Chapter 33

"You'll be home soon," Sam sighed.

"Soon," Jake said and Sam wondered about his voice.

"Are you all right?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah," Jake responded, but Sam was sure she heard something in his voice that belied his words.

"You're not getting sick are you?" Sam yelped.

Jake gave a longsuffering sigh.

"You are!" Sam groaned. "Oh Jake, I'm sorry. You got my cooties."

"Nah, it's been too long for them to be your cooties," Jake assured her. "Everyone here is sick. I must have picked it up around here." He coughed.

Sam groaned again. "What symptoms do you have?"

"Sore throat, fever, coughing," Jake admitted. "I just feel crappy."

"I'm sorry," Sam murmured.

"Thanks baby," Jake said.

"Will you be able to drive five hours home like that?" Sam questioned.

"I hope so," he responded and Sam was alarmed.

It wasn't like Jake at all to admit something like that. If he wasn't sure, then he was worse off than he was telling her. Sam's first thought was whether Maxine knew how sick her son was.

"What if you can't?" Sam wondered.

"I don't know," Jake started to cough again.

"Jake!" Sam yelped. "You can't try and crash halfway home."

"I'm coming home," Jake insisted. "Nothing is going to keep me from my girl."

My gosh, he was sweet. She felt the love for him wash over him, but she concentrated on his being sick.

"I'm not going to see much of you this break, am I?" Sam sighed. "You're going to need your rest."

"Come sleep on the couch with me," Jake suggested.

"I'll try," Sam promised. "Your family might not want me there."

"I want you there," Jake told her.

"I'll see," Sam said.

"Do more than see," Jake coughed again.

"My, aren't you possessive," Sam teased.

"This can't surprise you, Brat," Jake said.

"No," Sam shook her head even though he couldn't see it. "I feel the same way. I will definitely claw out anyone's eyes and pull out all the hair of any female that tries to take you from me."

Jake snorted. "Now that would turn the twins on."

Sam burst out laughing. "Jake!"

Jake coughed again as he laughed.

"My poor baby," Sam murmured. "I wish I could be there and kiss you to make you better."

"I wish you could too," Jake sighed. "I better go."

"Okay," Sam sighed. "Please take care of yourself, Jake. I want to be able to kiss you more than I did the last time you were home."

"I want that too," Jake told her and the two of them sighed together. Then they laughed as they sighed again, each thinking of the others' kiss.

The next morning, Sam went looking for Maxine at school. She found her in her office inside her classroom. Sam knocked softly on the door and saw Maxine was surprised to see Sam standing there.

"Hi Samantha," Maxine greeted her. "Is everything all right?"

"Jake's sick," Sam got to the point.

"Jake's sick?" Maxine looked confused. "I talked to him yesterday and he didn't mention it."

"Would he?" Sam asked.

"No, I suppose you're right," Maxine gave a short laugh.

"He'd kill me if he knew I was telling you this," Sam bit her lip. "But I'm concerned that he mentioned he wasn't sure he could make it home."

"What?" Maxine was surprised. "You're right. That's not something Jake would admit to anyone if he too wasn't concerned."

"I know I'm being selfish," Sam murmured. "I mean, I know his family comes first, but I want him to come home. I need him to come home."

Maxine smiled softly at the young woman standing in front of her.

"I understand, Sam," Maxine assured her. "I appreciate your telling me this. I'll send the twins up to get him and drive him home."

Sam nodded and smiled at the love of her life's mother. Maxine saw the love the young woman had for her son. She remembered her conversation with Sam's grandmother and thought again that she'd be surprised if Jake and Sam waited for Sam to get through her schooling six years from now to get married.

"Thanks Mrs. Ely," Sam broke through Maxine's thoughts.

"No, thank you Samantha," Maxine gave her son's girlfriend a hug. "I know Jake's anxious to be home to see you too. If I have to chain him to the bed I will, but you come by anytime to see him, okay?"

Sam laughed softly. "I will."

Maxine smiled as she watched Sam walk away. Her son and the woman he loved were very good for each other. Maxine couldn't wait for her to join their family officially.