The Secrets of Bailey

Chapter 14

The night had been long for Kaitie and Jake. Kaitie had made sure to wake Jake every hour and assess him. To her relief, his condition was holding stable. When her alarm went off at 6 AM, she got up, walked to his side of the bed, and gently woke him.

“Good morning. What would you like for breakfast?” Kaitie asked as she checked his pupils.

“I’m good with a bowl of cold cereal,” Jake told her with a weak smile. His head pounded, making him squint and shy away from her light.

“Is your head hurting that badly? Why didn’t you say something?” Kaitie asked as she sat beside him on the bed.

“It’s manageable. I think the nausea and pain in my ribs kept me from noticing the headache last night. Those are better this morning, so I am feeling the headache more.”

“How do chocolate chip muffins sound for breakfast?” Kaitie smiled.

“They sound delicious. Thank you,” Jake quietly said. “I don’t mean just for breakfast. Thank you for helping me and taking care of me, even when I fight you on it and do things I should not be doing.”

“You’re welcome, and I apologize for losing my temper last night. Although, in the end, staying in the room with you probably made things easier for both of us,” Kaitie said with a hint of a smile.

“I won’t accept your apology because it isn’t needed. I deserved your wrath last night. I should have waited until you were back in the room or called for you.”

“Admitting you were wrong?” Kaitie smirked. “Maybe you aren’t as bad as I thought.”

“I hope I’m not,” Jake grinned. His grin turned to embarrassment as he asked, “Um, Kaitie, before you go to the kitchen, would you help me into the bathroom?”

“Are you sure you want to try that?”

“No, but I refuse to use a bedpan. I would rather take my chances with face planting on the way to the bathroom than use one.”

Kaitie laughed, “I don’t blame you. I count my blessings that I have never had to use one. I’ll help you to the bathroom. Since this bedroom is a suite, it makes it close and easy.”

“Good. Close and easy is what I need right now,” Jake said.

Before he could warn Kaitie, she pulled the covers off him. They both looked down to see his member fully erect.

“Yeah, sorry about that. It’s morning and…” Jake tried to explain.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to explain,” Kaitie said as she looked anywhere else she could. “It is a natural thing to have happen. Do you want to wait a few minutes before I help you?”

“No, and you don’t have to work so hard to avoid looking. You have already seen everything, and I got over my shyness yesterday,” Jake sighed.

Kaitie nodded and helped him sit up. She steadied him briefly to ensure he was stable before she helped him stand. Jake stumbled forward when he stood, pressing into Kaitie’s front as she caught him by wrapping her arms around him. Kaitie felt his hardened length press into her abdomen as he leaned on her. She ignored her excitement as she looked up at him.

“Are you alright?” she asked as he regained his balance.

“Yeah. Sorry. I thought I was more stable than that,” Jake apologetically told her.

“It’s alright. Come on. Let’s get you in and out of the bathroom so I can make our muffins,” Kaitie said.

Kaitie and Jake slowly and carefully made their way to the adjoining bathroom. Jake could hold the sink for balance after he was inside. When she was confident he was alright, she stepped out of the room, leaving the door open until he finished his business.

When Jake was alone in the bathroom, he saw what he looked like for the first time. He was shocked by his appearance. Jake was black and blue from head to toe. He had cuts on his face, and the wound on his scalp had left blood caked in his hair, regardless of Kaitie’s attempt to clean it. He sighed as he lowered himself onto the toilet. Jake understood how lucky he was to have survived the accident and even more fortunate to have been delivered to Kaitie’s doorstep.

Kaitie leaned against the wall outside the bathroom. Her heart was still pounding from Jake falling into her and feeling his hardened length press into her abdomen. She could feel her face flushing as she thought about it and how good it felt to have him against her. She had to think of something else before she became angry for letting herself feel that way about Jake.

“How are you doing in there?” Kaitie called out.

“Fine. I’m done and on my way out,” Jake replied.

Kaitie carefully pushed the door open and held her hand out to Jake. He gave her a weak smile as he took it, and she helped him back to bed. Kaitie tenderly tucked him in and smiled at him as she studied him.

“How is your headache? Is it worse than before you went to the bathroom?” she asked.

“No. It’s about the same,” Jake sighed.

“Let me make our breakfast, and I will give you something to relieve the pain. That way, you can take it with your meal and lessen the chance of upsetting your stomach. Unfortunately, it is only over-the-counter stuff, but it should take the edge off.”

“That’s fine.”

“I will also bring your pack in and help you put something on to cover yourself.”

Jake let out a single chuckle and said, “I might be happier about that than breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, I understand and appreciate the reason, but being naked in front of a stranger is not my thing.”

“I am sorry, but we had no choice last night. If it makes you feel better, only Allie and I saw you like that,” Kaitie said as she blushed.

“It does. Thank you again for doing that. I will try to be a good patient until I can get out of your hair. This is forcing me to rely on someone and be humble. I’m not good at either of those things,” Jake admitted.

“Jake, so far, you have been a model patient compared to other patients I have had. As a fellow control freak, I understand how hard it is when you no longer have control. Try not to worry. Rest until I come back with your breakfast and backpack.”

Kaitie gave him one last smile before she left the room. Jake returned her smile before she walked away. He sighed as he relaxed into the pillows. He listened to her in the kitchen as she turned on the radio and began singing along. Jake smiled as he drifted off into a restless sleep.

-

“Jake?” Kaitie said, rousing him from his dream.

“Yeah,” Jake croaked as he opened his eyes.

“I have your breakfast for you, and your pack is in the corner on top of your shredded clothes,” Kaitie said as she placed the tray across him. “I want you to eat a muffin before you take the medicine for your headache. The last thing you need is an upset stomach on top of all this.”

“I could not agree more. I feel like I was hit by a truck, and from what I saw in the mirror in the bathroom, I look like it, too.”

“You might for now, but the bruises will fade, and the cut on your cheek is minor, so you shouldn’t have much of a scar. Your head is another story. You will have a significant scar there, but with your hair, I doubt anyone will ever notice,” Kaitie said as she examined his cheek and scalp. She watched him take his first bite and asked, “Are the muffins edible?”

“They are the best I have ever had. Seriously, they are amazing,” Jake said as he swallowed and took a sip of coffee. “And so is the coffee.”

Kaitie laughed, “Thank you, but I think your empty stomach is influencing your opinion. When you finish that muffin, take the two pills on the tray. They are acetaminophen. I will get my plate and be right back.”

Jake smiled as he watched her walk out of the room. He hoped this attitude would last after he asked her a question. Something she had said was sitting at the back of his brain, irritating him for not knowing the answer. When she returned to the room, Katie sat in the chair she had used the night before to eat dinner.

“Kaitie? May I ask you something?” Jake asked.

“You can ask, but I may not answer,” Kaitie smirked. “What is your question?”

“Last night, you said that what I saw wasn’t a person. What was it?”

Kaitie’s smile faded as she straightened. “If you want to know the truth about what is out there in those woods, you need to get comfortable because this is going to take a while.”