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He nodded at Ember. “I won’t be long.”
He meant it when he said it. But once he was in the shower, it felt so good he stayed in for a while. He finally got out, thinking Ember would think something happened to him and come barging in.
He got dressed, brushed his teeth and felt almost human again. He brushed his hair back off his forehead, then left the bathroom. Ember was in the chair, reading the book from his nightstand.
She looked at him. “Don’t worry. I didn’t lose your place.”
“I don’t remember where I was, anyway.”
“You look better.”
“I feel better.”
Ember pointed at him. “You still need to go back to bed.”
He scowled, then leaned the pillows against the wooden headboard, and sat down with his legs outstretched and his ankles crossed. Rosie inched closer to him and laid her head on his knee.
“I’m going stir crazy here, Ember.”
“Do you want your book?”
“No.”
“Television?”
“I don’t do television. I don’t even have one in here.”
Ember looked around the room. “Hmm. Lucy took your father to his physical therapy session. And then they’re going to lunch. So my morning is free. How do you feel about cards?”
He sighed. “I guess it’d pass the time.”
“Rummy, maybe?”
He grinned. “I am the undefeated rummy champion of the family.”
“Undefeated, huh?”
“Yeah. I may lose a hand or two, but I always end up on top. Can you handle that?”
She cocked her head. “I believe I can. In fact. I consider it a challenge.”
“Go get the cards. They’re in the desk in the living room. Top righthand drawer. It sticks, so you have to tug on it.”
She stood. “Do you want anything else? Are you hungry? Or thirsty?”
“Sage fed me this morning. But I’d kill for a beer.”
She raised an eyebrow. “At ten in the morning?”
“After spending two and a half days in bed, time holds no meaning for me.”
She laughed. “I’ll think about it.”
She left and Jake thought about how she bounced when she walked. It wasn’t a ‘look at me’ bounce. It was more of a happy to be alive bounce. He liked it. And may he go to hell for it, he liked her.
Ember returned five minutes later with a deck of cards in one hand, and a beer in the other. She handed Jake the beer.
“Bless you.” He opened it and took a long drink. “That is just a little taste of heaven right there.”
