About Time

Chapter Thirty Two - Are You Serious, Gill?

I've been awake for nearly 24 hours. Lord help me.

"Gillian, I'm done playing Trivia Crack with you. You always win."
"That's not true. Emily beat me yesterday."
"I've lost the seven games I've played against you."
"One more time, Cal."
"No."
"Please? I'll kiss you if you win. I promise."
Well, he couldn't very well say no to that, could he?
"Fine. One more. It's my last life anyway for another hour."
They sat there and played while Sophie watched My Little Pony. Cal tried so very hard to win. But he lost. Like he always did against Gillian.
"I'm convinced you cheat, love. That's the only reasonable explanation."
"I don't cheat, I promise."
Gillian leaned over and kissed Cal even though he didn't win.
"You really are bad at this game, you know. I didn't even try and I still won."
"What do you mean you didn't even try?"
"Kissing you gave me no incentive to want to win. So I kissed you anyway."

Gillian was in the kitchen cooking dinner. They were having baked chicken with potatoes and green beans. She was currently cutting the little red potatoes into fourths to put in the pan to bake.
"Ow!"
Cal flew off of the couch and into the kitchen.
"What happened?"
"Nothing, I just cut my finger. It's okay."
"Let me see."
"Cal, I'm fine. It's just a little cut."
"There's a good bit of blood on the counter for it to be just a little cut. Let me see."
Gillian knew it wouldn't do any good to refuse again so she unwrapped the towel from her hand.
Little cut Cal's arse. Her entire finger was red.
"Gill-"
"I know, I know."
He took her hand and turned on the water, running it under the faucet. She winced but it wasn't that bad.
With the blood rinsed off, Cal could see the cut. It was deep and went halfway down her finger.
"I don't even know how you managed to do that, love. Any worse and you'd need stitches."
Cal cleaned the wound with hydrogen peroxide and put a band-aid on it.
"There."
"Thank you, Nurse Lightman."
"My pleasure. Be more careful next time though, would ya?"
"I will certainly try my best."

The next afternoon, Cal happened to be nearby when he heard Gillian scream in her office. He rushed in to find her standing on her desk.
"What's the problem?"
"Li-liz-lizard." She pointed to the little green creature in the corner.
"Are you serious, Gill? It's not going to anything to you." Cal said, going over and picking it up. He opened the window and put it outside.
Cal turned around and offered Gillian a hand.
"Nope, I'm not touching you until you go wash your hands."
"Gill-"
"It's not happening."
"Don't get down by yourself please."
Cal went and washed his hands and found Gillian standing patiently waiting for his return.
"Did you wash them? With soap?"
"Yes, Gill. Now, would you please get down?"
She grabbed Cal's offered hand and let him pick her up from the desk and plant her feet firmly back on the floor.
"Next time, you see a lizard, don't jump on the desk. At least keep it to the chair."
"I make no promises."

Cal woke up that night to Gillian tossing and turning in the other side of the bed. After watching her for a few moments, he realized she was having a nightmare and started to shake her.
Gillian woke up mid-scream and felt strong arms wrap around her. She tried to free herself until she heard Cal.
"Gill, it's okay. It's me. You're okay."
Her breathing slowly returned to normal and she let Cal pull her back down beside him.
"It was just a nightmare. Everything's okay."
"I...I just, I saw somebody take you and Sophie and the baby and Emily and there was someone else holding me back and I couldn't get to any of you and then they found your bodies and-"
"Gill, we're all safe. I promise."
There was a creaking as the bedroom door opened. Cal felt Gillian tense until she realized it was Sophie.
"Mama, can I sweep in here tonight?"
Gillian started to nod her head but realized Sophie couldn't see her.
"Of course. Come here."
Sophie shut the door behind her and crawled into the bed between Gillian and Cal. Gillian, however, was still upset and Cal knew it. He reached over and all three of them snuggled into each other and fell asleep.

I'm sorry this chapter is pretty short and the last too but I'm tired. The next chapter is going to be extra extra long though to make up for them.