Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“I talked to Doc. He said to give him a call if you want him to come by.”
“Oh, that would be great.”
“Talked to your folks, too.”
“Oh, man. I forgot to check back in with them.”
“It’s okay. I explained the situation, and your mom said she’d stop by later and check on you guys.”
“Okay, good.”
“Anything else I can do before I go?”
“You’ve already done plenty.”
“Alright then. I guess I’ll leave you to it.” He motioned his head towards the kitchen as he said, “I left my number on the counter. If you need anything, give me a call.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I motioned my head toward the kitchen. “And thanks for the desserts. It was really sweet of you.”
He nodded, then started for the door. I wanted to call out to him and ask him to stay, but I knew it wasn’t a good idea. I had no way of knowing just how sick Ava really was, and I didn’t want to take a chance on him getting sick, too—especially after how sweet he’d been to us both.
He’d barely stepped outside when Ava sat up and muttered, “Momma.”
I could tell by her expression that she was about to get sick, so I jumped up and grabbed the bowl. I started towards her, but I was too late. After she was finished, I took the blanket and soiled clothes and put them in the washer. Before I could get her changed, she got sick again, making another huge mess.
That became the trend over the remainder of the night, and by the following morning, I was exhausted. Thankfully, her tummy finally settled, and she spent the better part of the day curled up on the sofa watching her favorite movies. I thought we were on the uptrend until the following morning when I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a freight train.
It started as a dull ache in my back.
I chalked it up to all the bending over while taking care of Ava and just kept going. But as the hours passed, that dull ache started to spread to my joints, and then the fever and chills started.
I was about to start dinner when a wave of nausea hit me so hard, I thought it was going to take me out. My skin felt clammy, my head pounding, and when I touched my forehead, it was burning up.
The timing couldn’t have been worse.
I was supposed to start my new job in two days, and I just wanted to hide in my covers and die a slow, miserable death. I was considering doing just that when there was a knock at my door, and that’s when my bad morning took an immediate turn.
Torch
“Beck!”
I’d already knocked twice, but Beck had yet to answer.
I would’ve just left, but her car was in the driveway, and I hadn’t seen heads or tails of her since Ava got sick. Beck hadn’t called, but something about the silence didn’t sit right with me—especially after our conversation and that kiss.
It was all I could think about. I wasn’t sure if it was the kiss itself or the way she’d looked at me afterward, but I finally felt like I’d done something right. I wanted a chance to talk to her or, at the very least, see her, but she’d gone radio silent on me.
Concerned something might be wrong, I knocked a third time.
“Hey, Beck! You home?”
A few seconds passed before the door creaked open, and there she was—all wrapped in a blanket that looked about two sizes too big for her. Her hair was a wild mess, and she had a crumpled Kleenex pressed to her nose. Her cheeks were flushed, and not in a good way. The poor thing looked like she was having a time of it.
She cleared her throat with a grimace before muttering, “Hey.”
"Jesus, Beck. You look like hell."
“Gee, thanks,” she croaked. “Just the compliment I needed today.”
I ignored her sarcasm and reached out to brush a hand against her forehead. She tried to bat me away, but she was too slow. I placed my palm on her head and immediately felt the heat radiating off her skin. “You’re burning up.”
“I’m fine,” she lied, leaning heavily against the doorframe. “I just got a touch of what Ava had, and I...”
“Need to go to bed,” I cut her off, pushing past her into the house. “Where’s Ava?”
“She’s in her room,” Beck said, her voice softening as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. “She’s pretty much over it, but ...”
Beck’s face grew pale, and her eyes grew wide with panic. Before I could ask what was wrong, she turned and darted towards the bathroom. Seconds later, I heard her retching and then, the commode flush. I eased the door open, and when I found her hunched over the commode, I stepped over and pulled her hair back. “Why didn’t you call me?”