Page 31 of Love at a 7-Eleven

"Yes, I'll be right there." she said. She paused like that was all she was going to say, like she didn't need any more explanation.

"I would love that," Caleb said.

He sat on the bench, staring down at the carpet squares at his feet. He was sick and out of it, and the prospect of Lila coming to California felt like a life preserver that had been thrown to him in a storm. He took a hold of the knowledge that she was coming like it was some kind of lifeline.

"Are you there, Caleb?"

"What? Yes. Why?"

"Oh, I thought you didn't hear me. I was asking you to send me your address so I could get somewhere to stay close by."

"You don't need to get a hotel. My brother is in Spain right now. His place is close to mine. You can just stay there. I never ask him for anything, so he won't mind. His couch is really comfortable."

"That's great, if you're sure," she said. "Just text me the address. I'll try to leave as soon as possible."

She asked no further questions about what she was coming into. She didn't make him clarify that things were wrapped up with Bailey. She simply told him that she would share her travel plans once they were solidified. He hadn't even told her he was sick. She had offered to come, and he wanted to see her so badly that there was nothing he could do but take her up on it.

He was only on the phone with Lila for a few minutes. He got to his feet and went back to Bailey's room. It took him over an hour to say goodbye to her. She was reluctant for him to go, but he persisted that he needed rest. Her mom was arriving just as he left.

He got a text from Lila on his way home with her travel plans. She would be arriving at LAX that very evening at 10:15pm. He said he would pick her up at the airport, but she insisted that she wanted to get a rental car so that she would have a way around. He gave her Drake's address, and she said she would meet him there at around eleven.

Caleb was excited about her coming. He would've normally been too excited to sleep the day away, but his body gave in. He needed the rest. He fell asleep before noon and didn't wake up until eight o'clock that evening. His throat felt bad the first few times he swallowed, but it got better quickly once he was up and moving. It seemed the rest had helped. His head wasn't pounding with as much ferocity as it had been. He thought of Lila, and for a second, he thought he had dreamed she was coming. But then he reasoned with himself that it was the truth. She was on her way to California. One glance at his phone proved that it was the truth. Her itinerary was in his texts.

He also had other texts and phone calls to deal with. He would call his brother first. Before he placed the call, he got up and went to the restroom, washing his face with cool water and soap at the sink. He combed his hair back and away from his face with his fingers and the cool water. He felt a lot better. He was still sick, but he wasn't feverish, and he was a lot more aware and alert than he had been before he fell asleep. He called Drake because he hadn't talked to him about Lila yet.

"Hey, Drake, what time is it where you are?"

"Eleven, why?"

"Oh, I thought you were in Spain."

"I was until yesterday. I'm in New York now. What's up? You had texted about using my apartment."

"Yeah. How long are you gone?"

"I'm here for two days and then Chicago for a few. Why?"

"You're going to Chicago?"

"Yes. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, my friend is from there. I'm having someone come to town, a girl. She's amazing and I care about her, and I'd love for her to stay at your place if you don't mind. I would offer her mine, but Bailey uses it as an office, and I'm still not… things are complicated right this second with me."

"Is it Bailey?"

"Yeah, Bailey's still recovering now, and she might be coming over here to use the computer. It's Lila who's staying at your place, though, and she's amazing. If she ends up staying for more than a few days, I'll make other arrangements for her."

"Yeah, it's fine," Drake said, even though he was a little thrown off. "Is everything okay with you?"

"Better now. I think I told you in my message that I was sick, but I just woke up and I'm feeling a little better, thank goodness."

"What do you have?"

"A sore throat."

"Did you say Bailey's hurt?"

"Yes, and it's a long story. She came over here to see me because I was sick, and she passed out and hit her head. Like really hard. It knocked her out. I watched it happen."

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