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ELEVEN
Iris
I lookaround the shop as I head up front. It’s only two p.m. but I’m just not feeling well so I decided to close up shop early.
I’ve been feeling so tired and run down a lot lately. Arlo says that it must be from the stress of dealing with everything at Blast From The Past and while that makes some sense, it’s been going on for too long.
The break-in happened like a month ago but now it’s been close to a week and a half and I feel like I can barely keep my eyes open some days. I’ve been feeling nauseous too and I wonder if the flu or something is going around town. I haven’t heard of anyone else feeling sick but I’ve been keeping to myself for a while so it’s possible that I just haven’t heard of any virus going around yet.
I send Arlo a message that I’m going home early to get some rest so I’ll have to take a rain check on our date tonight. We’ve been seeing each other for close to a month now and things are going great between us.
We spend every chance that we can together. It’s hard sometimes because he works nights and I work days but we’ve been making it work. He spends the night at my place most nights and I’m relieved that he’s stopped inviting me over to his apartment.
He seems to have picked up on my dislike for his brother. Sometimes I feel bad that I don’t like his family, but I can’t help it. His brother just puts me on edge.
I haven’t seen his brother since that night in the bar. I tried to ask Arlo about him once, hoping that maybe if I learned more about him that I would learn to like him, or at least be more at ease around him, but he didn’t seem to want to talk about it. He just said that he had hit a rough patch and was staying with him until he got back on his feet.
My phone dings and I glance at the screen.
Arlo:Feel better, babe! Do you need anything? I can stop at the store if you do.
Iris: No, I’m okay. I’m going to run over to the market right now before I get home and grab a few things. Thanks though.
I sendhim a kiss emoji and tuck the phone into my pocket as I finish locking up and setting the alarm before I grab my purse and head down the block to the Destiny Falls Market. My phone dings as I near the front door and I pull it out to see another message from Arlo.
Arlo:Okay, feel better. Let me know if you change your mind. I can always come over and nurse you back to health.
Iris: Oh yeah? How’s your bedside manner?
Arlo: Well, full disclosure, I’ve never nursed anyone back to health before. I feel like I’d be really good at it though. Want me to come by and we can test it out?
Iris: I’ll let you know but I think I just need to sleep. Besides, I’d hate to get you sick with whatever I have.
Arlo: I’m willing to risk it. Just let me know if you need anything.
Iris: I will. Thanks.
He sends me a heart emoji and I smile as I tuck my phone into my purse and head inside the Destiny Falls Market. I’m going to grab some Gatorade and crackers for my stomach before I head home. Maybe I should grab some vitamin C or something too. Maybe it would help fight off whatever virus I’ve got.
“Hey!” Madelyn greets me as soon as I walk in the door and I smile and head her way.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“Pretty good. Are you okay? You look a little pale.”
“No, I’m not feeling very good. I was going to grab a few things and go home to get some rest.”
She feels my forehead with the back of her hand and I smile at her concern.
“You don’t feel warm,” she says with a frown and I shrug as I grab a basket and head down the first aisle.
“I’ve been feeling tired and nauseous for like a week now,” I tell her as she trails after me down the aisle.
“Hmm,” she says and I can see her typing my symptoms into a web browser on her phone.
I add a few different flavors of Gatorade to the basket and turn to head down the next aisle.
“It could be the flu,” she says and I nod. “But you would have a fever.”
