I'm Just Curious Too: Reconciliation

Chapter 9

A week had passed since the answer was given. Fabien sat in a plane, eyes out of the window as he flew back home. He would have asked Kiel to go with him, but he felt that Kiel had purposely made himself booked and busy when the dates to go were revealed. He would have turned to Mandy but there was doubt that her fiancé would have been accepting of having his future wife with another man out the country – despite knowing that he was gay.

It took an extra hour to move from the airport to his home via taxi and as the distance closed to his house, Fabien grew more worried. He checked his appearance more than once, trying to ensure that he looked as masculine as possible. He hadn't shaved for a while to ensure that the stubble grew in to give him a more unkempt look. His clothes were slightly oversized, nothing holding onto him to show his slender figure and his hair had been messily put up in a bun – that being a stress-induced hairdo as nothing seemed to work with the outfit he had on.

Plane to tar, tar to car - Fabien now came to a halt in front of his gate, shrinking in confidence. Home seemed so haunting after the years had passed – and it wasn't the unfamiliar structure but the fact that he felt estranged from the people, let alone the place.

...

The room echoed with coughs and sneezes, Shaun groaning as he turned on to his side on the bed. He had woke with a fever and couldn't master much strength to move out of bed. A few minutes had passed before he concluded that he would not be able to do anything but lay in. His hand slinked out from under the covers and reached for his phone, his eyes squinting when the light of the screen hit him. He maneuvered through his widgets, finding the chat app and opening Deans' window. He had to blink more often as the screen coaxed a headache.

"Won't be able to come in. Sick" send.

Shaun closed his eyes and coughed, his chest hurting as the dry cough never came out as a double but a triple cough more than once. He placed his hands over his ears and whined a bit, the desire to cry surfacing as inexplicable aches riddled his body. It was as if he had spent the day afore partying and exercising but all that he did was overtime at work. The lack of appearance concerned his mother and the search for him was on only after thirty minutes of their shared morning coffee had passed. She knocked lightly on his door and saw him curled up in bed, sobbing as he held his head.

"Shaun what's wrong?" She spoke as she walked up to him, placing her palms on his forehead and neck. "You're burning up. Hold on."

She made her way out to get the medical kit she stored in her bathroom. Shaun writhed a bit before sneezing and relaxing on his back. His head spun with the sneeze, the force dizzying him. His mother had returned without him knowing and she placed a thermometer under his armpit while she looked for pills in her kit. Shaun lay still for a bit, coughing periodically and groaning at the movement made. With a beep, his temperature was checked and his mother acted fast after that. It was a swift series of commands and moves, Shaun following without digesting what was happening.

His phone rang but was answered by his mother as she placed a cool towel on his forehead. She ended the call and placed the phone down, standing up to go open the windows but keep the curtains closed.

"You took medication on an empty stomach so let me make something easy for you to take down. Just try to get some rest. It's a fever."

Shaun groaned his response. Nausea surfaced and wreaked havoc for a bit before being taken over by a coughing fit. He had wished to just die as he lay there, the sudden sickness hurting his understanding. It had been years since he had a fever but he did not recall it being so painful. His mother came back in minutes with warm oats, her hair tied up and away from her face as she placed the plate down beside the bed and took the towel to change it to a cooler one.