the last time you ate something? You must be hungry."

"I am. I just haven't been awake long enough to eat anything!"

Rebecca turned away from me and her bare feet carried her toward the front door. I heard a slight clank over the sound of the football game. After a few seconds, Rebecca returned to the living room with a wooden tray that had short foldable legs beneath it. She motioned for me to sit up straight, adjusted the blanket that was over me, and then set the tray over my lap. Her petite hands picked up the plate from the coffee table, removed the aluminum foil, and set before me a plate mounded high with Thanksgiving dinner bounty. It looked incredible!

I surveyed the plate hungrily while Rebecca went to the kitchen to retrieve some silverware. Turkey... ham... mashed potatoes... gravy... sweet potatoes... stuffing... cranberry salad... green beans... croissants... and more! It was all there! A Thanksgiving Day dream!

Rebecca came back into the living room to deliver the silverware. I looked her in the eyes sincerely and said, "Thank you, Rebecca. I think I underestimated this Pneumonia thing when I insisted Trisha take the girls to her parents' house. I really appreciate all you've done for me the past couple days."

"Are you kidding? After all you've done for me over the years, do you think I would let you sit over here and suffer?"

"Well, thank you anyway. It really means a lot to me."

Rebecca bent over me and gently kissed my forehead. She then walked around the coffee table to where she had left her shoes. As she slipped them back on, she said, "I better go. My family is still here. I told them I would only be gone for a minute to give you a plate of food. Depending on when they leave, I'll call you or come over later."

"Ok." I gave her a smile as she turned to walk toward the front door.

I then turned my attention to the bounty that lay before me. It smelled incredible! I tried the mashed potatoes and gravy first then the turkey and stuffing. It didn't hold a candle to my mother-in-law's Thanksgiving dinner but, admittedly, that is an unreachable standard to meet. In spite of my unreasonable expectations, the food was very good. I wondered if Rebecca made it all or if her family brought some of the dishes.

I enjoyed the feel and taste of food again. Especially a special dinner like this. After barely touching the mounding plate of food, my appetite quickly faded. I could only eat about a quarter of what Rebecca had brought. Partially because she had heaped so much on the plate and partially because I just couldn't eat much after my illness imposed fasting.

I set aside the wooden tray of food and settled back into the sofa to watch more of the Lions game. Between exhaustion from sickness and sleepiness that comes after Thanksgiving dinner, chances of me staying awake were slim. I remember seeing a few more plays of the game before I slipped into a turkey-induced slumber.

I slept for a couple hours then awoke when I felt pressure in my bladder. I must have been getting over the dehydration. After thinking about it for a minute or two, I made my second venture off the sofa in as many days. I made it successfully to the main level half-bath and back to the sofa again.

Over the next 12 hours, I alternated watching television and taking catnaps. The routine was broken only by Rebecca's medicine reminder phone calls at 8pm and 2am. During the 8 o'clock call, I thanked her for the dinner plate and waxed about how good it was.

During the call, I noticed Rebecca's voice was different than usual. She was not her usual bubbly self and instead had a slow downtrodden drawl. I assumed she was just tired from working in the kitchen and entertaining guests all day...not to mention taking care of me 24/7. She said the last of her family had just left and there was lot of cleaning to do in the kitchen. Although she wanted to come over, it would be best to stay and clean up. I told her I was feeling much better and to not worry about me.

Her voice sounded the same on the 2am call but I didn't think much of it since it was the middle of the night.

Although still far from normal, I was feeling better and better as the hours passed. By Friday morning, I felt well enough to start moving around the house some more. I started gathering up some of the trash that had accumulated around me over the last couple days on the sofa. As I did, I caught a whiff of myself. I stunk! I thought about it and realized I hadn't had a shower in three days.

With the motivation to not be offended by my own odor anymore, I headed upstairs to the master bathroom. I reached through the opened glass shower door to turn on the water, stripped off my boxers, and then stepped through the door and into the steaming water. It felt so good!

After washing thoroughly to remove my stench, I just stood there enjoying the steamy water and lost all concept of time. At one point, I looked at my hands and saw my fingers were pruney from being in the water so long. I figured that was a sign I had been in there long enough and turned the water off. I grabbed a towel, dried off, and stepped out of the shower to see my old pair of boxers replaced with a fresh pair of boxers and a clean t-shirt on the bathroom counter.

I immediately knew Rebecca was at work taking care of me again. I was surprised I didn't hear her come in the bathroom.

I brushed my teeth, applied some deodorant, and slipped on the boxers and t-shirt she had left for me before heading down the stairs.

When I entered the living room, I found my station on the sofa had been cleaned up and all the blankets I had been using were gone. "Rebecca?" I called.

She poked her head out of the laundry room attached to the kitchen. "Hi, take your medicine." she said softly then disappeared back through the doorway.

I looked at the clock and saw it was 8:15am. "Did you try to call at 8:00? I'm sorry, I was in the shower but I guess you know that now."

She responded in a flat tone of voice, "It's ok. I wanted to come over anyway."