Free Paper Cranes by Nicole Hite Page B

functionalities. I could visibly see the deterioration of muscle in the fatty tissue of my thumb. Where there was once muscular tissue, I could see the formerly taught skin slightly lose; a stark contrast to my matching appendage.
    Finally getting everything into my bag, I shook off the tremors. I lifted the bag with my left hand to avoid having to think about my right. It took every ounce of me to keep my composure as I barreled down the wooden stairs.
    The aged boards cracked and creaked as I hit the landing. Standing before me was a very dapper Lee. Tucked under his arm was a beautiful bouquet of roses of all colors and sizes.
    “I forgot which colors meant what so I got a mixture,” he laughed. “I was going to go yellow, but I’m pretty sure that means, ‘I’m sorry”. That’s not how I want to start off our date.”
    “Apologizing before we even leave, that’s a healthy way to start a date,” I giggle.
    Bending over, I took a big whiff of their fragrant petals.
    “They smell amazing.”
    Lee went to hand them to me and I instinctually went to grab them with my right hand. Before the stems made contact, I immediately switched hands. I didn’t want to make a complete ass out of myself and have another repeat of what had just occurred upstairs.
    Lee gave me a peculiar stare as I took them from him.
    “I’m just going to put these in water.”
    “Let me help you with that,” he offered.
    We walked to the kitchen together, smiling like idiots.
    “I need three things,” he said turning toward me and placing his hands on my shoulders.
    “List away, Captain.”
    “A vase, a sharp knife and aspirin,” he listed off his fingers.
    “Aspirin?” I cocked an eyebrow
    “Don’t ask questions, Dove. We have a patient that needs our attention. Now, Vase!”
    “Here you go, Doctor.”
    “Aspirin!” he yells, trying desperately to hold his laughter at bay.
    Gripping the easy grip bottle, I rolled two tiny pills in my hand.
    “Yes, Doctor.”
    Taking the pills, Lee places them on the counter next to the vase. Lee carefully lifts the vase, thrusting it down on the pills. Clutching the heavy glass, he crunched the aspirin into a fine powder.
    “Nurse, knife!”
    Chuckling, I hand him the blade, handle first. Lee slipped the blade underneath the brittle cellophane, slicing it away from the beautiful roses. Extracting the stems from the wrapping, he placed them on the wooden cutting board we keep out. Handling the blade like a true culinary genius, he sliced the stems diagonally.
    After he was done cutting the stems, he took the vase, swept in the powdered aspirin and filled the vase up with water.
    “Want to do the honors, Nurse?” he stated as he placed the glass on the granite counter top.
    Scooping the roses into my hands, I immediately drop them back onto the counter.
    “Ouch!” I whimpered as I suck my thumb where the thorns nicked me.
    “Do we have an ornery patient? Did the thorns get you? Here let me see.”
    The blood stopped, but it still stung like a bitch. Lifting my thumb to his lips, Lee took my finger into his mouth. He sucked in my digit caressing it with his smooth tongue all the while never taking his eyes away from me. He dragged his perfect lips across the delicate flesh, knowing damn well it was driving me crazy. Sliding his lips off my thumb, he gave it a sweet peck before pulling away.
    “Better?” he grinned.
    “You are evil.”
    “Naw. You just hate that I get you so well.”
    “Why do you get me so well? I still haven’t figured that out.”
    “Whether you want to believe it or not, we are one in the same.”
    I could have retorted with a cynical response, but the moment was too perfect to interfere with.
    Happiness cures what medicine can’t. Only positive vibes, Kat.
    Words escaped me in that kitchen and all I wanted to do was freeze time in that very moment. Lee still hadn’t released my hand, and I wasn’t exactly sure I even wanted him to. It was times like these I