"Brea´s Diary" by Jess Kachine Hickman

January 14

Lobo never showed up for school today. I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. He has missed a few days already because he had other things to do.

It snowed today. Maybe that’s why he didn’t come. He can’t get out of his driveway or something. I wouldn’t doubt it. His drive is a pain to get out of without snow. You have to worry about hitting numerous things and…ugh.

I’ll call him tomorrow morning. Tomorrow is Saturday. Maybe we can go do something together then. We haven’t been on a real date in forever. I guess that would be because he lost his job a while back when he was in an accident. The company didn’t want teen delivery drivers with accidents on their records. I have money now. I’ll pay.

January 15

Lobo didn’t answer the phone. No one was home. I left a message on his answering machine earlier asking him to call me back ASAP because I was worried. I hope everything is okay. Maybe I should go over there to see. He said he would be home all weekend even though his parents left town on Thursday. I suppose it is possible that he went somewhere with Todd, but I should think he would tell me. Unless, of course, he wanted some time for himself. I can understand that. We do spend a lot of time together. We spend time during the school day together, time after school helping each other out with homework, weekends riding and taking sleigh rides now. We’ve gone snowshoeing a few times. We really do spend a lot of time together.

I think I’ll try calling him again now.

› › › › ›

"Hi. Lobo. It’s Brea again. I’m getting kinda worried about you. Haven’t seen you in two days. Well, call me back as soon as you can…" A click sounded on the other end of the phone line.

"Hey," an extremely hoarse voice answered. Brea paused for a moment.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Yeah. Hi." The creature on the other end coughed.

"Lobo?" Brea asked.

"Yeah."

"You sound terrible! What’s wrong?" Brea asked in alarm.

"I’m sick. It was all I could do to get the phone," he explained. Lobo sneezed loudly.

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

"Is anyone home?"

"No."

"Are you okay there by yourself?"

"No."

"Do you want me to come over?"

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"I don’t want you to get sick."

"I won’t get sick."

"You might."

"You can’t stay there alone."

"I’ll have Todd come over."

"Not a good idea love. You know what he eats."

"Oh yeah." Lobo sounded as if he was going to be sick.

"I’m coming over there Lobo if you like it or not."

"I’ll lock the door."

"I’ll still get in."

"How are you getting here?"

"I have my own car now ya know."

"What about your job?"

"You are more important to me then that job is. I’ll call in sick every day. I’ll tell them I died if I have to. I am coming over there and I expect you to be in bed with I get there."

"Yeah."

"Now go. I’ll be there in twenty minutes or so."

"Okay." A click sounded as Brea hung up the phone. Lobo shook his head tiredly as he stood on shaky legs. The wolf/fox slowly wobbled back to his room. There, he collapsed on the bed and lapsed into a deep sleep.

"Lobo?" Brea asked. She pushed open the door. "You here?" She then shook her head. Of course he was here. Where would he go? He was sick and tired.

Brea set a small bag on the kitchen counter before wandering to Lobo’s room. She peeked through the door, spotting her boyfriend sprawled on the bed, covered with sweat and moaning in his sleep.

"Oh Lobo," Brea whispered. A worried, pitying look came into her eyes. She entered the room, surprised at how clean it always was. It was dark too. She knelt next to the bed. "My poor sweetie." Brea gently brushed Lobo’s brownish black hair out of his face. His bloodshot brown eyes opened slowly.

"Hey."

"Hi," Brea responded. She couldn’t smile.

"Hun, stop looking at me like I’m dead. I’m still alive."

"I know. I’m sorry."

"It’s okay," Lobo assured her. He put one hand on her face. "It’s all going to be okay."

"I know." Brea stood up. She pulled a blanket over Lobo. "Do you need anything?"

"Not really, but could you get me a drink and maybe put in Star Wars for me?" The smile returned to Brea’s face.

"Sure."

› › › ›

January 16

I spent the night here. Lobo is really bad. He tossed and turned all night, moaning. He has a really high fever. I’m scared. I don’t want him to be sick. He can hardly get out of bed when he has to. He can’t keep anything down for long, food or drinks, even though he tries real hard. My poor Lobo. I wish I could make him better.

› › › ›

"Can you sit up for a while?" Brea asked. She sat on the edge of Lobo’s bed. The wolf/fox looked up at her. His fever had gotten much worse overnight. His eyes had a hollow look to them.

"Maybe," he said. He tried to sit up but fell back. With a sigh, he looked up at her again. "I need help," he admitted. Brea knew it stung his pride to be asking for help. She smoothed the ruffled fur on his cheek.

"I won’t tell anyone," she assured him. She then helped him sit up. Brea moved behind him after draping a blanket over his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Lobo asked.

"If we don’t brush out your hair now, you’ll have to cut it."

"Oh. Okay." Lobo sat still while Brea began combing his hair out. It took her a while but she stubbornly stuck at it, determined to not use scissors on the harder tangles. She soon had Lobo’s shoulder length hair brushed out again. She then took the elastic from her own hair and pulled his back in it.

"That will keep it out of your face." Brea got off the bed. Lobo turned around before laying on his stomach.

"Thank you," he murmured. Brea sat on the floor.

"How do you feel?" she asked. Lobo coughed a bit.

"Achy, tired, sore, sick. Yet, for some reason, I’m happy too." He smiled weakly.

"Well, that’s a start," Brea commented. "Maybe I could take care of some of those aches for you." Brea stood again.

"Oh really. How?"

"Take off your shirt."

"Okay," Lobo said slowly. He wiggled his way out of his black tee-shirt. Brea sat on the edge of the bed again. Lobo moved over out of habit to give her more space. The mountain lion/fox began rubbing his shoulders and back. Lobo sighed, relaxing as she massaged out his kinked muscles.

"Feel better?" Lobo’s reply was only a muffled groan. Brea smiled, knowing he liked it.

When she finished massaging his back and shoulders, Brea sat back on the edge of the bed. She watched Lobo for a while. His eyes were closed and he was smiling softly. From the sound of his breathing, Brea guessed he was asleep. She leaned forward, kissing him gently. She then stroked his hair before standing up.

"Poor Lobo. We’ll get you better though." Brea went out to the kitchen. She looked around quickly.

"Okay. Let’s see here." Brea began to poke around in the cupboards. She pulled a large pot out. Placing it on the stove, Brea retrieved the bag she had brought with her. It contained a large box of dehydrated Chicken soup starter. Brea read the directions for the chickenless variety, figuring that Lobo wouldn’t be able to eat the meat very well.

When she had put every thing in the pot and started it, she went back to check on Lobo. The wolf/fox was on his back now, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Hey love," Brea whispered.

"Hi."

"You want anything?" Lobo nodded. A sad look came over his face.

"I want to be held," he said quietly.

"Okay." Brea helped Lobo sit up. She then sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Lobo buried his face in her shoulder while hugging her. It took her a while, but Brea realized he was quietly crying.

"Lobo. What’s wrong?" she asked. Lobo had never cried before, not even when Buck had stepped on and broken his foot last summer.

"I feel so terrible."

"I know love. I know." Brea held him closer. "You’ll get better in no time. I promise." She stroked his hair then rubbed his shoulder. Lobo looked into her eyes. His looked more bloodshot then they had been the day before. The fur around those eyes was wet.

"I’m sorry." He turned his face away. Brea hugged him.

"It’s okay love."

"No. It’s not. You shouldn’t have come. I shouldn’t be putting you through this."

"It’s okay Lobo. It’s alright. I wanted to be here for you. I love you." Lobo rested his head on her shoulder again.

"I love you too," he sniffed.

› › › ›

January 17

Lobo is making some progress. He was able to eat today. He got up out of bed too for more then two minutes. He has lost a lot of weight though. I’m still worried about him. We aren’t out of the woods yet. His fever is still clinging. His cough is pretty bad, and he still feels terrible.

I called into work sick so I could be here with him today. My boss wasn’t too happy about that. He said if I called in sick again, I was fired. I guess I’ll be looking for a new job soon cause I am not leaving Lobo here alone.

› › › ›

"Brea?" Lobo asked. He leaned his hip against the kitchen counter for support. His girlfriend currently had her head in the refrigerator.

"What?" she asked. She stood and looked back at him.

"Today’s Monday, isn’t it?" Lobo asked.

"Yeah. So?"

"Shouldn’t you be in school right now?" he asked. Brea shook her head.

"We have vacation this week. Don’t you remember?" Lobo shook his head.

"No."

"Well, we do." Brea looked at him in surprise. "What are you doing up? I thought you were asleep."

"I can’t sleep anymore. I’m not tired. I’m to sore to sleep anyway."

"Oh." Brea stood next to him. She leaned against him gently. "I’m sorry."

"It’s not your fault," Lobo said with a shake of his head.

"I know. But I’m sorry anyway."

"Okay." Lobo put his arms around her before kissing the top of her head. "I’m glad you did come.

"I know love. I know." She put her head against his chest. The pair stood like that for a while. "How are you feeling?" Brea finally asked.

"Better. I don’t feel so sick anymore."

"That’s good." Brea reached up and put one hand on the end of his nose. It was now cool and damp. "Your fever’s gone too."

"I know. Now I just need to get rid of the coughs."

"Those will fade eventually, along with the aches."

"Yeah." Lobo held her close. "What did I ever do to deserve a girlfriend like you? Willing to get sick just to get me well again."

"I won’t get sick Lobo. I’ve had this before. I know it."

"Okay. But if you do, I promise to do the same thing for you. I won’t leave your side until you are well again."

"You’re sweet," Brea mumbled into Lobo’s shoulder. She hugged him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too Hun." He smiled. "Hey. I fell well enough to go out. How about we go out for a celebratory dinner?" Brea looked up at him and smiled.

"I would say yes, but have you looked out a window lately?" she asked.

"No."

"Well, go do it." Lobo let go of her long enough to go look out the living room window. All he saw was white swirls of snow.

"Wow."

"Yeah. It’s been snowing since last night. We won’t be getting out of here for a while."

"So I see. Oh well," Lobo shrugged. He looked at her and smiled. Brea leaned against the wall. After a moment, she sat on the cough. Lobo sat next to her. She leaned against him. "At least we’re snowed in together," he said quietly.

"Yeah." Brea hugged him tightly. She then slowly drifted off into a deep sleep. She hadn’t slept well since she came to take care of him four days ago. Lobo smiled as he watched her. He stroked her hair before putting his arms around her. The storm outside blew but they were warm and snug together inside, safe and warm in each other’s love.