What Changed Everything

****Another work of fiction. Thinking of starting a small series based on yesterdays blog, thanks for the encouragement Mugdha****


Those who know me, know me as medical mishap girl. Every since early childhood I have been that person who contracts every weird virus known to man. Okay well not quite that extreme. But I've missed tons of school, work, and been hospitalized more times than I care to remember. Overall, according to my various doctors, I'm in pretty good health so figure that out? I'm the healthiest sick person you'll ever meet.

It was shortly after the start of the new year and Caleb was over helping me take down my Christmas crap or for you Martha Stewart types "Christmas Decor". I was on the step ladder removing the ornaments from my fabulously fake tree then handing them to Caleb who placed them in a box. Suddenly the tree and the ornaments became blurry to me. Who knows what would have happened if Caleb hadn't been standing right next to me, but I fell off the step ladder and he caught me. The rest came to me in bits and pieces: Caleb carrying me out to his truck, the nurse asking for my insurance card, Caleb on his cell phone, and then I passed out completely.


When I woke up I was in the ER with an IV tube running from my right arm and Caleb's hand on my left arm. My lips were parched, "What happened?"

His face lit up when he saw I was awake, "They think it was a virus, but they're still running tests. How are you feeling?"

"I have to call my parents."

"Already done. I also called Rita to let her know you wouldn't be making her movie night tonight. How are you feeling?"

I glanced over at the clock on the wall, it was nearly one in the morning. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Caleb sighed, "Yes. Please tell me how you're feeling."

"Tired, hungry, and grateful that I'm not going through this alone."


He had been asking me to give him a chance romantically for about two months now. I had been refusing him for two months, my fear holding strong. But how could I refuse him after he nursed me back to health? Literally...after I got home from the hospital he picked up my meds from the pharmacy, tucked me into bed, and prepared me approved meals based on my dietary restrictions from the ER docs. Essentially everything short of a sponge bath. Finally I felt something I never felt with a man before and that was trust.

Caleb served me some family recipe fix-it-all soup. As he handed it to me our eyes locked, then he blushed and turned away taking a seat in the chair next to my bed. He looked like he wanted to say something but was holding back. That wasn't like him, we talked about everything. There was a sense of ease we had with one another that usually took years to develop yet we had managed to create it in mere months.

He cleared his throat, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I think we should date."

"Maybe you're not feeling better?"

We both laughed. "When I'm up and running again, well we know I don't run, so when I'm briskly walking again we should go for it."

He looked apprehensive and didn't say anything. Shit, had he changed his mind? Not that I was a vision of glamore or anything when I was well, but I hadn't considered just how crappy I probably looked. Oooh I probably didn't smell like fresh lilies either. Did I expect him to wait around forever? I mean how much rejection can one person take? Clearly I misread all his kindness for something more than the affections of a good friend.

I looked down at my soup, "Sorry I shouldn't have assumed, it's okay."

"No, no you have it all wrong. I've been waiting for this, I just didn't picture the moment quite like this, you know? I think I had finally accepted that it wouldn't happen and I was happy having you in my life as a friend than as nothing at all. Now I'm scared I'll fuck everything up."

"That makes two of us."


The first date happened two weeks later. Both of us with our mediocre cooking skills prepared a meal together at Caleb's house then ate picnic style on the floor. Dinner was followed by a cut throat game of Connect Four. Then we slept together. No you perverts, no sex! We just fell asleep in each other's arms fully clothed. I am pleased to report he is a first class cuddler and does not snore.

My fear hasn't completely gone away, it's just that now I'm at a point where I am ready to face it.