Chapter 3: A Muffin For My Love

I hadn't been asleep for very long. It seemed like I had just closed my eyes and drifted when I felt a nudging on my arm and someone whispering in my ear.

CABOOSE: ava, ava, please wake up! I had a bad dream! I'm scared!.....and my sheets are wet. There was sort of an accident.

ME: okay caboose (yawns) I'm up, I'm up. Caboose you go in the bathroom and clean yourself up and I'll take care of your sheets okay?

CABOOSE: yes ava

He walked away looking somewhat ashamed and embarrassed.

I climbed down off my bunk and turned on the lamp on the night stand. I stripped the sheets off of Caboose's bed. He wasn't joking when he said there was an accident. It was a big accident. I walked the soiled sheets to the laundry room and stuffed them in the washing machine. I looked around and found Caboose some fresh sheets and took them back to our room. Caboose was sitting cross legged on the floor with his head in his hands.

ME: are you okay caboose?

I began to make his bed.

CABOOSE: I don't know Ava.

ME: okay….well is there anything I can do for you?

CABOOSE: Can I sleep with you tonight, Ava?

ME: sure caboose, if it makes you feel better.

CABOOSE: thanks, Ava.

Since there was no way were both going to sleep on a single bunk, I pulled all of our sheets and blankets onto the floor and made a makeshift bed on the floor. I crawled under the blankets and made room for Caboose to snuggle in beside me. I put an arm around him and he snuggled into my chest, arm around my waist tightly. I ran my fingers lightly through his disheveled hair.

ME: it'll be okay caboose. Everything's alright.

CABOOSE: It doesn't feel like everything's alright.

ME: Trust me caboose

CABOOSE: ok ava I trust you

He squeezed me gently and my stomach went crazy. His touch stirred butterflies in my stomach. We said our goodnights and I waited for him to go to sleep. I watched every breath go in and out of his body. He was so perfect; so innocent. He still didn't seem calm yet so I wrapped my other arm around him and pulled him closer. This seemed to put him at ease and shortly after, his breathing slowed and I knew he had finally nodded off. Whatever he dreamed about really left him unsettled. I watched him sleep a while longer and then I nodded off as well.

I woke up the next morning and once again, caboose was already gone. How in the world does he get up so early? And how could I not notice him getting up? Oh well time to get up.

I took my morning shower and slipped into the kitchen in a cami and pajama shorts.

CABOOSE P.O.V

I had the worst dream ever last night! Normally I don't dream. I try not to think about things when I sleep. It started off so good too! We were all alone and kissing and touching and hugging and it was so perfect! I have never felt this way about someone before. I wish I could tell her how I felt but I'm afraid that she won't like me. Girls don't like me very well. Anyhoo, everything was great and then Tex came and shot her! And she laughed and I cried and it was so sad and scary! I hope that Tex really doesn't kill her….

I woke up this morning in Ava's arms. She looked so pretty. Nervously, I brought my shaking hand to her face to remove a lock of hair that had settled there. She made me nervous. Even if sometimes it didn't show that much she did. I have never been close to a girl like I have her before. I like her so much! She was still asleep. I really need to make last night up to her. I want to surprise her with something. I was so embarrassed when she had to clean up my "accident". I couldn't even look at her. I slowly worked my way out of Ava's arms and into the shower. If I wanted to do something to surprise her, I was going to have to work quickly and quietly. I finished my shower and crept out of our room. By the sounds I heard coming down the hallway, I was the first one up this morning. I'm always the first one up. I made my way into the kitchen. My mom always said the best way to a woman's heart was her stomach. I'll make her muffins! I hope she likes muffins! And Church said to get her flowers. I have never seen any flowers in blood gulch. Maybe I could draw her a picture of flowers! Yeah! All kinds of pretty colorful flowers! At least a picture wouldn't die after a few days! Today's gonna be the best day ever!

NORMAL P.O.V

I was met in the kitchen by the view of Caboose hunched over in front of the oven with a pair of oven mitts on.

ME: caboose, what are you doing?

CABOOSE: oh! Hey uh-Ava! I was just-uh making…things!

ME: smells like muffins.

CABOOSE: yeah ummm SURPRISE! I made you muffins!

ME: awww caboose! Why did you make me muffins?

CABOOSE: because I wanted to make last night up to you. And look! I drew you a picture too! They're flowers! I thought it would be better to draw you a picture of flowers rather than real flowers cuz real flowers die! Do you like it?!

I examined the picture he gave me. It looked as if a 3 year old had colored it but I didn't want to upset him. He did a lot of work to surprise me and anyways I thought it was a sweet gesture.

ME: I love it caboose! Thanks! I'm going to hang this up in our room so I can look at it everyday!

CABOOSE: ok but it can wait! The muffins are done!

ME: do you need any help?

CABOOSE: NOOOO! It would defeat the purpose if you helped with the muffins!
ME: okay okay! I'll just sit down then.

CABOOSE: okay! I'll get the muffins!

I watched as caboose adjusted his oven mitts and grabbed the muffins out of the oven. They smelled so good!

CABOOSE: unless you wanna share with the others you had better eat fast!

Caboose sat back and watched as I gobbled down muffins. They tasted AMAZING. Caboose may not be good at much but he is a kick ass cook.

ME: caboose these are soooo good! Aren't you going to have some?

CABOOSE: but I made them for you, not me.

ME: well I know how to share so take some.

Caboose and I stuffed our faces with muffins before the others woke up. We washed the dishes which led to an all out soap sud war. The entire kitchen was covered soap and the floor was soaking wet. I ran across the kitchen to attack Caboose with the enormous soap sud ball in my hand when I hit a patch of water and went sliding toward him. Right before I hit the ground, I felt Caboose's strong arms around me holding me just above the floor. He helped me back up to my feet, but his arms were still around me. I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes that were fixed on me.

CABOOSE: are you okay, ava?

ME: I'm fine caboose. Thanks for catching me. You're my hero!

He didn't say anything. He just kept his eyes fixed on mine. He looked me over as if looking for any scratches or bruises. His arms wrapped closer around me and it gave me chills. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a small peck on the lips. His arms fell limp off of my waist and it was then that I realized what I had done.