What Happens on the Cruise

42. Fine by Me

"Ericha and Adam?"

Adam looked up to see a beautiful woman with dark brown skin, close-cropped hair, and stunning blue eyes. He took Ericha's hand and the two entered the therapist's office. He took in the office, the floor carpeted in a dark green with speckles and browns and other greens, the viny wallpaper on the lower half of the walls, the light blue on the upper half of the walls and ceiling, the brown leather chairs arranged in a conversational grouping with a couple of small side tables, the mahogany desk off to one side, two windows covered in pale green curtains that blocked out distractions while letting in natural light. Behind the desk was a framed diploma declaring Janelle M. Ibori to be a Doctor of Social Work. One of the lights was humming slightly and something on the desk was ticking about three beats per second, setting off a waltz in his mind. Ericha squeezed his hand, drawing his attention away.

"I'm Dr. Janelle Ibori. Good to meet you."

"It's a pleasure," Ericha answered, shaking her hand.

"Yes. Good to meet you," Adam said. Dr. Ibori's handshake was just the right amount of firmness.

She settled into one of the chairs, setting the clipboards full of the forms and questionnaires they'd taken on the table next to her. She gestured to the chairs across from her. "Please, take a seat."

He steadied Ericha as she sat and then took the seat next to her.

"Let me double-check. I've got here that it's 'Rupp' rhymes with 'up' correct?"

"Yes," Adam answered.

Dr. Ibori smiled at them. "I can see you both look a little nervous, so let me assure you I'm not going to be delving deep into your past or asking about your relationships with your mothers today. I just want to get to know you both better, that way I have a clearer idea how we can grow your relationship as a couple."

Adam and Ericha nodded.

"Now, I have read the various surveys you both filled out about stressors in your lives, the health of your marriage, and so on, but these can only get me a general idea because they're pretty impersonal. So, let's start with the last year or so. Give me a broad overview of your lives. Adam, how about you start?"

***
Austin woke up with Tim's body feeling like a fire against him. Tim usually got hot in the middle of the night and would pull away from Austin, sometimes even sleeping on top of the covers to cool down. But this morning, the bass was clinging to him, buried under the covers, and shivering despite the heat coming off his body.

Austin turned and brushed Tim's hair out of his face. "Tim, honey?"

Tim's eyes blinked open and met his, glassy with fever. "Austin?" he croaked, then was seized with a fit of coughing.

Austin pulled his head back, even though Tim was covering the cough with his arm. "How are you feeling, hon?"

"Awful. Cold," Tim whispered, wrapping his arms around Austin weakly.

"Mmhm. You're burning up." Austin fought the urge to pull away from the furnace of his lover's skin. "Sore throat or headache?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Which?"

"Both."

"Anything else?" Austin asked.

"Mmm. My knee and wrist hurt."

Austin sat up in bed and slipped the covers off, Tim letting off a whine of protest and grabbing for them. "Hold on just a second, babe. Which knee?"

"Left."

"I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Cold cold cold cold..." Tim shivered and pulled the blankets back up.