Page 53 of Fate

I ignore her rant and kiss my baby, focusing all my attention on her. Her little body is hot as Hades. “You don’t feel good, baby girl?” I place kiss after kiss on her face. She stuffs her thumb into her mouth and nuzzles against my chest. “Why is she sohot?”

“Because she has a fever. I haven’t been able to get it to break all night. Not that youcare.”

I grit my teeth and try to be calm. She’s upset and unraveling because Cora’s sick. “Have you given her any medicine? Gillian told me last week when she brought both medicines that we should alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen. It will take a fever down quicker. I’ll callher.”

“I gave her Tylenol every four hours. Alone. While you were out gallivanting around with God knows who and your daughter was at home sick!” Misty is positively seething. Her face is pinched and red, her lips a tight white line. Even her chest is heaving up and down as though she’s a bull ready to charge.

“Why don’t you go and take a shower. I’ve got this. We’ll talk later.”

She crosses her arms over one another, pushing her breasts up, baring more than I want to see of her tits. “Were you with another woman?”

Another woman?What the ever-lovingfuck?

“Yeah, Misty. I was with a woman. My woman. Everything happened rather quickly and I didn’t get a chance to mention Kathleen. I don’t even know if you have a man in your life. If you haven’t noticed, we’ve spent the last two weeks learning to live together and take care of our daughter.”

Her eyes fill with unshed tears. Again… What thefuck?

“You…you…you have a girlfriend?” Her voice shakes and her bottom lip trembles.

I sigh. Kathleen is so much more than my girlfriend. She’s my fucking soul mate. My everything. “Yeah, you could saythat.”

“I could. I just did.” She purses her lips and firms herchin.

“Look, go take a shower. I’m going to call Gillian about Cora. She seems fine other than the fact that she’s hot and you said she was vomiting. When was the last time she vomited?”

“A couple hoursago.”

“And the Tylenol. When did you last give it toher?”

Her eyes narrow. “Just after that. After I cleaned her up for the hundredth time. Alone.” On that note, she spins around and stomps off toward the shower.

I take a few slow, deep breaths, reining in my frustration. She’s just angry because she had to go it alone. But she’s done that for almost two years without me. I shake my head, not letting myself think those thoughts. It will just send me into a bigger tailspin of guilt than I’m alreadyin.

Cora mumbles something and I look down. My sweet girl is asleep on my chest, but her skin is startlingly hot. I pick up the house phone and dial my cousin’sline.

“Good morning. Davis residence.”

“Hi, Summer. It’s Carson. I need to speak with Gigi. Is she available?”

“Yes, Mrs. Davis is in the family room with the kids. One moment.”

With my precious bundle sleeping soundly, I take a seat in the living room on the sofa. Cora snuggles more deeply, her thumb falling out of her mouth, a little drop of saliva clinging to her lip. I run my knuckle against the spot and rub it on my pant leg, and then I resume caressing her back in soothing strokes, doing what feels most natural. Man, I wish Kathleen were here. She’d know what to do. She’s very active in her nieces’ and nephew’s lives. Plus, she’s a natural nurturer.

“Hello?” Gigi comes on the line, sounding more chipper than I could muster.

“Hey, Gigi, I need advice. Cora’ssick.”

“Oh no. What’s the matter with my sweet niece?”

“She’s hot. Really hot. Misty gave her Tylenol two hours ago, but she said she’s been throwing up all night.”

“How many times?” sheasks.

I lick my suddenly dry lips and breathe out. “I don’t know. I, uh, wasn’t here. I was with Kat last night.”

A dead silence greetsme.

“Gillian, don’t. Please. I need your help withCora.”

---