Straight Best Friends (Gay Love Story -- In Progress)

03: A New Routine

I woke up from a nap to the sound of the door opening.

"I got your favorite! Olive Garden!" Matt said excitedly as he came over to check on me. 

"How much do I owe you?" I asked.

"Please, Jack, you're not paying me. You're sick and you need your favorite foods to help you get better. Comfort foods lead to less stress which will hopefully get you to feeling better. Have you been sleeping all day? I hope so." 

"Yeah, " I said, "I woke up and was in so much pain that I cried. I eventually went back to sleep. I hate this Matt. I feel helpless."

"That's where you're wrong, " Matt answered, "I am helping you throughout this whole ordeal. You're not helpless Jack."

I smiled at him. "Thank you for being such a good friend. I would probably be laying in the hallway dead if it weren't for you."

He smiled and went to go get plates for us to eat on. My professors e-mailed me and gave me permission to work from home for a while. They said they would e-mail me throughout the days and let me know what I needed to do. Luckily I finished most of my degree earlier; this semester I just had two last classes. 

Matt came back and put a plate of my favorite pasta on the table. "Do you want to eat off the table or do you just want to eat on the couch? What would be best? What would make you most comfortable?"

I smiled. "You don't have to come and lift my arm for me to eat the food Matt, " I joked, "I can move it on my own. Thank you."

He is so concerned. I appreciate all he is doing. 

"I think it is great your teachers allowed you to stay in while you're in such bad shape Jack, " Matt said, "You need rest. Nothing is worth destroying your own body in the process." 

We watched two movies for the rest of the night. Matt conintuously made sure I was doing well and asked the most detailed questions about everything making sure I was comfortable. It was a little annoying but, at the same time, I could tell he cares. 

I ended up throwing up again after we ate. I don't know what is causing all this. While I threw up Matt, again, was there to rub my back and comfort me. He has always known that throwing up makes me terrified. I hate the feeling of it, of not being able to breathe like that. It was really embarassing to have him there watching all this, but I will admit it helped a lot to have someone there to rub my back and get me water to keep me hydrated. 

Once I was done, Matt made sure I was safely on the couch again before he went to bed. 

"I am leaving my bedroom door open okay? That way I can hear you if something goes wrong or you can come get me. Do you want me to sleep in the living room chair again tonight?"

"No Matt, " I said, "You need to sleep in your bed. I appreciate it all. I just need rest. Thanks bud."

"Get some rest please," Matt said very sternly. I've never been deathly ill in front of Matt before. Okay, well I've never been this sick before. But he is very nurturing. I started thinking about how he is with his siblings. I feel like I am always the one preventing my siblings from getting into trouble, but he is that brother who is always nurturing his siblings and encouraging them. It was weird to be feeling like I was one of his younger brothers or something. 

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The sickness continued. Two weeks later, I am still in this state of uncontrollable pain and vomiting things. The vomiting has decreased, but overall my symptoms haven't gone away. The doctor I had seen was puzzled. It turns out that I did not have what he thought I had, so he referred me to someone else, who also didn't know what to do. No one knew how to help.