Cooking for the Family 7
They made their goodbyes. He hung up and Jensen finished his second cigarette. “You want a third or should we head back?” asked Chris.
“Let’s go back, I don’t want to be away too long.” Chris rounded a corner and pulled back into the hospital. They parked and Jensen said, “You don’t have any febreze do you?”
“No, I’m not sixteen and covering the fact that I smoke.”
“Damn it.”
“Just let me do the talking.” They parked and got out. They waded back through the paparazzi. Jensen kept his head down and ignored the questions. As they got to Jamie’s floor, by his room and where his family would hear, Chris said, “Jensen, you reek of cigarettes: that what being in my car does. I smoke too much; you should shower before goin’ in to see your boy.”
“Yeah,” agreed Jensen. He looked in through the window of Jamie’s room. Jared was wearing scrubs and was passed out on the cot Kim had left. His mom and his mother-in-law were both sitting with Jamie.
Jensen went to the showers, discarded his scrubs and washed thoroughly and quickly. He brushed his teeth and put on new scrubs. Back in the hall he looked in the door and saw Kim by Jamie’s monitors. “How is he, Kim?” he asked softly.
Kim smiled, “I am pleased to say I’m changing his chart from critical care to intensive care.”
Jensen beamed, “Seriously?”
“Seriously. We’re not out of the woods yet but he’s doing excellently.” Kim moved to hug him, “He’s doing great.”
“God, Kim, thank you.”
“I’ll have the first rounds of RAST tests back in about thirty-six hours.”
Jensen let go of him, “Okay, great. Would you mind telling the others?” Kim nodded and left.
He moved to the bed and his mom said, “I’m going to go out and get some of cereal.”
She left him alone with Ma and she smiled at him, “Each step makes it a little easier to breathe.” He nodded. “He looks so much like Tricia.” She was holding her daughter’s lion.
“Sometimes he makes me miss her more. But… Going from critical to intensive in under twenty-four hours is pretty amazing.”
Then out of the blue Ma said, “Jared’s nice. It’s good to see you with someone.”
Jensen nodded, “I know, Nancy, I know. Everyone’s been saying it. He makes me happy.”
Jared sighed, “That’s a great thing to wake up to.”
Jensen said, “You’ve only been asleep for an hour.”
Sitting up Jared stretched, “I’m okay. How’s Jamie?”
“Officially not critical. He’s doing well. You can go back to sleep if you like.”
Jared rubbed his eyes, “I’m good.”
Kim popped his head in the door. “As Jamie is off the critical list I’ve asked your family to come in and say their goodbyes. They should go home and get back to their jobs.”
“Jobs! Oh God, I need to call work,” said Jensen, looking for his cell phone.
But Jared said, “Annie already called them. They’ve gotten a sub for the rest of the year. Sandy’s been calling but I told her that she needs to chill because we’ll do the barbeque once we’re out of here and Jamie’s up to it. I’ve already canceled Iron Chef. We’re fine, don’t worry about work.”
Jensen nodded and Kim said, “Josh is here and he’s showering. I’m going to start Jamie’s TPN.”
“Okay, that sounds good. The fewer needles that go into him when he’s awake the better.”
Jared stood, “I’m going to take a shower so that someone else can come in.”
~~~
The next twenty days were the most terrifying and longest days of Jared’s life.
It was a constant parade of freshly showered friends and family and waiting. Chad came before going to the airport, everyone was coming. Jeff Morgan would stop by with that day’s homework every evening. But on day ten he said, “Here’s the last day of homework. Tomorrow’s the class party and it’s over.”
Jensen smiled tiredly, “I don’t think he could have caught up on much more work. Enjoy the zoo tomorrow, y’hear?”
“Yes sir, I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Jared went back to the houses everyday to pick up the mail. At Jensen’s he would cook them food while Jensen was giving Jamie bed baths. Jensen’s family was doing the shopping, leaving groceries for Jared. It was a relief as Jared didn’t want to shop for any of it alone, he didn’t trust himself. They waited on tenterhooks for the RAST test results and when they came in they were odd. Kim stood with a clip board full of paper and said, “Bad news: you have to cut sesame seed oil out of your diet.”
“Done,” said Jensen.
“Now the good news. I like to run Jamie on a full spectrum, I don’t have enough blood for that yet, I’m going to need six more vials but that can wait. I always test the things he’s allergic to as my control group. But this time it was different. We’ve always spoken about the possibility of Jamie outgrowing his allergies. His blood results show that he is no longer allergic or sensitive to eggs.”
“Seriously?” he was smiling and crying at the same time, beaming and crying. “What do we do next? I mean, where do we go from here? What does it mean?”
“Next we do a skin test when he’s well enough to make sure the results are correct. Once you’ve lost an allergy it’s not coming back. So if we see that he’s really clear of it you can reintegrate eggs into your diet. He’s likely to be scared at first. I know he loves eggs but he might be frightened because he had such a bad reaction to it. But it’s a great form of protein and it will add something back to his restrictive diet.” Jensen was nodding and smiling the whole time. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, I don’t want you to think he’s going to be totally free of allergies but it’s a good sign.”
“It’s great, it’s awesome!” responded Jensen, still having tears running down his face. “Even if that’s it, it’s still a huge, amazing change. And losing sesame seed oil is really a small price to pay.”
Kim smiled, “I’m very pleased about these results.”
Jensen smiled and said, “I’m going to go call Annie!”
That day Jensen’s family went over to the house and cleaned out the kitchen, throwing away anything that had sesame seeds in it. Then they scrubbed his kitchen. Two days later Kim took two vials of blood for more RAST tests. Three days later he took two more vials. A day later Kim said, “He’s doing so well. His swelling has gone down, so much so, that I am willing to remove his breathing tube. I think it’s best to have him wake up with a sore throat.”
Every bit of news made Jensen smile a little brighter. After Jamie was given an oxygen mask Jensen said, “Can I pick him up?” Kim nodded and Jensen picked up Jamie, careful of all of his tubes and wires, and sat down in the chair. Kim left without saying anything.
Jensen breathed out so slowly, “God that feels good.” He held Jamie very close, keeping his head still. He kissed Jamie’s face gently, “This is huge.” Jared made up the bed and gave Jensen some privacy as the man quietly cried tears of relief or joy. The bed was now made up with Mickey Mouse bed sheets but Jensen made no move to put Jamie back on the bed. “Jay?” he asked without looking up. “Would you please call Annie?”
“Of course I will.” Jared left and made the call. Jared could hear the smile in her voice. She assured him she would call everyone else.
Jensen held Jamie in his arms for the rest of the day and most of the next. None of the visitor asked to hold Jamie but late at night, when Jensen needed to get a few hours of sleep, he would hand Jamie off to Jared. The first night he said, “I don’t want him to be put down. I’m never sure if he knows he’s being held. He wakes up too groggy but maybe, you know, he knows right now. Today makes this officially the longest he’s ever been unconscious, today was the summer recital. I want someone to hold him.”
“I’d love to hold him,” Jared took Jamie from him. It was comforting to hold him and feel that he was warm and breathing.
A couple days later Kim took two more vials of blood. “That’s the last blood I need.”
It was four more days before Jamie made a little whining noise and turned his head, blinking slowly. Jensen was showering and Jared was holding him. “Hi, sweetheart,” he said softly, “Daddy’s going to be back soon. How do you feel?” Jamie slowly shook his head. Jamie reached for his mask but Jared gently pulled his hand away. “Let’s leave that for Dr. Manners. Okay?” He hit the button that paged the nurses. Jamie started to cry and Jared kissed his forehead, “I’m sorry, Daddy will be back really soon.” Jamie cuddled into him as Kim came into the room. “Here’s Dr. Manners.”
“Don’ wanna give blood,” his voice was muffled behind the mask and his words were slurred. He buried his face in Jared’s chest.
“No,” said Jared rubbing his back, “Dr. Manners did all your tests while you were asleep. No more blood.”
“I hurt,” said Jamie, still with his face buried in Jared chest. He cuddled closer. “My froat’s all sore.”
Jared looked at Kim, “Can we take off his mask to let him have some water?” Kim poured him a glass as Jared removed the mask. He helped Jamie with the glass. “Dr. Manners had to put a tube in your chest to help you breathe. That’s why your throat hurts.” Jamie took little sips.
“How long?” asked Jamie.
Jensen walked in, “Baby! You’re awake.”
Jamie looked at him, “How long I asleep?”
“Twenty days,” said Jensen, “it was a really long time.”
“I hurt,” said Jamie as he put his arms out for Jensen. Kim reached out and replaced the mask over Jamie’s nose and mouth.
Jensen picked him up and moved to sit on Jamie’s bed. “I bet you do. It was really rough.”
Jamie was touching his arm, “Can I take IV out?”
“No, baby, leave it alone. It’s feeding you.”
Jamie rubbed his face against Jensen’s shoulder. “Daddy, I don’t feel good,” Jamie said, “I wanna go home.”
“I know, baby. We can’t do that yet. You’re too sick.”
“I want the little mask,” said Jamie.
“I bet Dr. Manners can help with that.” Jensen motioned for Kim who got a smaller tube and attached it to the oxygen and removed the mask from Jamie’s head and taped the tube under Jamie’s nose. “That’s better, isn’t it?” Jamie nodded. “What hurts?”
“My body and my head and I’m wearing a diaper. I’m not a baby.”
“I know, baby. We didn’t want to put in a catheter. We can take that off now.”
The next hour was spent getting Jamie comfortable. Jamie cried and cuddled with anyone who touched him, his dad, Jared and any nurses. However, he flinched from Kim until Jensen assured him that Kim wasn’t going to take any more blood. He got changed out of the diaper and into regular underwear and was given IV pain medication that wouldn’t upset his breathing or heart. Jensen explained his test results and the need to do a skin test on Jamie for eggs and that they couldn’t have sesame seed oil again more. Jamie was excited at the idea of being allowed to eat eggs and not very upset about the sesame seed oil.
For the rest of the day Jamie drifted in and out of sleep. He took a few labored steps, holding Jensen’s hands to the bathroom and Kim smiled and said, “Kids bounce back, give it a couple of weeks and you can have that barbeque.”
Jensen had already talked to Kim about the barbeque days before, asked if it was going to be possible to have it at all. He had also apologized for not inviting Kim but the man shook his head. He’d said, “Jensen, I’m his doctor. We like each other but if any of us had a choice we would gladly never see each other again. I shouldn’t come, he’s anxious around me. I’m the guy with the needles.”
Now Jamie was cuddling with his Daddy eating some Jell-O. “Good?” asked Jensen.
Jamie said, “Yeah. It’s lemon flavored. When I can I have real food?”
“When Dr. Manner says it’s okay. You’ve been on TPN for a long time so your stomach needs time to get used to food again. Right now you can have Jell-O and later you can have some milk and we’ll add stuff little by little until you’re healthy and get to come home.”
“Are you gonna eat?”
“Not in front of you,” said Jensen. “Jared and I won’t taunt you.” Jamie ate his Jell-O and fell asleep again. “Jay?” He whispered, “I spoke to the grandparents and everyone, said he’s awake but not up to company. But Annie’s coming soon, she’ll go home really late and eat something because she’s coming from work and hates eating right after work. Would you please go home and cook something for you and me? That way she’ll be here with him while we eat.”
Jared nodded, kissed him and left. Over the long days the paparazzi had lost interest. Selena Gomez had fallen over drunk while not wearing underwear and now all the Texan paparazzi were hounding her mother about it. He drove to the house and made them a quick beef stew thing, it wasn’t very summery, it wasn’t very fancy all it was was tasty. He made rice and packed everything up. Back at the hospital Jamie was awake and cuddling with Annie. Jared motioned through the window and Jensen came out.
“How is he?” asked Jared as he unpacked the food.
“He’s okay. I want to eat fast though, he still feels sick and needs company.” He started to eat and said, “This is great, thank you. I always feel a little guilty eating when he can’t. It feels like a betrayal.” He fell silent as he ate. “I love comfort food.”
The next few weeks were spent cuddling with Jamie. He did his homework, he slowly was reintroduced to food, Jared got the new season of Dinner for Two, which wasn’t supposed to air until September, for Jamie to watch. When Jamie was getting his skin test done he wasn’t allowed to itch his arm and it was driving him crazy. Jared called Bobby Flay and asked if he would let Jamie watch Throwdown with Bobby Flay. He explained about Jamie’s allergies and how Jamie was in the hospital indefinitely. Bobby sent the rough cuts to the Texas office and Jared went in to talk to Sandy about the Family Barbeque.
Once Jamie had finished his homework he watched all of the Throwdowns and Dinner for Twos. Jensen brought his laptop so that Jamie could write Bobby a thank you note he also brought a small electric keyboard and Jamie played it a lot. He got stronger and stopped needing help to walk and they walked around the hospital a lot and went to the dayroom to play with the toys and puzzles there. But a lot of the time Jamie was still tired and sad and just snuggled with his visitors.
The skin tests showed that Jamie could eat as many eggs as he liked and he had scrambled eggs for the first time in over years two years. Jamie wasn’t freaked out like Kim had thought he would be; he was excited. Forty-three days after the ill-fated Bring a Parent to School meal, Jamie was allowed to come home.
That night Jensen grabbed Jared and kissed him hard, “I have missed your body. Forty-three days is a really long time to go without when you’ve gotten used to getting laid every day. I want it hard and I want a marathon. Can we do that? We can take breaks for snacks and everything.”
“That sounds fantastic.” Jared dragged him to the bedroom, leaving his recently collected dogs in the living room. He stripped Jensen, herding him onto the bed. “Missed seeing you naked. You are so gorgeous.” Dropping to his knees next to the bed he said, “I’m young enough to not need cushioning for my knees.” He sucked Jensen to hardness. Jensen was moaning loudly and stroking Jared’s hair. Jared pulled back and said, “How many times can you come tonight?”
“Lots, it’s all pent up, keep going.” So Jared swallowed him again, sucking hard and massaging his balls. Jensen moaned, “You are so good at that. You could put it on your résumé.” He came with a gargled groan. He pulled Jared up as he slipped from Jared’s mouth and sucked Jared’s tongue into his own mouth. Jensen panted, “I love the taste of me on you.”
“On your back. Love it when you’re stretched out under me. Love having you pant against my shoulder.” Jensen scooted back on the bed. His eyes, which were glazed from coming, cleared as Jared stripped.
He knelt over Jensen and kissed his way up his body. Jensen was playing with his hair. Jared leaned away to grab lube and condoms. He started to stretch Jensen slowly. And Jensen said, “I want it hard, I really trust you for hard and good.”
The words warmed Jared and he said, “I know, you’ll get that at some point in the night but I need to warm you up if you want a marathon.” Jensen was shaking and Jared felt him become loose enough for Jared to enter him slowly. Jensen scrambled for a purchase on Jared but instead just scratched down his back. The feeling spurred Jared on. Jared kissed him licking his way into Jensen’s hot mouth. “You are even more sexy when you lose it.” Jensen was panting against his shoulder, the way that Jared liked. Within a few minutes he came, feeling relieved at the release. He collapse on Jensen’s chest and said, “You feel gorgeous.” He stroked his hands up and down Jensen’s flanks and said, “Snack?”
“Just wine.”
“Red or white?”
“Surprise me.”
Continues in Jared's POV