Page 69 of The Future Play

“Shh. Let me take care of you.”

“But I’m too?—”

“If you say something about being too heavy to carry, I’m going to put you in time out.”

She’s quiet for a second, then she whispers, “Not spank me?”

A laugh slips out. “Good to know you’re still in there.”

She buries her head in my chest and groans. “Barely.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you. I’ll be your sexy nurse and have you feeling better in no time.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. Just let me take care of you.”

She looks up at me with shimmering eyes, and it hits me how truly gone for her I am. I would drop everything to be here for her. Even baseball. That’s a sobering and surprisingly not terrifying thought. It feels right. Like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

“Am I dead?”Amanda groans.

I rub my thumb over her cheek. “No. If anything, you’re finally getting some of your spark back.”

“I don’t feel very sparkly. More like glowy in the way someone describes a pregnant woman whose skin is shimmery with sweat from puking all morning.”

She grimaces at her own words.

“Hey, you haven’t had any, uh,explosiveevents since we got here.”

“Yeah. I finally don’t feel like I’m going to puke every thirty seconds. And everything hurts a little less.”

“Because you’re hopped up on painkillers. And lots of fluids.”

She winces as she looks at the needle in her arm. Apparently, my girl is not a fan of needles.

“I just want to go home. I feel gross and I’d at least rather be gross there.”

I flick the IV bag. “Almost empty.”

“That it is,” the doctor says, walking into the room. “You’re looking better. How do you feel?”

“Ugh. But not like I’m going to keel over and die.”

“I’ll take the improvement.”

“I’m still a little nauseous, though. I’m afraid I’m going to go home and end up back in the same place.”

“Well, lucky for you, the nurse is on her way in with a shot of an antiemetic. That should get you through. Try to get somefood down when you get home and stay as hydrated as you can.”

“I’ll make sure she does.”

“All right. The nurse will be in with the shot and discharge paperwork. Take care.”

“Thank you,” Amanda musters weakly.

I run my fingers through her messy hair.

“I hate that you have to see me like this.”

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