Infliction

12

My phone starts ringing, bringing us both out of our thoughts. I sigh as I answer it without looking at who's speaking.

"Hello?"

"Hey Kyle. How is it going?"  I recognise Vero's voice. It's been forever since I've seen her and she still remembers to call me once in a while.

"It's all good. How are you?" I strain my voice to sound excited. I would have been had she not interrupted the moment I was having with Tess.

"It's fine. Just a little bit of work here and a little work there but nothing to worry about." She has always been the talker in our family.

"And how's dad?"

"Your father is," she draws out, trying to find her words, "getting better, I guess," she says, chuckling at the end.

"I'm glad to hear that. You mind if I visited soon?"

"You know, I was actually hoping you'd say just that. I'll prepare your favourite meal, okay?" I'm sure she's smiling brightly. She has always been fond of me because she couldn't get her own kids.

She always made sure to save some time for my father and I in her busy schedule, unlike my own mother who wouldn't even come visit me in ICU if she had business lunch with one of her colleagues. Maybe that's one of the reasons why my dad left her for Veronica.

"I can't wait to taste your food," I tease her. She gets so worked up whenever someone says that to her. She says it puts her under pressure.

"Goodnight, young man," she says cheerfully as she ends the call. I look at the time and it reads twenty-one to twelve. I stifle a yawn and turn to Tess, seeing that she's already changed in her pyjamas.

"Here," she says, handing me a pile of clothes. "Don't ask whose they were. Go change."

I chuckle as I just take the clothes from her and stand up, going to her bathroom to change. I trust her and they smell clean, so I have no problem wearing them. I come out with my clothes folded and put them in her closet at the empty spot.

"We aren't sharing a blanket?" I ask, having a feeling of déjà vu. She turns her back to me and pretends to be asleep.

"You afraid I'll bite?" I smirk when I get in bed. She turns to me with a frown.

"The couch is pretty comfortable if you ask me," she says before turning her back around and giving me her back.

"Alright lady," I lean in closer to her. "Good night." I place a kiss on her temple and she smiles.

"Good night Kyle." I love it when she says my name.

Tess' POV

I woke up at seven and took a shower. When I came out, Kyle was still snoring peacefully. I got an extra toothbrush that was still unopened and a facecloth for him. I left them on the bedside table and closed the door behind me.

I prepared muesli with ice cream and sat in front of the television, catching the morning telenovelas. After a good ten minutes, I heard the hairdryer and smiled because that meant Kyle was awake. Probably drying his hair, I thought to myself.

"Morning," he came from behind me and gave me a hug. His wet hair touched my face and I gave him a glare as he went to the kitchen. Wait, why is his hair still wet if he used the dryer?

"Want some muesli?" I asked him when I walked into the kitchen and placed my bowl in the sink. He turned from the microwave with a sly smile but quickly covered it.

"I only eat it with specific dairy products," he said, folding his arms and making his biceps and triceps bulge out. He looked quite good in my dad's clothes.