Jersey Love: Apple Dreams & Release

"I love when you take the initiative, baby. But where'd that shy summer girl go?"

"She's dating an older, more experienced man." Raina quipped and gasped as he slid all the way in. Logan dipped his head and caught a nipple in his mouth, grinning when she arched up to meet his thrusts. "I don't-" Raina panted, "hear you complaining."

"Never. Any sand wandering into any cracks or crevices?" Logan pulled back and eased in. Raina's legs gripped him and he rocked inside her.

"No. But...argh." Her voice was frustrated.

"But, what? What's argh?" Logan stopped moving, concerned.

"I'm just getting tired." She frowned

"Oh." Logan sounded a little disappointed. "If that was your preview of trampoline fun, I'll be dreaming about it all week." He kissed her nose and pulled out, sitting beside her. "It's okay, Raina. It was just going to be a quickie, anyway." She nodded glumly. "It was fun!"

"Come on, we should get dressed and finish our bike ride." Logan helped her stand up and then caught dher when her knees collapsed.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Raina huffed, breathlessly. "I thought the bike ride would be easier on my body than walking."

"Well you didn't plan on a quick love-making session either," Logan pointed out. Raina looked at the ground, "or did you?"

"I might have. No, the sex didn't hurt my knees. You were gentle enough."

"Whew, I tried to be." Logan breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you want me to get the car and put the bikes away?" They walked back up the ramp and Raina sat on the bench.

"Yeah, I think that would be best." Raina picked up his cocoa and took a sip while she watched him walk down the boardwalk. She smiled and waved when he stopped to pick her up a new cup of cocoa. She had been having a lot of fun being so naughty with him and was mad that her body didn't agree. Frustration was the word of the day.

***

Logan pulled into the driveway and unloaded the bikes. When Raina didn't get out of the car he walked over to her side. The door was open and one foot was on the ground. She was whimpering.

"Rain?"

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't really move."

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Logan's EMT skills went into motion. "Don't move." He bent and touched her knee gently. "Does this hurt?"

"I hurt, but I'm really stiff and just can't move my legs." Raina winced.

"If your Mom's home, I'll go get her. Otherwise I'll take you to the hospital." Logan straightened and turned, smacking right into Jennifer.

"No need. I knew she was in trouble." Jennifer answered Logan's unasked question.

"But how did you?" Logan asked.

"She just does." Raina added. "Mom, I can't walk."

"We'll help you. Hold onto each of our arms and we'll guide you."

"This is ridiculous," Raina mumbled as they walked her into the house and helped her sit on the couch. Her Mom walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone to call the doctor. Raina sighed.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to catch a movie with me, but popcorn and movies on the couch might be a better idea." Logan said.

"A movie sounds great." Raina's Mom walked back out. "Do you mind if we watch a movie tonight?"

"That's fine. You have a doctor's appointment for Wednesday." Jennifer told her. Raina nodded. "Logan, would you mind picking up a pizza if I call it in? You boys are welcome to join us for dinner before you head back home." This was the first time Raina's Mom had asked something of him.

"Sure. You'll be okay if I leave?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, I'm just dizzy. I think I'm going to lay down."

"Do you want me to pick up the movie while I'm out?" He kissed her forehead.

"Yeah, surprise me. I just don't want to watch something with guns and bombs, anything else I'm fine with."

"Come on in after you talk to the guys and you can tell me what you want on your pizza," Jennifer told him.

"Okay." Logan left in search of Ryan and Mark.

***

Logan found the boys down at Jack's house pulling crab traps up from the lagoon. Ryan dropped the trap and turned to him.

"Is Raina okay?" he asked.

"I don't know. Her Mom invited us to have pizza with them. We have to pick it up in a few minutes. What do you guys want?"

"Lots of pepperoni." Ryan replied.

"I'm really glad I'm not working on Wednesday. I think I'm going to come back down and check on her. Can you guys cover for me with the van?" Logan didn't need a speech from his parents about Raina and her health again. His aunt had similar issues and his mother was biased because of it. Living at home at twenty-three sucked sometimes. But he was grateful his parents let him stay there while he saved up money for his own place. He only had a few more months before he had enough for a down payment.

"Yeah, sure." Ryan said. "I'll make something up that doesn't have anything to do with Raina."

"So is your sister always so sick?" Mark asked Coral as she walked out of the water and joined them.

"Sometimes. Why?" Coral's voice was defensive and almost challenged. Logan was glad to know that Coral cared enough to stick up for her sister.

"Just wondering. Why was she fine at the beginning of the summer but now she can't do stuff with us?"

"I don't know. It comes and goes I guess. Maybe the changing of the seasons is making things harder on her. You aren't going to stop hanging out with me because my sister is sick, are you?" Coral was worried.

"Nah. As long as she isn't contagious it's fine. You're fine, right?" Mark asked.

"Yeah. It's hard on Raina. She's so used to people leaving her life, mostly boys." Coral sat on the dock staring up at Logan. "She doesn't trust that you're gonna stick around, Logan. And to be honest, I don't know if you can handle it either."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Coral." Logan frowned.

"Just sayin'. Anyway, I want mushrooms and sausage on mine. Mark?"

"Just cheese." Mark answered, re-baiting the crab trap.

"I wonder how many pizzas they are planning on getting. I think we just complicated the menu. Oh well. Coral, want to come with me? I need to pick your brain on a movie Raina might like. She told me anything but guns and bombs, but you probably know what she likes most." Logan figured getting Raina's sister's feedback would be the most helpful. Plus, he could feel her out on which of his friends she really liked. He promised the guys he would do that for them.

"Oh yeah. I'll just run over and give Mom the order."

"Okay."

***

Logan deposited the pizzas on the kitchen table and found Raina curled up on the couch in the sun room. She had wrapped a blanket around herself. He popped the DVD into the player and walked up to her.

"Are you cold?" he asked, taking a seat next to her.

"I'm always cold, even in the summer. Did Coral tell you that I used to wear gloves in school?" Logan took her cold hands in his warm ones.

"Like winter gloves?" He brought their hands up to his mouth and blew warm breath into them.

"Yes. I have Raynaud's Phenomenon with the Fibromyalgia. It's a circulation disorder where when my hands and feet sense cold they tingle, can go numb and turn white -- hence being cold. It's not fun."

"It's a good thing I have warm hands then, isn't it?" Logan winked.

"It is. In school it was bad. They always kept the air conditioning on, it seemed even in the winter. The other kids thought I was a freak. I guess looking back now at the sunglasses I wore for the migraines and the gloves for the cold, I was. Not to mention I practically lived in the nurse's office. Oh well, at least I got a free pass to nap whenever I needed to, until the doctor took me out of school and considered me home-bound." Raina chewed on the little piece of skin hanging from her chapped lips.

"You're going to make it bleed." Logan said, touching her lip with his fingertip.

"Probably right. I'm just nervous about telling you this stuff."

"Still nervous?" Logan frowned, rubbing her hands to bring warmth.

"Logan, we've only known each other a few months now. There's a lot you haven't seen yet when it comes to my condition."

"It's lucky that I have someone in my family that has it too, isn't it? And that I'm such a good researcher. Raina, are you going to fight and push me away every time I try to get close to you and learn more about you? Every time you have a flare-up? Should I not even bother?" he asked in frustration.

"That's up to you." When Raina cast her eyes to the floor, Logan lifted her chin to his eyes.

"You aren't the same girl I met mid-summer. What happened to her?"

"She's tired." Raina yawned and tried to look away.

"You don't want me in your life?" he questioned.

"I didn't say that," Raina sighed.

"Then tell me what you want. Tell me you want me in your life. If you tell me to leave, I will. If you tell me you won't open up, I'll go. If you tell me you are pushing me away for whatever reason, fine. But don't leave me hanging. Please! I love you, honey. I don't expect to hear the words back from you until you are ready to say them, but I do. And I want you."

"Logan, I don't know how. Can we just watch the movie now?"

"Okay. But just think about it for me." Raina nodded, shed the blanket and climbed into Logan's lap where she rested her head on his shoulder. He pulled the blanket back up and rested his chin on her head, holding her as he started the movie.

***

Raina's parents peeked in on the young couple, unbeknownst to them.

"Do you think it will last?" Jennifer whispered to her husband Steven.

"He seems to really care about her," Steven observed.

"He's young yet. I can't see a kid his age having the patience. Raina barely has the patience for herself most of the time."

"He's more mature than most boys his age though. When I was in my twenties I wouldn't have been able to deal. But I think Logan has been proving himself." Steven spoke up for the young man, putting his arm around his wife.

"If he leaves it will break her heart." Jennifer snuggled into his embrace. "I can't bear to see her heart broken again."

"If he breaks her heart, we'll be there to pick up the pieces," he reminded. "She has to grow. She's been sheltered for so long."

"True and it might just be Raina that breaks Logan's heart, which she will if she doesn't share her feelings with him."

"Come to bed, my love. Let them work it out while I help you relax and forget your worries about our daughter. You know I'm good at that." Steven's hand slip up to his wife's hip.

"With the kids in the house, Steven?" Jennifer admonished as he nibbled on her neck.

"We could always sneak out to the boat." Steven waggled his dark brow.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this." Steven slid his hand further up and kissed her. She whimpered. "I could use some forgetting, though. And you are good at that. Actually, you're quite simply the best. I just need to grab something in case we need a little inspiration."

"Oh, I love when you talk dirty, Jenna. Don't leave me waiting long," Steven punctuated with a playful swat to her ass as she dashed from the room.

***

When Jennifer and Steven walked back into the house, they had to stifle their giggling. Jennifer swept her strawberry blonde hair back into a ponytail and pointed to Steven's fly.

"That was so naughty, studmuffin! Barn door's open."

"Just like old times, my sexy vixen." Steven quickly zipped his pants.

"Even the corny names." Jennifer laughed.

"I don't hear any sounds coming from the sun-room. Wanna go check on them?" Steven suddenly said.

"Yeah. I'll check on these two and you go bring Coral in. She's probably either at Jack's house or in the van playing video games with the boys," Jennifer supplied. "If she's with them, she's in trouble because it's past curfew."

"Okay." Steven started heading out the door while Jennifer headed into the dark sun-room. "I'm going to check her room first. She might already be sleeping."

"Good idea. She had better be."

A blue glow coming from the TV letting her know the movie was over. She found her daughter's head in her boyfriend's lap, both of them sound asleep. She walked over and lifted the blanket from them. Logan started and opened his eyes.

"Huh? Oh. Hi Mrs...uh Jennifer." Logan replied seeing her Mom staring down at him.

"Tired, Logan?"

"Me? No, Raina fell asleep. I was just resting my eyes," he explained.

"Sure you were. Well, you should probably head back to the van now. You have to leave for work early, don't you?"

"Yes. We have to leave at five am."

Jennifer looked at the clock on the wall. "That's only two hours from now."

"It's three already? Geez. Okay, I'm leaving. Do you need help getting Raina to her room or are you going to leave her there?"

"Sleeping like a baby," Steven announced walking down the hallway. "She didn't break curfew this time. Hey Logan, bit late isn't it?"

"I was just leaving," Logan yawned.

"I'll wake her up. She probably needs to brush her teeth anyway," Jennifer replied.

"Oh, don't wake her up. It took her so long to get comfortable. She was shifting around so much. I felt bad. Here, I'll carry her to her room for you," Logan volunteered.

"I can handle it, Logan," Steven said. "I've been carrying her to her bed since she was little girl." He smiled. But without waiting for an answer from Raina's father, Logan bent and lifted her, blanket and all into his arms.

"Or not," Steven shrugged and let Logan pass, watching him follow Jennifer down the hall into Raina's room.

"Do you boys have enough blankets in there? Are you warm enough?" she asked with concern as she watched Logan gently tuck Raina into bed.

He turned. "We're fine. Thanks. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Logan. Thanks for helping me get her to bed. Drive safely tomorrow."

"You're welcome. I will."

Jennifer turned to find her husband watching Logan intently as he disappeared into the van.

"Well that used to be my job," Steven harrumphed.

"Must I remind you that Raina could be away at college now, living in a dorm, and we'd have no idea what she was up to at all?" Jennifer asked him.

"I know. You're right. It's a good thing she didn't accept that scholarship though. It's good she is waiting to go away. She's too sick still."

"Steven, we can't protect her forever." Jennifer gently reminded him.

"I know you're right. I'm not like this with Coral and she's our wild child. It's only since Raina's been sick that I've been overprotective of her."

"You know, that's a good point. I think Coral is beginning to feel left out with all that's been going on. Maybe you and she should spend some quality time together. I know she was talking about going on a haunted ghost tour this month." Jennifer smiled seeing Steven's interest piqued.

"I'm sure she'll be going with Mark and Ryan to something like that." Steven schooled his features.

"Maybe you can share with her some of your experiences of when you were a ghost hunter," Jennifer suggested.

Steven perked up, "Really? I thought you said Coral was too young."

"Might do those boys good to be shaken up a bit," Jennifer laughed. "Besides, maybe Coral has some latent talents we don't know about, too."

"She would be taking after you in that area," Steven said. "Those were our glory days, weren't they?"

"Yes, they sure were. Our Coral is extremely inquisitive and communicative. I think she'd make a great investigator. Who knows?"

"I'll talk to Coral about it tomorrow," Steven grinned excitedly.

"And I'll work around to somehow talking to Logan. That boy has some sorrow in his eyes. Have you noticed?" Jennifer had sensed a sadness around Logan when Raina first introduced him to them.

"I did. But I figured that was your forte. Is there a presence with him?" Steven asked, knowing his wife's gifts with spirits.

"If there is, they are doing a good job at evading me."

"You'll find the right time." He stroked her back.

"Or the spirit will intervene, if there is one. One way or another it will happen," she agreed.

***

Raina yanked the covers up over her head to block out the morning's sunlight. She moaned as her head pounded in pain. Or was it the door? An incessant pounding sounded on her bedroom door. She heard the music blaring next door and thought about going over and asking the her sister Coral to please turn the volume down. But that would require dragging her achy butt out of bed and confronting the loud mouth.

"Raina," a soft voice spoke from the other side of the door. "Hey, are you awake? Class starts in a half hour."

"I'm not going," she groaned.

"You didn't go last Friday, either," the voice reminded her. "You're only a month into the semester and you've already missed a few classes. Come on, honey, I know you are hurting but you have to come out of hiding."

"Right now, I don't care about anything besides getting rid of this migraine," she replied as she lowered her feet to the carpeted floor and padded to the door. "Please just let me sleep," she begged her Mom whose blurry figure framed the doorway. "I-I really don't feel good." She swayed on her feet and her Mom caught her and walked her back to the bed.

"Rainy, are you okay? You look awful." her Mom touched her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious," she snipped. Raina stared up at the ceiling.

"You're burning up. Get back to bed." Her Mom reached into her dresser drawer and took out her eye mask, handing it to her. "I'm going to make you a doctor's appointment and I'll forgive the attitude until you feel better."

Raina continued to stare at the ceiling and then started scratching at her skin.

"What are you doing? Raina, are you listening to me?" her Mom asked her when she didn't respond.

"Oh gross! Make them go away, Mom. Hurry, ugh they're on me! Mom, help!" she screeched frantically, tearing at her skin. It felt like bugs were crawling up and down her skin and she was terrified of the spiders crawling on her ceiling, ready to drop down any minute.

"Raina, what's wrong with you?" Her Mom gripped her upper arms and held her firmly. "Stop scratching, you're making yourself bleed." Raina tore away from her Mother and jumped into the bed, covering her head with the blanket. "Make it stop!" she cried.

"Make what stop?" Jennifer pulled the cover off her face. "Raina, tell me what's going on," Her voice rose in pitch, panicking at the panic on her daughter's face.

"Mom, I'm ready for sch-school. Woah! Raina?" Raina's younger sister Coral barged into her room.

"Coral, go get me the phone. Right now!"

"But..."

"No buts, get me the phone now so I can call Raina's doctor," her Mom ordered her. Coral nodded and ran down the hallway.

Jennifer climbed into the bed and tugged Raina out from under the covers, holding her daughter in her arms, rocking her soothingly. "Shh, it's okay honey."

"Who are you?" Raina was trembling and staring at the back wall.

"Mom, what's wrong with her?" Coral's voice asked quietly from the doorway, handing her the phone.

"Why are you here?" Raina gasped.

"I think she's having a bad medication reaction. She started a new medicine last week and hasn't been feeling right ever since. Coral, go in your room and turn the music down so I can hear the doctor and think straight."

"But, I need my music to get ready for school," Coral whined.

"Your sister needs me." Her mother's frustrated voice said.

"She always needs you," Coral mumbled.

"It just so happens that lately, at this time in her life, she does need me more than usual. She doesn't feel well."

"She never feels well. Now what?" Coral rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to take her to the doctor's. Can you get a ride to school with one of your friends?"

"Wait, does that mean she doesn't have to go to college again today?"