He brings me a glass of ice water with a straw that he holds for me.
The cold water is like heaven to my parched throat, but it lands with a gurgle in my empty stomach. “What’s wrong?” I ask him.
“You’ve got the flu.”
“Your mom…”
“She was here to check on you yesterday.”
“Yesterday?”
“It’s been two days, Nat. You’ve been totally out of it. We came very close to taking you to the hospital, but the doctor came here to check on you so we wouldn’t end up in the news again.”
“Two days.”
“Two very long days.”
“Have you slept at all?”
“Not much. I was too freaked out to sleep.”
I want to reach up to touch his tired face, but my arms won’t cooperate. “So sorry to freak you out. And to puke all over you.”
He cracks the faintest of smiles. “You didn’t do that. Came close a few times.”
“Ugh, how sexy.” The thought of nearly puking on him makes me feel worse than I already do. “Sorry.”
“You think I care about that, Nat? God, I was so scared that something was seriously wrong with you and everyone was missing it. I was afraid to sleep, that I would wake up and you’d be… Well, I was scared.”
“I know I must smell gross and I’m probably communicable, but will you please get in bed with me and hold me?”
“I’d be very happy to do that.” He gets up to go around the bed and gets in with me.
I turn away from him because I don’t want to infect him any more than I already have.
“You don’t smell gross. I got to give you a sponge bath yesterday. We enjoyed that very much.”
“We?”
“You and me.”
“So you took full advantage of my feverish state to get handsy with me?”
“You know it.”
His arms around me are exactly what I need. With my head cushioned on his arm and the heat of his body warming me, I begin to feel the slightest bit better. And then I remember… I was expecting my period when I got sick. “Flynn…”
“What, honey?”
“I know we just got settled, but I could use the bathroom.”
“No worries.” He gets up, comes around to lift me right out of bed and carries me into the bathroom. “Take it easy. You’re going to be really weak and wobbly.”
I grasp the sink, hoping to stop the world from spinning. “I’m okay if you want to give me a minute.”
“You can pee in front of me, Nat.”
“I don’t think I can, actually.”
“I’m afraid to leave you.”
“I’ll hold on. I promise.”
“Call me if you need help.”
“I will.”
As soon as the door clicks shut behind him, I get busy checking what’s going on below. Nothing. I’m beyond thankful he didn’t have to deal with that on top of the puking and the rest.
I immediately regret a quick glance in the mirror. I use the last of my dwindling strength to brush my hair and teeth before I call for Flynn to give me a lift back to bed.
“Do you think you could eat something?”
“I don’t know. Maybe some soup. Later. First I just want to close my eyes for a minute while you hold me.”
“We can do that.”
The next time I open my eyes, sunshine fills the room and I’m alone in bed. I experiment with moving my arms and legs, which seems easier than it was the last time I was awake. My headache seems a bit better, too. I attempt to sit up and have to take a moment before the spinning stops.
Flynn comes into the room wearing a pair of basketball shorts and those sexy glasses that make him look so smart. His hair is standing straight up and he hasn’t shaved in days, but he still makes my heart beat a little faster just by walking into the room with Fluff hot on his heels.
“You look better.”
“I feel a little better.”
“Thank goodness. How about some food?”
“That actually sounds good.”
“Progress, Fluff. I told you Mommy would feel better soon.”
“You guys are getting along okay?”
“We’re living proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks. She’s learned not to bite the hand that feeds her.”
My heart melts at the adoring gaze Fluff directs his way. “Glad to see something good came out of me getting stricken with the plague.”
“I also got a ton of work done, and I’m all caught up, which makes Hayden very, very happy.”
“Oh good.”
“Not good. I never want to see you that sick again—ever.”
“Let’s hope it was a one-time thing.”
“The doc says you have to take it really easy for a week to ten days, so I canceled the trip to London.”
“No! You have to go! I’ll stay home while you go.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“But you’re going to win!”
“I can’t believe you just said that out loud.”
“This is no time for your superstitions.”
“Natalie…”
“You have to go.”
“I’m not going without you, and you can’t go. That’s the end of it.”
I recognize defeat when I see it. Sighing, I say, “I was really looking forward to going to London.”
“We’ll get there. For now, we’re going to chill at home until you’re fully recovered, and that’s that.”
“I hope you don’t get it, too.”