Page 28 of Maddog

“What do you mean, she’sfine?” Wrath snapped at the other man. “She’s anything but fine! Can’t you see how stressed she is? That can’t be good for her.”

“Calm down, Wrath. I mean she’s literally fine.” Blade smiled as he moved around the couch. “You have the flu, honey.” He grinned. “Influenza A, to be exact. Your white count is slightly elevated, but that can happen as a normal progression of flu. I’m still going to run several more tests on you, which will include a bone marrow aspiration.” Holly whimpered, but nodded her head in understanding. “I don’t want to do it because anything came back abnormal. I mean, it did, but nothing the flu wouldn’t easily explain. However, since you’ve had one recurrence and several recent stressing events, I think it’s better to be safe, and that’s the most accurate early detection method. I’m also going to do some scans. But your swab came back positive for Flu A. COVID was negative. We’ll know for sure if you start showing more common symptoms of the flu in the next twelve or so hours. Sore throat. Cough. Congestion. Sneezing. That sort of thing.”

As he spoke, Holly covered her mouth and coughed a couple of times as if to prove his point. I kissed the top of her head. Had I been standing up, I’d probably have fallen on my ass. I actually felt lightheaded with relief.

There was a loudTHUMP,and I whipped my head around in the direction of the noise. Wrath lay in a heap on the floor.

“Oh, goodness!” Celeste hurried to her husband who was starting to come around now that he was no longer upright. Me and Blade took out our phones and started taking pictures. “Would the two of you quit clowning around and help me get his big ass on a chair?” Celeste was never angry. I thought she might be close now.

“I got this,” Blade said with a chuckle. “You keep your woman where she is.”

Blade knelt beside Wrath. Instead of helping him to his feet, he snapped a small capsule under his nose and waved it a couple of times.

“Motherfucker,” Wrath roared. “The fuck was that?”

“Ammonia capsule. Also known as a Howdy Cap. ‘Cause, you know, you sit up and say howdy.”

“You’re an asshole, Blade.”

“What? You were out cold!”

“I was not! Just stunned, that’s all.” Now Wrath looked more disgruntled than angry. “Anyway, I’m fine now.” He started to get up on his own, but Celeste stopped him.

“Right,” she drawled. “You’re pale as a sheet. If you fall again and break your fool neck, I’m not waiting on you hand and foot. Not over stubbornness.”

“Fine.” Wrath stuck out a hand to Blade who pulled him to his feet. Then he eased Wrath to a chair. Celeste got him a glass of water and what looked like a couple of over-the-counter painkillers. Big fucker’d probably need it after inhaling a big ol’ lung full of ammonia.

We all sat in silence for a while. Then I got the giggles. Once I started, so did Mom. Before I knew it, everyone but Dad was laughing. Blade actually wiped tears from his face.

“I don’t see anything so very Goddamned funny.” Of course, Dad was disgruntled.

“You fainted,” Blade supplied helpfully. “Like clutched your pearls and fuckin’fainted.”

“You’re an asshole, Blade.”

“Yep.” He clapped Wrath on the shoulder. “Holly, I’ll let you know when we can do that aspiration. I know you ain’t exactly lookin’ forward to it, but given the recent stressors I still think it’s prudent.”

“I agree. Will you promise to give me some good medicine?”

Blade leaned in and kissed the top of Holly’s head. “Absolutely. Enough for a couple of days so you can stay as high as you want while you recover. Jax, you call me if she needs anything.”

“I will.”

“Now, Wrath. Let’s get you to the truck.”

“I’m fine now.” He shrugged Blade off and stood still for a couple seconds while he made sure he was going to stay on his feet. Or at least, that’s what I’d have been doing. Knowing Wrath, he could just as easily have been trying to figure out a way to get Holly to leave me. “Holly, come here.” He held out his arms, and Holly stood and rushed to her father. He enfolded her in his larger frame and stood there holding her for a long moment. Wrath was always the cool one. His responses were measured and always in control. Just not with his daughters. “I love you, kiddo. You decide this one ain’t worth the trouble and needs killin’ you come tell me.”

“I will, Daddy.” I could see her smile and thought I might be safe. At least for a while. When Wrath finally let her go, Holly covered her mouth and coughed several times before her eyes started watering, and she instinctively looked out the window into the bright light. Then she sneezed three times. “Ohhh,” she groaned.

Blade tossed me a couple of pill bottles. “Fever reducer and antivirals. May not help a lot, but it might keep her from getting really sick. Instructions are on the bottles.”

“Got it.”

“Fluids and rest, Holly. Fluids and rest.”

“Yes, sir.” She sighed and snuggled back against me while our guests let themselves out.

I wasn’t willing to break the silence. As far as I was concerned, if I could get her to sit like this and doze off, so much the better.

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