***
“I’m so sorry that we had to leave early,” Belle said, leaning over the toilet back at our suite.
I shook my head and handed her a cool glass of water and placed an ice pack on the back of her neck. “It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not,” she said between gasps of air. “I’m ruining our vacation. We’ve only been here a week, and I’m puking my guts out.”
“Only the last two days,” I offered, setting down the ice pack and massaging her back. “It’s probably some bad sushi or squid. You’ve been pretty adventurous with the street food.”
She nodded and leaned against the cool tile of the bathroom wall. “Still, I messed up our sightseeing today. We were eating at that robot-themed restaurant and then I’m suddenly rushing for the porcelain throne. It was so embarrassing. I’m sorry I ruined it.”
I chuckled. “A loud, raucous place with a ton of little kids running around and creepy talking robots. Belle, no one could ruin that place. It’s like something out of Asimov’s nightmares.”
“Well, it sounded cute on the brochure.”
“I think we left about three hours before the little robots overthrew their overlords. Actually, we probably made out well. I don’t look forward to being a robot’s slave. Do you?”
She giggled and a little bit of color started to come back in to her pale cheeks. I pulled her into my arms and stroked her hair. I also took the opportunity to touch the back of my hand to her forehead, to make sure that she didn’t have the flu instead. Her forehead was cool to the touch so it clearly had to be something else. That yakatori had been questionable. Who ate chicken livers off a skewer from a street vendor anyway?
“If they’re cute robots like BB-8 or R2-D2, then it might not be so bad.”
I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re adorable.”
“I’m gross.”
“No, you’re always gorgeous, princess,” I said, kissing her cheek. Sweeping her up into my arms, I carried her out of the bathroom and down the hall to the bed in our suite. “Do you need me to send Mrs. Johnson and Leonard out for anything?”
Belle’s eyes went wide, and I wasn’t sure exactly what she was thinking. Her features went back to a more normal expression before she nodded. “I know there’s that tour of the Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple we were going to do. I know you’d been looking forward to that since we got to Kanagawa. You should go. I… can you just call up Mrs. Johnson? I want to talk to her about some things, figure out what medicines I can send her out for, you know?”
I stroked her hair back from her face. “I can always go tomorrow or the day after. It’s not a big deal.”
“You had the temple closed for that time so it’d be quiet and private. You should go. I’ll be okay, really.”
Pausing, I studied her. She was breathing easier and the color was better in her cheeks. Besides, if she were sick, maybe she felt like she needed space, not that I cared if she vomited or not. I just was worried about her health. Honestly, I thought we were past that part of the modesty in our relationship.
“Only if you want me to. Mrs. Johnson will be right up before I go, and Leonard will be waiting down in the complex’s lobby if you need anything. I’ll have my cell with me and on vibrate so you can call, too. I just don’t feel like I should leave you.”
“Drake,” she said, taking my hand. “I know this means a lot to you. Go and see what you want. I feel like I have so much to talk to Mrs. Johnson about and a laundry list to send her out for. It won’t be a big deal.”
Reluctantly, I nodded and kissed her forehead. “All right, baby, but if you need anything…”
She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “I know, honey. Now go.”