Wishing Star

Chapter 24

After two days of being confined to Caelum's bed, Max was starting to go crazy. Both Caelum and Clark had been nothing but helpful, but they treated her like she would break if she made any sudden movement. If she didn't get out of the bed and do something soon, she would lose it.

"Are you sure Sarah's okay with me not coming in?"

It was now Tuesday, and Max had woken up in a panic, remembering that she had forgotten to tell Sarah that she wasn't going to work. She had initially felt grateful to Caelum for taking the initiative and calling Sarah to tell her she was sick, but she felt guilty over lying to her friend. Especially about this, since it affected her too.

Caelum sighed for the fourth time. "Yes. As I said, I told her you had the flu. So she doesn't expect you to come back in the rest of this week."

Silence permeated the air.

"You okay?" Caelum asked cautiously.

She let out the breath she was holding and stared at the muted TV hanging on Caelum's wall. "I guess I didn't get it."

Caelum didn't pretend not to know what she was talking about. He put a hand on her hair and ran his long fingers through the silky curls. "I'm sorry, baby. I know how much that opportunity meant to you."

She grabbed his free hand and threaded their fingers together. "I really thought I was going to get it. I guess it was stupid of me to assume I'd get a position like that fresh out of culinary school."

He put his fingers under her chin and made her look at him. "Hey, it wasn't stupid. You and I both know you're an amazing chef. Hell, I can't imagine going back to what we used to eat before you came into our lives."

She gave him a grateful smile, and his eyes zeroed in on her lips that he started tracing with his thumb. "I don't know what I would have done without you two," she replied.

He pulled her face to his and gave her a light kiss. "You've got it wrong. I have no fucking clue how the hell we've made it our whole lives without you."

A knock on the door caused them to break apart.

"Come in," Caelum called, scooting back until he sat up beside Max.

Clark walked through the door, and his eyes immediately zeroed in on Max, taking her in from head to toe. "You should be sleeping."

She rolled her eyes and eyed the plate of eggs and toast in one hand and the glass of orange juice in the other. "I wish you two would let me get out of bed. I can make us breakfast."

He set the plate on the nightstand and handed her the orange juice with two pain pills. She glanced up at him and frowned. "I don't need these anymore, Clark. I can manage without them."

He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you still in pain?"

She hesitated and glanced at Caelum out of the corner of her eye, but he only smirked at her knowingly.

"Only when I try to sit up," she mumbled.

"Then take the damn pills, Maxine."

He started walking towards the door when she called out to him. "Clark?"

He hesitated with his hand on the knob, glancing over his shoulder.

"Thank you for breakfast."

He grumbled something she couldn't hear, causing Caelum to laugh.

"Since you're going to pass out soon, I'm going to go get some work done on the dining room. We're a little bit behind schedule, so I might be gone most of the day. Just text me if you need anything."