Page 70 of Fighter
“I'm happy for Talmage having a new start,” I said with a trying smile. “And glad that we can get him into a better place.”
It felt like a death knoll in something, but I wasn't sure what yet.
“You going to Ben's now?” She nudged the bags packed with containers. “Lots of goodies ready for them.”
“Thanks, Mom. If Ben is saying he's sick, it's probably death-bed level serious.”
Mom reached out and put a hand on my face. I leaned into her warm, comforting touch with a rush of gratitude and love. A loving touch that someone like Amber probably never had. A loving touch Talmagedidhave, but bad things happened to all people regardless. He had his own demons, apparently. I soaked it up, then gave her a huge hug and kiss.
“Thank you,” I said, and she held me close for a long, restorative moment.
As soon as she pulled away, she shoved the food my way and reached for the car keys. “Let's go help them feel better. I'll drop you off. Ava needs a woman's touch now more than ever, I'm sure. Love you, honey. Be safe.”
Bags rustled off my arms as I shuffled into Ben's house a few minutes later. Mom pulled away in the rental car with a wave and I responded just before I shut the back door behind me.
Now, the sound of a TV played in the background as Ava rushed over, still in pajamas that had been buttoned wrong and wild, tangled hair. She smiled and threw her arms around my legs.
“Serafina! I missed you.”
“Hey girlfriend!” I set the bags aside and crouched next to her to receive her hug. Her little body felt normal and her eyes were clear. “I missed you too! Sorry about yesterday. You're sick, huh?”
With a pathetic face, she nodded. “But I'm feeling better now.”
“Are you hungry?”
Her eyes widened dramatically. I nudged her toward the table. “Go sit down. I brought hot chicken noodle soup and my Mom sent some cookies.”
Ava obeyed while I did a quick scan of the house. Chaos abounded. Dishes on the counters, open cracker packages, five different types of drinks, and clothes on the floor near the washer. While I ladled some soup in a bowl for her, Ava hummed and shoved her gnarled hair out of her eyes every five seconds.
“Where's your dad?”
“In his room. He's sick too.”
“Have you been throwing up?”
Her nose wrinkled. “Yeah. Dad too.”
“Tummy still hurt?”
“A little.”
She grabbed the spoon when I set it in front of her, but I held up a finger in warning. “Eat slowly,” I said. “See how your tummy feels. Just a little at a time, okay? Then we're going to take a bath and brush your hair. That will help you feel lots better.”
“'Kay,” she said, and shoved a heaping spoonful in her mouth. I monitored the first few bites, my stomach in a knot for her. Everything seemed to stay down so far. Next, I had to find her father. Did I want to find Benjamin? His text at work today had been a relief, and a worry. Maybe he hadn't responded yesterday because they were sick.
I found him in his room, curled up around his covers like a peanut and pale as his sheets. He had a low fever when I pressed my hand to his face. He stirred with a moan, but didn't wake up. A wet rag and a giant bowl sat on this bedside table. The room smelled acrid, so I yanked open a window to bring cool, fresh air into the room. He didn't even wake up.
I stopped at his bedside. Even in sleep, he had a sort of power about him. His firm jaw. Thick neck. A lock of hair had fallen across his neck in an adorable little curl that I pushed to the side.
Affection welled up inside me, followed by a healthy rush of fear. Would he push me out of his life because of Sadie?
I banished the thought. It wasn't helping at all.
Over the next couple of hours, Ava and I made sense of the house again. She took a long warm bath, I brushed the snarls out of her hair and French braided it so it would be out of the way for a few days. Then we played a few games, made sure she was caught up on her homework, and she wearily went to bed early.
Darkness had fallen on the house by the time I checked on Ben again. He tossed and turned in his bed every now and then, and I'd thought I heard retching at some point, but he hadn't emerged from his room.
Just before full dark, I put the soup in a container, shoved it in the fridge, and left a note.
