'Tis confusion!

stay with me

It was daylight when I awoke. I looked sleepily over at the clock on the bedside table. The neon numbers flashed at me. eleven twenty-seven. I shot upright. "Shit! I was supposed to be at work at nine." I flung the covers off my body and got out of bed, but the second I did that, I could feel a wave of unexpected fatigue crash over me, and I tumbled to the floor, hitting it with a loud thud. 

Q came running in from the other room. "Mara? What happened? Are you alright?" He grabbed my arm and carefully pulled me to my feet. 

"I'm late. Like, really, really late. Oh my god. Why didn't you wake me? Where's my phone? Whe-" Q cut me off.

"Let me stop you for one second. First, I'm going to insist you sit down." He led me back to his bed. "Second, I have your phone. I called your boss at eight-thirty this morning when it was apparent you would be in no condition to work today."

"How do you know I'm in no condition to work?"

"You mean, before that spectacular noise I heard moments ago that I correctly guessed was you slumping to the floor? I heard you all night, coughing and moaning. And I'm pretty sure you left the bed at least once. to do what, I'm not sure, buy you sounded awful. And I'm saying that with as much care and sympathy as I can muster."

I sat back quietly. "Oh. God, I don't remember any of that. I must have really been out of it. I'm sorry for getting mad at you. I just...I don't know what I'd do without that job." I coughed a couple times. "Sorry about that, too. I'm gonna feel like the shittiest person in the world if I get you sick."

Q smiled. "Don't worry. I promise I won't like you any less. Although, you may like me less- I tend to be a huge baby when I get sick." I smiled and stretched out on the bed. He stood up. "I'll be right back." He left the room, only to return moments later with a steaming mug. "I made you some tea with honey. Drink it." I smiled. "So sweet, yet so demanding, all at once." He grinned. "Look, no girl of mine should feel less than a hundred percent at any given time." I took a sip of tea. "Thanks." He nodded. "If you want to try and go back to sleep, by all means, do so. Sal is coming over later for a podcast discussion." 

"Oh, cool, are you guys recording one here today?"

He shook his head. "Nah, we've got some ideas we wanted to bounce off one another. He mentioned maybe bringing Barbara by again as well, but if you're not well-"

"Q, no. Don't let me get in the way of anything. I'll take your advice right now and go back to sleep, but I have to insist you let your plans go off without a hitch."  I fluffed up a pillow and stuck it under my head. "Really, I insist it."

He laughed. "And you said I'm the demanding one? You got a deal. Now go to sleep."

"Yes, sir. " I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and smiled at me. "I'll poke my head in in a bit to make sure you haven't escaped?"

"Go for it." I grinned and covered myself back up with the blanket. Q turned and left the room, and I fell back asleep.

I woke up again a few hours later, feeling better than I had, but still not one hundred percent. Q's clock now read three-thirty, and I could hear voices coming from down the hall.

"Another cat, Q? Really? Isn't a beautiful woman in your life enough to combat this cat issue?"

"Shut it Sal. I'm not keeping this one. Mara and I were on a picnic last night, and we found him in the bushes. I've actually been online most of this morning, scouting the area, seeing if anyone's lost a cat in this neighborhood recently. With any luck, it'll be reunited with its' owner soon."

I heard Sal sigh deeply. "Sure thing, buddy, whatever you say."

I got out of bed and walked down the hall to the living room. Q and Sal were on the couch, and the kitten was curled up in Q's lap. They both turned as they saw me walk towards them.