Page 38 of Loving Lizzy

Lizzy slowly opened her eyes.Her body felt sluggish and tired more than usual. She recalled falling asleep in Michael’s arms the night before, which made her smile. She hoped Dr. Safder would call today. The waiting game wore on her and Michael, and if they were forced to wait over the weekend, she feared they’d drive each other insane. He already paced the floor and watched her every time she moved.

Rising from the couch, Lizzy held onto the arm to steady herself as she experienced a wave of dizziness and her stomach rolled with nausea. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them, she searched the room for Michael. A noise came from the kitchen, and she turned toward the doorway.

When she rounded the corner, she saw Kassie working at the stove as the smell of food hit her. The urge to vomit threatened and she searched helplessly for a wastebasket. She must’ve made a noise as Kassie turned to face her. Upon seeing her face, the nurse guessed her plight and grabbed the waste basket just in time for Lizzy to spill the contents of her dinner from the night before. Kassie’s arms braced her to deflect the pain from retching and the sudden movement. When she finished, her friend maneuvered her over to a kitchen chair. She grabbed paper towels and ran them under cold water before returning and wiping Lizzy’s mouth and then her face.

Grabbing a glass and filling it with water, she instructed, “Here, rinse out your mouth.”

Lizzy’s hands shook as she grasped the cup with both her hands. Kassie’s covered hers and brought the water to her lips. She swished the liquid in her mouth and spit it into the garbage can. The smell now overwhelmed the kitchen making her feel even worse. Shivers wracked her body. Kassie felt her forehead and rushed to the stove to turn off the eggs and remove the pans.

“Let’s go back into the other room. Then I’ll take care of the garbage and bring you a fresh pail.”

“I’m sorry, Kass?—”

“Shhh, I’m a nurse. It happens all the time. It doesn’t bother me in the least. Let’s get you settled in the recliner, and we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

Lizzy sat down and let her friend cover her with the blanket. The weight of it felt good and she involuntarily trembled at the warmth. Kassie brought her a small trash can with multiple liners and returned to clean up the kitchen mess. A few minutes later she reappeared with a thermometer and blood pressure cuff.

“When did the nausea start?” she asked as she wound the cuff around her arm.

“When I woke up a few minutes ago,” she weakly replied. “I’m freezing and ache all over.”

Lizzy watched as Kassie listened to her lungs and took her blood pressure. She ran the thermometer over her forehead and frowned. “Don’t panic. I’m getting Michael. We’ll get you dressed and head to the hospital. I didn’t notice any signs of infection yesterday when we rebandaged you. You’re BP reads a bit higher than I prefer and you’re running a fever.”

Not bothering to reply, Lizzy nodded and burrowed further under the blanket and closed her eyes.

* * *

Michael turnedoff the shower and shook the excess water from his hair. He stepped out and started to dry off when he heard the knock.

“Michael, I need you to dress and start the car. Lizzy’s running a fever and her BP reads high. I want Dr. Safder to check her out as a precaution,” Kassie’s calm voice drifted through the wood separating them.

His heart jumped in his throat as he tied the towel around his waist as jerked open the door. Scanning her face, he searched for any indication of panic or fear. Lizzy had slept on him all night; how did he miss a fever?

“We’ll take her in as a precaution,” she reassured him. Turning, Kassie headed back to Lizzy. Michael grabbed his jeans and threw a shirt over his head. He remotely started the car to warm while he combed his wet hair. The knot in his throat refused to go down. His stomach rolled in dread as he went into the living room. Kassie held a waste basket while Lizzy threw up again. A cold rag lay around her neck and another sat on the table beside the chair. Her body shook and her teeth chattered as she gazed up at him helplessly. He took the basket from Kassie as another spasm shook Lizzy and she leaned into the pail.

Standing and heading toward the bedroom, she returned with a pair of sweatpants and another shirt with pockets for the drains. Putting the phone to her ear, she calmly talked to someone while she slipped clean socks on Lizzy and sat her shoes next to her feet.

Michael wiped her mouth and held the cup to her lips to help her rinse. “Don’t worry, Lizzy Bee, we’ll figure it out,” he crooned as she closed her eyes and laid her head back against the recliner.

“Can you stand, and I’ll put you into warmer pants?”

Michael put his arms around her for support and lifted her. Kassie swiftly slid the pants down her legs and indicated to let Lizzy sit. She made short work on getting the leggings off and sliding the sweats up her legs. She slid the shoes on before standing.

She walked to the door and opened it as Leo, Saint and Chase walked in. “Let Saint and Leo carry Lizzy to the car as soon as I get her wrapped in blankets. Get situated in the back seat with the pillows to prop her up. Saint, hand him the emesis bags to keep in the back.”

When Michael froze, Leo grabbed his arm and the items. He opened the car door and waited while Michael slid into the back and propped the pillows. He placed the bags within reach and stared as Saint carried Lizzy out while Chase ensured her comfort. None of the men’s frames fit easily through the opening of the car, while Kassie’s slight one maneuvered the now weak Lizzy onto the pillows to keep her sitting up and cradled by Michael.

Leo slid into the passenger’s seat as they closed the doors and Saint started the vehicle. Kassie ran back inside and disappeared. Michael turned his attention to Lizzy’s pale face. Her lips appeared dried and cracked and he searched her nails to check her color. How the hell did she decline so quickly? Guilt slammed into his chest. He promised to care for her, and Kassie called the team to do his job.

“How’s she doing?” Leo glanced at Michael.

“I don’t know, man. She felt fine last night.”

The panic must’ve sounded in his voice because Leo’s eyes turned stern and the leader in him came out. “Don’t go there. Kassie made the call as a precaution. We don’t know what’s wrong.”

Michael nodded as he felt her pulse. What if she suffered from an infection? He’d never forgive himself for missing the signs. He should’ve let Catherine watch her last night. She might’ve discovered it while he stupidly worried about how he felt and needed to feel Lizzy in his arms. His heart raced as he silently urged Leo to drive faster. She seemed to turn paler with every mile behind them. He absently stroked her hair and pulled the blanket a bit higher.

Leo pulled into the hospital emergency entrance and an ER team rushed for the door as he numbly helped them pull the love of his life from the car. Did Lizzy give him one last night together? Did she foretell her own future when she insisted he remember how much she loved him? He shook the thought away. His teeth clenched in determination not to show his fears to Lizzy. He shoved that shit in a tight box inside his head and slammed the lid shut. This wasn’t the time. Only Lizzy mattered.

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