Chapter 6: One step closer

Upon living the office, he went straight to his favorite restaurant to order easily digestible food. Sky had been eating bread for so long and giving him hard-to-digest food will only upset his stomach.

It took him thirty minutes to get his takeout. Kole was a regular so calling in advance for his order was just one of his many perks. After receiving his order, he went back to his car which was parked outside the restaurant. Starting the engine, he merrily and quickly drives to get to Sky's house. 

It was a twenty-minute ride from the restaurant. There were few cars on the road at nighttime, they were in a rural area so houses and establishments were usually near each other. With both hands full of food bags, he marches towards Sky's door.

Knock! Knock!

Two knocks, no answer.

"Sky?"

Still no answer.

"Sky? Are you awake?" worry starts to creep into his heart.

"Sky!"

Was he not at home? Impossible. He was afraid to leave the house surely, he was inside. Did he faint? No! He wasn't well when I left so he might be...

Kole was having a cold sweat, what if his patient chooses to end his life? He remembers Sky saying he wanted to follow his deceased husband. He wouldn't allow his patient to die on his watch, not Sky.

"Sky! Open the door." This time he knocked on the door harder.

"Sky!"

After calling Sky's name for the fourth time, he finally heard a movement inside. He was relieved and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His back was soaked with sweat but that was fine as long as his patient was alive and well. At least Sky was well.

He preps himself and readies his smile, he does not want Sky to notice any amiss in his expression.

The door opened and a pallid man greets him with surprise.

"Do- Doctor?"

Kole greets back with an ear-to-ear smile. Not a hint of worry that was all over his face a moment ago.

"Hi, Sky. Have you had dinner?" Kole asks disregarding Sky's surprise.

"My husband is pre-" Sky stops what he's about to say when he realized that only he can see and talk to Kai. "I will eat some bread, doctor."

Kole pouts his lips and lightly shakes his head to disagree. No, Sky won't be eating bread tonight. Thick face as he was, he went into the house without waiting for Sky's invitation and he knew Sky won't invite him anyway.

"So, you didn't eat yet. Good, I have brought food, this is too much for me so, will Sky help me finish all this?" he spoke as he does to a child, calm, patient, and sweet.

Sky stared at him for a while and he stared more. The doctor just went straight in confusing Sky, he had his bread why would he eat other people's food? He did not ask for the doctor to bring food, was he going to pay for the food? He doesn't have money!

"Sky, come help me," Kole called for Sky heartily, he acts homey in this gloomy and soiled house.

"Doctor, am I... paying... for the food?" Sky inquired with all honesty, his voice fading in the last word.

Hearing it, Kole laughs, and his deep voice vibrates inside the house. "No. It's on me. My treat." Kole said in assuring tone.

He waves to Sky to come to the table. The table was full of unwashed plates and expired bread. He can clean it but it's not him who should do it. Sky should learn to see reality and cleaning this table full of memories was just one step toward it.

Sky walks to him slowly with his head still lowered. The doctor brought him food but the table was dirty, and he felt ashamed. Deeply ashamed. He took everything that was on the table and put it in the sink. He changes the tablecloth to a new one hidden inside the cabinet in his room. The smell on the cloth was evidence of how long it has been hidden.

He wipes the chairs and signals for Kole to sit. "Sit Doctor," he said without looking.

Kole smile for a second then asks Sky to sit with him. "Let's eat. I don't know if you like this but I hope you'll eat."

He put the food on the table one after another. All foods were placed inside a disposable box, there were disposable spoons and forks as well.

"Doctor, let's use this to eat." Sky points at the lid of the box shyly. Kole understood what he meant. There were no clean plates so they need to use the lid temporarily.

"No worries, Sky." Kole smiled.

He opened the food one by one. There were steamed dumplings but instead of pork, it has a cabbage filling. Others were chop suey, baked salmon, and chicken soup. The food smells nice, it lessens the dim and gloomy aura of the house.

Sky looks at all the food and his eyes locked on the chicken soup. He reached it slowly and took a sip of the soup. Carefully, he took another sip without minding how hot the soup was. Sip after sip after sip. His eyes were watery, a drop of tears mixed in the less-salty soup.

Kole saw him and tried to think of something to make the mood lighter but he can't think of anything. He was imagining a happy dinner at least but something triggered Sky's emotion again. 

"Sky, try this dumpling."

"Kai. He loved chicken soup. He always cooked one for me." Sky tears drop one by one, his cheeks wet and reddish. He was again, drowned in the memories of Kai.

There was this time when Sky was caught in the rain on the way home. If he waits for the rain to stop it might take forever. Left with no choice, he runs under the heavy rain.

Soaked in the rain, Kai's face turned worried, "Baby! Did you forget to bring your umbrella? I told you to bring it all the time." Kai exclaimed.

Sky was so used to his nagging that it was now music to his ears. Kai always told him to do this and to do that. Of them, Kai was the most protective and caring.

"Stop overreacting! I'm fine. Let me take a bath first." he rebutted.

When he comes out of the bathroom, he smells the sweet & salty aroma of the chicken soup. His husband's favorite dish and go-to food whenever he feels bad.

"Wow! Smells good." Sky complimented.

He knew Kai was annoyed because he was not taking care of himself. Arriving home drenched in rain was a no-no for Kai. "Change your clothes and eat. Then... after... let me..." Kai looks at him, biting his lower lip, and speaks in a seducing tone.

Sky, who already knew his husband's action immediately cuts off Kai's nasty thoughts.

"Nope. Not tonight, Kai, let this precious body rest." It was a half-hearted rejection.

They both dig in that chicken soup and dig each other after, under the cold and rainy weather.

~~~

"I should have listened to him more. Stayed with him more. Doctor, why's heaven so unfair?" Sky choked in sobs. "I want to die but Kai wants me to live. What should I do doctor?"

"But..." he continued, "how can you help me? When you look so much like him?"