Actions Speak Louder

The Morning After

Paul woke up with a lingering concern that was only enhanced by the muffled groans coming from the floor at the foot of his bed. 

"Em?" The only response he received was a grunt that sounded somewhat painful.

His protective instinct kicking in, he fully woke up and began to panic yet again.

"Em, baby! What happened?"

"Tried to get ready for work. Fell down."

Paul kicked the sheets off, cautiously walking around the bed so as not to run into Emma. "What made you think you'd be able to go to work today? You couldn't even walk yesterday, that's not gonna solve itself over one night."

"Nora'll be mad." Her voice was weak, and did not sound in any less pain than it had the night prior. In fact, it had probably worsened since her muscles had time to get sore and the painkillers she took before sleeping had worn off.

"I'll call her and tell her what happened, she won't be mad."

Trying to sit up and failing miserably, Emma panicked as well. "No, don't tell her. I don't want her to know."

"Hey, sudden movements aren't gonna help, yeah?" Emma, still wanting to get out of her seemingly pathetic position, but relenting to Paul's help, lifted her arms enough for Paul to get the clue and carefully pick her up. He laid her down on the bed and sat next to her, rubbing her arm soothingly. 

"I have to work." Her tone gave away her desperation to be okay, when her figure gave away the fact she was very much not okay.

Paul looked down at his sad little barista, moved some hair from her forehead, and kissed her forehead. "Emmy, I can't let you go to work today."

Her face suddenly contorted into one of frustration and a hint of repressed anger. "You're right, you can't let me do anything. It's my decision."

"Hey, you know I didn't mean it like that. But, Emma, you can't stand up. How are you gonna make coffee?"

"Zoey goes to work without doing anything all the time. I want painkillers."

While Paul got the painkillers off the bedside table and gave them to Emma, his concern grew. Emma would never pass up an opportunity to not go to work. She never cared what Nora and Zoey thought about her or whether or not she was at work.

"How much pain are you in, baby?"

"A lot, but nothing I haven't dealt with."

"Yes, but your leg is one limb, you have bruises everywhere."

"You get pretty sore backpacking in Guatemala for ten years. I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you would be, but you haven't been in Guatemala for a couple years."

"I don't have time for this. I have to go to work, Paul." Her voice had a slight whine to it, making Paul's heart break even more. He didn't want to upset her anymore, but he also didn't want her collapsing at work.

"Okay, how 'bout this? I can call Nora and tell her you feel sick and you're not gonna be there on time. Then I'll call Hidgens so he can come check up on you and if he gives you the all-clear you can say you started feeling better and go to work."

Emma didn't want to show up to work late or not at all, drawing more attention to herself, but she really didn't want to leave Paul either. "Okay."

"Alright, you stay here and rest. I'm gonna call them and I'll come back with some food, kay?"

"Wait! Don't tell them what happened. I don't want them to know."

"Well, Hidgens is gonna find out eventually, right?"

"Just, don't tell him. Please?"

"Okay, baby."

"I love you, Paul."

Paul's face instantly softened at the unusual verbal affection. "I love you too, princess."

If Paul wasn't concerned before, he definitely was now. Emma? Not wanting people to know she won a fight? Or that she was in a fight at all? Even if she had lost, he doubted he would hesitate to show off her muscles and how she almost won even though her opponent was two feet and a hundred pounds larger than her. Still, he respected her wishes and left any details out of his conversations. Knowing Emma nearly as well as Paul, this only made Hidgens more concerned. 

"What's wrong? Is Emma okay?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Why not? What happened?"

"She doesn't want me to tell you."

"Young man, I don't like that answer."

"Neither do I, but it's what she wants. Please just come over, Hidgens."

"I'll be there in twenty."

Paul re-entered the bedroom to see Emma lying in the same position he left her in, staring at the ceiling, obviously thinking about something. "I brought you some toast."

"Thanks, man." Paul reclaimed his spot by Emma with his own plate of toast, staring at nothing rather than eating it.

"Are you gonna eat your toast?"

"I'm not really hungry."

"You should eat." And so he did.

"Hidgens is gonna be here in a little bit."

Emma sighed, which was not entirely unexpected, but not entirely ideal either.

"You like Hidgens, yeah?"

"Yeah, as long as he doesn't baby me."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind."

The two continued to eat their toast in silence, Emma leaning on Paul's shoulder every once in a while, until they were done and all there was for Paul to do was hold his love close but not too tight until the doorbell ringed.