Where Nothing is Clear 7/?
By Ginny
While Jed turned the taps on to fill the tub Abbey went into the kitchen to put some water on so she could have tea. She took out a bottle of Gatorade for Jed and pulled a mug out of the cabinet. When the kettle whistled she poured herself some tea, grabbed the can of ginger ale and headed up the stairs. She found Jed in the bathroom rooting through her bag of toiletries. "Looking for something sweetie?" she asked from the doorway.
"Found it," he muttered as he pulled a bottle of bubble bath out of the bag. He squeezed a generous amount into the stream of running water as Abbey put the drinks down on the counter.
"Cranky baby bubbles?" teased Abbey.
"They were the only ones you brought," he pointed out as he picked up the can of ginger ale. He opened it and took a sip as he toed off his shoes. Abbey reached to undo his belt as he pull off his shirt. "You know Abigail, I'm not exactly ready for any recreational activities," he said with a sigh.
"Yes, Jed. I am well aware of that. But I was thinking of joining you anyway," she said as she freed his belt with a swift tug.
"I can live with that," Jed said as he leaned over to give Abbey a quick kiss. He took off his jeans, kicking them out of the way while he held onto Abbey's arm so he wouldn't fall over. Abbey quickly shed her clothes and reached over to feel the water. It was warm enough so they wouldn't be cold but not hot enough to cause Jed any additional problems. She slipped into the water as Jed grabbed the can of soda and the tea. She slid forward to let Jed in behind her. He sank into the bubbles with a weary yet satisfied sigh.
They soaked in silence, neither of them having the energy to get their jumbled thoughts together to speak. When the water grew cooler and the bubbles disappeared Abbey stood up to get out, realizing with a smile that Jed was all but asleep. "Honey," she said as she patted his shoulder. He startled awake, splashing water out of the tub. Abbey just chuckled at him as she helped him to his feet. She got him a towel and helped him into his pajamas. Jed brushed his teeth while Abbey put on her own pajamas.
With minimal amount of fussing Jed let Abbey give him a quick once over. His temp was hovering just over 100 so she got him some Advil, handed him a Bactrim tablet and a glass of water. "Still stuffy?" she asked as she watched him swallow the pills.
"Yeah," he admitted as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He started to pace around the room as Abbey rooted in her bag again. She handed him another pill and watched for a minute as he aimlessly walked around the room. He eventually stopped by the window with a weary sigh.
"You ready to sleep?" Abbey asked.
"I don't know," Jed muttered as he stared out the window. Abbey moved to stand behind him, smoothing down his hair before wrapping her arms around his waist.
"How about movie?" Abbey asked.
"Nah, too much trouble to focus," Jed muttered as he rubbed at his eye.
"You didn't get a chance to read the newspaper. Would you like me to read some to you?" Abbey offered hoping to get him away from the pity party he seemed to be heading towards.
"No thanks," muttered Jed as he escaped her embrace and sat down in the chair by the window. He slumped down, stretching his legs out in front of him, closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. With a familiar feeling of frustration Abbey knelt next to the chair and put her hand on Jed's knee. When she didn't get any kind of response she got up and walked across the room to grab a book out of her tote bag.
"Do you want this?" Abbey asked as she held up his CD Walkman.
"Sure," said answered with barely a hint of interest. He held his hand out to take it from her, dropping it in his lap.
"What's wrong?" she asked as she moved to sit on the arm of his chair.
"I don't know."
"What to talk?" she asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Not really," he sighed wearily.
"Want to be left alone for a while?" Jed just nodded. Abbey ran her fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head. "I'm going to go downstairs and read for a while. Call me if you need anything," she said softly as she patted his shoulder. Jed just nodded without saying anything.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as Abbey reached the doorway.
"For what sweetie? You have nothing to be sorry about," Abbey said as she knelt back down by his feet. "Jed, look at me, sorry about what?"
"I don't know. For being a grouch, for ruining our weekend, for..."
"Jed," Abbey said, cutting him off," You have nothing to be sorry for," she repeated. "Our weekend is not ruined. Nor is it over. We have all day tomorrow and half of Monday."
Jed didn't respond; he was already putting the headphones on.
Jed paced around the room for a little while listening to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #5. He normally found it relaxing but for some reason it just wasn't working that night. He flipped through the rest of the CDs he'd brought with him but nothing grabbed his attention. Out of habit he picked up a book and started to flip through it. But after about 10 seconds it was clear that reading was out of the question, his vision was just too blurry. He tossed the CD player on the dresser and climbed into bed, unable to think of anything else he could do or wanted to do at the moment.
Downstairs Abbey was pacing around trying to relax. She wasn't having much luck finding anything to hold her attention either. She heard Jed pace around for a little while, sure he was having trouble settling down also. But she stayed downstairs to give him the space he clearly needed. Deciding a cup of tea might help her relax she headed for the kitchen.
When Abbey went upstairs a little after 11 she found Jed sound asleep. He was curled up on his side, one arm hanging over the edge of the bed. She gently lifted his arm up and placed it on the pillow. A quick kiss to his forehead told her his fever was down. When she curled up next to him he rolled over, ending up with his head on her shoulder.
TBC
By Ginny
While Jed turned the taps on to fill the tub Abbey went into the kitchen to put some water on so she could have tea. She took out a bottle of Gatorade for Jed and pulled a mug out of the cabinet. When the kettle whistled she poured herself some tea, grabbed the can of ginger ale and headed up the stairs. She found Jed in the bathroom rooting through her bag of toiletries. "Looking for something sweetie?" she asked from the doorway.
"Found it," he muttered as he pulled a bottle of bubble bath out of the bag. He squeezed a generous amount into the stream of running water as Abbey put the drinks down on the counter.
"Cranky baby bubbles?" teased Abbey.
"They were the only ones you brought," he pointed out as he picked up the can of ginger ale. He opened it and took a sip as he toed off his shoes. Abbey reached to undo his belt as he pull off his shirt. "You know Abigail, I'm not exactly ready for any recreational activities," he said with a sigh.
"Yes, Jed. I am well aware of that. But I was thinking of joining you anyway," she said as she freed his belt with a swift tug.
"I can live with that," Jed said as he leaned over to give Abbey a quick kiss. He took off his jeans, kicking them out of the way while he held onto Abbey's arm so he wouldn't fall over. Abbey quickly shed her clothes and reached over to feel the water. It was warm enough so they wouldn't be cold but not hot enough to cause Jed any additional problems. She slipped into the water as Jed grabbed the can of soda and the tea. She slid forward to let Jed in behind her. He sank into the bubbles with a weary yet satisfied sigh.
They soaked in silence, neither of them having the energy to get their jumbled thoughts together to speak. When the water grew cooler and the bubbles disappeared Abbey stood up to get out, realizing with a smile that Jed was all but asleep. "Honey," she said as she patted his shoulder. He startled awake, splashing water out of the tub. Abbey just chuckled at him as she helped him to his feet. She got him a towel and helped him into his pajamas. Jed brushed his teeth while Abbey put on her own pajamas.
With minimal amount of fussing Jed let Abbey give him a quick once over. His temp was hovering just over 100 so she got him some Advil, handed him a Bactrim tablet and a glass of water. "Still stuffy?" she asked as she watched him swallow the pills.
"Yeah," he admitted as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He started to pace around the room as Abbey rooted in her bag again. She handed him another pill and watched for a minute as he aimlessly walked around the room. He eventually stopped by the window with a weary sigh.
"You ready to sleep?" Abbey asked.
"I don't know," Jed muttered as he stared out the window. Abbey moved to stand behind him, smoothing down his hair before wrapping her arms around his waist.
"How about movie?" Abbey asked.
"Nah, too much trouble to focus," Jed muttered as he rubbed at his eye.
"You didn't get a chance to read the newspaper. Would you like me to read some to you?" Abbey offered hoping to get him away from the pity party he seemed to be heading towards.
"No thanks," muttered Jed as he escaped her embrace and sat down in the chair by the window. He slumped down, stretching his legs out in front of him, closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. With a familiar feeling of frustration Abbey knelt next to the chair and put her hand on Jed's knee. When she didn't get any kind of response she got up and walked across the room to grab a book out of her tote bag.
"Do you want this?" Abbey asked as she held up his CD Walkman.
"Sure," said answered with barely a hint of interest. He held his hand out to take it from her, dropping it in his lap.
"What's wrong?" she asked as she moved to sit on the arm of his chair.
"I don't know."
"What to talk?" she asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Not really," he sighed wearily.
"Want to be left alone for a while?" Jed just nodded. Abbey ran her fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head. "I'm going to go downstairs and read for a while. Call me if you need anything," she said softly as she patted his shoulder. Jed just nodded without saying anything.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as Abbey reached the doorway.
"For what sweetie? You have nothing to be sorry about," Abbey said as she knelt back down by his feet. "Jed, look at me, sorry about what?"
"I don't know. For being a grouch, for ruining our weekend, for..."
"Jed," Abbey said, cutting him off," You have nothing to be sorry for," she repeated. "Our weekend is not ruined. Nor is it over. We have all day tomorrow and half of Monday."
Jed didn't respond; he was already putting the headphones on.
Jed paced around the room for a little while listening to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #5. He normally found it relaxing but for some reason it just wasn't working that night. He flipped through the rest of the CDs he'd brought with him but nothing grabbed his attention. Out of habit he picked up a book and started to flip through it. But after about 10 seconds it was clear that reading was out of the question, his vision was just too blurry. He tossed the CD player on the dresser and climbed into bed, unable to think of anything else he could do or wanted to do at the moment.
Downstairs Abbey was pacing around trying to relax. She wasn't having much luck finding anything to hold her attention either. She heard Jed pace around for a little while, sure he was having trouble settling down also. But she stayed downstairs to give him the space he clearly needed. Deciding a cup of tea might help her relax she headed for the kitchen.
When Abbey went upstairs a little after 11 she found Jed sound asleep. He was curled up on his side, one arm hanging over the edge of the bed. She gently lifted his arm up and placed it on the pillow. A quick kiss to his forehead told her his fever was down. When she curled up next to him he rolled over, ending up with his head on her shoulder.
TBC