Chapter One
Jessica Fletcher rose from the tub after a long soak. She felt a cold coming on and thought a long soak in steamy water would help. She dried off slowly before spreading a scented, moisturizing lotion over her body. She stood in front of a full length mirror, staring at herself. For someone in their mid-fifties, she has held up well. Her breasts were still full, her abdomen was softer now but still trim. Her thighs were her hidden asset. No one was seeing them anymore but biking was a great exercise and her legs were taut without being too muscular.
Frank always loved her legs. She smiled thinking about the comments he used to make. Her smile gave way to a small frown before she cleared it away. It wouldn't do to become melancholy over Frank's passing. Again.
Jessica always prided herself over her ability to move forward without causing undue concern for her friends. She always put on a controlled front showing she could cope on her own. The first year after Frank's passing she had been unable to do that and had Grady especially concerned so she learned to mask her feelings when needed.
She pulled a silk nightie over her head. She felt the need to pamper herself a bit. If she was getting a cold she would be in flannel soon enough.
She went downstairs and locked up. Her head was beginning to ache so a pain reliever was swallowed and she climbed into bed. She felt a tightening in her chest and coughed only to be surprised at the congestion she felt already.
It was early but she was sleepy so she switched off her lamp and went to sleep.
Coughing woke her up two hours later. Her chest hurt and her eyes watered with each cough. She took a sip of water from the glass on the table by her bed but it didn't soothe her throat. She leaned back on her pillows with a groan.
As a child, her father would come into her bedroom and read to her while she coughed and struggled to breathe beneath a humidifier. Her mother would hold her to her chest and smooth her hair and stroke her cheek while singing softly. The comfort from her parents always made her feel better. Once married, Frank tried to care for her. He would bring her tea and hold her hand. He told her he always felt inadequate when she fell ill but she assured him his presence was all that was needed.
Now she felt alone. There was no one to care for her, to hold her hand, to sing lullabies or read stories. There was Seth but he was her doctor so he would take her temperature or check her pulse. He wasn't going to comfort her. She vowed not to have a pity party but it was a difficult struggle.
She tried to go back to sleep but her coughing was keeping her awake. She glanced at the clock. It was only ten-thirty. Seth was probably still awake. She dialed the familiar number by heart.
"Hello." Seth's voice was raspy but he was awake.
"Seth," began Jessica before a coughing spell rendered her unable to speak.
"I'll be right over, Jess." Seth hung up and pulled his shoes on. He hadn't undressed for bed thankfully. His bag was already in the car so he reached her house within minutes. He never liked when Jessica fell ill. The urge to hold her and comfort her was so strong but of course that wasn't allowed. She never gave him an inkling of wanting him to hug her. She was too independent.
The house was buttoned up but he had a key and let himself inside the kitchen door. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he called out to her that he was coming up. She looked miserable. Her nose and eyes were red and her cough was steady.
He popped a thermometer in her mouth while checking her pulse. It was rapid but not unduly so. No temperature, which was good. He put his stethoscope in his ears and placed the chestpiece on her back. He told her to take a deep breath but every time she tried, she started coughing. She sat up higher in bed and pushed down her covers. She tried taking a deep breath again and was successful this time.
She was glancing down when the next coughing jag struck. She couldn't help noticing her breasts jiggling beneath her gown and it tickled her funny bone. It was impossible to laugh and cough at the same time however so she had to continue coughing.
Seth stood over her attempting to listen but her coughing was loud. When she sat up he was in the perfect position to see her bouncing chest. Thankfully he was behind her and she didn't notice the attention he was paying to her front. He admonished himself to stay focused but it wasn't easy.
He brought the chestpiece around to her front and placed it above her breast and over her gown. He was listening intently now but was once again distracted when she coughed. The air thickened noticeably. He could see her nipple pressed against the material of her gown and his breath hitched a little. He cleared his throat.
Jessica felt the tension in the air. She had never been alone in her bedroom with Seth examining her. Usually Grady was home visiting or she went to Seth's office. She never even had to change into an examination gown.
Jessica was wondering if he would catch her cold. He was always taking care of her but he never seemed to get sick. Maybe he had been exposed to so many germs he was immune. She didn't see him glance down at her chest. She wondered what he thought as he was just standing there silently but her head was becoming fuzzy and it was hard to hold on to one thought at a time.
She looked up at him, waiting patiently.
"I have a cough syrup that will suppress your cough enough that you can sleep," he reported. "It just has to run its course, I'm afraid. You know the drill. Liquids, rest, and pain reliever when needed."
Jessica frowned in dismay. He'll be leaving now. She didn't want him to go.
"What is it, Jess?"
"Could you sit here?" She scooted over and patted the bed beside her. Seth sat and looked at her. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist while placing her head on his chest.
He nearly groaned out loud. Her gown was thin and he felt her curves pressed against him.
"I know it's an imposition but I need this," she murmured. Her eyes were closed and he longed to kiss them both.
He wrapped his arms around her for a few minutes.
"Seth, you're the most important person in my life."
"Thank you, Jess. You're very important to me, too."
She pulled back and looked up at him. "I know I'm asking a lot but do you think you could lie with me?"
"Jess, that wouldn't be appropriate. I'm still your doctor."
"Well, then, you're fired. Now will you lie down with me?" She moved further across the bed and pulled back the covers.
Seth stood indecisively. He knew she wasn't asking for sex but would it be possible to keep his thoughts away from it? Knowing he couldn't tell her no, he tried to lighten the mood.
"I'm going to have to charge you double," he quipped lightly. He kicked off his shoes and sat back down. He stretched out and she covered him up. She snuggled up against his chest again and he reached out with one arm and encircled her shoulders. Her hand was rubbing up and over his chest until she settled and was soon asleep. She woke up coughing and he was right there to help her drink some water. She smiled sleepily at him before closing her eyes again.
He checked his watch. In another hour he would give her more of the cough syrup if she didn't wake on her own. He watched the rise and fall of her chest. Another hour passed quickly as he thought about her and he administered the cough syrup. He went to the bathroom to take care of his bladder and he removed his belt. Knowing there was nothing else he could do to get comfortable, he returned to bed.
Seth stretched and turned out the light. It was dark but he could see her face against his chest. She coughed on occasion and he would rub her shoulder until she quieted. She never asked him to comfort her, even when he wished she would but maybe she just wasn't comfortable enough until now.
Morning came early as usual, Jessica was still in his arms and glancing down at her, he couldn't help the love he felt. She was warm and he liked to think he was protecting her from the rest of the world. Her chest was pressed to his and he felt her. She stretched alongside him, her toes reaching his, her hips caressing him as she moved.
He was never happier to be fully clothed. Jessica opened her eyes and smiled at him. He knew he would never fall deeper in love than he did at that moment.
She tried to say good morning before coughing but nothing came out. She nudged him instead and pointed to her throat.
He rose and got his stethoscope again. Her congestion was worse and he would have to tread lightly.
"Jess, I'm going to need a chest x-ray and some lab work drawn on you."
He helped her from the bed and urged her to shower. He told her he would run home and get cleaned up and return for her.
He was used to getting showered and dressed in a few minutes so when he returned to her house, the shower was still running. Fifteen minutes later he started to worry. Not knowing her morning shower routine, he wasn't sure how long she normally took but surely since she wasn't feeling well, it shouldn't take this long?
He knocked on the door but didn't get an answer. Remembering she had no voice, he cracked the door open partially and called out to her. She responded with a small cough. He peeked his head through the door. She was sitting on the edge of the tub, wrapped in a towel with her head down.
He quickly reached her. "Jess?" He turned off the water and reached for her wrist. Taking her pulse and finding it too rapid for his comfort, he took her robe from the back of the door and placed it around her shoulders.
"Let's get you up," he suggested. He helped her to stand and leave the tub. He got a towel to wrap around her hair and led her to the bedroom.
He cleared his throat. "Well, I would probably be censured by the State Medical Board but let's see if I can help you." The fact that she didn't complain or object told him she wasn't feeling up to dressing herself.
Hoping she would forgive him later, he found a pair of underwear and managed to get her to step into them before he lowered her towel. He was in complete physician mode and efficiently got her dressed and slipped her feet into shoes.
Jessica squeezed his middle as he helped her stand. "Let's get that chest x-ray."
She smiled briefly and he led her out to his car. She sank back in the seat and closed her eyes.
What felt like eons but was only an hour later, she was home and slipping back into bed. She had bronchitis but thankfully no sign of pneumonia. While at the hospital she heard whispers that Seth's car was outside her house all night. She shook her head at the gossip but otherwise ignored it.
Seth had given her a shot in her behind which didn't endear him to her but he joked and told her she always said he was a pain in the behind. That made her smile briefly. He pushed fluids on her and she was already feeling a little better.
"Thank you, Seth. I know you can't have been very comfortable sleeping with me last night and taking care of me today," she whispered.
"Jess, whispering is as bad as trying to speak," he admonished her. "I'm going to get some soup started. Do you want chicken noodle or tomato?"
Jessica shook her head. She fingered a few letters of the alphabet.
"You want minestrone?"
She nodded yes.
"That will take hours!" he exclaimed. At her fallen face, he relented. "Alright, let me go get the ingredients and I'll cook up a pot."
Her face brightened and she blew him a kiss. Closing her eyes, she settled back for a nap.
Seth lifted the lid of the crock pot and took a whiff. The minestrone smelled wonderful. Jessica slept the entire time the soup was cooking and now he was heading upstairs to check on her again.
She was restless in her sleep but a touch on her shoulder calmed her. A few minutes later she opened her eyes.
"Would you like some soup now?" he asked solicitously.
She shook her head no. "Just lie with me," she whispered.
Seth toed off his shoes and got on top of the covers. She placed her hand on his chest and drifted off to sleep. Seth waited half an hour before leaving and going home. He would return in an hour and check on her and hopefully she would be hungry.
Jessica woke up and felt the cool sheet beneath her hand. Where was Seth? She slowly sat up and looked around. He must be downstairs. Pulling on her robe and slippers she cautiously made her way to the stairs. She tried to call out but her voice was still missing. It seemed to take forever to reach the bottom step but she finally made it. She looked in every room but Seth was nowhere to be found. She went to the window and saw the rain coming down.
Maybe he was seeing patients. Didn't he know she was a patient too? A tear slipped out and she wiped it away hurriedly. She was a big girl and she wasn't going to cry just because Seth wasn't around. She noticed the crock pot and lifted the lid. He made her soup at least. She was tired now and took a seat at the kitchen table. Putting her head down, she fell asleep again.