Chapter 2
The next morning, I wake up to an empty bed.
Looking across the room, I see Seb lightly snoring like a starfish on his back on the double bed.
Flinging the covers off, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand, but quickly get dizzy and fall backwards onto my butt.
My head is pounding, but it’s not a regular headache.
As I try to figure out what’s happening, a series of sneezes, one following the other, erupt from me and my nose runs. Oh crap.
Flopping back onto the bed, my ears pop painfully. This must be why I was feeling off last night. Given the stress and nonstop activities, catching a virus shouldn’t surprise me. I reach over to the nightstand and grab my phone to text Dad that I’m up and have a cold.
E pops his head into the room to find me awake and lying on top of the bed. Another sneezing fit hit me as he enters. “Are you sick?” E asks, concern etching his features.
“Apparently.” I croak, slowly sitting up, noticing my throat is sore too.
“Breakfast is ready. I’ll see if Alex has any cold medication for you.”
“Thanks, E,” my voice cracks as I speak. Just great.
Our talking stirs Seb, who sits up, rubbing his face as he looks around. “What’s going on?”
“Summer has a cold,” E tells him. “Come out for breakfast when you’re ready.” He leaves and closes the door.
“Shit Sunshine. What can I do?” Seb comes over to give me a hug, but I put my hand out to stop him. “We made out a few hours ago, so I already have your germs.”
Well, crap, that’s true, so I let him cuddle me. “E is checking for meds, and I need some tea.”
“Okay, let me get your bag.” Seb grabs me some clothes for the day and helps me stand.
Once the dizziness fades, he quickly dresses himself while I slug through the process of changing my clothes.
Geez, my body feels like I got hit by a truck.
This is a tough virus. I can’t remember the last time I felt so miserable from a cold.
Seb steers me to the bathroom and sits me on the toilet before closing the door.
Chuckling to myself, which leads to a coughing fit, I pee and wash up.
Once Seb hears the faucet, he re-enters the room and wraps his arms under my butt to walk me to the corner of the couch.
My head lolls in the crook of his neck like a bobblehead.
He sets me down, adding two pillows to my back and pulls the blanket down to cover me, tucking it around my body.
Alex walks over with hot tea and a box of tissues. “I am afraid we do not have any cold medication in the house, but I will run out and get some.”
“Thanks, but I can go get some, Alex.” I sound like I smoke a pack a day of cigarettes right now.
A frown mars his face as he pulls out his phone, turning on the flashlight app. “May I see your throat?”
Nodding, I tilt my head up and open my mouth for him to have a look. Saying “ahh,” I end up coughing, so I quickly cover my mouth with the back of my hand. I don’t want anyone else to get sick.
“You have a very swollen and red throat. I would like to call the doctor, as I believe you will need an antibiotic.”
“Thanks, Alex.” I take a sip of my warm tea, which is initially very hard to swallow, but I ask E for some honey, and it helps me get it down. I mentally catalogue the herbs I have at home, trying to figure out if there’s anything I can use to help me.
Alex leaves the room after texting and brings back a thermometer. Opening my mouth, I let it sit below my tongue until it beeps. “102,” Alex comments. He grabs some Tylenol for me, but I end up needing him to crush it into a spoonful of yogurt. Damn.
E brings me some soft toast and scrambled eggs, but I don’t have an appetite right now, so I just nibble on the inner parts of the buttered toast. This sucks. I ask Seb for my phone so I can text Jake that I won’t be over to visit today because of my illness.
I must fall asleep after my tea because I wake to Alex gently tapping my shoulder. “The doc is here,” he smiles at me.
Looking past him, I see Dr. Croft standing nearby with a gentle smile on his face. “Hello Summer.”
“Hi doc,” I eep out with a sneeze.
Alex steps out of the way so he can come closer.
Sanitizing his hands and pulling on gloves, he grabs a tongue depressor and a light to have a look at my throat.
Sucking in a breath, I try not to breathe on him as he does his job.
He asks about my symptoms, feels my lymph nodes, and takes a swab to run a rapid strep test from his doctor's bag. “This will take approximately 15 minutes,” he tells us as he strips his gloves off and washes his hands. Alex gives him a coffee as we wait, and Seb snuggles into my side. I love the cuddles, but I’m overly hot right now, so I kick the blanket to my feet so I can keep Seb close.
My brain isn’t fully functioning right now because, what feels like seconds later, Dr. Croft announces I have strep throat and a cold virus.
He sets a bottle of antibiotics on the counter for me, telling me to rest and get lots of fluids.
I ask about Seb since we made out last night, and he assures me Alex can call him if he develops a sore throat too.
Thanking him, E hands me another warm tea to sip.
Waving goodbye, Alex closes the door behind him. “If you can provide me with a list of items you would like, I can shop for you,” Alex offers. He pulls out his phone, ready to type.
E begins with ingredients to make chicken soup, then I request raw honey, herbal teas, echinacea for Seb, cold medicine, and soft foods.
As he leaves, Dad enters the apartment. “Hey darling. How are you feeling?” he asks, coming to sit by my feet.
“Okay, Dr. Croft tested me, and I have strep throat and a cold. I’ll be fine,” I give him a small smile.
He puts the back of his hand on my forehead to test my temperature. “Can I get you anything?”
“Alex is getting some stuff for me now.”
He sits back with a sigh. “You have been going so much these past two months, darling; I'm not surprised you got sick. How was your evening?”
Seb fills him in on our night, and Dad does the same with some funny stories about drunk rich folks. Mrs. Grant knocks and enters with bedding and cleaning supplies as they're talking. “I hear we have a sick patient,” she smiles at everyone. “How are you, dear?” she directs her question towards me.
“I’m okay, thanks.”
“Let me get the bathroom disinfected and your sheets changed, and then I'll be out of your hair.”
“No, you don’t have to do that, Mrs. Grant.” I attempt to get up, but my head pounds painfully as I grab it and fall backwards. I don’t want anyone else cleaning up after me.
“Nonsense,” she waves at me. “You’re a sweet girl, and you made this family whole again.
I have years of experience doing this sort of thing.
I’m an expert, and it will only take a moment.
” She bustles off to my room without another word, humming to herself.
Alex must have contacted her before he left. My friends are the best.
Dad stays for lunch and then drives to Finn.
After loading my system with cold medicine, antibiotics, and more tea, I fall asleep on the couch.
I planned to go home to avoid getting anyone else sick, but Alex and E argued they were already exposed last night, so I should stay here instead of infecting my home too.
I drift in and out during the afternoon and manage to video call Jake. Alex dropped off some immunity supplements to him while he was out as a precaution.
E makes a fragrant chicken noodle soup with melt in your mouth rolls for dinner.
My appetite returns with a vengeance at the smells coming from my bowl.
After stuffing myself, everyone gathers around the couch to watch some movies.
Bay joins us after dinner, and Alex gives him a bottle of immunity stuff to take as well.
He had an enjoyable time at the party with Penny and was home by 1am.
He worked at the shop today, doing oil changes and tire rotations with Olivia’s help.
I spend the next day at Alex’s house too, feeling like I’m at 10% battery power all day, unable to stand long enough to even shower, and Seb develops a sore throat by the evening.
Alex picks up an antibiotic for him from the hospital, and he comes home with me that night.
Mrs. Grant came back a few times with homemade pudding and ice cream, keeping the bathroom, bedding, and blankets washed for us.
Since it’s the weekend, Seb and I cocoon ourselves on the couch to rest. E sent us home with lots of his homemade soup and rolls because it’s the only thing I seem to want to eat right now.
We’re both as cold, damp, and gloomy as the weather outside.
Dad takes care of us all weekend in between chores and work.
You’ve heard of the term “man cold?” Well, Seb, as it turns out, is not a great patient. I’ve never heard so many whines and groans in my life. I got stomach aches from laughing at him, which led to coughing and sneezing fits, but it was so worth it.
Our friends stop by periodically to check on us, and by Monday morning, I’m feeling much better. I still have a cold, but it’s muted, and my throat is a dull ache now. I drive Seb and me to school Monday morning with him still groaning like a baby.
We get an update on Nick on Tuesday after school from Troy. Nothing extensive, but he’s still working at a bar in Knoxville with his dad. The bar is a proper establishment, apparently, and he’s bruised but functioning.
I video call Jake for a few more days before I’m comfortable visiting on Friday.
Neither he, Ray, nor the nurses have gotten sick, thank goodness.
E and Alex visited Jake on Monday and Wednesday evening while Ray attended his support group.
He started attending with the encouragement of Dad and Jake right after Christmas.
Zander convinced him it wasn’t healthy to stay cooped up in the condo 7 days a week.
It’s a work in progress, but he seems to be getting better.
The next week and a half involves a lot of rest, school, and Jake.
E got a bit of a cold but no sore throat, and Seb milked his illness way past its expiration date.
Ray and Will started taking Jake out for physiotherapy a couple of days a week, so they both get fresh air.
In typical Jake fashion, he’s pushing his physiotherapy hard, working on it 5 days a week.
The guys regularly visit Jake on their own when they have time, and I appreciate that so much.