Looking After You

(15) Ages: 18 & 15

Ages: 18 & 15

Denise stepped into her home after a nine hour shift at the hotel where she had a job as a maid. She immediately removed her shoes with a sigh of relief and slid them into the corner beneath the coat rack. The smell of chicken and vegetables cooking captured her senses and she rolled her eyes deliberately. “James? Are you home?” She walked into the kitchen where the smell was flowing from and found her son standing over a pot of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup.

“Hey, mom,” he answered absentmindedly before turning the stove to zero.

Denise couldn’t help but chuckle as she crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head in awe. “James, I’m not so sure it’s a good time to be visiting Jenny. She was just released from the hospital yesterday morning.”

“I read that clear broth is the best thing to eat after appendix surgery.” Without acknowledging his mother’s opinion, he continued babbling and racing around the kitchen. “The website said it’s safe food you can sip slowly to help regain you strength without causing nausea.”

Denise smiled and pulled softly on his arm, taking him away from the lot of Tupperware he was sifting through. “James, I know you’re concerned about her but maybe you should just give her some time to rest.”

He lowered his head in utter defeat, feeling as if everything he had been doing lately was wrong. Slowly, he began to nod in agreement but also attempted to clarify his intentions, “I picked up her work for the last two days of school. I’m just going to give her the soup and homework, and then I’ll come home.”

Denise nodded, finding she was helpless to argue with this saddened side of her son. “Tell the Loren’s I’m still praying, okay?” One small smile made a brief appearance on James’ face and he placed a small peck on his mother’s cheek before grabbing the bowl of soup off the counter.

~

James began walking next door and smiled slightly when he saw a light glowing from the second story window. He rang the doorbell of the Loren house and waited patiently for Keith to open the door. “Hi, James.” Jenny’s father greeted him with an expression that couldn’t be defined as welcoming but also wasn’t exactly irritated either.

He lifted up the bowl of soup in his hands, along with the stack of homework. “I brought supplies.” He smiled halfheartedly.

“I can give those to Jenny if that’s alright. I don’t think now is a good time for visitors.”

James’ expression immediately wilted in disappointment and he opened his mouth to object but before a sound could be made, Alison stepped into the doorway. “Jenny would love to see you, James. Why don’t you go on up?”

Mr. Loren turned to his wife with negativity deep in his eyes, but James continued towards Jenny’s room without giving it much attention.

Once James disappeared up the stairs, he shook his head in irritation. “She just got out of surgery, Alison. She needs to be focused on getting well, not boys.”

“Well, then maybe you should be the one to leave.” Alison shot back before giving him a quick glare. "Or start acting like a man instead of a petulant child." She disappeared into the kitchen shortly after, leaving Keith standing in the doorway.

~

“Knock, knock,” James tapped softly on the already open bedroom door.

Jenny smiled brightly and immediately motioned him into the room. “I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to come see me.”

“Well, I must admit, I came for purely selfish reasons.” He walked over to her bed and set down the stack of papers beside her with a slight smirk. “I just wanted to see your expression when you saw the stack of homework.”