Page 31 of Saltwater Memories
Her waiting paid off. He said that he might have time to come to the island on Sunday, and Amanda was elated. She sent him a list of potential activities – hiking, restaurants, bike riding – and told him to pick whatever he liked. He promised to get back to her by Saturday.
Unfortunately, on Saturday evening, Amanda started feeling under the weather. At first, she cycled between feeling hot and cold; she reasoned that she was just tired, and went to bed early.
When she woke up on Sunday, though, there was no denying it – she was sick. Sick as a dog, and she could barely get out of bed. She sent a text to Rupert letting him know and he responded an hour later.
“I’m glad you texted me early,” he wrote. “I was getting ready to leave soon. I’m going to cancel the trip – I can’t afford to get sick right now. But feel better!”
It was a letdown, but there was nothing she could do about it. Amanda spent the morning shivering in bed and running to the bathroom. Around one o’clock, she was awoken from her slumber by another text message.
Maybe Rupert decided to come after all?
No, it was just Will. “There’s a new ice cream place that just opened – Mountain Berry Scoops. Have you heard of it? They do that rolled ice cream. And regular ice cream, too. Want to swing by today?”
She groaned. The thought of ice cream made her stomach churn. “I wish. I’ve got some kind of a stomach bug and haven’t gotten out of bed all day. I feel awful. Rain check?”
“Oh man, sorry to hear that. I hope you get better soon!”
She fell back asleep and was awoken some delirious number of hours later by a knock at the front door. Luckily, Morgan was home and she answered it.
Amanda laid in bed, trying to listen, but was barely able to open her eyes; her body felt like it had been squished under a rock.
Morgan talked to the person at the door for a minute, then came back to Amanda’s room and knocked softly at the door. “Amanda? Are you alive?”
“Yes,” she grunted.
Morgan poked her head through the doorway. “Will just stopped by to drop some things off for you. I told him you’re too sick to talk.”
“Thanks.” She had to clear her throat a few times – it was extremely dry.
“It looks like there’s some chicken soup, ginger ale, and…a tub of ice cream?”
Amanda had to sit up in bed to get a better look. “Wait, what?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, he gave me a big bag of stuff. I’ll put it away for you – or do you want something now?”
“No, but thank you.” She cleared her throat again, realizing that maybe she did need to drink something. “Actually, I’ll try some of that ginger ale.”
Morgan handed her two of the cans along with a card. “Rest up,” she whispered as she closed the door. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
Amanda took a deep breath. It seemed impossible for her weak body to open a can of soda right now, but she managed to do it. The first few sips didn’t go down easy, but after that she could drink a bit.
When she was sure that she wasn’t going to need to rush to the bathroom, Amanda opened the card. The front was a picture of two oysters. She opened it to see the inscription. “Heard you were feeling clammy. Get well soon!”
She cracked a smile. Beneath that was a handwritten note from Will. “Hey Amanda, I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling under the weather. I would like to lie and say that I made you my mom’s chicken soup, but I’m a terrible cook. I bought the soup in town. I also got you some ice cream from Mountain Berry Scoops for when you’re feeling better. Hopes for your speedy recovery. Yours, Will.”
Amanda stared at the sloped letters of his handwriting as a hot flash echoed through her body.
Was her fever breaking? Or…had things just suddenly gotten complicated?
