Page 60 of Despite It All
“Yeah, honey, she’s okay. She’s not feeling too good either, so she’s getting some rest. How are you feeling?”
“I’m thirsty,” she mumbles.
“Okay, let me get you a drink, but we have to start small, we don’t want to get sick again.” Stevie nods and I get her a cup of the grape Pedialyte.
We start with a sip every twenty minutes. After an hour, she’s held everything down and some color has returned to her face. I let her try a cracker and she eats about half of it.
No one told me having a sick kid is a form of torture. I’d give my right arm right now for her to feel better. Stevie requests for me to turn on the TV and she snuggles up next to me.
Near the end ofTangled, Stevie falls asleep in my lap. I carry her to her bed, and Poppy follows, curling up beside Stevie’s bed. I tuck her in with her seventy-five blankets and kiss her on the top of the head. I try to get Poppy to come out with me but she refuses. I take the risk that the dog won’t tear anything up because the bigger risk is waking Stevie up if I force her out.
I peek in Wyla’s room but her bed is empty. As I reach the bathroom door I hear the toilet flush. I walk in and Wyla’s brushing her teeth, when she looks over, she jumps. “Jett… you scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry, Wy. I was just coming to check on you. Stevie fell asleep, so I took her to her bed.”
“How is she?” she mumbles with her toothbrush in her mouth.
“Better, I think, she drank and ate half a cracker. She hasn’t gotten sick again.”
Wyla’s shoulders relax a bit as she finishes brushing her teeth. “Good.”
“Poppy insisted on staying in the room with her. I figured that wasn’t a battle worth fighting given the situation.”Wyla nods, and I take a step closer. I’m so damn tempted to pull her to me, but resist. “How are you?”
“Okay, I think that was the last of it, but my body feels like it’s been hit by a truck, and I have a headache.” Wyla bends down to the cabinets and pulls out some ibuprofen. “Will you get me a glass of water, please?”
“Yeah, get back in bed. I’ll be right back.”
She nods, and when I return with the water, she’s curled back under the covers.
She sits up to take her medicine and sets her water on the nightstand. “Jett… will you lie down with me?”
Um, hell yeah. “Okay, Wy.” I slide in on the other side, not wanting to push it, but Wyla comes to me and rests her head on my chest and tangles her legs in mine.
“I’m sorry, you’ve had to spend the day with us sickos,” Wyla says softly.
I brush her hair away from her face. “There is no place else I’d rather be, Wy.”
“As friends, right?” she mumbles.
“As whatever you want me to be.” I dare a kiss to the top of her head. “Get some sleep.”
With that, she nuzzles closer and within two minutes, she’s fast asleep.
For a while I just watch her, lightly stroking her hair, but eventually, I pass out too.
“Mommy, Daddy, wake up.” I feel Stevie climbing on top of the bed and forcing her way in between us. “Mommy, Daddy… wake up,” she whines. “I’m hungry.”
I blink my eyes open. “Hey, Little Bee, feeling better?”
“Yes, but I'm hungry and thirsty.”
Wyla untangles herself from me and sits up. “Okay, baby, come on, let’s get some soup.”
We climb out of bed, and Stevie jumps in my arms for me to carry her. I check the clock on the stove. It was about a quarter to ten when we fell asleep and now it's almost one in the afternoon. I set Stevie down at the table and force Wyla to sit also. “I’ll heat up the soup.”
Wyla nods and sits next to Stevie. Poppy scratches at the back door so I let her out then fix them both some canned chicken noodle soup.
“Thank you,” both of my girls say when I set the bowls in front of them. I make myself a quick sandwich before joining them at the table.
