CHAPTER 14

"I had already prepared your suit for tonight's award." Tobby said while cleaning the plates.

Jeremy was sitting on the couch, watching the news while glancing at his phone waiting for Kate's text message or call. The sun has already been up but no message received yet from Kate. "Okay! What time is it again?" He asked.

"It's eight in the evening." Tobby was narrating to him, his schedule for the day. There is no photo shoot, no album-signing event and no recording for the day. He was free until afternoon but comes in the evening; Jeremy has an important event to attend.

"Just place the suit then in my car." Jeremy instructed while reading a text message.

"Why? Are you going somewhere today? You don't have any appointments."

"Kate needs me." Jeremy immediately stood up and went to his room to prepare his things. After taking a bath, Tobby was still cleaning the room. He has not yet placed the suit in the car and so Jeremy grabbed the suit and his car keys. He also asked Tobby if he knew the nearest drug store.

After noting the direction, he went out, bought some medicines and went straight to Kate's condominium unit. He was in a hurry. Kate, just texted him that she was absent for her class since she was sick. When he asked if she has already taken a medicine, there was no available at the medical kit.

When he arrived, Jeremy knocked but no one was coming. He sensed that the door was not locked so he just entered immediately and looked for Kate. She was in her bedroom, resting. She looks pale and seems to be freezing but when Jeremy touched her forehead, she was boiling-hot. He went to the kitchen and look for the cold compress kit but he could not find one. He just prepared some cold water and a towel as an alternative. He placed the towel, which was soaked in cold water, on her forehead as a cold compress to cool her down. He also changed the comforter into a thin blanket and gave her acetaminophen to lower her fever.

As soon as she became stable, he called Grace and asked her what happened to Kate, where they are now and why she was alone. Grace explained to him that before they left her, she seems to be fine. She was still fixing some of her clothes. They did not know that she was already sick when they left her.

After the conversation, he went back to the kitchen to prepare something for her. He was not a great cook but he learned some simple soup that her mother used to give them when they were sick. He checked the refrigerator and cabinets for ingredients and luckily everything that he needed for the soup were available.

When the soup was ready, he placed it in a bowl to a plate, grabbed a spoon and went back to her room. He placed the soup at the side table and slowly tried to wake her up. "Kate! Wake up! Kate!" He slowly tapped her shoulder several times until she opened her eyes.

"You have to eat. You have to take something. Here have some soup that I made." Jeremy assisted Kate sitting on her bed. He also aided in feeding her the soup. When the bowl was almost half empty, "I'm full," she said. Jeremy didn't push her to finish everything instead he placed the bowl at the table and gave her a glass of water. "Here, drink some water." She took it without complaint and exhaled deeply afterwards.

Jeremy stood up and opened the curtains to let the sunlight surround her bedroom. However, he was stunned when he saw that it was raining cats and dogs. When Kate saw it, "How long has it been raining?" she asked. She had been asleep since Jeremy arrived. Before she slept, the sun was still smiling brightly.

Jeremy went back at her side saying, "I don't know. When I arrived, the sky was still bright. Ah… How are you feeling now? Do you need anything?"

"Better. Thank you!" Kate placed a pillow on his lap and rested on it. She missed him. It's been weeks since the last time she was with him. Although they were in constant communication, both were busy with their own schedule that they could not find time to be with the other.

Jeremy's phone suddenly rang. He looked at it and dropped the call. When Kate noticed that he didn't answer it, she asked, "Who's that? Why didn't you answer?" It wasn't unusual for Kate that Jeremy dropped the call. He, most of the time, does it whenever he was with her. Maybe it was a form of showing that she was more important than the call or maybe he just doesn't want to be disturbed. Whatever it may be, Kate understood it.

"It's nothing. Just Tobby." Jeremy explained. He knew what Tobby would say. It was already five in the afternoon. Surely, Tobby was worried where he might be. He was careful since the moment he will answer the call, Kate would hear the voice of Tobby reminding him of the event for tonight. She would push him to attend the event. It was a usual night for Jeremy. He has been receiving many awards since the start of the year and Kate recognized the importance of attending them to receive the award.

Jeremy, instead, sent a message to Tobby explaining that he couldn't attend the event since Kate is sick and has no companion. He asked him to be his representative for the award and to tell the people that he's not feeling well. Tobby has already perceived that this would happen. He did not bother to convince Jeremy since he is already with him. Whenever Jeremy made a decision, it is unchangeable regardless of who he is talking with.

The rain has no intention of slowing down. Grace, Abby and May couldn't be contacted as they were stranded at the university. The weather became gloomier and both Kate and Jeremy fell asleep. He was asleep sitting on her bed while she was asleep, head over a pillow on his lap. It was a blissful moment despite Kate being sick. It was one of the moments that both were comfortably just absorbing each other's presence.

After an hour, Jeremy woke up and Kate was still sleeping. He touched her forehead to check her body temperature. She was fine now but he knows that she still needs some rest. He checked his watch. It was past six in the evening. He slowly stood up, fixed the blanket of Kate and went to the kitchen. He needed to cook for dinner before Kate wakes up. He checked the refrigerator and he saw chicken breast and mushrooms, avocado, spring onions and cheese. He opened the cabinet and saw pepper, curry powder, pint cream, and salt.

Suddenly an idea came to him. When he was still young his father taught him to cook a Monaco chicken. Several times, he tried to perfect it until one day during the father's day celebration; he was able to copy the Monaco chicken of his father. He then tried to cook it again for tonight. He also cooked rice and prepared some mixed vegetables and fruit salad.

When the chicken was cooked and the table was set, the aroma engulfed the entire room until it reached Kate at her bedroom. Kate woke up by the smell, stood up and went to the kitchen. She saw the dining table was prepared for two with matching candles.

"Feeling better?" Jeremy checked while he pulled the chair for Kate.

Kate kissed him in his cheek, sat and asked, "Is it not you have an event to attend tonight?" Kate knew that there was an event he was supposed to answer. She saw it on one of the news.

As Jeremy sat on the opposite chair, he didn't know what to answer. He wasn't aware that she knew about the event. When he noticed that she was waiting for his answer, he blurted out, "I just sent Tobby to receive the award."

"So that's why Tobby was calling you awhile ago."

Jeremy just nodded. He passed her the salad. "Did you prepare all of this?" Kate asked while receiving it.

"Yeah. I learned it from my dad. He used to cook all of these when we were still young. How's the taste?" Jeremy asked after Kate took some bites.

She raised her thumb and said, "I love it! I feel much better now."

"You have to eat more so that you can regain your strength. By the way, Grace sent a text message. She said that they will be late and will just eat somewhere."

"Okay. Aren't you going to eat as well?" She asked. He was just looking at her, satisfied that she loved the meal that he has prepared. Jeremy took some of the salad and ate as well. They finished everything that he had prepared. When they were done, Jeremy cleaned up the place while Kate went back to her room after taking her medicines.

After cleaning the place, he checked on her if she was totally fine. Kate was asleep and her blanket was again laid on the floor. He took the blanket, wrapped it over her, and went out of her bedroom. He can't go home yet. He can't leave her alone. He planned to wait for Grace and the others before leaving her. He, then, sat at the couch of the living room, switched on the television and rested as he waits for them to arrive.