Page (6)

Page hurries to put her key in the door because it's almost 3 and she's been gone since the morning. Rock will be hungry. I hope he has taken his meds. She thinks to herself. She is still on a high from her session, the walk on the beach, even the bus ride home.

"Page? Page?"

"Coming, Rock!" She walks into his room and puts her bag down on the chair next to his bed. "Why didn't you take your meds yet?"

"I was waiting for you."

"You don't have to wait for me to take your meds. They're right here on your tray in front of you." She opens the bottle and pours two pills into his hand. Then opens the water bottle and gives it to him. "Rock, you don't need me for everything. Some things you can do on your own." She notices the frustration in her voice and tries to change her tone. "I know you're hungry. What do you feel like eating?"

"I don't know. Surprise me."

Page goes to her room and closes the door. She opens her laptop sitting on her bed and goes to YouTube and pulls up a video from a chef who lives in Philadelphia. The chef's name is Venessa and she posts videos of food, herself cooking and sharing her story. She was recently diagnosed with lupus and talks about her journey with the disease and her love for cooking. Page spends twenty minutes on the site then goes into the kitchen to find something for Rock to eat. He doesn't eat much and Page has noticed that his appetite is getting less and less. "Tomato soup, garlic bread and a fruit cup it is. He eats like a four year old." Page is talking to herself as she warms up the soup. Within a very short time the soup is heated and she puts the food on a tray and takes it to Rock. She picks up her bag and takes it into her room. Before she gets to the door she hears her phone ringing in her bag.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Hey beautiful."

"What's up, Pete?"

"I was wondering if you could come and make a couple pans of macaroni and cheese for the Inglewood store."

"When? Tonight?"

"Yeah. Need a peach cobbler too. Last one went so fast..."

"Why are you just now telling me though? I told you, let me know ahead of time so I can plan it out."

"Come on, now. Can you do it?'

Page pauses. "I'll be there."