I can’t help but chuckle at her blunt and unfiltered response.But she seems appeased for the moment, so I kneel next to the couch and place a gentle hand on top of the blanket where I think Halle’s shoulder should be.The blankets rustle and Halle moans.
“Halle?It’s me.I’m here.”
Another muffled moan emits from under the blankets, and I pull the covers back to expose a small portion of her face.Her eyes are closed, and her eyelids appear glued shut, eyelashes matted and crusty from sleep.Her normally cherry red lips are dry and cracked.Dark circles color underneath her eyes, and her hairline is dotted with sweat.
I do what my mom always did when I was sick and place the back of my hand against her forehead.
She’s fucking burning up.
“Halle, I’m going to get you something to drink and then put you to bed, okay?”
Another whimper and I rush off into the kitchen, rooting around in the cupboards for two clean glasses.Finding them, I fill one with cold water from the tap and the other with a small amount of the OJ I brought.
When I return to the living room, I find Lenni singing along with a song that’s playing on a tablet propped up on a sofa table.Thank God for electronics.The best babysitters in the world.
I set the glasses on the table and look down at Halle’s sleepy form.
“Can you sit up for me, Hal?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I wait for a second, but she makes no attempt to move.Taking matters into my own hands, I gently remove the blankets off her upper torso and lean down to wedge my hands behind her back.She makes a noise of protest as I try to get her to sit up.
Now that I have a good look at her, I realize just how sick and out of it she is.I’m pretty sure it’s the fever that’s gotten her so out of sorts, and while I’m not some miracle worker, at least I can make sure she gets some much-needed rest and fluids while I’m here.
Keeping a steadying hand on her shoulder to keep her upright and stable, I reach behind me for the glass of water and bring it to her parched lips.Her eyes are still closed and puffy, her nose a red, snotty mess.
“Can you take a sip of the water for me?”
She makes no attempt to lift her hands to the glass, so I hold it in place and tip it forward as she takes two, maybe three, tiny sips and then sputters in a coughing fit.
Damn, this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.
I look around and, finding a box of tissues on the side table, grab a few sheets.I wipe away the water from her mouth just as her head flops back against the couch cushion like it weighs a hundred pounds.
“That’s good, baby.We’ll try again in a little while.Let’s get you to bed.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Lenni has stopped with her make-believe play for the moment and watches me with interest.
“My mama’s not a baby,” she says adamantly.
It takes me a second to understand what she means as I work to wrench the twisted covers away from Halle’s legs.
I give her a short reply.“Oh, right.Sorry.”
Slipping one arm behind her back and the other under her knees, I scoop Halle up and lift her from the couch.Her body is deadweight in my arms.
“Hey, Lenni?Can you show me where your mommy’s room is?”I ask, starting down the hallway toward where the bedrooms must be.
I’m sure I can figure it out on my own, but this way, Lenni can be involved.
Lenni jumps up from her spot and rushes ahead of me, giving me a play-by-play lay of the land as we make our way down the hall.
“This is my bedroom.It has a pwincess bed.”She points at the small room to the right that’s painted a bright bubblegum pink.And sure enough, there is indeed a princess bed, fully accessorized with one of those sheer canopies covering the head of the bed frame.It even has twinkle lights.Exactly how I’d picture a little girl’s room to be decorated.
A thought slams straight through my heart.Halle is a wonderful mom to Lenni.
It sparks a seed of doubt inside me.Would I have ever thought of doing something like this for Lenni?What if I’m not equipped to handle being a girl dad?I don’t know anything at all about little kids unless they play hockey.Maybe someday soon I can teach her to play, too.
