CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Karina
February
I’m watching the kids that just filed into my classroom. On Friday afternoons, typically everyone is hyped up, not paying attention and ready to go. This afternoon, I notice one person in particular, is pretty far off that game.
Caleb has a seat at the desk he normally occupies and puts his head down, burrowing deeply into the hoodie he wears, pulling it up over his head. I try to catch his eye, but he keeps his head down, eyes closed.
“How’s it going today?” I ask the class as a whole.
“Long day, Ms. H,” one of the guys sighs as he shakes his head. “Really long day. I can’t speak for the rest of the class, but I had a freakin’ pop quiz in Calculus that I’m ninety-nine percent sure I bombed. Happy Friday to me.”
Reaching into my desk, I grab a chocolate bar. “Here ya go, Maddox. Bury your sorrows in chocolate, works for me.”
He gives me a smile before he rips it open and eats half of it in one bite. “Anybody having a good day?” I prompt them.
There’s a lot of frowning faces and dejected body language. “Nothing good? Y’all are downright depressing.” I speak to them in their language.
“Welcome to our world,” one of the girls sighs the same way Maddox did as she curls her hair around her finger. “But I could get happier if you have another chocolate bar.”
I give her smile, grabbing another one out as I hand it to her. “I don’t have enough chocolate to give to you all, so how about this? I’ll take pity on you, and let you have a study hall today. Do whatever you need to do to make your weekend easier, and we’ll start fresh on Monday. How’s that sound?”
There’s an audible and physical relief in the room. I watch as almost everyone grabs stuff out of their bags and starts working. Everyone except Caleb. As they all work, I notice that he drifts off to sleep. When the bell rings, he doesn’t move. Getting up, I walk over to his desk, and lightly shake his shoulder. “Caleb, the bell rang, are you okay?”
He lifts glassy eyes up to me and for the first time I notice his cheeks are red. “I feel awful.” He shivers, pulling the hoodie further around his body. “I called my dad.” He puts his hands in his pockets. “But he’s on shift and he’s trying to find someone to take over for him. He asked me if I could drive myself to the Urgent Clinic, but my head hurts too bad and I’m a little dizzy. I’m scared to drive myself, even if he does meet me there.”
There are few times when Caleb looks like a kid to me, and right now he looks like a very sick kid. Immediately the answer is in my mind, and I don’t even think twice about it. “C’mon Caleb.” I grab his arm, helping him get up from the desk.
He’s struggling, trying to walk straight as we approach my desk. I lean him against it, as I grab my purse and jacket. “I’ll call Mason on the way; I’m not going to let you suffer like this.”
I don’t expect him to say anything, and he doesn’t as we slowly make our way out of the school. I’ve got my phone out, calling Mason as we walk.
“Rina, now’s not a great time,” he answers on the third ring.
“I know.” With one hand I open the passenger side door, slipping Caleb inside. Shutting the door, I grab hold of the cell phone. “Caleb is really sick.”
“Rina, I know, I’m trying to get someone to come cover my shift, but the weather is shit, and Caleb is technically an adult – or so I’ve been told five times already.”
The worry and irritation in his voice is palpable. He was right about both of the things he said. The weather is shit; I would have to agree as I stand in the rain, shivering because of the cooler February temperatures. I also concede that Caleb is technically an adult, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t need help right now. In this moment, I want to kick some ass of those who are making this difficult on Mason. “I know all of this.” I keep my tone even, light, the way I soothe a student who’s gotten a bad grade and is in the middle of an epic freak out because they’re totally sure they won’t be accepted to the college of their dreams. “Which is why I’m taking him to the Urgent Clinic. Finish your shift big guy; I got Caleb taken care of.”
“Karina.” The word is rough, like he can’t believe what I’m telling him. Raw in the way it feels after something really salty is eaten. “You don’t have to do this.” His voice is quiet this time.
“I want to.” I pull my jacket tighter around my body. “From just feeling his forehead, I can tell his temp is high, and sometimes you just need someone to take care of you. We’ll be at the house when you get off shift.”
He’s quiet for longer than I like. “Mason?”
“Thank you isn’t enough.”
Even though he can’t see it, I grin. “Thank you is plenty. I’ll let you know what the doctor says.”
“Please keep me informed.”
We end the call as I get into the driver’s seat. “You good, Caleb?”
He’s leaned back in the seat with his arms wrapped around his chest shivering. “So cold.”
Reaching over, I turn on the seat warmers and then crank the heat up. A part of me wants to leave him alone, let him rest until we get to the clinic, the other part of me is worried about how high his fever is, since we didn’t take it with a thermometer. “When did you start feeling bad?”
Audibly he swallows, and I wonder if his throat hurts. “I didn’t feel good this morning, but when the weather changes like this, I always feel like shit. Typically I get those pressure headaches, but around lunch I felt like a Mac Truck had hit me. That’s when I texted Dad.” He rolls his head on the headrest. “My body hurts so bad, and I wanted to leave, but I was scared to drive myself. Turns out three of the other MTF guys are sick, and Havoc is covering the shortage, so he was asking other officers to come in, but no one was responding.”
“Caleb, I’m so sorry you had to sit through half a day feeling like that.” I reach over, grabbing onto his clammy hand. Even the skin there is hot to the touch.
“S’ok.” He pries his eyes open. “Kinda used to it. The only time I ever had someone to take care of me besides Dad was when my grandmother lived with us while Dad was deployed.”
My heart breaks, literally breaks as I hear him tell the story of the two of them against all the odds. How many times has Mason needed help and had no one to turn to? How often has Caleb been sick and needed to feel the soft touch of a mother but had no one? Fighting back tears, I pull into the patient drop off for the clinic and then rush to park before hurrying inside. When I get there, Caleb is number three in line.
“My back is killing me,” he moans as we move up.
Pushing my hand up under his jacket, I do my best to massage the tight muscles at his back and up around his shoulders. “It’s where you’ve been shivering.”
“So fuckin’ sore.” He coughs into the crook of his elbow.
When it’s our turn, we move forward. Caleb, obviously a pro at this, tells them his name, tells him that his insurance hasn’t changed, and his symptoms. They hand him a mask to wear, as well as one for me. Then the registration clerk asks a question, and I know the answer will completely change my relationship not only with Caleb, but with Mason as well.
“You’ve got a fifty-dollar co-pay, Caleb. You want us to bill it to your dad? And we need consent to treat too.”
“I’m eighteen,” he answers, fumbling in his wallet. “I can take care of this on my own.”
Gently pushing him aside, I grab the pen from the clerk, sign my name, and dig through my purse before sliding my debit card toward her. “I’m responsible for him, and I’ll pay the co-pay.”
Later on when we’re in the waiting room, Caleb turns to me. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” I glance up from where I’m texting Mason. There’s still one person in front of Caleb and me, probably by the time Mason gets off shit, we’ll be done.
“Sign as responsible for me and pay that money? Ms. Holland, it’s too much.” He stretches his legs out in front of him.
This right here, this is a loaded conversation we’re about to have, and while I wouldn’t choose to have it in the waiting area of a doctor’s office, it needs to be said. “I think under the circumstances, you can probably call me Karina, or a nickname if you want. Your dad calls me Rina.” I put my phone away. “Look, you aren’t a child, so I’m not going to sugar coat this for you. There’s something about Mason that’s attracted me since the first time I saw him. He’s considerate, a good dad to you, and a stand-up guy. I enjoy spending time with him.” I push my hair back behind the mask they’ve had me wear. “And I enjoy spending time with you too. I know you aren’t a little kid who needs someone to take care of him, but every once in a while, like when you’re sick, everyone wants a little compassion. There was no way I was going to let you wait hours for Mason, not when I know it was killing him, and I could help the two of you out. That’s just not who I am.”
Caleb looks at me, his gaze so very much like his dad’s. I almost feel as if I’m looking at younger version of Mason. “We’ve never had anyone in our lives like you, Karina.”
“Good.” I laugh. “Because I’ve never had anyone like the two of you in mine.”
Folding his arms back over his chest, he levels me with his stare. “Don’t hurt my dad, please don’t hurt my dad. If there’s anyone in this world who deserves love, it’s him.”
“That’s a little further than we’ve gone.” I squirm in my seat. My feelings for Mason are strong, which is why a little over a month after our first date I’m taking his son to the doctor, but love? I swore I’d never take that lightly again.
“I know my dad, and I know what kind of a woman you are. You two can fuck around with each other all you want, but feelings are involved. I’d have to be blind and deaf not to see or hear it.” He flashes me a tired grin.
Hearing it. Good God. That night when Mason told me he didn’t care who heard what he was doing to me. Caleb had heard it. Shit. I don’t know what to say, I’m stunned, and then I’m saved as they call his name to be taken back. “Want me to go with you?”
“Yeah.” He reaches down, grabbing my hand. “I’ve never been to a doctor by myself before, and honestly, it’s a little scary.”
The flashes of vulnerability are what endear this kid to me, and I question what in the hell kind of woman could abandon him. Quickly I follow him, wait as they take his weight, blood pressure, and temperature. “One hundred and two point nine,” the nurse says as she looks at me. “Good thing you brought him in, he sounds a little dehydrated. Heart rate is a slightly elevated.”
For the length of the visit, I’m a quiet reassurance to him, putting my hand on his back when they make him take a flu test, and grimacing when the test comes back positive.
“Good thing it’s a Friday, right?” He tilts his head to me.
I agree with him. “Really good thing, sounds like you need to rest.”
My phone buzzes in my hand, and I glance down to see who it is. “One second please, it’s his dad.”
M: Any update?
K: In with the doctor right now, I’ll text you once we get home and he gets situated.
“And lots of fluids.” The attending doctor hands me a prescription after I finish my text with Mason. “If his fever doesn’t break in forty-eight hours, or gets higher, we need to see him back here. I can’t stress enough the amount of fluids he needs, and here’s an excuse for school. Don’t send him back until Wednesday – this particular strain is not a laughing matter. Watch yourself and anyone else in the home. First sign of symptoms, call in here, and we’ll get some of the Tamiflu called in for you too. Any questions?”
“Nope.” I shake my head as I help Caleb back into his jacket and watch the doctor wash his hands. I do the same before we leave and head to the grocery store where the pharmacy is located to pick up his prescription.
“Do you have Gatorade at your house?” I ask him as we walk back to see if they have his medication ready yet.
“No.” He shakes his head.
“Okay, you wait here, and I’ll go grab some things you can eat and drink. If they call your name, tell them I’ll be right back.”
He nods, but has a seat with his head in his hands. I know the poor kid has to feel horrible. It’s a work out as I practically run up and down the aisles getting Gatorade, orange juice, water, some jello, applesauce, the stuff to make grilled cheese, and some chicken noodle soup. When I glance at my phone, I see that I’ve done it all in fifteen minutes, and miracle of all miracles there’s no one in the checkout line. Pushing my cart of bags back to the pharmacy location, they’re just now calling Caleb’s name. “Watch this stuff for me.”
“Shit, Karina, did you buy the whole damn store?” His eyes are wide as he looks at the four, maybe five bags, in the cart.
“You’re sick, you need things, and if you think this is me buying the whole store, you ain’t seen nothing yet, kid.”
I turn back to the pharmacy counter as they call his name again. When they ask me for sixty bucks for the medication, I get a stark dose of reality. This is what Mason’s had to deal with his whole life. A simple visit to the doctor for a kid can sometimes cost over a hundred bucks when you factor in time off, food, medicine, doctor visit. I never want these two to have to go through something like this on their own again.
“Come on.” I grab the cart, motioning to him. “Let’s get you home.”
* * *
“You’ll feel better if you take a shower.” I’m putting away the groceries I got while Caleb slowly takes his jacket off. “It’ll make your muscles relax, and maybe it’ll help break your fever.”
“You’re probably right.” He looks like he’s about to drop.
“You want some food? You should probably try to eat and drink something.”
For a split second, he looks like I imagine he did as a little kid. “I wouldn’t say no to one of those grilled cheeses you were talking about with some Gatorade.”
“Then that’s exactly what you’ll have.”
Watching his back as he leaves the kitchen, I pick up my phone, shooting off a quick text to Mason.
K: He tested positive for the flu. We got his prescription, doctor was very adamant that he push the fluids, so I got him some stuff to drink and some classic comfort food. We’re home now, he’s showering, I’m making him a grilled cheese, and I’m going to raid your dresser for something comfy to wear. Any objections?
I realize I’m not only being presumptuous, but I’m stepping on all kinds of boundaries with the message I just sent to Mason. I wonder how he’ll respond to it.
M: Thank you so much for taking care of him. Thank you for taking that stress off me and being my partner when I really need one. Babe, get whatever you need. I’ll be home in about an hour. Wait for me?
You can’t knock the smile off my face with a two by four. Him requesting I stay, telling me it’s okay to raid his clothes? We just moved into boyfriend and girlfriend territory, and I’m as giddy as I was when I was a teenager about it.
K: Me and your couch have a date with a blanket and a nap after Caleb lies down. Taking care of a teenager is tough work, but I think I handled it well.
M: You did, and we’re grateful to you for it. When I get in, I’ll lie down with you.
K: Seriously my favorite part of the day, and I can’t wait.
No matter how stressful these last few hours may have been, I’m completely and totally looking forward to the rest of the night.