Hello to everyone all over the world! I love seeing Nuke fans from everywhere!!
Thank you all so much for all of the great feedback! It feels so good to have written something that others are enjoying.
I am trying to keep things going without drawing it out too much.
Enjoy!
Chapter Seventeen
Donuts and Pizza
"All right Noah, let's see," Dr. Pierce said as he put a couple fingers under his chin and pulled his face up to his. "Tell me what do you see?"
Noah slowly opened his eyes and moved them about. His breathing was becoming haggard and tears began to roll down his cheeks. Lily could see that he was shaking.
"Oh, god. It didn't work," she whispered to herself. She felt herself wanting to break into tears. Her boys had been through so much in the last few years, they deserved a bit of luck. She buried her face in Damian's shoulder.
"Noah? How are you doing? What do you see?" Dr. Pierce said again as he leaned even closer to the young man.
"I can see that you had a donut before you came in here. There's red jelly on your tie," Noah laughed as the doctor looked down and saw that he was right. This made the doctor laugh as well as all those assembled.
"Well, indeed I did. I guess I had that coming. Do your eyes hurt? How about your head?"
"I am getting a headache," Noah said and then closed his eyes.
"You will for a while. Your eyes haven't had to really to work for several months. We need to do a few tests, kick the tires, make sure that everything is in proper working order," Dr. Pierce said as he reached for his clipboard and got to work. Lily felt as if she had run for a mile and suddenly stopped. Her legs wanted to give out and she felt like crying. She was glad Damian was there to keep her standing. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled to the other side of the room.
Dr. Pierce ran all the same tests that he ran during their last appointment. Noah sat as still as he could while the tests went on, but he was bursting at the seams. He wanted so badly to run out of the hospital and scream at the top of his lungs. He had never been this happy before. Actually that wasn't true. The last time he was this happy was January 12th of last year. The first time he and Luke slept together. After 18 months of fighting and breaking up and making up, they finally were in the same place at the same time. The way he felt laying next to Luke after they were both spent and exhausted, is the way he felt right now.
Full of hope and possibilities.
He hoped that he would feel that way again. With Luke.
Luke sat at the island just off his kitchen and let his mind drift. Things were going really well for him at the work; he had gotten rave reviews from his boss about the profiles he did on the election candidates. He also gotten good feedback about an article he did about the plight of the homeless in small communities. His boss and co-workers loved him. He and Scott were becoming great friends. They hung out several times a week. They actually managed to get through an entire basketball game with Scott's friends; even Lyle. He was enjoying living in Chicago.
But things were still not quite right.
He missed home. He missed Sunday dinners at Gramma Emma's. He missed Ethan, Natalie, and Faith. Luke missed his parents, all crazy three of them. He even missed Casey and all of his woman trouble. Of course, he missed Noah. Even though things were really strained when he left, he still missed him so much. At least he had been able to talk to him a couple times. Luke powered up his laptop and pulled it closer to him. He brought up his "Letters" word document and read back on a few entries.
March 6th, 2010
Dear Noah,
Scott forgave me. I told him everything. I told him about you and about us. He forgave me. I never meant to hurt him, but I did. I only hope that things between him and me will work out.
Every time I think about that night. When he and I were making out, I think of you; odd huh? I think about you. About kissing you. Making out with you. About all the hours were able to sneak off together while you lived at the farm. I think we made out in every possible place in the barn and every room of house that didn't have a bed in it. The mere act of making out with you is something that I miss very much right now.
I wish I was I home.
I wish we were still together. But the more that we are apart the more I think it won't happen.
But I still love you.
Yours Always,
Luke.
March 7th, 2010
Dear Noah,
You called me! I just got off the phone with you. I was at Scott's watching the Bulls game when you called. I wanted so badly to talk to you. I wanted to hear your voice and listen to you tell me how you are. I want so much right now that I can't even begin to think of anything else. I wanted it so badly that I think you must have been able to read my mind or sense how much.
Of course, all my little insecurities jump back into my head. Why did he call? Did he miss dial? Why did get off the phone so quick? Was there more he wanted to say?
But I am so happy right now that you did call that I am not even going to think about them right now.
I'm going to bed and I hope that I dream about you.
God knows I'm going to try.
I love you.
Luke.
March 8th, 2010
Dear Noah,
I woke up with this terrible feeling. It was a feeling that I had forgotten something or that something bad was going to happen. A huge sense of dread. "Abandon all hope ye who enter here' kind of a feeling.
Here is it nearly 9pm and I still can't shake it.
My boss, Sam, and I talked today and he quizzed me all kinds of things to get me think about what could cause it. I called my mom to make sure nothing had happened, but she assured me that things are good and everyone is well. I just can't get this feeling to go away.
I know what would have happened if I had this while we were still together. We would have sat on the sofa in our tiny apartment and you would hold me until I was asleep. Just thinking about you holding me, makes me feel better.
I hope my mom was telling me the truth and that you are all right. She said you were the same. I want so many things for you and I hope that someday you can forgive me.
Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep.
I love you.
Luke.
March 19th, 2010
Dear Noah,
Sorry I haven't written much. I have been so busy. My profiles on election candidates went real well. And I am glad to say that all of my picks won. I know what you're thinking and No! I was completely impartial and unbiased in my reporting. I can't believe that you'd think that of me.
What else. OH! I wrote an article about the homeless in small communities and I got a lot of good feedback. Just researching it and interviewing people made me think about the foundation and all the things we did together. Grandmother still keeps me in the loop on foundation business. She forwards me emails and meeting minutes. Of course she also manages to add grandmother-ish notes at the end. I am so lucky when it comes to family. And that includes you.
I love you
Luke
March 21st, 2010
Dear Noah,
I just don't know what to write today.
Spring is finally here. The sun is shining and the air is finally warm. You know that warm that makes you glad that made it through winter, but will still give you Goosebumps if you go out without a jacket.
I opened the windows of my apartment for a little while today. The fresh air made me so calm that I almost fell asleep. Which would be great. I just can't manage to sleep. I'm lucky if I get five hours a night. I think I just miss you so much. I can't sleep without you. Even though you snore. And don't argue with me you do! But I hog all the covers so I guess we're even.
Luke was about halfway through his letter when he felt his stomach lurch forward. He swallowed, hoping to keep his lunch down. But that didn't work. He made a mad dash for the bathroom and hugged his toilet bowl. Luke sat on the cool tile floor until he heard a knock on the door. He slowly pulled himself to his feet and walked to answer it.
There, standing just outside the door, was Scott holding a large pizza and a plastic bag. Luke could smell the cheese, onions, and sausage. He felt his stomach waved again, which sent Luke running for the toilet again. Scott came inside and closed the door. After placing the pizza in the oven and the sodas in the fridge, he went to check on Luke. He found his friend sitting on the floor, next to the toilet, with is head resting against the wall. He had his eyes closed and was taking in slow deep breaths. Scott went to knees and sat next to Luke. He lightly rubbed Luke's back with one hand and his knee with the other and waited for him to move first.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, it's just all of a sudden. I think I'm ok now,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Luke said and then slipped his hand into Scott's. He pulled Luke to his feet and walked with him into the living room. Luke sat on the sofa with his feet tucked under him. Scott grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat on the opposite side of the sofa from him facing him. They sat sideways on the sofa; facing each other. Luke took a slow sip of the water and felt it quench his burning throat. Scott reached out and felt Luke. He touched his cheeks and just under his shirt collar along his collarbone; he wasn't running a fever. Luke took another sip of water and leaned into the back of the sofa. His left cheek rubbed against the fabric and his eyes were real heavy.
"Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yeah, one of the temps came down with the flu the other day. I must have caught it from her. I'm sorry about the pizza and movie. I'm just really tired all of a sudden,"
"Don't apologize. Why don't you get some sleep and we can do pizza tomorrow. The pizza is always better the next day anyway," Scott said; trying to assure Luke that he wasn't disappointed. He helped Luke to his feet and walked with him into his bedroom. After making sure that Luke's phone was close and getting him a class of water, Scott slipped out and went to his own apartment.
He's noticed that Luke hasn't been well for a little while now. He was going to be sure that he talked to Luke about it. He wasn't sure if it was due to Noah; missing him and missing home. Or was Luke working too hard to distract himself from thinking about Noah. It was almost like he was trying to prove something. To whom he wasn't sure.
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