Page 64 of Somewhere We Belong

Atlas would fix it, and it might not be as bad he thought. I pulled up to the house, getting out quickly and rushing through the door. I scrunched my nose at the smell of vomit and the staleness of the air. I left the door open to air out the house, walking down the hall to Theo’s voice.

Walking into what I assumed was Nova’s room, I could see why he was panicking. Sol was lying on her side, her browsfurrowed like she was in pain. Nova didn’t look any better as she sat in front of Theo.

“We are ok,” she said softly. “It’s a stomach bug.”

I walked up to them as Nova noticed me. Her eyes grew wide, as tears gathered in them.

“Seriously,” she said, her lip trembling. “You guys don’t have to be here.”

“Nova,” I sighed. “Why wouldn’t we be here?”

I touched her forehead and she was burning up.

“That feels good.” She leaned into my hand.

“Where is your thermometer?”

Nova pointed to the nightstand. I grabbed it and took it to the bathroom to wash it.

“I don’t know,” Theo said frustrated as I came back.

I held out my hand to Theo to hand her the phone. He huffed, giving it to me.

“Hey, I’m going to take their temperature,” I said.

“How do they look, are they pale, lethargic?”

“Both, but Nova is sitting up and I’m checking on Sol,” I said, walking around the bed.

Sol was asleep and felt just as hot as Nova.

“Take their temperature, If Sol is over a hundred and three point five, she needs to go to the hospital immediately,” he panted like he was running. “We've already sent two kids to the hospital in the last two days.”

“Hey, Sundae.” I brushed her hair back, worry clawing at me.

Her eyes fluttered open but closed right away.

“I need to take your temp, ok?” I said, pushing it into her mouth.

She nodded; I didn’t like seeing her like this. What would happen if her temperature was too high? Did that do something to her brain? Why did we live so far from a hospital? My mindspiraled into every ‘what if’ I could imagine, and a beeping stopped my thoughts.

“One hundred and two point nine,” I said, not liking that number because it was so close to what he said earlier.

“Shit.” Atlas said. “Ok, I’m almost there, but you need to take Nova’s temperature and have Theo get a rag and wet it with lukewarm water and lay it on Sol’s head. Try and see if they can drink some Gatorade or even water. I’m five minutes away.”

“Hurry,” I said, before he hung up.

“Theo, can you get a hand towel and wet it with lukewarm water and lay it on Sol’s head and see if they have Gatorade,” I said, and he quickly walked out of the room. “I’m gonna clean this and take your temperature next.”

Nova nodded. She looked a little green and then rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door and throwing up.

Theo came back as she continued to throw up and I didn’t know what to do. He walked around the bed with a towel in his hand and a glass of, hopefully, Gatorade.

Nova exited the bathroom looking exhausted.

“You can go,” she mumbled, getting on the bed pushing her head into a pillow.

“Not going to happen,” I said, pushing her on to her back. “I have to take your temperature.”

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