Paige skimmed down the page of the textbook she was holding until she reached something that looked interesting.
"What is a choroidal melanoma?" she asked.
"A malignant tumour," Jon answered.
"Correct," Paige replied. "What are the risk factors for Dry Eye Disease?"
"DED, um," Jon began. "I think that's contact lens use, previous optical surgery, over 40 years of age, certain medications cause it, and um, smoking, systemic diseases, too much screen time and-" He stopped clearly stumped. Jon was biting his lip and looking off to his left.
"Here's a hint," Paige said. "I'm more likely to get it than you are."
"Oh! Right being female is also a risk factor," Jon said grinning. "Thanks."
"That double X chromosome I'm telling ya," Paige sighed. "Makes us unlucky about everything."
"Congenital cataracts is more common in men," Jon pointed out. "And baldness."
"Those two don't make up for periods and peeing standing up," Paige chuckled. "But we're getting off topic." She looked down at the textbook again before speaking. "The patient's eyes won't stop watering, tears just streaming down their face everyday. What's wrong?"
"They likely have dry eye disease as well," Jon replied.
"But doctor, that can't be right," Paige mocked, pretending to be a patient. "How can they be dry while they are constantly leaking water?"
"Tear film is made up of two main parts," Jon replied. "One is watery and the other oil based. If the oil glands are blocked then the water ones try to compensate, leading to watery eyes because the oil isn't there anymore to stop the water from evaporating."
"Good job," Paige chuckled at him. She put the book down and moved closer to kiss him. "I don't know why you are so worried about passing your test. You know all this stuff."
"Yeah but studying makes me less anxious," Jon replied.
"And this is just your regular school test," Paige smiled. "Imagine what it's gonna be like when you have to take your board certification exam."
"I don't want to think about it," Jon groaned.
"Maybe that's why you dropped out of school," Paige teased him. "It wasn't about your crazy ex or travelling the world or being a rebellious teenager. You were just trying to avoid exams." He didn't seem to appreciate her joke.
"You'll appreciate my sense of humour again once your exams are over," she told him. Just then the timer on her phone went off. "Dinner is ready!" she said, jumping up.
Paige loved having her own kitchen. Yes, she'd had unconditional access to many a kitchen in her day, but having her own was so much better. She got to decide where everything went and buy unnecessary kitchen gadgets! Jon didn't care what happened in the kitchen so long as he could eat whatever she made which meant that Paige ruled supreme in her own kitchen. Okay yes, that was a bit dramatic but she couldn't help it. Paige loved having her own space to organise. Before Jon her life had been all roommates, roommates, roommates. What living with Jon had taught her was that life was far better with a soulmate than a roommate, and for far more reasons than just the kitchen. The kitchen was merely a bonus.
The thought made her smile. Living with Jon was a new type of happiness that Paige had never experienced before; she intended to enjoy every minute of it.
Opening the oven Paige reached in with her oven mitts and pulled out the dish. Tonight they were having pierogi casserole with tuna. The recipe was beyond simple and so yummy. Saute onions in a pan until clear, add other veggies as deserved, add tuna or any other meat you want then a can of cream of something soup. Tonight she'd picked mushroom. After that she put frozen perogies in a greased casserole dish, poured the meat, veggie, soup mix on them and sprinkled with cheese. Then cook for an hour at 375 fahrenheit. And bam! Dinner is served.
"Maybe you should text that sister of mine and see if she is still coming?" Jon suggested as he joined her in the kitchen.
"She already messaged me," Paige replied. "She's just running late."
Paige had been spending a fair bit of time with Clary lately. Between dating her brother and sharing a room with her when they'd both lived with Magnus, Paige and Clary had become very close over the last year, almost like sisters.
Though Paige knew her friendship with Clary would last a lifetime, right now spending time with Clary meant hearing about her dilemma for the millionth time. If Paige herself wasn't so happy the tediousness of it would have tested her patience by now.
Long story short, it had been a month since Jace had spent the night over at Clary's place or as Clary called it: the Jace incident. Personally, Paige thought Clary was making a bit too big a deal out of a night where two people who used to date had merely slept within two feet of each other, but she seemed to find it hopeful. Paige didn't have the heart to tell Clary that the weeks since the incident with no change kinda killed the hopeful, at least in her opinion. This new hopeful version of Clary was far better than the 'numb but pretending she's okay' one so Paige was keeping her opinion to herself.
Just then Paige heard the door open. She knew it had to be Clary so she called out, "Perfect timing. Dinner just came out of the oven."
"Sorry I'm late," Clary's voice called out from the front door.
"It's no problem," Paige replied smiling as Clary walked into view.
"Smells good!" Clary commented as she took a deep breath in.
"Of course it does," Jon mocked his sister. "Everything always smells good when Paige is in the kitchen."
It was comments like that that always made Jon such a joy to cook for.
"I know," Clary chuckled. "Still she deserves the compliment."
"Agreed," Jon stated.
"Not that I don't appreciate the praise but it's best you eat before dinner gets cold," Paige laughed.
And just like that the conversation ended while people picked up plates to stuff their faces. Paige always took a silent dinner table as a compliment because it meant people would rather use their mouth to eat than talk. Eventually the plates were clean and conversation started up again.
Clary had been done univercity a while now, but both Paige and Jon still had a few weeks left. For Paige graduation meant looking for employment but for Jon it meant studying harder than he'd ever studied in his life to pass his board certification exams. And she thought he was a wreck now!
"I am not a wreck," Jon argued when she was explaining her expectations to Clary.
"Yesterday you ran off mid conversation to look something up because looking at my eyes reminded you of- well honestly I got no idea."
"Keratoconus," Jon admitted and then proceeded to recite the definition like a human textbook. "An eye disease that occurs when your cornea thins and gradually bulges outward into a cone shape. Causes blurred vision and may cause sensitivity to light and glare."
Paige held a hand up to gesture to Jon before speaking. "I rest my case."
"Urg," Jon moaned. "Maybe I did drop out just to avoid exams."
"Don't go getting any ideas," Clary said firmly. "If you drop out again mom is totally gonna blame me!"
"Oh don't worry," Paige said grinning. "He hasn't come this far just to quit now. If it gets that bad I have a plan."
"Oh really?" Jon laughed. "What are you gonna do? Deny me sex if I don't study?" His mocking chuckle and overall manner was clearly that of a man who knew he could take care of himself. He knew she'd give out in this department before he did.
"Better," Paige grinned. "No more cooking, baking or even making you a cup of tea with love until you pass your exam."
"Shit," Jon said, defeat in his voice.
Clary was laughing pretty hard at the devastated look on her brother's face. "You have him totally figured out," Clary just managed to say between her laughter.
"Mom was right," Paige grinned. "The fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
"Only explanation," Jon said in a teasing tone.
"For what?" Paige scoffed, not sure where he was taking this joke.
"For why I fell so fast," Jon said kindly, moving closer to kiss her on the lips. His touch was soft, but firm and even the slightest caress always melted Paige down to her toes.
It was at this point Clary reached her limit.
"Ewww," Clary said. Paige unlocked her lips from Jon's and turned to see his sister with her face covered.
"I'm glad you guys are happy and all but my brother kissing is just nasty," Clary said through her hands.
Jon's deep barrel laughter could probably be heard down the hall. He was holding his side with one hand while almost falling off the chair. When the deep barrel laugh ended it was replaced with an even louder more hysterical laugh.
"You do realise you set us up, right?" Jon managed to say between sharp inhales.
"You are gonna annoy the neighbours with the laugh one of these days," Paige chuckled lightly.
"Not to change the topic but I wanna change the topic away from whatever makes my brother kissy," Clary stated.
"Fair enough," Jon said. "But that means I get the same topic changing powers when you are next trying to make out in front of me."
Clary didn't say anything, but Paige could see it in her friend's face. Clary had just thought of Jace. Paige could imagine only too well what thoughts would have gone through her mind just then. Darting thoughts about how likely it would be that the next time she kissed anyone that it would be Jace mixed with darker thoughts about how long she'd wait to kiss anyone else if it wasn't him. Then even darker thoughts wondering if she'd ever want to kiss anyone else ever again if she couldn't have him.
"New topic," Clary said, doing her best to hide her thoughts once again. She turned to Paige and added, "How's the job hunting going?"
"I've been doing some research on different daycares to see if they need staff and which might be best to work for," Paige answered.
"Any good options yet?" Clary asked.
"A few," Paige said. "But even if I like a place they still have to hire me and not even one of them will look at a resume until after I have my early childhood education degree."
"Fair," Clary replied.
"What about you sis?" Jon asked. "Any job offers?"
"I'm still working at Alicante Attire with Izzy," Clary replied. "As far as career jobs go, no. But I'm not really looking so..."
"Why not?" Jon asked, cluelessly.
Paige knew why not. Clary was waiting for Jace's decision. Waiting to see if the idea of never being with him again was too painful to let her live her life here. Waiting to see if she had to move away from her friends to save her heart from painful reminders.
"There's no rush," Paige said, smiling at Clary and hoping Jon got the hint.
"But there is," Jon teased cluelessly. "Just wait till mom and dad start hounding you about what you plan to do with your life now that school is over."
"Oh please," Clary dismissed her brother's comment before trying to steer the conversation again. "Mom and dad only did that because you dropped out of Optometry school! Way harder to get into than just a bachelor of the arts degree like mine. You got their hopes up there'd be a doctor in the family and then you crushed that hope."
"Touch dramatic don't ya think sis," Jon replied.
Clary shrugged. "I stand by it," she said.
There was silence for a moment. Paige thought Clary had managed to keep her composure very well despite her good hearted but socially oblivious brother. Even so it was time for Paige to help.
"Who wants dessert?" Paige asked. Jon's reply in the affirmative was basically a guarantee. Clary also said yes so Paige got up to head to the kitchen, suggesting that Jon come help her with the plates. Though clueless sometimes Jon was very helpful and agreed easily.
Once they were out of earshot of Clary at the dining room table, Paige whispered, "You know I love you but can you please lay off your sister. She's upset enough without you bringing up old wounds."
"Clary's upset?" Jon asked, clearly dumbfounded by the information.
"Yes," Paige whispered. "About Jace. You brought up her kissing someone and she thought about Jace. She isn't looking for jobs because of Jace. Pay attention!"
"Why would Jace mean she can't look for a job?" Jon asked again, clearly confused. With a sigh, Paige spelled that out for him too.
"Damn," Jon said. "I didn't mean to- should I apologise?"
"God no!" Paige whispered urgently. "That will just make her think about it all again. It's simple. Just act normal but avoid topics that might make her think about Jace."
"Okay," Jon said, firmly as if he was determined to do better.
"Oh you are lucky you're cute," Paige told him in her fake serious voice.
"And book-smart," Jon said grinning. "Don't forget book-smart. One does not become a doctor on looks alone."
"Communicating with people is also part of being a doctor, honey," Paige reminded him.
"Yeah but that's like asking what medication people are on," Jon dismissed her worry. "Not trying to decipher my confusing sister's non-verbal emotional cues about her romantic life."
Paige had to give him that one, though she wasn't about to admit it. Instead she started cutting up the banana chocolate chunk cake and putting it on plates.
This chapter and the next one have been done for about two weeks but my editor has gone from busy to insanely busy with no break in sight. Therefore I have decided that in the interest of finishing this story faster I am going to stop sending them to my editor. All chapters from now on will be unedited, at least by anyone but me, but they will go up much faster. Please forgive any mistakes you find. I know I have a few bad habits like mixing up because and before or leaves random sentences places that I meant to delete. lol Hopefully even unedited it's still understandable. If anyone reading this is interesting in editing for me PM me. I use google docs so you'd have to be okay with sharing your email but otherwise I am very flexible. :)
Sneak Peek Chapter 199
Once he'd put down the pizza and pocketed the money Jace looked suspiciously from one person to the next as if he'd only just realized he'd left his ex-girlfriend and his ex-lover alone in an apartment together.
"You two better not have been talking about me while I was gone," Jace stated.
"Of course we were talking about you, idiot," Annika pitched in. "What else do we have in common?"
"Why do I hang out with you again?" Jace whined.
"Because you like it when I eat all your food and beat you at video games?" Annika offered.
"That's definitely not it," Jace scoffed.
"You enjoy getting mercilessly teased then," Annika grinned.
"Nope," Jace said.