Sparks

7

Sam bolted awake from his fevered sleep. Sweat trickled down his neck and his head was pounding. He heard laughter coming from the opposite room. He glanced at the clock. 9:45. Sam slowly got up, being mindful of his aching joints and head. He stopped and leaned on the doorframe of the living room. Avery looked up and saw him.

"Oh my God, Sam! You look like the living dead! Get in the car." Brooklyn and Gavin quickly stood up from the couch and rushed to find their jackets. Avery gathered up her purse and opened the door, making her way down to the garage. Brooklyn grabbed Sam's wrist and tossed Gavin the keys to lock up the apartment. Avery's car was already started and the pounding of rain smashed against the concrete outside. Sam got in the car and closed his eyes. Gavin jumped in the front seat and brought up a map on his phone. Sam leaned his head against the cold window and dozed.

~

Brooklyn shook him awake. It looked like they were in a parking lot.

"Wake up, Sammy." He rubbed his eyes and got out of the car. It was drizzling, and you could only see the rain under the light of the street lamps. They went to the building, which Sam could only assume it was a hospital. Gavin went up to the receptionist while Sam, Brooklyn and Avery went to the waiting area. Gavin returned and sat down next to Avery.

"You're next Sam." Gavin leaned back in the chair and picked up a magazine. Sam rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"I'm sorry." He pulled his jacket closer to him and shivered. Brooklyn looked at him and reached for his hand, eyes filled with concern.

"Hey. You'll be okay." Brooklyn let go of his hand awkwardly. A nurse came out of a room and called Sam's name.

"Sam Fields?"

Sam got up and followed the nurse into the room. Brooklyn picked up a Home and Garden magazine.

"What time is it?" Brooklyn looked at Gavin.

"Almost 10:30. Why?" Gavin looked back down at his phone.

"They're not going to give him Tylenol, we're going to have to pick something up." Brooklyn put down the magazine.

"I can't read this right now." Brooklyn muttered to herself. Gavin nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets, looking nervous. After waiting for another 15 minutes, Sam came out of the room. He handed Brooklyn the prescription and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Sam didn't say anything and sat down hard in the blue plastic chair. Gavin took the prescription from Brooklyn.

"I'm going to take a walk. I can go pick it up on my way back to the flat." Gavin put on his hood and started to make his way to the front doors.

"You don't have a car! Gavin! Wait!" Avery ran after him.

"Babe, it's fine. I like to walk. I have to think about something. Talk to you when I get back." Gavin kissed her on the cheek and walked outside into the angry storm. Avery got her keys and hurried out to her car.

"Avery, he just wants to be alone. Let him go, he'll be back." Brooklyn called after Avery. Both of them knew that when Gavin wanted to do something there was no stopping him. They made their way out to the car and started down the road back to the apartment. Wind whipped sheets of rain in front of the car, however with the quickly fading light the rain gradually eased off.

~

Sam unlocked the apartment, cranked up the thermostat and claimed a couch. Brooklyn started some coffee and set out four mugs. Avery paced the hall and jumped whenever her phone vibrated. Brooklyn handed Avery a mug and touched her shoulder. Brooklyn knew that her and Gavin were stuck together like glue so when Gavin's sudden desire to be alone had sparked something in Avery.

"He'll be back Avery." Avery looked doubtful, then glanced at her phone. Putting her barely touched coffee down on the counter, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

"He's in the lobby!" Avery sprinted down the hall leaving Sam and Brooklyn in the flat. Brooklyn sat down next to Sam and handed him the coffee.

"Here. It's black." Brooklyn tucked her legs underneath her and picked up a novel from the coffee table.

"Black is fine. Thanks for doing this. You can have the bed tonight, I can sleep on the couch." Sam looked at her from over top of his cup.

"No way buddy. Don't let that fever make you think I can be charmed that easy. I think I can make it on the couch for one more night." Brooklyn returned to her novel. The door burst open and a drenched, grinning Gavin came in. He took off his coat and slung it over a chair.

"Guess who has a fiancé!" Gavin sat down at the kitchen table and sighed, slowly making a puddle of water on the floor.

"Maybe my wedding gift to you will be making you replace that warped hardwood. " Sam smiled. "There are towels in the closet."

Gavin moved off of the dark brown hardwood and shouted from Sam's room "Can I borrow some jeans or something?" Gavin dried off his hair and reached for the coffee set out for him.

"Sure, anything in the closet you can borrow." Sam got up and found a towel for himself and started the shower.

"I'm taking your advice and having a shower." Sam closed the door and all Brooklyn heard was running water. Gavin came out of Sam's room in a borrowed t-shirt and pair of jeans and sat at the table, opposite Brooklyn.

"When's the wedding?" Brooklyn picked up a black hoodie of Sam's that was slung across a chair and put it on.

"Next spring? Avery wanted something simple. We had talked about this before but she'll probably change her mind." Gavin laughed.

"Your kidding right? Avery and simple go together as perfect as snow and flip flops." Brooklyn smiled. "I'm happy for both of you."

"Me too. I'm exhausted. I did have to walk all the way here." Gavin yawned. "Oh, yeah Sam's prescription stuff is on the counter. I'll let you have the bigger couch, I can take the smaller one."

"'Night Gavin." Gavin's reply to Brooklyn was snoring. Brooklyn felt happy for Gavin and Avery but she couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't found love yet. High school boy friends had never filled the void in her heart. She wanted a soul mate and protector. Brooklyn tucked her head in her arms. She knew crying wouldn't help anything but she did it anyway.

~

Sam turned on the shower and rubbed his face roughly. The steam made his sore throat hurt and loosened the congestion in his lungs and he coughed until his chest hurt. He slowly eased his aching body into the stream of hot water. He washed his hair and brushed his teeth, figuring he could shave later. Turning off the water he dried his hair off and entered the hall, surprised to see all the lights off. He threw the towel into his bedroom and padded into the kitchen, bare foot and shirtless. Brooklyn had her head in her arms at the table and at first he thought she was sleeping. Sam got the milk out and set the carton on the table.

"Brooklyn?" Sam touched her arm in concern. Brooklyn looked up and quickly wiped the tears from her face.

"What." Brooklyn looked away, trying to hide her face in the shadows.

"What's going on?" Sam crossed his arms, realizing he forgot his shirt in the bathroom.

"Nothing." Brooklyn sniffled and drew in a shaky breath.

"Are you sure? I'm always here to talk." Sam poured a glass of milk and put the carton back in the fridge. He set a glass for her on the table next to her.

"It wouldn't do any good. Good night Sam." Brooklyn left the milk untouched and ignored Sam's offer for an awkward hug. She headed over to her couch and cried herself to sleep.