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“What is it?”He was pulling off her top.
“Headache.”
“You areburning up. Let me try and get the fever down. I will be rightback.”
“I need somewater.”
“In aminute.” Hurrying into the bathroom, he filled a basin anddropped a washcloth into the water. Returning to the room, he placedthe basin on the side table before going to the cabinet to get herthe water.
He had to lift herhead to get her to drink the water.
He finished strippingher and started to cool her body, his movements gentle. Next, he gota t-shirt from the neat pile in his drawer and put it on her, pullingthe blanket over her.
“You are verygood.” She whispered.
“So, I havebeen told.”
“And cockytoo.”
He grinned at her,the smile fading when her eyes drifted shut. He could not rule outpneumonia; all the symptoms were there. Or it could be a simple caseof the flu combined with exhaustion.
He had seen her atwork and knew she did not take a day off. She was at it from as earlyas eight in the morning until the last patient was out the door,sometimes at eight at night or even later.
He was going to talksternly with her, not that she would listen, he thought with a sigh.Lifting a hand, he brushed the braid back from her cheek, his touchlingering.
He had not been ableto go to the clinic for the past two weeks because of his workload atthe hospital and the fact that he had some obligations at the companyto see to, and being away from her had cost him dearly. He missedher.
Placing the back ofhis hand over her forehead, he was relieved that the fever had gonedown somewhat. Easing off the bed, he went to get rid of the basinand changed into something more comfortable. He had someover-the-counter medicines he could use if she were still feverish.
He rarely got sick,which was not surprising. His immune system was robust, and he hadbuilt it up even more by taking the necessary supplements.
He had his yearlycheck-up and ate right, avoiding fast food as much as possible. Hecould not afford to get sick because he had people relying on him. Hewas also not arrogant enough to think that he was indispensable.
He also told himselfhe did not have a ‘God’ complex. The surgeries heperformed were a combination of team effort and divine intervention.It was that simple or that complicated.
Returning to theroom, he stood there looking at her, a smile crossing his lips. Heneeded her, and staying away had only made the yearning even worse.
*****
Her fever came backwith a vengeance in the middle of the night. Cooper was jolted awakeby her whimpers, which quickly turned to cries.
“Daddy, no!”She whispered. “How could you do this to us? You are married,and she is not your wife. She is not Mom. How could you?”
She was scorchinghot, and he was afraid the fever was giving her delirium. Making adecision, he stripped off her sodden shirt and plucked her into hisarms, taking her into the bathroom.
Grabbing a towel, hewrapped it around her braids before stepping into the large showerand touching the button. Water gushed out with a force that had herclutching at his shirt and hiding her face in his chest. Standing herup, he held her wriggling body as the water hit her completely.
“Stop it!”
“Shh, baby.”Holding her against him, he resisted her efforts to break free, hishands moving over her. He was getting soaked to the skin, but he didnot care. After a few minutes, he lifted her soaking-wet body out.Grabbing several towels, he wrapped them around her and returned tothe bedroom.
“You are goingto pay for that.” Her voice was hoarse, but she felt better,and the fever had diminished.
“I am sure Iwill.” Putting her down, he stripped off his wet clothing andput on something dry.
“You weredelirious.” He told her as he briskly dried her off and wore adry shirt.
“What did Isay?”
