But the Greatest of These is Love

I think I like him

We arrive at Cathy's house without incident. It's a nice house, a tad small maybe, but clean and tidy. Honestly, I'm too tired and tapped out to really care. She could have taken me to a prison and I would have just been happy to have a bed to sleep on. She offers to make me dinner, but I just tell her I'm tired and want to sleep.
So I do.

I dream about him again. This time, I see me sitting next to him, carefully touching his curls with the tips of my fingers. It seems like I sit there for hours, just looking at him, and carefully touching his lips, cheeks, jawline, eyebrows... almost like a lover would.

I wake up feeling strangely happy. I can't figure out why though. Then I remember the dream, and for some reason I blush... maybe I like this kid more than I thought I did.

I sit up, and for the first time in several days, I realize how greasy my hair is, and how overall dirty I feel. I sit up and look around. There's a small bathroom to my left. Might as well clean up.

I feel much better after a hot shower, and I'm fighting back a smile as I slip into my bra and shirt. I finish dressing, and put my hair in a loose ponytail. I realize that its barely 7 am, but I hear noises from downstairs and I figure that Cathy must be up.

"Morning sunshine" She greets me with a grin and tells me to sit down. "I'll have some breakfast ready here in just a minute."

I smile, "Sounds great."

A couple minutes later she puts a heaping plate of eggs and sausage down in front of me, letting me know that there's coffee in the pot, if I want it. I murmur my thanks and dig in. It's amazing what a hot meal can do for you.

"So, when do we go back?"

"Well, my shift starts at 10, so we'll head over at about nine thirty, that sound okay?"

"Yeah! ...can I ask you a question?"

"Of course." She sits down across from me, a serious look coming into her eyes.

"what... what was he like? Before all this..."

"Dylan?"

I nod.

"Well, he was happy. Always seemed to have a smile on his face. Made all the nurses love him, they couldn't help it. He always had a witty joke ready to make you laugh, and if you were having a rough day he was always there to listen. In the quiet moments, you could tell that he wasn't totally impervious to sadness though... even anger sometimes. And then we found out about you."

She pauses here, a grin playing at her lips.

"We could tell he adored you, anyone could. When he sent that first letter he wouldn't let anyone see it, but we were all curious, of course. Eventually we got it out of him that he used to be your neighbor, back when y'all were kids. He had the biggest crush on you, and apparently you're the only girl he's ever felt that way about... it really did seem like he loved you."

She pauses, considering.

"Loves you..." she corrects herself.

I look down at the table, a brilliant blush heating my cheeks.

"Is there any hope that... that he's gonna get better?"

Her face falls, and the sadness in her eyes says more than any words ever could. I nod, and look down at the table. So much for that...

Two chapters in one day, what is this????? Yeah, the last chapter was painfully short, so here's a second one. xxx