Page 46 of Love Me Again

I frown and look her overas she continuescoughing. "Are you okay?" I question, and she sips some water and exhales slowly.

"No, I am not okay. You're pissing me off." Shaylagroans,closing hereyes. I look over her face a notice she was a little pale as she sips her water. "Stop staring at me. I'm fine. It's just a little cold,"

Ireach outandtouch hercheek, but she slaps my hand away. "Get your hands off me." She sputters,rubbing hertemples.

"Shay, you're burning up," I say, touchingher foreheadagain,shesighs,closing hereyes, but shrinks away from my touch, and I notice she's shivering.

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. How long have you been feeling like this?" I ask, moving around her desk and kneel in front of her.

"Cole, I'm fine," She insists,pulling herface away when Ireach outtotouch her. "I woke up with a little cold. I'll live."

I scowl at her and roll my eyes. "Shayla, you're pregnant, and you've got a fever. I'm taking you home. Come on." I tellher,andsheshakesherheadstubbornlyandstarts tocoughagain.

"I can go. I don't need you to baby me." Shayla grumbles, getting up to her feet; she staggers a little, so Ireach outandsteady her.

"Yes, of course, you can. Stop being difficult. I'm taking you. Are the girls home?" I help her put her jacket on.

"No, Jo is with Sam, and Aimee is with family."She sighsand winces,rubbing herhead. "I'm a big girl. I don't need a babysitter." I watch her as she pressesherforeheadtomy chest. "Ow."

I rub her arms and bury my nose into her hair--she feels hot to the touch. I can feel the heat radiating off her head. "All right, come on, we're going home." Iwrap myarm aroundher shoulders, and she nestles into me as we walk toward the elevator.

"Can you walk? Do you want me to carry you?" I ask, looking down ather,andsheshakesherhead. I can feel her shivering in my arms, andshe can barely standup straight. As the elevator hits the underground car park, Ilift her into myarms and walk to my car. "Gerald, get the door," I tell my driver, who runs around the car and opens the back door, and helps me get Shayla in the back seat.

"Sir? Is Shayla okay? Are we goingtothe hospital?" Gerald questions in a flurry, lookingat Shayla, concerned.

Ishake myheadas I climb in next to her and pull her into my arms. "No,the hospitalwill take too long to see her. I'll get a doctor to come home and check her over," I tell him as he gets in the driver's seat and he drives out of the car park. Ipress mylips againsther forehead, her feverseems to begetting worse, and she feels clammy. Shayla coughs again and groans, burying her face into my chest.

"Cole..."shegroans. "I don't feel good."

"I know, sweetheart. I know you don't, but you're going to be okay, I promise," I assure herbrushing my fingers throughher hair while I dial our family doctor's number. "Doctor Giles, I need you to come over to the address I'm going to send you. My wife is sick, and she's pregnant."

"Okay, what are her symptoms?"

I glancedownat Shayla, "She's burning up, coughing, headache.She can barely stand." I tell him. "Please hurry."

"I'm on my way, Mr Hoult. How far along is shein the pregnancy?" Ishake myhead.

"I don't know, like thirty-two weeks, I think."

"Okay, we need to gethertemperaturedownbecauseahigh feverthis latein the pregnancycan cause complications and be harmful to the baby."Dr Gilesinforms me,and Iclose myeyes. Oh God.

"What do I do?" I ask in a panic looking down at her, trembling in my arms.

"You need to get her in a lukewarm bath or shower, not cold because that could increase her internal body temperature. I'll be with you in twenty minutes." Inod andhang up.

"Gerald, hurry up," I sigh, lookingdownat Shayla. Iwrap myarms around her, andshe groans. "We're nearly home, sweetheart," Imurmur, kissing herhead. The usual ten-minute drive home felt like ten years to me at that moment. I wasworried sick somethingwould happen to her and the baby.

"Cole. I'm...so cold." She breathes, snugglinginto me furtherwhile she trembles incessantly, her teeth clattering. I felt so fucking helpless. I didn't know if I shouldwrap her upor take some layers off.

"I know, baby, I'm going totakecareofyou, and you're going to feel better real soon," I whisper while stroking her head. We finally arrive at the house, and Gerald helps me get her out of the car. He rushes to open the front dooras I carryher inside and upstairs tothe bathroom. "Gerald, let the doctor in when he arrives!" I shout and hear him reply with a 'yes sir'as I carryShayla intothe bathroom.

I look around frantically and kick the toilet seat shut before I sit her down on it gently. I ensure she was steady before I reach over and turnthe showeron, adjusting the water, my eyes on Shayla. Once the water was lukewarm, I move over to her and take her shirt off before Ilift her into myarms,and we stepintothe showertogether.Shaylahisses whenthewater hits her body, and she clings to me.

"It's...cold." She gasps, her teeth chattering. Ipressmyforeheadtoher head and hold her frail body against me. "Cole..." Shegasps, coughing. "I'm freezing."

"We need to get yourtemperature downbaby, just hold on to me," I tell her while brushing her hair out of her face.

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