Just What I Needed

July 5 (Morning)

The morning sunlight shone harshly into my window. I was so tired after I entered my bedroom last night that I forgot to shut the blinds.

Just as well. As much as I wanted to stay in bad all day, if Nate's aunt and uncle were coming to visit and potentially taking him home, I was going to make sure I used the next few hours to make sure Nate remembered me as happy Jordy instead of angry emo-Jordy.

I swung my legs out of bed and showered right away. After the shower, I blow dried my hair the way I used to do, the first time since the accident. Nicholas and I used to fight over bathroom time almost every morning because I needed the mirror to do my hair and makeup and he needed to shower.

No one was up yet in the house, so I went and checked the fridge for ingredients. We didn't have enough eggs for everyone but we did have enough flour to make waffles.

I tried to move around the kitchen as quietly as possible. I wanted it to be a surprise but I also wanted to ensure Nate got as much rest as he needed.

For once, the tables had turned. While Nate was normally up and at it early, showered and looking fresh, today it was me. Nate came into the kitchen looking partly stoned and unrested, likely the result of the medications they had him on at the hospital - I knew the feeling all too well. The bruise under his eye had gotten darker but the swelling had gone down. He was shirtless and standing in the entranceway wearing only his shorts and his hand wrapped. His hair was messy and looked like it needed a good brushing.

"Good morning," I said. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a bit of a headache," he shrugged. "The doctors said I might have mild whiplash. But I'm standing here, looking at you making breakfast, so I'm good."

"It'll be another few minutes before the waffles are ready. Do you want to take a shower first?"

"With you?"

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks.

"Oh," he chuckled. "Just me. I think I have a medication hangover. That was inappropriate."

He turned on his heel and shuffled back down the hall to the bathroom to shower.

I fanned myself with a nearby magazine, trying to process what Nate had just said to me.

"This smells fantastic," my dad entered the kitchen a minute later, startling me.

"Thank you," I gathered myself and put the syrup on the table. As I turned to go to the cupboard to get the plates, my dad stopped me to give me a big dad hug again. I think it might have been more for his benefit than mine at this point but it was nice to feel like I was starting to have my dad back, even if I wasn't sure how long this was going to last.

"I'm sorry," he was crying. "I'm so sorry. I haven't been here for you this summer. And I'm sorry it took an outsider to make me see what a coward I had been behaving like. You needed a dad and I was hiding."

I nodded and held him tight. Part of me wanted to console him and tell him it was ok, but it wasn't ok. We would have some things to talk through and work through, but... it was going to be ok. This was the first step in the right direction.

"Ok, stop hugging me before the waffles burn!" I pushed him away light-heartedly and returned to tending my breakfast-making duties.

Nate returned to the kitchen to find us finishing the breakfast set up. My dad had rinsed some berries and set the table with place settings. I was just placing butter into the middle of the table as he approached. This is the way it should have been since the first day Nate had come to visit, but better late than never I suppose.

"This smells delicious," Nate sat down at the table across from me.

"Have you spoken with your aunt or uncle since last night?" my dad asked Nate, as he poured syrup over his waffle.

"I haven't spoken with them, but I did text them this morning. My aunt needed additional reassurance that I was still alive this morning. She wanted to make sure no spinal stiffness had set in overnight. They said they were going to arrive around 3 pm today, if that's alright."

"Yes, quite alright," my dad replied. "I'd like to make them dinner, if they are open to staying for supper."

"I'm sure they would like that, sir."

There was still some awkwardness in the exchange but at least we were all trying to pretend to be civil.

For most of breakfast, we sat in silence, eating away.

"These waffles are fantastic," I piped up when they had each had two without a comment.

"My compliments to the chef," Nate looked at me with his crooked smirk, getting the hint.

I tried to keep a straight face but the sideways look that my dad gave me made me burst into a fit of laughter. It might've been because I was over-tired or I just hadn't been in this good of a mood in a long time, but I couldn't get myself to stop giggling.

It was contagious. Nate and my dad were laughing at me and I was laughing at them, laughing at me. Tears rolled down my face and my stomach muscles began to feel tired. I felt a release, much like my explosions of anger, but way more pleasant. And no side effects of sadness or guilt.

I gathered up the plates in an effort to control myself but doubled-over at the sink again in a fit of giggles.

"She used to do this all the time," my dad wiped tears from his eyes with his napkin. "That's the real Jordy. That's my girl."

Nate picked up the remainder of the dishes from the table and met me at the sink. He pushed me away, "I'll take care of clean up."

"No, you have a bandaged hand!"

"No, I will take care of clean up," my dad stood from the table, still wiping at his eyes. "You two go get lost somewhere for the morning. Enjoy the sunshine or something."

"Do you want to come with me to the ballfield?" Nate asked me. "I need to go talk to coach about whether they'll let me play the rest of the season. I could use the company. We can walk."

After we had got home last night, I had laid awake wondering what would happen if they told him he couldn't play for the rest of the season because he had multiple injuries to heal from. Would he be going home with his aunt and uncle today or would they let him stay?

I nodded.

A walk sounded good.

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Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to vote, comment and add the story to your library!

It only took 18 parts to get out of emo-Jordy territory... do you think she can stay positive?

I'm excited to connect with you and hear your thoughts and commentary as you read through.