19. Colt
19
colt
Dinner was an awkward event, no one spoke much. Sol talked our ears off and was the only reason there was any conversation. Nova and Sol left quickly after dinner, with the excuse that Sol needed a shower and it was a school night.
It wasn’t until the guys told me what had happened that the entire dinner made sense. Then we went back to square one again. Nova hadn’t reached out in five days, and I was starting to feel like maybe she really didn’t want this. My fears and worries had nothing on Theo’s, he had receded into himself, more quiet than usual and I hated it. Atlas and I tried a few things, but he just started to work later and later.
I was about ready to head over there myself and drag her back here for us to finally talk, but maybe she just needed a little space. The more days that passed, the more I started to think that this was it.
Today, I was at the garage fixing a Honda Fury. I finished up later than usual, and decided that I was going to go check on Nova because she should be home by this time. I took the motorcycle for a ride around the town ensuring that everything was in working order.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I rode down Main Street and again when I parked the bike. I got off the bike when it rang again. Warning bells rang in my head as I saw Theo’s number.
“Hey, are you ok?”
“Can you come to Nova’s?” he asked, his voice laced with fear.
“What happened?” I asked, taking the key out of the bike and heading into the office to put them up with the work order.
“I don’t know what to do and Atlas isn’t answering,” he said in a panic.
“What's wrong with them?” I waved at Bill, grabbing my things and running to my car.
“They are sick,” he said, and I wanted to snap, needing more information.
“I’m on my way,” I said, hoping it wasn’t as bad as he made it out to be.
I started my car, put it into drive and raced down the street.
“They have been throwing up and I think they have a temperature,” he said, as I heard Nova say something to him that I couldn't make out.
“Ok, ask Nova for a thermometer.” I sped up to make the light.
Muffled voices made me anxious as I gunned it down the road to our homes. I took the fork a little too fast.
“That’s Atlas,” he said, cutting off the line.
Atlas would fix it, and it might not be as bad he thought. I pulled up to the house, getting out quickly and rushing through the door. I scrunched my nose at the smell of vomit and the staleness of the air. I left the door open to air out the house, walking down the hall to Theo’s voice.
Walking into what I assumed was Nova’s room, I could see why he was panicking. Sol was lying on her side, her brows furrowed like she was in pain. Nova didn’t look any better as she sat in front of Theo.
“We are ok,” she said softly. “It’s a stomach bug.”
I walked up to them as Nova noticed me. Her eyes grew wide, as tears gathered in them.
“Seriously,” she said, her lip trembling. “You guys don’t have to be here.”
“Nova,” I sighed. “Why wouldn’t we be here?”
I touched her forehead and she was burning up.
“That feels good.” She leaned into my hand.
“Where is your thermometer?”
Nova pointed to the nightstand. I grabbed it and took it to the bathroom to wash it.
“I don’t know,” Theo said frustrated as I came back.
I held out my hand to Theo to hand her the phone. He huffed, giving it to me.
“Hey, I’m going to take their temperature,” I said.
“How do they look, are they pale, lethargic?”
“Both, but Nova is sitting up and I’m checking on Sol,” I said, walking around the bed.
Sol was asleep and felt just as hot as Nova.
“Take their temperature, If Sol is over a hundred and three point five, she needs to go to the hospital immediately,” he panted like he was running. “We've already sent two kids to the hospital in the last two days.”
“Hey, Sundae.” I brushed her hair back, worry clawing at me.
Her eyes fluttered open but closed right away.
“I need to take your temp, ok?” I said, pushing it into her mouth.
She nodded; I didn’t like seeing her like this. What would happen if her temperature was too high? Did that do something to her brain? Why did we live so far from a hospital? My mind spiraled into every ‘what if’ I could imagine, and a beeping stopped my thoughts.
“One hundred and two point nine,” I said, not liking that number because it was so close to what he said earlier.
“Shit.” Atlas said. “Ok, I’m almost there, but you need to take Nova’s temperature and have Theo get a rag and wet it with lukewarm water and lay it on Sol’s head. Try and see if they can drink some Gatorade or even water. I’m five minutes away.”
“Hurry,” I said, before he hung up.
“Theo, can you get a hand towel and wet it with lukewarm water and lay it on Sol’s head and see if they have Gatorade,” I said, and he quickly walked out of the room. “I’m gonna clean this and take your temperature next.”
Nova nodded. She looked a little green and then rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door and throwing up.
Theo came back as she continued to throw up and I didn’t know what to do. He walked around the bed with a towel in his hand and a glass of, hopefully, Gatorade.
Nova exited the bathroom looking exhausted.
“You can go,” she mumbled, getting on the bed pushing her head into a pillow.
“Not going to happen,” I said, pushing her on to her back. “I have to take your temperature.”
“Get out,” she said, looking over at Theo.
“Nova, we?—”
“Get out,” she whispered, as the first tear fell.
Footsteps walked down the hallway as I stood up seeing Atlas at the door.
“Temperature?” he asked, walking to Nova with his medical bag.
“She just threw up,” I said, as I studied Nova’s face, more tears streaming down her face.
“I don’t need help,” Nova’s lip trembled. “We've done this before?—”
“Let me just check you out and we can leave,” he said professionally. “We can’t have you getting dehydrated or worse, your temperature spiking too high. When was the last time either of you had a Motrin or Tylenol?”
Atlas went to work as I went into the bathroom. I cleaned up and found the source of the smell. Some sheets were on the floor. I picked them up and took them to her washer. I got the load started as I picked up a little around her house, wondering how the hell she did this all on her own.
Theo walked out of the room, stoically, as he passed by me going to the kitchen. I didn’t even know how he was doing, but he looked better than when I had gotten here.
“What if we hadn’t shown up?” he asked absentmindedly, tapping his thumb to each of his fingers. “She’s just as sick as Sol and if she didn’t have anyone, what would have happened? She just suffers while taking care of her child? How does she do this, all this worrying?”
“Women are incredible,” I said, seeing my own mother in a new light. “She does it because she has no choice.”
He nodded like I gave him something to think about, still tapping his fingers. I continued picking up and he washed some dishes. We worked in silence as I tried to distract myself from hovering. Atlas came out of the room.
“They aren’t doing well, and I need you guys to go to the store.” He ran his hand through his hair, thoughtfully.
He gave Theo and I a list with instructions. We got into my car, and I felt better having something to do.
“I don’t want Nova to have to go through this alone,” Theo muttered, looking at his hands in his lap. “I’m also terrified that if this doesn’t work, we will have to sit on the sidelines while she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.”
I didn’t know what to say to that and it terrified me that that could be a possibility.