Author's Note: Hey guys! I've had a hard time getting the site to come up today, but now it's up and here I am to post before the weekend. Just for you guys! Hope you enjoy. Smiles
I slammed through the door of my apartment later that evening more than just a little wary as I dropped my purse on the floor before stepping out of my now stiff clothes. I really needed a shower. So I made a mental list for myself—running straight into the bathroom and turning on the water before drying myself off once I was finished and heading into the bedroom. Two boxes caught my eye. What the hell? I walked over to them warily. One was from Tommy and the other was from Chris. I opened Chris's up first to find my spare key and a dozen red roses. Underneath both was a velvet box with a pair of diamond studs—To make up for the one I took—he had written in big, bold print inside a card and I laid it to the side wearily. The gesture was a thoughtful one, but I saw it for what it was—a means to remedy our relationship. It made me feel both tired and guilty for ending it in the first place.
I moved over to the one from Tommy, and I gasped when I saw what was inside. I couldn't help but smile. Inside was a bag of ground up coffee and a Mug that said "I am not an early riser. Bite me." I laughed as I picked it up—flipping it upside down when I noticed something else inside. It was a picture of us giving each other a high five that Kwest had taken when we had finished my third album. I couldn't help but notice its battered condition as if he had carried it around in his pocket. A note came with his as well.
"I'm sorry for missing your album's release, Jude. You don't know how much. This is to help you make it through the days and nights we'll have to spend making another." It read, and I pressed it against my chest. It almost erased the anger I had towards him because I knew he was hurting about something, but I was afraid to ask him what it was—I was afraid it was hurt over a lost love or an old relationship. I couldn't handle that idea right now. I closed both boxes before smiling and heading back out of the apartment after throwing on some clothes. The boys were going to drive me nuts!
I laughed at the thought of them both stuck now at Tommy's place since the hotel Chris had tried to reserve refused to book him due to his case of poison Ivy. It was clear he was going to have to stay with me again and Tommy quickly invited him to stay at his place—considering they were both suffering from the same ailment and I think to keep him away from me. I headed over there—interested over the idea of getting a good look at the place as well as to give the guys a return gift for the one's they left me. I stopped only once at a local drug store before pulling into the parking lot of Tommy's condo. I headed up the stairs quickly—climbing into the elevator with unabridged impatience as the numbers flashed one by one until the doors finally dinged open. I stopped at the threshold a moment nervously before knocking. I could hear a chair fall over as someone made his way over to the door. I tried not to grin—only to lose the battle when the door opened to reveal a badly splotched Tommy. He scowled at my smiling face before opening the door wide enough for me to enter. I eyed the couch where Chris lay miserably before throwing them each a brown paper bag.
"What's this?" Tommy asked suspiciously as I shrugged with a grin.
"It's a present for you guys to thank you for the ones you left me." I stated simply as Tommy and Chris arched their eyebrows at me before tearing into the sacks. Tommy sighed as he pulled out the item within.
"Bless you." He murmured as he held up the bottle of pink calamine lotion. I just shrugged.
"I figured you guys wouldn't be up to going out and getting your own. Keep digging. There's more." I stated quickly as Tommy pulled out a box of Aveeno Oatmeal bath. He laughed as he read the label. Chris just groaned. He seemed to have a worse case than Tommy.
"I am in hell. Did you know this guy doesn't own one CD by U2 or Incubus?" he asked me wryly as Tommy rolled his eyes. I covered my mouth to hide my grin. Nope, Tommy had more eclectic taste than that. He liked artists who hadn't even been discovered by the general public yet—artists that he might even produce himself if he had the chance. He was almost constantly in work mode. I perused Tom quietly as he lifted something else out of his bag. He laughed. It was his own coffee mug with the logo—mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all. Chris looked up warily.
"I have a feeling I'm missing something here." Chris replied on a moan as Tommy shook his head. I forgot to mention that Chris is a huge baby when he's sick.
"No, nothing at all." Tommy remarked quietly as our gazes locked.
