by Frank Downey
"How so?"
"You must have known, in your sleep somehow, that I was here. Because I woke up with your arms around me."
"Really?" Sophia smiled. "Actually, I had a dream that we were in bed together. I guess it wasn't entirely a dream. I just wish I had woken up that way."
"Shit, I'm just glad you woke up. I've been up for two hours!" They laughed.
"It is very nice, waking up with you here, in any case. Warren, I'm so sorry."
"I know. So am I."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. How 'bout a good morning kiss?" Sophie giggled, and they shared a long kiss. "Now, get your butt out of that bed. I don't brew pots of tea for nothing, you know!"
Chapter 27 - Warren To The Rescue
Well, it seemed like a good idea to Sophia, getting out of bed and going downstairs for some tea.
Until she stood up. And the room started spinning. "Uh-oh" she said, as she wobbled in place. And then her stomach made itself known. "Shit, the room is spinning, I can't stand up, and I am gonna be sick."
Warren was instantly at her side. He threw her arm around his neck, and put his around her back, underneath her shoulders, trying to hold her weight and guide her to the bathroom. "C'mon, Soph, you can make it. I'll help you. C'mon."
"Auuugggghhhh" Sophia moaned pitifully. Warren went as fast as he could, as Sophia turned green and clutched her stomach. Into the bathroom they went, and almost made it to the toilet. Almost. The first expulsion of the contents of Sophia's stomach ended up mostly on Sophia. The rest did make it into the toilet.
When Sophia finally got finished, she slumped onto the floor. "Oh God. I can't move. I can't stand up. I can't even lift my arms. And the room is spinning." She looked down and saw the vomit on her pajama tops, down her pajama tops, in her hair, on her face. "Oh yuck. This is gonna make me hurl again."
"I don't think you have anything left in there to hurl," Warren said. He was leaning over the bathtub, running the water. "'salright, Soph, I'll fix you up." He started taking off her soiled PJs.
"Is there a problem up there?" Sophia's mother called.
"Yeah, actually, there is, Mrs. K. Can you come up to the bathroom for a minute, please? I need a hand."
She appeared at the bathroom door. "Oh, Yuck! Sophia!" Sophia looked up, pitifully. Warren had her PJs off by now.
"Uh, could you take care of these messy things, please, Mrs. K?"
"Oh, great, Warren, I'm watching you strip my daughter naked and you want me to wash the clothes for you?" Warren cracked up-even Sophia grinned and said, "Not like I'm in any condition to enjoy him stripping me."
"OK," Mrs. Kovach took the clothes. "Eew, disgusting. These will go in the wash-immediately, in fact. Anything else you need?"
"I think a cup of that tea I brewed will be helpful."
"Right." She looked at Sophia. "Oh, God, Warren, it's all over her."
"Got that part covered." He reached over and shut the water off-Mrs. K hadn't really noticed that the tub was filling. Warren stripped Sophia's panties off. "OK, into the tub, Pookie." Mrs. K shook her head, and went downstairs to wash the PJs and get the tea. Warren maneuvered Sophia into the tub very carefully.
"Oh, Warren, I don't even think I have the strength to wash myself."
"Then don't." Warren grabbed a washcloth and some soap, and started washing Sophia's face and chest, to get the worst of the stuff off. "Where's your shampoo?"
"That one," she pointed.
"Right. Have to dunk your hair, Pookie." She did so, and Warren took the shampoo and lathered her hair up.
Mrs. Kovach walked back up the stairs with the tea, and appeared at the bathroom door. She watched Warren lovingly wash Sophie's hair, and then clean up her face and torso.
""Feelin' any better?" Warren asked.
"A bit. Warren, you're too good to me."
"You are too good to her," Mrs. Kovach smiled, handing over the tea.
"Horsehockey. She's the ruler of my heart, right?"
That made Sophia remember something. She reached up to her neck. "Shit, Warren, my pendant!"
"Relax. It's on your nightstand. I took it off last night, I was afraid you'd strangle yourself with it in your condition." He held the teacup up to her lips. "Here, try some of this."
"You guys need anything else?" Mrs. Kovach asked.
"Actually, I think she needs some clothes," Warren smiled.
"My blue sweatsuit is clean. Bras and panties in my dresser."
"Got it."
Warren helped her dry off and then get dressed. He steered her gingerly down the stairs. She was still unsteady, but feeling a lot better. He got her into a kitchen chair.
"Warren, I'm such an asshole," she said.
"No, you're not. You got carried away, that's all. Now, you need to eat something."
"I don't know if I could hold anything down."
"You have to try. Something light-toast, english muffins, something like that."
"We've got English Muffins. I've got them, Warren, you sit down." Mrs. Kovach said.
Warren called his mother. She was worried, but understanding.
Sophia sipped her tea. "Warren, I can't believe you did this for me."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Why would you? I screwed up. I went on a bender, and you take care of me, and clean me up? You didn't have to do this."
"Sophia, I love you. And I feel a touch responsible-this fight was partially my fault. I walked out on you Friday night-don't you think I realize you have abandonment issues? I should have been more sensitive."
"Yeah, but I yelled at you. I know you don't react well to that."
"It's alright."
"It's not alright. You don't know what I'm feeling right now. It's not particularly good."
"Not going to throw up again, are you?" Warren grinned.
"No," Sophie grinned back.
"Then what are you talking about, Soph?" Mrs. Kovach interjected, putting the English muffins down in front of Sophia.
Sophia looked up. "I will never forget that my boyfriend had to wash my own vomit out of my hair. I will never forget that as long as I live. If he wasn't so tender and loving about it, it would have been humiliating. First he had to save me from possibly being raped, then he had to tuck me in, then he had to give me a bath because I was unable to do it."
"I love him for it. I can't put into words how much I love him for it. It was one of the most generous, unselfish, caring things anyone has ever done for me. And I hope to God he never, ever has to do it again."
Sophia smiled. "At least not because I've gone on a bender. If it's ten years from now and he's cleaning up morning sickness, that's a different story." Everyone laughed. Sophia sobered again. "But this? I get so fucking drunk I get sick and my boyfriend has to clean me up? He did it once, and I will never forget it, because it's nice to know he will do it, but I'm going to make sure that's the last time he has to do it."
"I didn't mind, Pookie, really."
"You didn't mind cleaning up vomit?"
"Might as well get used to it, I do want to be a pediatrician, right?" Everyone laughed. "And, no, I could have done without the vomit. But I will give you a bath anytime you want."
"Ah, that's just because you like to see me naked."
"I can do that without the bath, Sex Kitten." Even Ellen laughed at that. "Nah, washing your hair and cleaning your body for you was very romantic, in a weird co-dependent kind of way."
Sophia cracked up. "I must admit, when I wasn't feeling overly needy, I did enjoy it. I was alternating between 'I can't believe I got so fucked up that I need him to do this for me' and 'hey, this is kind of nice, isn't it?'"
Warren cracked up. "Well, next time there will be no vomit involved."
"And it will be mutual."
"That sounds nice."
"Just as long as you don't involve me this time," Mrs. Kovach interjected wryly.
"Well, Mrs. K, we only involve you if there's vomit involved
." Warren quipped. Sophie cracked up.
"Oh, thanks, Warren." Mrs. Kovach hit him in the arm.
There was a knock at the door. "Got it," Ellen said. She walked back in with Peg Kelleher.
"Hi, Mom." She handed him his bookbag. "Thanks."
"What's this?" Sophia asked.
"Oh, I was going out anyway, so Warren asked me to bring his bookbag over." Peg said.
"Why?" Sophia asked Warren.
"Gotta study, right?"
"Well, yeah, but I thought you'd go home."
"You want me to?"
"NO!" Ellen and Peg laughed at her-even Sophie got a sheepish grin. "What I mean, is, well..."
"Listen," Warren said, "I do need to study, but I've studied here before, and I'm staying with you today. OK?"
"OK."
"How are you feeling, Sophia?" asked Peg.
"Like someone who did something very, very stupid," she said, grimacing. Everyone laughed at that. "But, I feel better."
"Good. Have to go, Warren, see you at home later."
"Thanks, Mom."
They were up in Sophia's room that afternoon. Warren was studying. Sophia had done some of that, but had finished, so now she was reading a book... She was sitting in the easy chair, Warren having commandeered her desk.
"Soph, Warren, going to pick up the kids," Ellen called up. "Be back in a couple hours."
"Bye, Mom," Soph called down. She heard the door click, and her mom's car drive away.
She got out of the chair, and walked over to Warren, who was buried in his chemistry text. She hopped up on the desk, getting his attention. "Does my Snugglebear think he can afford a bit of a study break?"
Warren put the book down. "Yeah, I think my GPA can afford your presence."
"Good." She hopped off the desk, pushed the chair back, and kneeled down in front of him. "Snugglebear took very good care of me this morning. Now, I get to take very good care of him." She unzipped his pants.
"A wonderful idea, but, do you think you're up to it."
"I'm fine. More than fine. Did I ever tell you you were the most wonderful guy in the universe?"
"Frequently. But I never get tired of hearing it."
Sophia laughed. "Uh-huh. I know a few other things you never get tired of, either," she said with a wicked grin, as she withdrew his member and slipped it into her mouth.
"I must confess, I missed this Friday," Warren said with a groan.
"Me, too, Studmuffin. You just enjoy yourself, then it will be your turn to take care of me, again."
"Gladly, Sex Kitten."
Chapter 28 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
It was December 17th. A light snow was falling. Warren had just gotten off the phone with Sophia, and went down to talk to his Mom.
"Hey. Mom? Got a question."
"Shoot, honey."
"Would you mind if Sophia came over for Christmas?"
"Not at all, honey, but does her mother mind? Wouldn't she be more at home with her family?"
"Nah. There isn't anything with her family. Her brother and sister are going to be with their father, so her mother is going over her aunts and uncles house. She's invited both places, but Charlie is not her father, so she feels uncomfortable going there; and her aunt and uncle have no kids or anything so it would just be her, her mother, and them. Neither place sounds too Christmas-y. In fact, when I asked her if she wanted to come here if I could get approval, she got all excited. They're actually doing Christmas at her house on Christmas Eve, so she'd love to come here on Christmas day."
"Great, then. We'd love to have her. Now, I'm driving you guys to a party tomorrow night, right?"
"Yeah. Jessie and Crash, too-Crash is going to get dropped off here, and he's staying overnight here after the party."
"Oh, yeah, that's right."
"Mrs. K is going to get us on the way home from work, so it will be a very late night."
"Where's the party?"
"Over on Wickner Street. John Vassar's house."
"Didn't you used to hate John Vassar? Wasn't he one of the bullies at East?"
"I have encountered a lot of my old tormentors in Sophia's social circle," Warren said with a grimace. Peg laughed. "He's actually OK, and he's known Sophie since she was practically born, so he's accepted me because of her. He's not a bad guy. He's the one that helped me get her home that night she was plastered, and he willingly stopped hitting on a fabulous looking girl to help me out, so I got to give him some bonus points for that."
Peg laughed. "You hang around with people who used to bully you?" she said a bit more seriously.
"A few. John. Nick Papadopoulos. Hey, people change. Nick has really changed. But, then again, so have I."
"Nick was the one that helped you with your weightlifting, right?" Warren nodded. "How do you think you've changed, Warren?"
"I'm a lot more at ease in social situations. I'm more at ease with people than I ever have been."
"Well, you're dating a social butterfly." They both laughed.
"Yes, I am. And she has helped me with this immensely. Everybody thinks that I help her out with some of her shit-she helps me out just as much. I'm more at ease in social situations, more comfortable in my own skin, more confident. Thanks to Sophia. Long ago, John Vassar, in a fit of pseudo-cleverness, nicknamed me Wimp-Man. Y'know-Warren, Wimp-Man? Back at East, it used to bug me to the point of ridiculousness. He still calls me Wimp-Man. But now it's just a joke. And it's not just a joke because he's eased up on me, it's a joke because I take it as a joke. I just stopped being upset by that crap."
Peg smiled. "Listen, honey. I know, all in all, Sophia is good for you. I really do. As long as you don't have to give her any more post-hangover baths, eh?" They both laughed at that.
Jessie and Sophia were waiting for Peg to pick them up at Sophia's house.
"My parents were out last night." Jessie offered.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Crash came down." Jessie looked down. "I gave him an early Christmas present."
"What?"
Jessie blushed, but didn't say anything.
"Jessie, you're blushing! I've never seen you blush." Then light dawned on Sophia. "JESSIE! You didn't. Did you?"
Jessie just nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "He got me for Christmas. All of me."
"Wow. He didn't put any pressure or anything on you, did he?"
"Crash? Come on. Nope, this was mutual. We've fooled around, some, you know, but never did it. We were fooling around, and had gotten each other off with our hands, but then it just hit me-I want him. So, I told him-I want you. He actually almost tried to talk me out of it."
"Really?"
"Well, more like just making sure that I really wanted it. Boy, did I really want it. He worried about protection-you know my parents put me on the pill when I was with Aaron, not that that was necessary-so I reassured him about that. So we did it."
"How was it?"
"Well, Soph, you know the first time hurts. And it did, at first. He was as gentle as could be, but it hurt when he first went in. Then it stopped hurting. Oh boy did it stop hurting. It was great."
"You came?"
"Uh-huh. Like I said, I had gotten him off with my hand, so he lasted long enough. It was fantastic."
"But, today's the big test, you know. How do you feel about it today? Any morning-after regrets?"
"Y'know, I was almost expecting them. And they weren't there. It was fantastic and I feel great about it and I'm glad I did it, and I am especially glad I waited for him. He said the same thing, that he was glad Ally had never said yes."
"Jess... are you in love?"
Jess got a contemplative look, moreso than she usually did. "I think I am. If you ever tell anyone I said that, I will deny it and then I will kill you." Sophia just laughed. "But he told me last night. He said that he was falling in love with me. And I told him I was falling in love with him, too."
"Afterwards?"
"Actually, before."
"WOW. Then it means more."
"Uh-huh. Afterwards he fed me grapes, naked in bed, while he read love poetry."
Sophia cracked up laughing. "You're not kidding, are you?"
"Nope. I'm telling you, Soph, this is my kind of guy."
Just then Peg beeped her horn, and the girls went out and climbed into the car.
The Vassar's large house was decorated all up in Christmas lights. It was noisy and festive inside. John and Anne threw a Christmas party every year, and made sure it was a bash. There was even a live band, some of John's friends, playing, and they were quite good.
John opened the door. "Sophia!" He kissed her on the cheek. "Wimp-Man! Merry Christmas." He shook Warren's hand. "Glad you could make it. Hi, Jess!" He kissed her on the cheek.
"Playing the royal host, eh, John?" Jessie said with a smirk. "Oh, John, this is my boyfriend Jason. Jay, this is John."
"Nice to meet you," John shook his hand. "Where'd you find him, Jess?"
Jessie laughed. "Through Prep Boy, here," she pointed at Warren.
"Jason, aka Crash, here, is my best friend. We introduced them over the summer, and sparks flew." Jessie hit him on the arm.
"Your best friend, Wimp-Man? Goes to school with you?" Warren nodded. John tried to force a grimace, but it was plainly forced. "I'm so terribly sorry, but we have already reached our quota of Preppies at this here party."
Crash looked at Jess. "Damn, I knew I shoulda got that tattoo."
John cracked up laughing. "I'm just kidding. Come on in. Hang your coats over there, eats and drinks are in that room, and you can hear where the band is, no doubt. "
They walked in, hung up their coats, and started walking into one of the rooms. Sophia looked up at the doorway. "Oooooh! Mistletoe!" She stopped, and Warren gave her a big kiss.
They walked through, and Jessie approached the doorway. "Ooooh, mistletoe!" She stopped, and Crash squeezed her ass. "That is how you do mistletoe," Jessie joked. Then she kissed Crash, to general amusement from her friends.
The party was in full swing, and the foursome had gathered in a little knot with some of their friends. They had just come off the dance floor, and Karen was commenting on Sophia and Warren's dance prowess.
