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Hank's expression softened. "You could never disappoint me, sweetheart," he reassured me. "In fact, I'll be disappointed if you don't take care of yourself. And if you don't listen to me... well, you know what happens to little girls who don't listen, don't you?"
The thought of being punished brought a blush to my cheeks.
"C'mon, princess," Hank coaxed me gently, a hand coming up to cup my burning cheek, "it's just a playdate. We can always reschedule when you're feeling better."
There was something comforting about his words, about his calm and collected demeanor even when everything seemed to be falling apart. The knot in my stomach loosened slightly, replaced by a sense of relief that made my shoulders sag.
"You promise you're not disappointed?"
He chuckled, the sound of it rumbling through his chest and making me smile despite myself. "Lina," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling, "it's gonna take a lot more than a fever to scare me away."
I laughed, a weak sound that barely managed to push past my chapped lips. "I can't argue with you, can I?"
Hank shook his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I've always got the upper hand."
I rolled my eyes at his remark, but I couldn't fight the fond smile that spread across my face. With that, I let him into my apartment. We settled on the couch.
"I think it might be a good idea to call Mike," Hank suggested, his eyes trained on my pale face. "You could use some company, especially if you're gonna be bedridden."
"I don't want to be a burden on him," I mumbled.
Hank shook his head, the look in his eyes serious. "Lina," he began, his voice gentle, "let me tell you a little something about the importance of friendship."
And then, out of nowhere, he began to rap a silly made-up poem.
In our land of make-believe,
Where squirrels give high-fives, you'd perceive,
Our bond, my friend, is a joyous spree,
As bouncy as a kangaroo on caffeine-free tea.
If life’s a pizza, topped with woes,
I'll be the one to provide the dough.
Toss it high, twirl it around,
We'll turn that frown upside down.
In a place where zebras ride bikes,
And mice are known to fly kites,
A hand I lend, a shoulder I provide,
In me, you can confide.
Through laughter, giggles, fun and jest,
Our friendship truly is the best.
Together, we're a fantastic dream team,
In our whimsical world of ice cream.
I clapped my hands, my laughter ringing through the room. "Did you make that up right now?" I asked him, my eyes wide with admiration.
