The Bucket List

i didn't ask for your help

I get a text from Julian.

Kevin and I are leaving, he asked me to drop him off at your house, okay?

Sure, no problem.

Within minutes Julian and Kevin pull up in my driveway. I take a deep breath.

Why am I getting so nervous?

The night after I visited him, I went home and laid in bed, hoping that he would come back.

Even though it was only a day and a half, I missed the pranks and the teasing.

He walks inside and looks at me for a moment, who's getting out of my seat in the kitchen. He shakes his head a little and walks over to me, not saying anything.

"He's on pain relievers." Julian tells me, "sorry, I forgot to mention that."

"How come he was fine earlier?"

"The nurse didn't know that he was awake."

"Oh, okay, well, um, thanks. See you later." Julian leaves and Kevin sits down down at the kitchen table.

"How are you?" I ask him, and he just looks at me. He pauses for a moment.

"I'm fine, Morgan. How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"No problem." He replies, and stands up. I stand up too, to assure him that he should sit back down.

"What do you need, Kevin? You should stay sitting down." He doesn't say anything, just wraps me up in a hug, catching me completely off guard.

Never have I once been hugged by Kevin.

I hardly ever been touched by Kevin.

I slowly hug him back, slightly award because I'm only about 5'8" and he's about 6'3", but after a few seconds it starts to feel more comfortable and natural. I pull away from him and it takes him a minute to process that I'm letting go.

"I'm tired." He says quietly.

"Do you want to nap on the couch?"

"Yeah." I grab a blanket and a pillow for him and put it on the couch, he slowly lays down and before I can say anything, he's out cold.

•••

"Morgan?"

"Yeah?" I say, scrolling through instagram on the chair beside him.

"Oh, I didn't know where you were."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You were pretty loopy earlier."

"Was I?"

"Yeah. Were you in pain when we were talking at the hospital?"

"I was dying."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to freak you out."

"Oh..." There's a long pause.

"So are you ready to go?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We have to do something today."

"No we don't. You're hurt."

"I'll take an Advil. Come on."

"No."

"It's fine. We'll do an easy one."

"Are you sure?" I said, and he pulls out the paper.