The Golden Boys

Chapter 4

The door swung open and Jeff stood there, looking slightly confused. "Long time no see..." he said slowly.

"Jeff, I feel really really dumb, but I sort of just remembered I don't have a bed yet. Or a couch. Or even a pillow. Do you have any extra blankets I could borrow to make a pallet? I'd bring them back first thing in the-" Jeff cut me off.

"You're not sleeping on the floor. You can sleep over here tonight, come inside." He stepped back and gestured with his hand for me to come in. I guiltily stepped inside.

"I don't want to intrude on you." He closed the door and shook his head. "You're not, Heather. When I first moved here, I didn't have a bed either, for the first week. I've slept on this floor a time or two, trust me, it will mess up your back for weeks!" he said with a knowing laugh.

It was then that I noticed Jeff wasn't wearing a shirt. White basketball shorts and socks was it- I grinned when he turned the other way.

"Well thank you for letting me stay over," I said sincerely. Truly thankful I wouldn't have to sleep on this old, rough hardwood.
"Of course," he said. "Now, you can take my bed, or the couch here. It's up to you, I've also slept on this couch quite a few times and that thing is for sure comfortable. So I don't mind taking that if you prefer a bed."

"This couch is perfect," I told him with a nod. "Okay," he said.  "Be right back." I walked over and plopped on the couch. It really was super soft and cozy.

"Here you go," Jeff said, walking back in the living room with a pillow and a well worn quilt. I took them from him. "Thank you so much, Jeff." He smiled in response.

"No problem. If you need anything, um kitchens over there, bathroom down the hall to your right, and then my room, of course, at the end of the hall." For some silly reason, my cheeks warmed at the last part of his sentence. I nodded quickly.

"Okay, again, thank you!"

"You're welcome, goodnight!" He walked in the kitchen and got himself a glass of water.

"You need a drink, too?" He called out to me. I just laid down and pulled the blanket up to my chin.
  "No thanks I'm good!"
He nodded and headed for his room.

"Oh Jeff?" I said, loud enough for him to hear me across the living room. "

"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes finding mine. "It was nice to meet you," I said with a big smile. At that he laughed. "It was nice to meet you too, Heather. Now get some sleep!" He instructed in a voice that was too sweet to be stern. I turned over on the couch, closed my eyes, and out I went.

I woke up to an awful churning feeling in my stomach. When I opened my eyes, it was still dark and quiet in Jeff's living room. I laid there for a minute, hoping the feeling would pass, but it did not. I refused to get sick in his apartment- maybe I could run back over to my place. I sat up on the couch and pushed away the quilt.

Oh crap.

Nope, not gonna make it that far. I ran on tip toes to the bathroom, closed the door behind me and then puked my guts out in the toilet for the next ten minutes. Oh the awful taste. The burning.

Why did you drink like that?! The voice in my head said, she was the same one who told me I should've just gone home hours earlier. I agreed with her now.

I stayed in there for a few more minutes till the feeling completely passed, or at least enough till I trusted myself to leave the bathroom. Thank goodness Jeff hadn't woken up... that wasn't something I wanted him to see.

I peeked out the window and could now see the faint light of sun rise. Walking into the kitchen, still ever so quietly, I found a note pad and pen. I decided to leave Jeff a note. After writing it out in the minimal lighting, I went in the living room and folded up my borrowed quilt and set it neatly on the coffee table along with the pillow. There I left the note that read: