Chapter 41 - Sunshine #3
"Congratulations."
His eyes narrowed.
I walked over and held out my hand.
"Give me the laptop."
"No."
"Adrian."
"Angelica."
There he was.
I almost smiled.
Actually, I did smile.
Just a little.
Because three days ago he'd barely had enough energy to argue with me.
Now he was being difficult again.
Apparently recovery had a personality.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"No, I'm not."
"You are."
"Give me the laptop."
"No."
I reached for it.
Adrian moved it away.
I reached farther.
He lifted it out of reach.
I stared at him.
"Are you seriously making me fight a sick man for a laptop?"
"I'm not sick."
I immediately put my palm against his forehead.
Adrian went completely still.
I left it there for a few seconds.
Warm.
But barely.
I pulled my hand away.
"You're still warm."
"That isn't a diagnosis."
"You had a fever last night."
"I don't have one now."
"You've been fever-free for approximately six hours. Calm down."
"I am calm."
"You're hiding a laptop from me."
"Because you're trying to steal it."
"Temporarily confiscate."
"You don't have that authority."
"I've had complete authority over you since Monday."
His eyebrows went up.
"That is an alarming interpretation of the last four days."
I laughed.
And Adrian's mouth moved.
There.
Definitely better.
I pointed at the laptop.
"Thirty minutes."
"No."
"Twenty."
"You're negotiating in the wrong direction again."
"Fine. Fifteen."
He stared at me.
I stared back.
"Thirty," he said.
I frowned.
That was where I'd started.
"Fine."
I pointed at him.
"Thirty minutes."
"You already said that."
"And then you're resting."
"I've been resting for four days."
"Exactly. You're getting very good at it."
He looked back at his laptop.
I walked away.
"Thirty minutes, Your Majesty."
"Don't call me that."
I smiled.
Definitely better.
He lasted twenty-three minutes.
Not because I took the laptop.
Because he fell asleep with it open.
I found him leaning into the corner of the couch, eyes closed, one hand still resting near the keyboard.
I stood there looking at him.
So much for not being sick.
I carefully lifted the laptop away.
His eyes opened.
"Don't."
"You fell asleep."
"I was resting my eyes."
"Of course."
"Give it back."
"No."
"Angelica."
"Twenty-three minutes. You didn't even make it to thirty."
He stared at me.
I closed the laptop.
"Go back to sleep."
He looked deeply offended.
Then closed his eyes again.
Two minutes later, he was asleep.
I smiled to myself and carried the laptop away.
The rest of Thursday was quiet.
His appetite was better.
He ate dinner without me watching every bite like an overbearing parent.
He drank enough water without being told.
He walked around without looking exhausted afterward.
And every time I touched his forehead, he felt a little more normal.
By evening, I realized I hadn't used the thermometer in hours.
Naturally, the realization made me use it immediately.
Adrian watched me from the couch.
"Normal."
"I told you."
"Don't get excited."
"I'm not."
"You look excited."
"I look healthy."
"You look annoying."
"That too."
I put the thermometer down.
But I was relieved.
More than relieved.
For the first time all week, I wasn't waiting for night to make him worse again.
Still, I waited.
Just in case.
Before bed, I checked his temperature again.
Normal.
I stared at the number.
Then checked it a second time.
Adrian was already in bed.
"Did you think it would change?"
"Maybe."
"In twelve seconds?"
"You've been very unpredictable this week."
"My temperature has been unpredictable."
"Same thing."
I checked his forehead with my hand anyway.
Cooler.
Not cold.
Not burning.
Just Adrian.
Finally.
I let out a breath.
"No fever."
"I know."
"Don't ruin this for me."
His mouth moved.
I put the thermometer on the nightstand.
Then turned toward the sofa.
Adrian looked at me.
"You don't have to stay in here."
I stopped.
I looked back at him.
"I know."
He said nothing.
Neither did I.
Because he was right.
His temperature was normal.
He wasn't delirious.
He wasn't frighteningly sick anymore.
If his fever stayed down tonight, there was absolutely no reason for me to wake up every hour and check whether he was burning.
I could sleep downstairs.
In an actual guest room.
Like a normal person.
I looked at the sofa.
Then at Adrian.
"I'll stay one more night."
Something in his face shifted.
Barely.
"Okay."
That was it.
No argument.
No you don't need to.
Just okay.
I grabbed my blanket and settled onto the sofa.
My first alarm went off a few hours later.
I opened my eyes.
For several seconds, I stared into the dark room and tried to remember why my phone was vibrating beside my head.
Then I remembered.
Adrian.
I sat up.
He was asleep.
I crossed the room quietly and checked his forehead.
Normal.
I smiled.
Actually smiled.
Then went back to the sofa.
A few hours later, I woke again.
Checked him again.
Still normal.
By then, I knew I was being ridiculous.
He was recovering.
The fever hadn't returned.
He didn't need hourly surveillance anymore.
So I turned off the next alarm.
I still woke up before it would have gone off.
Apparently my body had joined the surveillance operation.
I looked toward the bed.
Adrian was sleeping peacefully.
No fever.
No restless movement.
No burning skin.
Nothing frightening.
Just sleep.
I stayed where I was this time.
Pulled the blanket higher.
And closed my eyes.
For the first time all week, I fell asleep without wondering how hot his forehead would be the next time I touched it.