Page 140 of Eternally Yours
Reminder to self: KEEP MEDICINE OUT OF MINNIE’S REACH!
~ Three Weeks Later / Mid-June ~
Cecilia was right.When the media found out about the whole baby orchestration, it became mayhem. Everywhere I went, the media was there demanding answers. I was splashed over every cover of every gossip magazine. They even came to the house a few times in search of Minnie to know how she was dealing with this.
Somehow, they found out just a few days after Cecilia showed up at the house. And they’re just now starting to back off since I made a public statement yesterday about the whole thing.
My agent, Barry, got me a live interview with a reporter so that I could answer all their questions and tell my story. I was reluctant at first, but it was getting out of control, and the way people were twisting things was pissing me off.
There was even a rumor that Cecilia was the mastermind behind the whole scheme, and it was a way for her to get more money out of me. I have no idea how they even came up with these ideas, but that one was just absurd.
She’s my wife, and we didn’t sign a prenup. If she wanted my money, she could have just divorced me and taken half of everything.
All that aside, these past three weeks have been pretty great. I see my girl practically every day, whether it’s her coming to me or me going to her. We often walk Milo together in the morning, and then I either have a date planned for us in the evening or we just hang out and watch a movie while eating takeout.
Today, with the reporters finally backing off, I have a whole day of activities planned for us. But Cecilia hasn’t been answering her phone and didn’t come over to walk Milo. At first, I thought maybe she slept in or didn’t see her phone, but it’sbeen a couple of hours now, and I’m getting worried. Which is why I’m heading over to Clay and Morgan’s to check up on her.
I park my car beside Cecilia’s just as the front door opens and Clay appears with his keys in hand, heading to his car. “This is getting ridiculous. You’re here more often than at your own place. Should I be expecting you to move in, too?”
“Very funny. Have you seen my wife? She hasn’t been answering her phone and didn’t show up this morning,” I ask, walking backwards toward the pool house where Cecilia’s been living.
He frowns and shakes his head. “Not since last night when she came back from your place.”
“Hmm, okay, well I’m gonna go check on her, make sure she’s all right. I’ll let you know.” I turn back the right way with a wave and make my way to Minnie’s apartment.
I ring the bell, but after a minute, nothing happens, so I knock a few times as well. Still nothing. “Minnie? It’s me. Are you okay? Open up.”
I wait a bit, having rung the bell again, but she doesn’t answer or come to the door. I’m getting this bad feeling in my stomach, and I feel my anxiety rising.
I try the doorknob, and to my luck, it turns. I open it slowly, not wanting to scare her if she didn’t hear me. Although that would be impossible with the banging and ringing, plus the shouting through the door.
“Baby?” For a moment, there isn’t a sound to be heard, but then I hear it. A deep groan coming from... the bathroom.
“Minnie? Are you okay?” I walk over to the door and knock lightly, then put my ear to the door.
It’s silent for a beat, and then the sound of someone hurling comes through, making me take a step back from the door. I quickly recover and push the door open, looking inside.
Cecilia kneels on the floor, hugging the toilet bowl while she empties her stomach into it. I rush over and crouch down beside her, rubbing her back. I then gather her hair and reach over to the vanity to grab a hair tie, quickly securing it up in a loose bun. I grab some toilet paper as she finishes and pass it to her.
“Oh God, Silas. You shouldn’t be here. You don’t need to see this,” she grumbles, eyes closed while she rests her head on the side of the bowl.
“Of course, I need to be here. I’m your husband, Cecilia. It’s my job to take care of you when you’re sick.”
I brush the strands of hair I missed out of her sweaty, pale face and place them behind her ear, then bring my lips to her forehead to check her temperature. It’ssomething my mother always did and said it was the best way to check if someone had a fever without a thermometer.
“Baby, you’re burning up. Do you have a thermometer here?” I continue stroking her back.
She shakes her head from side to side, then groans and squeezes her eyes shut tightly.
“Okay, I’ll check if Morgan’s home and get her to bring one down here. We need to check your temperature because I’m pretty sure you have a fever. How long have you been feeling like this?”
“Around two in the morning I started feeling funny, so I came to the bathroom and never left.” Her voice is hoarse from the hours of puking she’s undergone.
“You’ve been here since two!? You should have called me or even Clay.” She cringes at my heightened voice.She probably has a headache on top of everything.I lower my voice as I continue. “Sorry. Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. If you think you’re done being sick for now, we’re gonna get you to bed so you can lie down. I’ll bring you a bowl in case you get sick again. And I’ll see if I can get a thermometer and some medication.”
“I don’t think I can stand.” She places her hands on either side of the toilet seat in an attempt to raise herself but doesn’t even lift off the floor.
“No, don’t force yourself. Let me take care of you.” I reposition myself not to lose balance as I manage to pick her up with one hand under her knees and the other around her shoulders.
