Cabin Fever (BXB)

the day that email came

"Want to go over to David and Cheryl's?" I asked one day. I stood and redid the comforter on the bed before strolling over to the fridge for some water. I kept making the mental note to put together the bedframe from IKEA so we could finally sleep in a proper bed. "They invited us over, and they're making a shepherd's pie for Great American Pie Month. I said shepherd's pie isn't American, so David's also making apple pie."

"Sure," Simon said, deadpan. His eyes were still glued to the screen. "One less dinner to worry about."

I watched him. "Are you still scarred about that one book cover you did for that guy?"

"Yes, but this is different."

"How different? What animal are we talking here?"

"Micah – "

"Giraffe? Penguin? Oh! What about donkey?"

"No, Micah, it's not a commission."

"Oh?" I crossed over to him and draped my arms over his shoulders, pressing my face against his. "What's up, then?"

He turned to me. "Aren't you a little concerned, Micah? The garage just laid you off."

"Temporarily," I corrected, "and it's because bossman said he was concerned about the Covid thing. He said he'd bring me back on once this was all over. And I still have my shifts at the library, too." I don't like the disposable masks, though. It makes more sense to have washable ones, if they exist. They probably do.

I make a mental note to add, "Environmental benefits to washable masks?" to my notes list.

"No, Micah, you don't – " Simon sighed. "You being off work means we're not earning enough, and not earning enough means we eat more into what we've started saving."

"It's all temporary. That's what he said. We're not going to lose the apartment, are we?"

"I'll believe him when this's all over." He turned back to his computer. "And no, we're not. Not with what I've saved up."

"You seem more anxious than normal."

"Besides you losing one of your part-time jobs?"

I pressed my face a little harder into his cheek. "Things'll be okay."

He grumbled.

"What's up?"

He looked at me. "Just some emails."

"Is that girl still bothering you? You can say you're not a comic book artist. And you don't have any interest adapting The Family Montegraph if she asks again. I read it. It was okay. Super boring."

"No, I've settled that."

"...is it a new project?"

"I haven't accepted anything new."

"Then what's up?" I inhale, and he smells like sweat, but it was okay because I liked how he smelled, as kind of gross as that was. "What project do I need to shout at? I'll do it. I swear."

"No, Mi – " He snorted, trying not to smile. "You're a dork."

"I'm your dork."

He turned his head and squishes a kiss into my cheek.

I closed my eyes and grinned into his shoulder. "I love you."

Simon sighed, drawing in a long, slow breath before clearing his throat.

I squished my face a little harder against his head, but I couldn't help my eyes glossing over his emails, landing on one that said the words "Dad" and "Sick" in the same subject line. It was unopened, still highlighted, and too enticing to not read. "Simon?"