Author's Note: Here's to all you reviewers who loaded those reviews up with 'pleases.' I wrote this chapter just for you. You guys are great. Please R&R.
Waking up suddenly from a deep sleep, I grabbed at my stomach in misery as a wave of nausea crashed like a five point wave over me, causing me to dry retch before standing up and stumbling towards the bathroom—falling hard onto Tom's shiny wooden floor and cursing at myself as I felt the jolt of pain radiate throughout my knee and calf.
"Jude?" I heard Tommy call sleepily through the dark, and I shoved my fist forcefully into the pit of my stomach as I whimpered up at his faceless silhouette. He must have gotten the gist because he stepped into the light suddenly—leaning down next to me with a look of pure concern. Oh, my face must have been paler than the full moon outside because Tommy leaned over suddenly and scooped me up like a baby before rushing me gently to the nearest rest room.
"It's just side effects from the smoke, Jude." Tom said reassuringly as he set me down gently and hurried expertly to grab a wet cloth out of his linen closet.
"Oh God!" I moaned as I leaned over the toilet and retched again, wheezing as my chest protested the movement. Tom had just handed me the washcloth when a sound behind us caused him to turn around although I couldn't do anything but stare down into blue toilet water. Attractive, I know.
"What's going on here?" A sleepy Sadie asked from the doorway as she rubbed at her eyes grouchily before she saw me leaning over the toilet ceremoniously. Oh lookie, her hair was tousled and her mascara had run. Not so sexy now, were we, Sades? Oh, and if only I could enjoy it more, but the constant waves of nausea were a strong reminder of why I could care less if Sadie were naked right now.
"Ooohhhh!" I moaned again as the retching continued without any ease in sight, and Sadie gagged at the whole scene as Tom pointed out the door into the hallway.
"I've got this Sadie. Just go back to sleep. I think your gagging is just making it worse." Tommy said gently as he rustled Sadie out of the room before pulling my hair back behind my head with his hands twisting it while reaching into a drawer for a rubber band.
"Men don't need scrunchies so this will have to do." He said lightly as he pulled my hair through the rigid loop so that it hung down my back instead of in my face. I tried glancing at him gratefully but my stomach knotted and I couldn't do anything but moan. He left me then, and I could hear him rifling through something in his kitchen before coming to stand back behind me.
"Take this. The paramedic told me you might need it." He said as he filled a spoon up with some obnoxious smelling liquid before motioning for me to open my mouth. I gasped as the odor hit me.
"Are you trying to make me sicker?" I asked on a gag, as I turned toward the toilet again. Tom grabbed my chin with his hand and slowly turned me back toward him, and I sighed at the serious look that had crept into his eyes.
"Just take it, Jude." He said with a slight edge to his tone as I opened my mouth immediately to obey. He quirked a brow as he shoved the metal into my mouth, and I almost choked as I got my first good look at him that night. Oh Jesus! He was naked from the waist up except for a small tattoo that edged along the ridge of his shoulder, and the boxers that he wore did nothing to save my imagination or my sanity. Why did God keep doing this to me? I wanted to pound my head against the rim of the toilet as I let my forehead rest there miserably instead—listening as Tommy filled a cup up with water at his sink.
"Try drinking this." He said gently as I took the paper cup from him and downed the contents in one gulp. I could feel the medicine working as it eased the spasms in my abdomen, but the pain still remained as I stood up slowly in order to walk back into his living room again—aiming, not so coincidentally, toward his angel soft couch. I could hear him behind me as I moved, and my body tightened ruthlessly as I lost my footing and stumbled. I felt his firm grip wrap around my arm as he caught me before helping me walk the rest of the way toward the piece of furniture. I sighed in relief when I felt the fabric give way under me before rolling myself protectively into a small, little ball.
"I'm fine, Tom. Why don't you just go back to bed?" I said quietly as I reached for the blanket he must have laid over me earlier from the end of the couch. He took it from me gently as I lifted it up before sitting down next to me and pulling me up against his chest.
"I think I'll watch a little t.v. for a little while." He said as he wrapped the blanket around the two of us before picking up his remote control and flipping absent-mindedly through the channels. I knew he wasn't really watching it as I felt my stomach tighten and then ease up again, and I almost sobbed with the uncomfortable pangs caused by the spasms as Tommy ran his hand over my hair soothingly. I got lost in the rhythm of his heart beat as an old rerun of Seinfeld played behind us, and I snickered at something George Costanza said as I took in a deep breath carefully.
"Feeling better?" Tommy murmured against my hair, and I nodded mutely as I lay there—still too afraid to straighten my legs out in case the spasms came again. I was hurting in so many ways.
"Mom's gone." I said quietly as I felt his arm tighten around me.
"I know. " He replied as I lay staring blankly into the dark watching in fascination as the light from the t.v. flickered over his furniture.
"You're married." I said again as Tom sighed heavily.
"I know." He repeated as I clung desperately to my knees.
"The house is gone." I said finally as Tommy let his head fall against mine.
"I know." He remarked a final time as the tears finally came, and I didn't even try to wipe them away as they landed on Tom's naked chest—running like rivulets down his abdomen, and he didn't even flinch as I unleashed my fury.