Chapter 7
Barbara woke up noticing that someone was changing the cool-pack on her forehead. Her eyes still closed she tried to figure out how she was. It seemed like the sickness was gone and also the headache wasn´t as bad as it had been, not completely gone but a lot better.
As she slowly opened her eyes she noticed that it was already getting dusky so she must had been asleep for quite some hours. She carefully tried to sit up and as her head wasn´t exploding this time it was definitely an improvement.
Looking a bit around she saw Tommy sitting at the dining table reading the papers. "Hi ya!"
Hearing her voice Tommy came over to her immediately, "Hey, looks like you have rejoined the land of the living, Barbara! How are you?"
"Better I guess, at least the brass-band is gone, they are only marching in the distance now!
That she hadn´t lost her humor made Tommy smile. "Do you need anything? A glass of water, a tea…? How is the sickness?"
"I guess a sip of water would be good and if it stays where it should a bit to eat would be great," Barbara answered noticing a slightly feeling of hunger.
Tommy went to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. Barbara sat up completely now taking a sip of the water. It felt okay so she took a second sip before placing the glass in the little table beside the sofa.
Tommy observed her carefully to see any changes and then be ready to act if necessary. It seemed as it was okay but Barbara still felt a bit cold so she cuddled up under the rug. Somehow the hungry feeling got more and more demanding.
"I guess we could try something to eat now, Sir!" she smiled at him.
"Okay, how about some chicken soup and also a warm fill-up for Eeyore?" "That sounds perfect," now she was beaming at him.
15 minutes later she was sitting in the sofa Eeyore in her back and a lap-tray with a bowl of hot soup in front of her.
It tasted delicious and also got her warm from the inside. "It´s great, Sir," Barbara said after she finished, "but I guess I better stop now and see how it will do at all." Tommy had watched her still carefully while eating a bit himself. It really looked like she felt better and as the hours were nearly over it would hopefully stay that way.
"It´s my grandmother´s recipe. She always made it when we felt sick as kids," he said just to say something.
Leaning back in the sofa Barbara said:" That sounds nice, I can´t remember much of my grandparents. But speaking of remembering, could you please tell me what we did last night? Did we really watched DVD? It´s all a bit blurry in my mind and I can´t make clearly out what was real and what wasn´t."
Only slightly disappointed that she couldn´t remember clearly but also a bit relieved that then she also wouldn´t remember spending the night together Tommy answered:" Yes we did. Your friend Sam brought it around and we started watching together but you fell asleep when the real performance began. You never mentioned that you can sing though."
Feeling a bit embarrassed Barbara shrugged:" I haven´t sung since Terry died. It seemed like my voice had died with him."
"That´s a shame Barbara, as you have a beautiful voice if I may say so."
"How will you know that when you have only heard me on a DVD from about 20 years ago?" Barbara smiled.
"So you will have to sing for me some time," Tommy smiled back. "Perhaps," was Barbara´s cautious answer. To change the subject but also because she felt she needed it Barbara went on: "But now I´m in desperate need of a toothbrush and a shower, Sir!"
"Oh sure, no problem. I put your things in the big spare-room with the adjoining bath but you are also welcome to use the tub in my bath."
Barbara took a moment to think about it but then shook her head: "Thanks, but no. It will be easier to try keeping the bandage in the arm dry in the shower."
He nearly had forgotten about her shooting wound with all the side effects. "Oh sure, that reminds me the doc said that we should put some cling film around the bandage to help keeping it dry."
With that he went to the kitchen and came back with the cling film. Barbara got up carefully and taking the offered cling film went to the stairs: "I won´t be too long, so do you have a movie we could watch after that?"
That was exactly what Tommy had had in mind too so he answered: Sure, will see if I find something that will suit us both. Oh, and if I don´t see or hear anything from you in about half an hour I am coming up checking."
Starting up the stairs Barbara tried to hide her amusement with only saying: "Yes, Sir!"
Barbara entered the spare-room which was opposite Tommy´s bedroom. He had only started letting her use this one after Helen died. As long as Helen had been there she had spent the few nights here in the small room at the other end of the corridor.
Looking around she noticed that Tommy´s tidy-self had put all her things in the right places and as suspected a look in the bath confirmed that also her toothbrush and other essentials were placed where they should be.
Going back she found her underwear, fresh top and sweat pants in the sideboard.
Back in the bath she enjoyed the warm water in the shower trying not to wet her bandage too much also she had put some cling film around her arm.
She felt a lot better when she got out and was wearing fresh clothes. After brushing her teeth she went down feeling human again.
Tommy had made some tea and also had put some salt crackers out. Now he was looking at his DVD collection to find something suitable.
"Okay, what are we going to watch?" Barbara asked entering the living-room.
"You can choose, do you want action, a romance, a comedy, classical drama…?"
"How about some old fashioned crime show?" Barbara asked.
That made Tommy smile as he was just holding a Miss Marple DVD in his hand: "How about 'A Murder is announced', Barbara?"
Barbara made herself comfortable on the sofa again: "Perfect, the old one with Joan Hickson?"
Tommy took the DVD put it in the player and sat down beside her: "Yes, that´s the one then."
For the next two hours they just enjoyed watching the movie not talking much but enjoying each others company.
It felt good not being alone but Barbara knew it wouldn´t last forever. Tommy was just being a good friend looking out for her because she got injured. There was no sense in hoping for more as then she would surely mess up a really treasured friendship.
Tommy´s thoughts went in the same direction only that he hoped that he would find the courage to tell her about his feelings this weekend. It all felt so right having her here, joking or just sitting together. Perhaps she would feel it too when the weekend went on.
"Is there a bit more of the soup, sir?" The question brought him back to the here and now.
"Sure, it just needs warming up" Tommy got up and went into the kitchen noticing that Barbara was following him.
"I didn´t know that you like Miss Marple," he said.
"Just in the line of childhood memories. That were the first crime movies I was allowed to watch with my parents. Terry always had to go to bed and was sulking. So I told him everything that happened the next day."
Tommy heated up the soup and they ate it in the kitchen talking about which their favourite Miss Marple story was.
Looking at the clock at the wall Barbara noticed that it was 12 am already. Also she had more or less slept through the day she felt tired again.
"I hope you don´t mind, but I´m tired again. Guess I better be off to bed now," Barbara said trying to hide to yawn too widely.
"Sure, guess you prefer the bed to the sofa now," Tommy answered only a little bit disappointed but he noticed that he was also tired.
Barbara got up: "Is it okay to take a glass of water with me?" Instead of answering Tommy got up and handed her a bottle of water and a glass.
"Thanks and good night, Sir!" smiling at him Barbara turned to the door.
"Barbara! Would it be too difficult to call me Tommy?" he asked.
Facing him again Barbara answered quietly: "Yes, it would take everything to a different level and that could be difficult then." With that she left the room and went up the stairs.
Tommy sat down at the kitchen table again thinking about her answer. It showed that she also felt more for him and if he read it his way what she felt was more than plain simple friendship for him too but was afraid to mess up. That was how he had felt too so perhaps with a little convincing he could make her see that it wouldn´t ruin anything but that it would get better instead.
Humming he cleaned up the kitchen and living-room noticing that Barbara must had been in there before going upstairs as Eeyore was gone.
Then he went up himself and seeing that her door was open a little he also left his open before he went in and got ready for bed.
A/N: Okay after some struggling here is the next chapter, it wasn´t as cooperative as I had hoped for but now it seems the rest is starting to come together too. Thanks again for all your reviews and support!