Maevyn nods, closing her eyes as she takes the first deep breath I’ve seen since we stood outside my house.
We sit in silence for a few minutes before I place a hand on Aurora’s cheek. “She already feels a little cooler.”
Maevyn feels around her head and back and sighs in relief. “Yeah, she’s not burning now.” She drops her head against the mattress with afuckmuttered under her breath.
“I think she’s okay to sleep for a bit.” I stand from the bed. “Come on.”
With my hands under her arms, I help Maevyn off the floor.
“What about the dog?” she asks, thumbing over her shoulder.
We both stop and turn around. Patch is living his best life with his head sharing Aurora’s pillow, lying back to back with her, his limbs stretched out in front of him.
“Yeah… he’s not moving from there in a hurry.”
I can see Maevyn wants to protest, but Aurora didn’t mind the company, and I sense her mum needs to decompress from this whole situation. I guide her out of the room, pulling the door behind me and leaving it cracked open so we can hear if Aurora calls out.
I move us to the stairs, a firm hand on Maevyn’s back as we descend, and I usher her to the couch. She sinks into the cushions, her face falling into her hands.
“I swear I’m not a completely useless mother.”
I crouch down in front of her. My palm finds her thigh, and I stroke the soft skin there.
“I don’t doubt that for a second.”
She peeks through her fingers at me. “I hate when she gets sick.”
“Pretty sure that’s normal for parents.”
She takes a breath as her hands run down her face and fall to her lap. She fiddles with the bangles on her wrist, spinning them around and around. “Thanks for swooping in.”
I nod, chewing my lip, wondering if I can risk pushing for the answers I desperately seek. If we’re faking a relationship, it’s surely information I should know. “How long have you been doing it alone?”
I can’t read the expression on her face when she looks up at me, deep brown eyes full of mystery and feelings she dares not speak. “Raising Aurora,” I coax.
“Always,” she whispers.
It’s not right. Not because she’s not capable—she’s done a damn fine job of proving she can do everything for her girl—but because she shouldn’t have to. In times like these, who’s there to share the stress, to comfort her? I force my hand to relax where it grips her thigh more firmly, replacing the touch with gentle circles of my thumb.
“Do you need me to do anything? Do you want me to stay?”
She smiles to herself, avoiding my gaze, and shakes her head. “Thank you, but I’m sure the medicine you gave her will do its job. Can you leave a few doses to get us through the night, though? I’ll run to the store tomorrow.”
“I left the packet on her bedside table.” There’s an odd feeling in my chest, hating the idea of leaving. I want to stay. I want to help, even if it’s just to keep her company so she’s not alone. “I’ll leave you to it then.” I reluctantly stand from my crouching position before her. “I’ll just go get Patch, but call me if she gets worse.”
Maevyn nods as she stands, then trails behind me as I move back to the stairs.
I push into Aurora’s room, where she’s still passed out, and press a hand to her head, satisfied when I feel she’s come down to a much more normal temperature. “Medicine’s working.”
Maevyn races up behind me, a hand on my arm as she leans past me and checks for herself. Her relieved sigh is so deep, I feel it through my own body, letting go of the tight coil of my muscles I hadn’t realised I’d been holding.
“Patch,” I whisper. His ears twitch, but he makes no effort to move. “Time to go home.” He slowly rolls onto his feet, huffing his annoyance as he trudges to the end of the bed and jumps off.
We silently make our way back downstairs and to the front door.
“Thanks again,” Maevyn murmurs, her head resting against the door as I let Patch out, and he trots over to our house.
“Anytime.” I lean down and kiss her cheek before I can think too hard on it. “I’ll check on you two tomorrow.”
