It Smells Like Rain

Chapter Four: In Sickness & In Health

"It Smells Like Rain"

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Chapter Four: In Sickness & In Health

"Splash red-

A rush of autumn leaves that

Bled away their beauty as they

Died upon the breeze."

~Mark R. Slaughter

Winter came. And seemed to stay for much too long. 

Jesse contracted pneumonia. This winter was the coldest Arizona had had for a long time. It actually snowed. If that wasn't rare, I wasn't sure what was. Jesse was sick for weeks on end. For the whole Christmas vacation, and about a week after that too. I stayed with him the whole time. I didn't even want to go home for Christmas that year, and I didn't want to leave Jesse there sick either, but he had family, and I did too. I was forced to come home that whole day, and I didn't sleep at all that night. I didn't even care about the gifts I received or the food I could've eaten, but didn't because Jesse was on my mind. I was up at five in the morning, packing clothes and all the necessities before leaving and going over to Jesse's. Arden, my boyfriend of three months now, visited me on Christmas, but I couldn't say what we talked about. All of my attention was focused solely on Jesse. 

I sat at his bedside, a hot wash cloth in one hand. I set it down when Mrs. Caulifield came into the room with a bowl of soup. I took it from her, and she squeezed Jesse's arm reassuringly before leaving, closing the door quietly. I set the bowl on the night stand and leaned over to help Jesse sit up. I plumped his pillows and propped him up, neither of us saying a word as I covered him with the blankets and brought the spoon up to his lips. He sucked the whole bowl down greedily, and patted his stomach with a weak hand afterwards. And the he smiled.

"Even though I'm sick...it's worth it...to have someone as good as you taking care of me." He opened his eyes, and he gave me that wide-eyed look he had whenever he had a new idea. "You should look into being a nurse! Or a doctor, for that matter." 

I picked up the cloth and pressed it against his head. He grabbed my wrist, but his fingers hardly formed a good grip. 

"Come lay with me," he mumbled. His eyes shut again, and I sighed. I did as he asked; how could I ever refuse him? I sat on the bed beside him, and helped him lay back down. I propped myself up on one elbow and pressed the cloth against his head again. He was so sick. Vulnerable. 

"It's not worth it, being sick, you know. Not for me...not for anyone. I hate seeing you like that." I murmured, leaving the cloth on his head and gently tracing my fingers across the outline of his face. I let my fingers travel down to his hand, and picked it up, lacing our fingers together.

"Cass..." He whispered. "I love you. You know that, don't you?"

I smiled a little. "Of course I know that. I love you too, Jess." 

He grinned, and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying. 

There was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Caulifield popped her head in. "Cassidy, someone's here to see you. I think his name is...Arden?" She sounded unsure of herself when she spoke his name, like it was a disease. I nodded, and let go of Jesse's hand. 

"You'll be okay until I get back?" I asked him. He waved his hand dismissively. 

"Just go."

"Okay...don't die on me, Jess," I joked. His mother seemed to pale when I said this, but I ignored it and walked down their steps; Iput on my red pea coat and boots before stepping out onto their porch. Sure enough, Arden stood with his back to the door, rubbing his hands for warmth with his arms huddled close to him.