My poor daughter is so sick. I feel helpless, but I’m doing the best I can. Thankfully, both Chrissy and I had the chicken pox when we were kids. She got it first and gave it to me.
Lucy asked to sleep in my room tonight, and there was no way that I was going to deny her. After giving her some chicken noodle soup and some medicine, she fell fast asleep.
As I’m cleaning up the kitchen, my phone rings. Seeing Nicole’s name, I smile.
“Hi, Nicole.”
“Hey, how’s Lucy?”
“She’s sleeping now, but her temp was still up. I made her eat some soup, gave her some medicine, and put her in my bed.”
“How are you doing, Daniel? Do you need anything?”
“Chrissy came over and helped. She cooked me dinner while I took care of Lucy, so I’m good.”
She goes quiet. “Everything OK with you, Nicole?”
“Yeah, I’m OK,” she says, but I hear her blow out a sigh.
“OK, what’s going on? You went quiet on me all of a sudden.”
“I guess I just wish I was able to be there to help you. I know we made a choice, but it’s frustrating knowing I can’t be there for you two.”
“Well, it’s early, you know. You could come over and keep me company.”
“Daniel, that probably isn’t a good idea.”
“Yeah, I guess you are right. We’ve made it a whole month without touching each other. Only six more months to go.”
“We probably shouldn’t have our video chat date tonight with Lucy there.”
“That would be awkward.”
“OK, well, I hope she gets through the rash OK. If you want, I can bring some things from school for her to work on when she’s feeling up to it.”
“That’d be great. I know once she is feeling better, she’ll be bored.”
Nicole and I talk for a few more minutes, not wanting to hang up. When we do, I feel a sense of loss. It doesn’t last too long, because I hear my sweet daughter calling for me.
* * *
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and since Lucy is sick, we are staying home tomorrow. Lucy’s fever is gone, but her rash has taken over her body. I’ve been applying calamine lotion to her spots. It seems to help for a while.
Nicole is going to make us dinner tomorrow and bring it over. She was supposed to call today but hasn’t yet, and it’s almost eight o’clock in the evening.
Wondering if she’s OK, I call her. She doesn’t answer, which is strange. Maybe she can’t talk wherever she is, so I text her instead.
Me: Hey, haven’t heard from you all day. Everything OK?
Nicole: sik
Me: what?
Nicole: sick
Oh shit, she’s sick. Fuck, she couldn’t have caught the chicken pox. She said she had it as a kid but it was a mild case.
I need to go check on her, so I call my sister to come and sit with Lucy.
Thirty minutes later, I’m on Nicole’s front porch. I know where she keeps her key, but I call her first; no answer. I knock on the door, and she still doesn’t answer. I hope she isn’t pissed when I barge in, but I need to make sure she’s OK.
Opening the door with the spare key, I scan the kitchen. Not finding her there, I step into the living room. I’m relieved when I see her on the sofa.
“Hey there,” I say as I rush to her side.
She’s shivering under a blanket.
“I’m sick,” she says with a small smile.
Kneeling down next to her, I can see that she is sweating. “I see that, sweetheart. Have you taken your temperature?”
“One-oh-one-point-six last time I checked.”
“OK, have you taken any medicine?”
I can see her struggling to answer, but she does. “I took some ibuprofen thirty minutes ago. I think I may have the chicken pox again. I called my doctor, and he said that it’s uncommon but not impossible, especially since I had a mild case as a kid.”
“Have you eaten anything today?”
“No. I don’t have the energy to make anything. It’s all I can do to make it to the bathroom.”
“Well, I’m not leaving you here by yourself. You are coming to my house so I can take care of you and Lucy.”
Nicole shakes her head no, just as I suspected she would.
“Daniel, I don’t want to be a burden to you. You go home and take care of Lucy. I’ll be OK.”
“No can-do, sweetheart. I’m going to go pack you a bag with some clothes for the next few days. I’ll pack your toothbrush and stuff, and then you are coming home with me. That’s the end of the conversation. No negotiations.”
Nicole looks shocked but relieved.
“Thank you, Daniel.”
Nodding, I head off to her bedroom to quickly pack. Wanting her to be comfortable, I pack some yoga pants and T-shirts. Going through her underwear drawer, I stop to admire the lacy thongs that she has. Moving on, I pack her comfy cotton ones, remembering that she’s sick.
Her bathroom is pretty organized, so it doesn’t take me long to find the essentials that she’ll need.
When I walk back out into the living room, she’s fast asleep. I decide to take her stuff out to the car first, then I’ll come get her.
Just as I’m about to go out the door, I hear her cat. Shit. I guess I need to pack up the cat too. Looking around, I find a carrier, food, and litter box in the laundry room.
Christ. I can’t believe I’m moving the freaking cat into my apartment. Of course, Lucy will be thrilled.
I think Nicole told me the cat’s name is Checkers. Calling him over to me, he rubs up against my leg. I guess that’s a good sign. After loading him and his stuff into the car, I attempt to wake Nicole up.
She’s too groggy to walk, so I gather her into my arms, taking her out to the car, maneuvering around the door, and the seat belt doesn’t even wake her. At least she’s stopped shivering, so I’m hoping her fever has broken a bit.
It’s only an eight-minute drive to my house. I call Chrissy to see if she will change Lucy’s bedding. I’m going to put Nicole in there tonight. Of course, I’d much rather have her in my bed, but I can’t. This is just a friend taking care of a friend. If I keep saying it, maybe I’ll start to believe it.
Nicole stirs in the seat next to me. “Daniel, thank you for taking care of me,” she says in a groggy voice. I must be a bastard, because even when she’s sick, my dick jumps as she says my name.
I reach over to rub her head. “’You are welcome, but I do feel a little selfish.”
“Why do you feel selfish? I feel guilty that you have to spend your time taking care of me.”
“It’s a little selfish because I will have you in my apartment for a few days. I’m a lucky man.”
“Oh god, Daniel. How can you even think that way right now? I look like shit.”
“You are gorgeous no matter if you’re sick or not. I’m just glad that I can take care of my girls.” Shit. “Well, you know what I mean.”
Nicole tries to smile, but I can tell she doesn’t feel so good. “I know what you mean. But I do like it when you call me your girl, even if we are just friends.”
“We are only just friends for six months,” I say with a wink.
Checkers the cat decides now is a time to make his presence known.
Nicole tries to turn to look in the back seat but really doesn’t have the strength. “Daniel, I can’t believe you brought Checkers with us. That was so nice of you,” she says as she closes her eyes.
“Actually that was another selfish move on my part. I figured you’d stay longer if you weren’t so worried about him. I also thought maybe Checkers might make Lucy feel better too.”
I look over at Nicole, and she seems to be passed out. Pulling into my driveway, I try to be quiet so she doesn’t wake.
Chrissy must hear the car because she comes out to help. “Lucy is watching TV on the couch. I tried to get her to stay in your bed, but she insisted.”
“It’s fine. She’s going to find out that Nicole is here. I’m just going to have to explain that she’s very sick, too, and friends take care of friends when one of them is sick.”
“Yeah, sure. Friends. Friends with benefits, maybe.”
“Zip it, Chrissy. Can you please take her bag and her cat into the house? I’ll bring her in and get her settled, then come out for the rest.”
“Yes, dear brother,” she says while she grabs Checkers, as well as the bag of clothes.
Gingerly, I unbuckle Nicole’s seat belt. She stirs a bit but settles in when I lift her into my arms. I don’t get three steps from the car when she says something that stops me dead in my tracks.
“I love you, Daniel.”