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Me: If I make it until the end of the week, I’ll let you take me out and make up for it.
Olivia: Haha! Plan on it then. Talk later. :)
“C’mon, boy. Time to get you to work for real,” Hank calls. I follow him back into the house and he walks up to Nate, one of the other workers. “Nate, he doesn’t know what the hell we’re doing, so show him the ropes.” Hank cracks a grin at me before walking back outside, taking a phone call.
“Corey, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get to work.”
For five solid hours, I work. Nate basically has me copy his every move and help him with everything he’s tasked to do. I learn how to use some of the tools, how to break things apart, and so much more that I’m not sure I’ll remember it all. But, I enjoy every second. I’m exhausted when I get home, thankful that I’m not hanging out with Olivia, but I feel good.
It’s the first time since my injury that I’m looking forward to tomorrow. The first time I’m looking forward to anything. For the moment, I’m on a high and I’m happy. I’m going to appreciate every second.
After going grocery shopping, I call my siblings to check in, congratulate Luce on running a 5K this past weekend, and keep the normalcy ball rolling. I eat dinner and kick back on the couch to watch TV.
AT THE SOUND of Olivia calling my name, I wake up. She’s dressed in her pjs, looking down at me, almost reluctant. I yawn as I sit up. You won’t find me complaining about how I’m sleeping more and better these days.
“Sorry,” she whispers, though it’s only us and the TV. “You didn’t answer my texts, so I came to check on you.” I grab her hand and tug her to make her sit next to me. “I guess this means you had a busy day at work?”
“Yeah, what time is it?”
“Ten thirty. Did you like it?”
“A lot, but I’m wore out. Why did you wake me up? Not that I’m not happy to see you,” I add.
“I didn’t know if you would wake up and move to your bed later or not, so I just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss taking your meds.”
Sighing, I realize I would have missed the dose. Olivia is like a medicine nazi, always making sure I take every single one of them when I’m supposed to. I ignore those thoughts for now.
“Did you have a good day?”
“It was okay. I had three tutoring sessions scheduled today and each one of them canceled within five minutes of when they were supposed to meet me. I was pissed and aggravated, and I would have much rather been here with you or playing the racing game instead, which I’ll probably do before I go to bed.” She rests her head on my shoulder.
“Want me to play with you?” I’d much prefer sleep, but I could handle staying awake a little longer.
“No, you should go to bed and rest before another long day.” She makes no move to leave, though. Maybe she wants to stay over? Or talk some more? I don’t have a clue, so I go on a whim.
“Want to stay with me?”
“Yeah. Can we just cuddle and go to sleep? No talking?”
I chuckle. “That sounds like paradise to me, you know that.”
Olivia smiles before telling me to go take my pill. She goes ahead and climbs into my bed while I finish my pre-bed activities. When I take my place next to her, she gives me a soft kiss and then rests her head on the pillow.
“Thanks, Corey.”
Another thank you? I don’t even know what I did this time. “For what?” I ask, lying on my side, bringing her closer to me. Tired as I may be, I want to feel her against me and I want to touch her. My hand glides down her side beneath the covers and back again as she speaks.
“Asking me to stay. That’s really why I came over. Well, one of the main reasons. Being with you makes me feel better after a not-so-great day.”
My fingers walk their way around to the back of her neck, running up to her hair while I digest her words. It reminds me of the night at the bar when Chelsea said Olivia told her I was perfect for her. Is that how? Because after a bad day, I make her feel better somehow? I want to ask her. She did say no talking, though, and I’m not about to start.
“How about a little bit of this,” I kiss the corner of her mouth and then the other side, “before we go to sleep?”
She answers me with a kiss of her own.
