I can't believe that I am actually standing in Cat's kitchen enjoying coffee and conversation with her Dad. We talk about the latest PGA Tour and who may make it to the Olympics since next year is an election year. Out of the corner of my eye, I'd see Cat sneak her way back upstairs with relief.

Several minutes later, Dillion walks into the kitchen. He reaches for the coffee and pours himself a cup.

"You're up early. And your dressed," Mr. Fischer notes in a tone of surprise. "What brought this on?"

Dillion took a slow sip of his coffee before answering, "No reason."

"You certain it has nothing to do with what happened on the beach last night?" Mr. Fischer gives Dillion a piercing gaze, almost as if he is daring Dillion to lie to him.

Dillion showed no emotion. "Not sure what you mean?" he counters.

Mr. Fischer's nostrils flares. "You know damn right well what I mean, Dillion. And I hope you plan to stay away from that situation. FAR away."

Dillion leans against the kitchen counter. He looks exhausted. I fell horrible, as I knew I was partially to blame. "It's my life, Dad. How I choose to live it isn't up to you anymore."

Mr. Fischer slams his cup down on the counter, the coffee splashing out of it onto his hand. I knew it was hot, but he doesn't even flinch. "Damn it, Dillion! Do you think your Mother and I want to see you go down that road again? Haven't you put us through enough? You're here with us now. You've got a stable job. You've made a life for yourself, and what about Brittany?"

"What about her?" Dillion asks, still somehow the picture of cool. The more detached he seems the more it infuriates his Father. If I didn't know better, I would say his actions are intentional.

"You really going to throw that girl aside for that... that..."

Suddenly Dillion's nonchalance disappears. He put his cup down, stood up straight, and his look became so dangerous it would cause any grown man to cower. Any grown man that is, but his father. "Don't... finish... that sentence," Dillion warns.

"Fine!" his father concedes. "But I'm warning you, Son. You go down this path again with her and we are through with you. You understand me? There will be no taking you back this time. I won't have you breaking your mother's heart like that again, never again."

Dillion picks up his coffee and took another long sip. I think honestly he needs to keep his hands busy because he looks like he wants to throttle his dad. "Noted," is all that he says in response.

"I'm going to see if your mother is awake," Mr. Fischer announces, obviously wanting an excuse to leave the room without just storming off.

The moment Mr. Fischer went up the stairs. Dillion turns on me. "Why did you tell him?"

"What?"

Slowing his speech down like he was talking to a child, he reiterates, "Why would you tell him about Olivia, Alex?"

I didn't like being under scrutiny. "I didn't mean to tell him. It just came out when we were talking this morning. He came to my room to ask me to go to the club with him and well... Cat was there, hiding behind the bar, I was nervous and I screwed up, okay?"

Dillion drains his cup and puts it in the sink. "Next time, stick to screwing up your own life and stay out of mine."

Dillion turns to see Cat coming into the kitchen. She didn't appear to have overheard what he said to me. Dillion walks over and kisses her cheek. "Ready whenever you are, sis."

"Wow! Up, dressed and ready to go this early in the morning. I'm impressed."

"Anything for you, Tiger."

"Just let me grab a quick bite to eat and we can get on the road."

"Sounds good. I'll be up in my room if you need me."

"Okay." Cat waves him off as he went up the stairs, turns and her smile falters and her brows crease.

"What's the matter? You look upset."

I try to shake off what Dillion said. I make my best "meh" face. "I'm good. Just thinking. You want me to make you an omelet before we go?"

Her smile returns. "That would be lovely." 

And I get to work.

_______________

The trip to the hospital is awkwardly silent. All of us in our own minds - Cat, obviously worried about Olivia, Dillion too. I'm still wondering how to fix things with Dillion even though I'm still pissed off by what he said. He wasn't exactly wrong for saying it. I should have been more careful. I know the whole situation, so I can't claim ignorance of it.

Cat stops briefly at the nurse's station to find out what room Olivia is in. She has the flowers and a balloon in hand that she picked up at the hospital gift shop. Dillion picked out a stuffed cat.

We show up at her door and Cat knocks. "Olivia? Can I come in?"

"Sure!" is the eager reply. Olivia is sitting up in bed and looks worlds better than the way we left her. Doug isn't around, so she is on her own. Dillion, I notice, hangs back a little, probably unsure if his presence there is really welcome.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" Olivia gushes when she'd seen the flowers. Cat puts them on her bedside bureau. "Thank you!"

Cat takes one look at her best friend and burst into tears. 

"Oh, Cat." Olivia fills up too and reaches her arms out for a hug. 

Cat didn't hesitate, "I'm sorry to be such a big baby," Cat says as she hugs her. 

"But the thought of losing you..." Cat cries a little harder and Olivia gently consoles her. But that's when her eyes met Dillion's.

"We are all glad to know you're doing okay," he says. "You are okay? Right?"

Olivia just nods her head yes. Her eyes drift to the cat in his hands and Dillion places it on the bed by her feet.

Cat finally pulls away and stands up. "I'm so, sorry," she says grabbing some tissues and dabbing at her eyes. "This pregnancy makes me more emotional, and it's harder to stop crying once I get started. I swore I would hold it together, but I am just so happy to see you sitting up and looking so well." She chokes back a sob, and I put my arm around her. She looks up at me with a grateful smile.

"I'm good really, Cat," Olivia reassures her. "They just gave me the report my lungs look clear. My throat is still a little raw. Worst of it is the sting developed this wicked rash that itches like crazy."

Olivia pulls back the blanket and her leg is covered in a rash and swollen at the site where the stingers were pulled out. Even though her skin is dark, you could see the purplish-blue hue of bruising around the site of the sting, and the rash looks more like blisters.

"Is it supposed to look like that?" Dillion asks, his face full of concern.

"Yeah," Olivia said with a sigh. "It can take weeks to go away. It's annoying, but not deadly. They are going to hook me up with an antiseptic that I must use like three times a day, and hopefully I'll be good. Who knows, maybe I'll get a cool scar from it."

This information didn't seem to appease Dillion's unease at all. He still stood there frowning at her.

"Will you all stop!" Olivia complains. "I'm here. I'm alive. Today is a good day!"

Dillion walks over and fixes the cover on the bed, recovering her leg and smoothing the blanket out. I notice he is careful not to touch her. This has to be killing him.

Olivia looks down at the tabby cat toy at her feet and reaches out for it. Dillion hands it to her. For a brief moment their hands' touch, but Dillion is quick to pull away and I see the hurt expression on Olivia's face. What are you doing, Dillion?

"Thank you," she quickly hides her face behind the stuffed animal for a moment before giving it a hug.

"You're welcome, Kitten," Dillion says and is about to step away but she grabs his hand, stopping him in his tracks. "The cat is adorable, but I mean... thank you... for saving my life out there. Doug told me what you did."

The sudden look of hope on Dillion's face vanishes upon hearing the name of Olivia's boyfriend.

"Did someone say my name?" Doug inquires as he came into the room. "Got your clothes, Babe, from the apartment. So you're all set for when they discharge you."

Dillion gives her hand a squeeze and then backs away. It is hard to miss his look of desperation, having so much he wants to say but is unable to.

Doug put the bag down and leans over, giving Olivia a kiss. Dillion looks away and says to me, "I'm going to grab some coffee. I'll meet you both in the waiting room. So Cat can have some time to talk."

"I'm ... grateful you're doing well... Olivia. Take care." And with that, he walks out of the room. Olivia looks conflicted and winces when he said her name instead of calling her Kitten like he normally does.

"Does it hurt, Babe? You want me to call for the nurse?"

Olivia looks up at Doug and smiles, "No, I'm... good. Thanks!"

Doug looks relieved. "Has the fever come down?"

"You had a fever?" Cat asks, concerned.

"Low grade comes with the territory of being stung. I'm thinking of swearing off the ocean after this and sticking to pools this summer," Olivia says, trying to make light of the situation.

"I'm with you," Doug says, "that was the scariest situation I've ever been in, and I'd be happy never to repeat it, again."

I couldn't help worrying over Dillion. "Cat? Do you want anything? Olivia? Can I grab you something from the cafeteria?"

"I'd love some chocolate," Olivia confesses. "Chocolate makes everything better."

I chuckle, "Chocolate. Got it. Cat?"

"Some water would be great, thanks."

"Doug?"

"I'm good. Thanks, though," he says picking up the stuffed cat and tossing it to the end of the bed so he could sit down next to Olivia. I'd seen her reach out for it but in a flash, Olivia pulls her hands back to her lap.

I silently sigh. This is so messed up. "I'll be right back." I tell them, but they are already in conversation and didn't pay me much mind.

In the cafeteria, I spot Dillion getting his coffee. He looks so lost. I know that feeling and I hate that he's going through this right now.

"Hey."

"I'm fine," Dillion says sardonically, "they don't sell liquor in the hospital cafeteria."

"That's not why I came looking for you and you know it."

Dillion is frustrated. It pours off of him in waves. "What does she see in that guy?"

My look must have said everything because he immediately responds with, "Okay. Yeah, I get what she sees in him but damn it they can't possibly have what we did. Tell me it's not possible?"

"I'm really the wrong person to ask. I'm not exactly the Don Juan of relationships here."

"Yeah." That one word sounds so defeated.

"You really still love her that much?"

Dillion looks me straight in the eye, making me feel his words when he answers, "I've never stopped."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"What about Brittany?"

Dillion shrugged. "Brittany is a great girl. My dad is right. I'm lucky to have her, but I don't love her like I do Olivia. I don't think I'm capable of loving another woman the way I do her."

"So where does that leave you?"

"I don't know, Bright Eyes. I just don't know." He pats me on the shoulder and takes his coffee to pay for it at the counter.

I begin the hunt for bottled water and chocolate. I gather them up and pay for them. I spot Dillion sitting in the waiting room, looking at his phone when I walk past. He doesn't look at me. I make it back to the room to hear Cat ask, "So you to are living together now?"

I pause in the doorway. "Oh, no... I mean. I'm still at the sorority house..." Olivia stammers as I enter she quickly looks at the door upon my entering and appeared relieved that it's just me.

"Got that chocolate you asked for," I tell her, before handing her the candy bar.

"Thank God!" Olivia exclaims and takes it from me.

I open Cat's bottle of water before handing it to her and then take a swig of my own. "So, what did I miss?"

"Nothing. When Doug said he went to get her clothes, I just assumed that they moved in together but I was wrong."

"Hey, it's not for the lack of trying," Doug spoke up. "I'd have this beautiful woman move in with me tomorrow, but she's just not there yet. But hey... that's okay because some people are worth waiting for."

"Awe," Cat says, smiling.

Olivia gave a half-smile before breaking off a large piece of chocolate and shoving it into her mouth. Somehow I'm pretty sure no amount of chocolate is going to fix this problem.