Angellica
Three Weeks Later….
The last couple of weeks have passed in a blur. A beautiful blur of Cody and I both working at the school, meeting up for runs and dinner, going out on weekends with our friends or just us, and delicious sex. It’s been so good. We have dinner with Aunt Mable at least once a week. Cody even took me to her showing in Dallas one weekend. But I’m tired. Actually, I’m fucking sick.
Two weeks ago, I had a rash of students with fucking strep and mother fucking bronchitis. I should have known this would happen. What the fuck is wrong with me. Actually, I know what’s wrong with me. I was so wrapped up in my yummy sexy, sexy time bubble of sin that I didn’t get enough rest and vitamin C or whiskey, whatever. I took all the precautions I would have in the hospital, but all my efforts proved to be futile. I’m fucking sick.
So, here I am on a Monday, laying on the floor underneath my desk in the fetal position praying for a quick death before I cough so hard I pee my pants. Or vomit. Or both.
Cody and I spent the weekend apart because he and Sam and the other coaches were away at a coach’s clinic. And thank God for small favors. Steve spent the weekend with Cody’s parents. I spent it hoping to die but not actually doing it.
I hear foot steps outside my office and I pray to pizza and bourbon and hot romance cover model gods that this person keeps on going. I should have known better. I haven’t seen Cody in four days. I knew that sweet bastard was going to check in. Gah! A knock falls on my door and I might have whimpered. The door opens.
“Angel, are you in here?” Cody asks. I can see why he’d be confused. I have the lights dimmed because the bright, fluorescent lights were like taking a melon baller to my brain. I cannot help what I do next. It’s a reflex my body and brain make without my thought.
“No?” I question.
“Honey, where are you?”
“No!” Rasp. “Stay back! Save yourself,” I warn him. But Cody just chuckles. I hear him walk around my desk and take me in. I’m in the fetal position, crying under my desk.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” He asks me sweetly.
“I’m so sick. You have to go or you’ll get it too,” I try again, but he just puts his palm on my brow.
“Baby, you’re burning up,” he tells me something I already know.
“I am a nurse, you know,” I snap.
“Not a fucking smart one if you haven’t been to the hospital yet,” He snaps back. Well, that just burns. He’s right, but still damn it!
“I’m fine. I’ll be fine,” I tell him.
“Yeah, after I take your ass to the hospital,” he growls.
“You will do no such thing.”
“I will too.”
“Will not,” I retort. Obviously, tiring of this volley back and forth, Cody whips out his cell phone and calls his dad, aka our boss.
“Hey, dad….Yeah….Hey, Angel is really sick, like needs to go to the hospital sick,” he says into his phone. “No, not like I was away for the weekend and need to have sex with my girl, sick…Like burning up, sick….Ok. Will do. Thanks dad.” He signs off from his mildly mortifying conversation with the man who signs my checks.
“Do I even want to know?” I ask, folding my arms.
“Probably not, but I’ll tell you anyways. Dad says I’m to take you to the hospital and you’re to let me or we’re both fired. And that Gran and mom will be by this afternoon with their magical healing powers of chicken and dumplings and mint tea. And also, Steve. He’s apparently a moody bastard without you and he’s getting on everyone’s nerves.” I laugh before I can help it, but immediately start coughing.
“Okay,” I say softly. “Grab my purse out of the bottom drawer, please,” I ask him. Before I can say anything else, Cody is lifting me up in his arms like a bride and carrying me out to the parking lot. I feel so miserable, all I can do is lay my head on his shoulders and close my eyes. My jaw is wrenched shut so I won’t give in to the coughing.
When the kids on the varsity team see us in the halls, they start singing “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and it takes all the effort I have in me to flip those little shits off with a smile on my face. Cody throws his head back and laughs.
“She’s a keeper, man,” I hear Sam’s deep laugh from somewhere in the hall and it makes me laugh too. Weirdo.
I think Cody is going to lead me to his old truck, but heads to my jeep and wedges my body between his and the car while her rummages through my purse for my keys.
“Jesus, this is like Mary Poppins carpet bag. What the hell all do you have in here?” He grumbles. “I half expect a magical Genie to pop out and grant me three wishes,” he gripes while palming my keys. I just scowl at him until he kisses the tip of my nose.
“Ugh. Don’t do that. You’ll catch this plague. This infestation of death bacterias!” I yell as I try to swat him away. Cody just laughs and opens the passenger door, tucking me into the seat. He belts me in and leans my seat back a little bit with so much care, I feel like precious cargo.
