I'm thinking about the fireworks That go off when you smile

 Jake wanted to be that big brother Macy needed. At least it started that way on his visit. He had lots of little presents for her that he'd kept since the holidays. He hoped she didn't find him to be quite the tightwad. Because he was. He came from a long family tradition of saving money, and, well, it was part of his nature.

Still, he was glad to be here and hoped he could help her feel more comfortable finding her way around Chicago. They spent the day going to places for hometown pizza and unique shops. Of course, he drove most of it, but in part, she tried. It was a lot harder than piano lessons, he assumed. She was nervous behind the wheel.

And she talked a lot about Wade. How it was much different living in his apartment than she thought it would be. Especially, with all his stuff around. It was hard to listen without being furious. Yes, he hated him before he even met him. How could he have done this to Macy? 

Now she wasn't even part of his marketing team. She worked in receptionist land. Would she always have to be in the low pay zone? And with AI lurking, well, he wasn't sure how long this career might last. But Jake was optimistic. And she had her little shelf of monsters now, and the keychain accessory that she promised would always make her think of him.

"I think of you a lot." She was almost in tears when she said it. In fact, he'd decided to spend a week, not a weekend. Besides, he planned on getting rid of Wade's stuff.

Still, they made it to the dinner party. It was great to see L with someone. He didn't feel so bad for her after all. Of course, she cornered him to ask about Macy's driving. She told him Macy needed to get out more. Macy needed to learn to drive in the city. He agreed. It was good to meet someone who cared about his Macy.

Naturally, he would have to correct himself. They were friends. But he cared about her very much. Just on a budget, no less. Then, to meet (Wade) Mr. Nonchalant, no less truly burned Jake. The fury was there on the tip of his tongue.

"You have to move your stuff, because I'm moving in," he'd said that night, possibly out of delirium. Jake looked at his glass; it was only water. He wasn't drunk. Just mad.

"What?" Jake caught Wade's attention, as if maybe there was the intention to have something on the side with Macy if it didn't work out with the Boss' daughter.

Jake felt himself shake with anger, and there was Macy with her hand on top of his, melting his vexation, "You really mean it?"

He'd never seen her so happy, and for the first time, Jake didn't have a life plan ready for this magnitude.

Let it all out on me

 

L felt uncertain about so many things. Had she lost Macy? Was she just a player like anyone else? No, L felt as if she were the player, and of course, deep down, even Emmie knew she shouldn't be playing with her life this way. After all, L was a diabetic.

She didn't let many know this secret because L found people would be judgmental. Either tell her not to eat this or that, or THE PITY.

She hated it. Yes, she hated her life very much. It was either trying to get out on her own or being a spinster tucked away at her Aunt's, waiting for one appointment after another.  No one wanted to say it, but she was doomed. 

She listened to all the terrible, sad, and sometimes tragic endings of those in her family who were gone now, during the holidays. Her Aunt kept everyone's history in a book, making everything sugar-free, fat-free, and of course, no bread or anything like white food around. L had lasted all of six weeks there when her mother decided to go on an adventure to Sweden. 

Nothing like being diabetic and Swedish. Of course, all this time her mom thought they were Irish, and then she found out from a DNA test that all their ancestors were from Sweden. Yes, her mom was searching for her own history and decided to find new roots through an online friend, and now lives her own fairytale.

Granted, it was good to be away from each other. It wasn't like L had been a diabetic all her life, either. They'd had some good times, car camping, living without electricity in the outback of Arizona when L was small. But when she started school, her mom moved back to her parents' (L's grandparents) to have a more stable life. It wasn't until L was seventeen, after an acute case of pneumonia, that they found out she was diabetic. And she'd been sick ever since.

Still, she managed through college, knowing she had to do something dependable to be independent. And so far it had worked out fine, getting the job in marketing and statistics, but some days she might as well be girl Friday. She still might have to think about going into the postal service. She just needed to stay healthy.

Her life was just getting by. These days, there were so many beeps and warnings to worry about in her body. Maybe the hospital had put a tracker on her, and she didn't know it. L felt as if she would be Bionic, someday.

But tonight, she didn't have to be alone, meeting up with Wade and Winne. Oh, the coupling. Well, L wasn't sure how to introduce Emmie. It wasn't a date. If it was... L thought she might have heart failure.

At least, L didn't have to drive. Emmie pushed in for directions on her phone, and they were on their way in Emme's little white jeep. She'd even found a top for her from Emmie's closet.  Of course, she'd never warn it herself. It was something her friend got for her; she didn't know how many birthdays ago.

"You can keep it," Emmie said. "It looks better on you."

L did her best to smile. But it wouldn't be easy. They beat Macy and Jake to the steakhouse. 

"Oh, it's you." Wade gave her a dead stare as if this were unexpected. "Who's this?"

L squinted. She hated her co-worker Wade, who always managed an endless list of things for her to do.

"Uh, Emmie."

Emmie was cordial, but somehow came off like she might be an off-duty officer of some kind. They sat next to Winnie, whose father was the big shot at the company, but thankfully not here for this casual affair. 

Just when they were looking at their menus, L heard Winnie whisper-shout to Wade. "Oh, he's cute, like K-Pop cute." Winnie bit a grin.

Ready.Set.Sleep

 

Macy was thrilled to have Jake around. Of course, she was certain he sounded like a big brother. It baffled her. Was that why he was here?

"I've just wanted to see you," he promised. They'd stayed up most of the night talking about everyone she used to work with and little about his ongoing library classes.

"What are you going to do?" She smiled at him as if he probably had enough knowledge to be a professor already. He was just an Inter Library Loan Librarian at the moment.

"I don't know, I just want a better job, too." He shrugged. "My grandfather was always big on knowledge, but I don't think this was the kind of knowledge he had in mind for me." He laughed about the matter. "He wishes I were a doctor, but blood makes me squeamish," Jake said. He'd tried early on to be a Phlebotomist, but just couldn't do it. "I mean, it was fine in the beginning, but then I started thinking about it and." He shook his head, no. "I got dizzy. I fainted. And then, when I kept telling myself I could do it. Cause I was told I was the best in the class at finding the correct vein...But I kept throwing up, so yeah, I'm no good in an emergency, evidently."

Macy grinned back. It was sad but funny. She didn't know why he wanted to tell her the worst instead of the best of himself, but it didn't matter. She took both of his hands as if to console an old wound.

"But you, you're going to be just fine, in Chicago."

Her burst of laughter left her with a bad cough, and he went to get her water as they sat at the foot of her bed, which was too big to sleep alone in. Yet, after a sip of water, they were back to who would sleep where. No way did she want to sleep on that couch in the livingroom. It was either slippery or noisy. She didn't want Jake to sleep there either.

"I don't know why we just can't sleep together?" Macy looked at him blankly. The bed was large enough for both and even long enough for Jake's height.

"No, I didn't come all this way," he winced. "You know-"

"What? To seduce me?" Macy smirked.

They both laughed. However, he said he could sleep on the floor.

"No, you...you know, you have jet lag." She was serious.

"It wasn't that long of a flight." He looked at her blankly.

"No, you take the bed."

"NO you sleep in your bed." His eyes opened wide as if it were the right thing to do.

Finally, after another cup of yogurt and way after midnight, Jake took the bed, and she slept on several blankets on the floor. She didn't want to tell him how hard the floor was. After getting up in the night, tired from the floor. Macy took her pillow and got on the other side of the bed. Sleeping on the very edge, hoping he didn't notice.