Numeric ID: 9 Date Received: 15 APR 2000 Idea From: LRochelle Written By: LRochelle Email To: /dev/null I opened the door, leaning heavily on the knob; the effort drained me of what little energy I had left. I peered out to see the silhouette of a woman -- the light streaming in sent shafts of pain through my head not unlike someone shoving an ice pick in my eye sockets, straight through to the back of my head. "Stephanie?" came an angelic voice. I didn't recognize her, but I wasn't all that sure I could've identified anyone at that moment. My brain was suffering a combination of pain that felt like thousands of spikes being driven in all at once, and a heat that was a kin to being branded with the biggest branding iron imaginable. And here I thought I was getting better. The only thing that kept me from panicking was something in the back of my mind reminded me that any women that I knew didn't know about Stephanie. "Unnn," was all I could manage as I strained to lift my other hand up to shield my eyes. "My God, girl! You look terrible!" she squealed, driving the spikes further into my brain. "You should be in bed," lowering her voice several decibels when she noticed the agony she had caused. I was starting to collapse into a heap on the floor from the searing pain and a total lack of energy, but she must've anticipated it because the next thing I knew, I was being helped to the couch. The moment I hit the cushions, I curled up into a ball and held my throbbing head. I must've passed out again because when consciousness returned, I was covered with a blanket. Remembering the pain, I slowly cracked open one eye. "Good, you're awake," the woman's voice barely registering in my mind. "You really should be in bed. Do you think you can move? I'm not strong enough to carry you and I don't know where that useless cousin of mine is. How could he just leave you alone like this? I swear, when I see that no account jackass, I'll give him what for." "Cousin?" was the only thing that I was able to glean from her diatribe. I did feel better and my brain was returning from the dark abyss it'd retreated to. "Oh, I'm sorry. We haven't been introduced. I'm Jim's cousin, Rebecca, but everyone calls me Becky." "Br..." I began, but thank God the fog my mind was wrapped in was thinning. I almost blew it and that would've made everything that I went through the past few days all for not. "Stephanie," I finally managed. "Nice to finally meet you," she returned. "Now, I think we need to get you to bed. Do you think you can make it?" I tried to nod, but the mush that was doubling as my brain felt as though it was sloshing back and forth. I began to prop myself up, expending great amounts of energy, but it was too much effort. The thought of a warm bed wasn't enough of an incentive. I passed out again. When I awoke once again, I was back in Jim's bed. I felt so much better and was trying to recall the strange dream when I heard voices coming from the living room. One of them was without a doubt a woman's voice and seemed somehow familiar. Then it hit me, it wasn't a dream. "Uhhh..." I sighed as I tried to work up enough energy to make the cross country trek to the bathroom. Jim must've heard me stirring because the next thing I was aware of was his voice. "Brad?" I propped open one eye, silently questioning his choice of names. "It's okay. I told Becky the whole story. We were pretty close growing up and she knows about me," he said, answering my unspoken inquiry. "Do you need some help to the bathroom?" When I opened the other eye, he saw the pleading that showed in them and came to the bed. He helped me up and I was able to make it to the bathroom under my own power. I went through my now familiar routine of draining the bladder and forcing down a shit load of pills. I felt almost human again and rather hungry. But first, I needed to replace the fluids that had recently vacated my body, so I left the bathroom and made my way to the bed. I tried to drink some Gatorade, but my taste buds decided to take a vacation -- not that Gatorade was the greatest tasting stuff in the first place. I settled for plain water. At least it didn't try and make me taste it twice. When I had my fill, I looked up at Jim who had wrapped the blankets around me while I was busy taking in fluids. "Well, I guess I should go to my room, get out of this nightgown and crawl into my own bed. But first I need some food." "Stay right there. I'll bring you something to eat. How does pot roast and mashed potatoes and gravy sound? Becky cooked dinner," he said before I could untangle myself from the blankets. He was gone before I had a chance to answer, but he returned a few minutes later carrying a tray with something that smelled wonderful. I propped myself up and he placed the tray on my lap. He'd cut the roast up into tiny pieces and I savored every morsel. Jim sat down on the edge of the bed and watched me eat. After I managed to eat the entire helping, he took the tray and placed it on the dresser. I started to get out of bed, but Jim was back at my side, forcing me back down into the bed. "No you don't. You stay right there." "But I should let you have your bed back since we don't need to keep up this charade," I protested weakly. "It's better if you stay here a little longer. I really don't feel like moving all this stuff to your room and besides..." he paused, unsure how to broach the subject. "I've let Becky have your room. She was going to go to a hotel, but I couldn't see the need to waste the money." I stared at him, sure there was something he wasn't telling me. "Jim, what's going on?" "Ummm... I should've known better than to lie," he said cryptically. "Okay, Jim, spill it." He didn't say anything and I was about to be a little more forceful -- well, I was going to try, anyway -- when he finally spoke. "Brad, I really hate to ask, but..." "Dammit, Jim. What is it?" I wanted to sleep and Jim's beating around the bush was tiring me out. "Dad wants me to bring you to the farm for the summer. I told him that I didn't think you could make it, but he was somewhat insistent. He said Mom wouldn't be very happy if I didn't give her a chance to meet you and Becky confirmed it. Mom isn't the type you say no to, if you know what I mean." He paused to let what he'd blurted out to sink in. Now, I know my mind wasn't operating on all cylinders and I wasn't sure I was hearing him correctly, but I swear I just heard him ask me to be Stephanie for the entire summer, in a round about way. There was no way I could keep it up that long. The only reason I was able to do it now was because I was sick and didn't need to interact with anyone all that much. I couldn't fathom trying to do it for three months. "I know it's a lot to ask," he responded to the vigorous shaking of my head that sent the room into an uncontrollable spin, "but you did such a great job at the restaurant and Becky said she'd help you pull it off. I just don't know what else to do." I must've passed out again, because when I opened my eyes, the room was dark and Jim was snuggled up against me. I tore myself from the comforting warmth of his body and went to the bathroom. Completing the now familiar routine, I crawled back into bed and formed myself to the warm body that was already there. I was getting way too used to having a warm body next to mine, but I didn't have time to dwell on it before I was asleep once again. The next thing I was aware of was Jim waking me with a kiss. If I was feeling even half way normal, I would have protested, but I wasn't and waking to a kiss was kind of nice. I tried to appear angry but I couldn't keep the slight smile from showing. "Morning, darling," he cooed. I was still too weak to really get angry, but I was able to get out, "Jim, what the hell is going on?" Jim acted as though he just realized what he was doing and quickly climbed out of bed. "Oh God, I'm really sorry. But I thought if you were going to help me out, you needed to get use to being with me, at least on the surface." "Oh shit!" I grunted. "It wasn't a dream. Jim, I don't know, man. It's one thing to be sick and sleeping through most of it, but..." "Please, Brad. I just don't know what else to do. You can do it, I know you can. Becky'll be there to help and..." "Jim, I just don't know. This is not what I had in mind for the summer." I was planning to find some coed to spend the sultry days of summer with. Being the coed wasn't in the equation. "Please?" he pleaded. "I'll make it very comfortable for you. Buy you anything you want. Do anything you want. Please do this for me." My mind started spinning again, or maybe it was the room. I closed my eyes and it helped a little. When I opened them again, Jim was still looking down at me with those puppy dog eyes and I didn't have the heart to say no. "All right, Jim. But if I don't think I can pull it off, no arguments. Okay?" "Yes!" he shouted excitedly. "What ever you want. I owe you big time."