Story 10/1001

• jungle
• pot
• convenience

The doorbell rang. Nicole slowly moved her aching body covered in a thick blanket. She opened the door and saw a friendly face.

“Tam, you said you’ll be here around 4pm.” Nicole coughed.

“Girl, it’s 4:30. Why didn’t you tell me you were that sick?” Tamara walked in, and gently pushed Nicole to the sofa. She put her coat and bag on the coat hanger next to the door and ran to the kitchen.

“I brought soup. I just need to warm it up for you. Did you mess with the kitchen again? Where’s the pot?”

“Just heat it in the microwave.” Nicole answered, gripping her blanket.

“No. My momma always said that soup loses its vitamins if you do that. A small flame and slow cooking – oh, found it!”

Nicole was listening to her friend with a smile on her face. She would always come when Nicole needed her.

“Now, why isn’t Sam here?” Tamara peeked through the kitchen door.

“I didn’t call him.”

“What, why?”

“I didn’t want to inconvenience him.”

“What?” Tamara looked at her, frowning. She put a cup of tea next to Nicole. “Careful, it’s hot.”

“I’m not two, you know.” Nicole smiled.

“Are you sure? Because you really are acting like it. Convenience? Inconvenience? What are you talking about? That is your man. And he better be here when you’re sick.”

“You make it sound so serious. It’s just a flu.”

“Just a flu? Then why does your place look like a jungle? Maybe a troop of gorillas went through here? And your hair is a mess – you didn’t even have the strength to shower?”

Tamara looked at her friend smiling, and she started smiling, too.

“Troop of gorillas? What are they, a band?”

“That’s what they’re called. Look it up. Now, sit up and eat your soup. Then we’ll give you a shower, and I’ll change your sheets. Nothing like laying down on clean sheets.”

“Tam, you don’t have to-“

“I don’t want to hear it. You’ll go to sleep, and wake up fresh.”

Nicole listened to Tamara. She slowly ate her soup, and Tamara picked up all the tissues, medicine bottles, and left over take-out. She checked her temperature every half an hour, until Nicole went to bed.

When she woke up, she felt a lot better. She got out of her room and into the living room. Everything was shining. She heard noises in the kitchen.

“Tamara?”

“Not Tamara, I’m afraid.” Said a male voice, and Nicole smiled. “Call me next time you’re sick.”

“I’ll think about it. Tam is the best, you know.” Nicole and Sam hugged.

“I might need a lesson or two in cleaning, but cooking soup is my specialty.” He went to the kitchen and brought out a pot of fresh vegetable soup. “It’s the small flame-“

“And slow cooking.”

Nicole said, smiling.