Chapter 19

Jon looked around in her office. The huge dark wooden desk was loaded with papers and patient files. Her degrees and awards hung framed on the wall. Next to a tall filing cabinet sat a comfortable looking couch, on which she probably slept more than one night.

Kim walked over to a small table in the corner.

“Coffee?” she asked and pointed at the coffee machine.

“Mt. Dew?” Jon said smiling and held up a green bottle. Kim clapped her hands excitedly.

“Oh, yes, please!!” Jon laughed and handed her the bottle. Before she could turn and walk away again, he sneaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close for a long kiss.

“What if someone would have seen us?” Kim asked softly after they parted and she realized her office door was still open as always.

“They are all outside.” Jon pointed out.

“But they could have come back.” She said.

“Do you mind?” Jon asked.

“Them coming back?” Kim looked at him confused.

“No, someone seeing us together…kissing.” He said a bit worried. Did she? Was that the reason why she was holding back? She bit her lower lip lightly.

“No. Do you?”

“Definitely not! I want the whole world to know that we are together.” Kim tensed in his arms. His expression softened.

“I know, it’s too early for that. I know you always tried to stay out of the public eye and that you need some time to get used to it.” She nodded.

“But Kimi…” she looked up at him. “…I want to be together with you, I want this relationship….with everything that belongs to it.” He added softly.

“I know Jon.” She knew very well what he was referring to. She didn’t understand it herself. She simply couldn’t let go and she had no idea why.

“And please believe me, I really wanna be together with you too…with everything that belongs to it. I don’t know why…why …why I always stop you. I don’t understand it myself.” She added a bit desperate.

He pulled her close to his body again, relieved that she wanted this relationship as much as he wanted it. Now they had to work on trusting each other. She more than him.

“You just need a little bit more time Kimi. It’s not that long that we are already together.” He tried to assure her.

She snorted. “Jon, it’s eight weeks. Fran and Richie nearly jumped each other the first day they met.” Jon looked at her amused.

“Everybody is different, honey.” Jon said and kissed her temple.

“Yeah, I know.” Kim sighed. That’s what she was always telling the kids at the Adolescent Health Center, when they thought they already needed to have sex, but couldn’t get themselves to go for it. Somehow it doesn’t feel so good to be on the receiving end of the advice.  

“How about we eat something?” she finally asked.

“Hungry?” Jon asked grinning.

“Starving!” Kim clarified. Jon laughed.

“Well, we can’t have that.” He pulled her over to the couch and unpacked the sandwiches.

“Oh, this is really good.” Kim said after a few minutes and grabbed another sandwich. Jon shook his head. He already bought double as many sandwiches as normal and it looked like they would be all gone in a minute.

“Didn’t you eat anything since breakfast?” he wondered when Kim took a huge bite from her ham and cheese sandwich.

“Breakfast? I’m here since last night. I had dinner shortly after midnight.”

“Midnight? Aww, honey that’s not healthy.”

“Tell me about it.” Kim mumbled. He grinned.

“So, what are you doing the next couple days? Jon wondered while saving another sandwich for himself.

“Tomorrow I have to work, then I’m off for two days, Thursday and Friday I will probably be over at the Adolescent Health Center besides my normal shift, of course.” Kim told him.

“Of course…” Jon said. She was really working too much.

“Adolescent Health Center?” he asked.

She nodded and swallowed the last bite of her sandwich. “It provides help and information for teenagers about the health risks from tobacco, alcohol and drug use, sexual activity or even emotional stress from school.” Kim explained.

“Sounds good. Maybe I need some advice in the near future.” Jon said.

“About what? Sexual activity of teenagers?” Kim wondered.

“Hell, no!” Jon groaned. “Don’t say things like that…my baby girl won’t have sex until she is forty!”

Kim laughed. He wasn’t any different than the parents she had to deal with on a day to day basis. “Yeah, right!...So, what’s the problem then?” Jon sighed.

“Well, it seems Jesse thinks smoking is soooo cool. Dot already caught him a couple times. Unfortunately I’m not the best example for him.”

“Why don’t you stop?” she wondered. He nodded.

“Believe me, I try. The idea that he only started with it, because he saw me smoking and thought it’s ok to do so, really kills me. But it isn’t that easy to stop after that many years.” He sounded a bit desperate now.

“Did you try it with a substitute?” she asked and leaned back.

“You mean those gums?” he wondered.

“For example.” She agreed.

He snorted. “Do they really work?”

“For some they do…when you believe in it.” She grinned when he shook his head.

“I don’t think that’s something for me. But maybe it would help Jesse.” He sighed. “If the kid would just talk to me, but he is in this total ‘I’m-an-adult-now’ phase. No chance to get through to him…not for me.”

“No wonder…with fourteen…” Kim mumbled more to herself. Jon looked at her surprised. He didn’t expect her to know the exact age of his kids.

“Uhm…Fran, she …uhmm…gave me a little briefing.” Kim blushed lightly.

Jon laughed. “Why didn’t you ask me?” She shrugged her shoulders.

“Kimi, I don’t expect you know everything about me and my family. You wouldn’t know those things when I wouldn’t be that much in the public eye. You can really ask me. Ok?”

“I just didn’t wanna bother you with all my questions…” she said contrite. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“You will never bother me.” He said before kissing her softly.