Tricks of Fate

Chapter 13

[Barry]

As I watched her leave I felt a growing sense of loss in my chest. Then my gaze ventured south for a second...just a second, but the sight of those skinny jeans perfectly framing her masterpiece of a behind was enough to bring back memories of the dream I just had. I felt my body heating up as I thought about the millions of ways in which that dream could have played out.
"Barry are you alright?" Dr. Snow asked, placing her hand on my forehead to check my temperature.
"I'm fine," I said, shaking my head and trying to play it cool.
"You are a little hotter than normal," she observed then left the room, promising to be right back.
"So...Barr huh?" my mom said laughing and the blush made my temperature rise a little more.
"Mom...please." I pleaded
"Alright, alright, I won't tease. I actually like this one," she answered and gave me a quick wink.
With that, Dr. Snow came back into the room carrying a tray of medication and a plastic cup with water.
"Barry these are just some fever meds to see if we can get your temperature down. Unfortunately whatever you have is yet to be identified so we'll have to keep you in for further observation. For now, I suggest you get some sleep."
She explained before turning to my parents and saying,
"Mr. and Mrs. Allen could I have a word please?" she looked worried.

My mother rubbed my leg reassuringly and mouthed "We'll be right back." They left and I took the pills, hoping to be home soon. I waited for my parents to come back but started nodding off before they did. Eventually sleep won and I dove into a deep, dreamless slumber. Waking up was painful, my stomach hurt from hunger and my eyes were way too heavy to open. I groaned as a headache started to develop in my temples and moved towards the front of my head.
"This is worse than a hangover." I croaked, my throat completely dry.
"Want a hangover cure?" I heard a much too familiar voice ask. Making an effort, I opened my eyes and saw Patti standing at the foot of the bed. She's one of my greatest friends. We met during our first day in grade school and have been friends ever since. Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know me.
"Patti, hey, how did you..."
"Know you were here? I called yesterday, needed some clarification on a concept we went through yesterday. Your mom answered and told me you were hospitalized so I thought I'd check up on you, see how you're doing." she smiled.
"You didn't have to do that," I told her.
"Clearly I did, you look like trash Allen." she laughed
"I feel like it too." I chuckled back.
"Well I might know how to fix that." came Iris's voice from the entrance. She was standing in the doorway holding one of those cloth carrier bags in one hand with her backpack slung over the opposite shoulder.
"And you are?" Patti asked, crossing her arms. Here we go, the overprotective little sister act.
"Iris," I said, suddenly very self-conscious about my appearance.
"This is my friend Patti. Patti this is Iris."
Iris came further into the room and offered Patti her free hand.
"Nice to meet you, Patti," she said
"Wish I could say the same." Patti smiled, unmoving and unimpressed.
"Okay then," Iris said retracting her unshaken hand.
"Forgive my friend she left her manners at home. What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to undo the awkwardness Patti was creating.
"Yes *Iris*, what are you doing here?" Patti spat out sarcastically.
"Well... I know how horrible hospital food can be so I thought I'd bring you some... breakfast," she explained, holding up the pink carrier bag.
"I hope you like French toast," she added.
"Are you kidding me? I love French toast." I said, genuinely touched by her thoughtfulness.

She beamed at me, clearly happy that her choice in breakfast dishes was accurate. I smiled back, contaminated by her radiance and suddenly feeling much better. I noticed lately that she had that effect on me, just being around her brought me so much joy, which was crazy cause we'd just met.
"Well I'm clearly interrupting something so I'm gonna leave, I'll talk to you later Allen," Patti said and I could tell from the annoyed expression on her face that our conversation was far from over.
"Oh no it's alright, I'm the one who interrupted your conversation, I really just came to drop these off and..." Iris tried.
"Please stay." I cut her off because for some inexplicable reason I missed her and I wanted her to stay even if it were just for five minutes. I begged her with my eyes and stretched out my hand towards her. To my relief she took it and I watched as her eyes softened.
"Alright," she said.
"Unbelievable," Patti mumbled as she left the room, not hiding her dissatisfaction.
"I think I upset her," Iris remarked.
"It's alright, I'll make it up to her..." I said, "now where did you get French toast?" I asked, changing the subject.
"As a matter of fact, I made them," she said emptying the bag and placing the, still hot, containers on the table next to me.
Two containers of French toast and a warm glass of milk later and I was ready to propose to her.
"That was...amazing. You have got to give me that recipe." I said.
"I can't, it's a family secret," she said, a teasing look on her face.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to keep you around forever then cause that is, hands down, one of my favorite breakfasts of all time now," I confessed.
"Maybe that was my plan all along," she said, her voice taking on a different tone. I looked at her, seated on the edge of the bed across from me. Her eyes had a different look in them. They looked sultry, inviting. Almost like she was...flirting?

I shook the thought away, she couldn't be. Could she? Almost like she sensed my hesitation she reached for my hand and covered it with her own. Our eyes connected and in hers, I saw the world. My world. The only world that would ever matter to me was in her eyes. At that moment, I felt complete. Like I'd been waiting for her all my life. I held her hand and brought it to my lips, planting a soft kiss on her knuckles. She smiled, a different smile, calmer but still more beautiful than all the cover girl smiles I'd ever seen. Dr. Snow walked in, interrupting our moment but Iris didn't let go of my hand. I took that as a sign. A sign that she felt as connected and drawn to me as I did her.
"Oh, I had no idea you had a guest." the doctor said surprised.
"I just came to check up on him," Iris said looking back at me.
"And feed me," I added.
"Well, I'm glad she did. Between the three of us, the food here ain't that great." Dr. Snow confided, hiding her mouth with the back of her hand as if she were telling us a secret.
We laughed and to my disappointment, Iris got up.
"Well, I have classes to get to so I will leave you in the doctors more than capable hands." she walked towards me then bent down and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"See you later?" she asked.
"I'm not going anywhere." I beamed.
"Good," she said short and sweetly, before saying goodbye to the doctor and going on her merry way. Believe me when I tell you I counted the hours till that evening came.