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Slowly—so freaking slowly—I slide my legs back onto the bed. I’m grateful when the movement doesn’t trigger another spasm. The pain is a sort of dull ache now.
When my breathing returns to normal and I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up anymore, I decide to try again. Moving slower than an octogenarian like Mrs. Barker, I slip my legs over the side of the bed and then try to sit up as slowly as possible.
My back still hurts, but it doesn’t spasm again. I sort of roll myself off the bed to a position that can’t quite be called upright. My legs are bent at the knee, and my back is hunched over.
I need to pee. I need water. I need painkillers. And I need a robe because I’m buck naked. I don’t know in what order I need them. But I need all of them.
And then I need to be back in bed again. Because I’m spending the day in bed. And not in a fun way.
After retrieving my supplies and carefully slipping into a robe, I slowly get back into bed. I craft all the extra pillows into a pyramid to rest under my knees to take the pressure off of my back. My Grams used to have a triangle pillow for this exact reason. And now I need one. Because I’m old, just like she was. Only I’m pretty sure she didn’t hurt her back in a sex injury. I really hope not.
There’s no way I’m doing any of the things I need to do today. But I have my phone and my laptop, so I can reschedule the delivery of vases and plant pots to the shop. And my flower deliveries. Everything’s going to have to wait until tomorrow.
Maybe one day when I get the shop up and running, I’ll be able to hire some help. But right now, Lily’s Flowers & Botanicals is a one-woman show. And all the other random stuff I do is definitely just me. If I don’t do all of it, it doesn’t get done.
Violet.
There’s no way I’m going to get out to the farm today. Shit. I know they don’t mind, but I hate asking the Waters to do any more for Violet than they already do.
They don’t even let me pay for feed because they’re already buying it for their own horses. I only pay for Violet’s vet bills and farrier services. So, I do whatever else I can to help out. Like taking care of Mrs. Waters’ kitchen garden. I do it for them. And for her. The boys let it turn into a mess after she passed, and I couldn’t bear to see it like that. So, a couple times a week after I spend time with Violet, I spend an hour or two in the big fenced garden at the side of the farmhouse and make sure it’s weeded and watered, harvesting from it throughout the summer. It’s the least I can do for Mrs. W, not to mention the rest of the family.
One thing at a time. That’s all I can do. First, I need to ask someone to look after Violet. And then I need to deal with rescheduling everything I was going to do today.
LILY:
I can’t make it out to the farm today. Can you look after Violet for me? Please and thank you!
JASPER:
Always. But it’s going to cost you a beer
LILY:
Put it on my tab
One thing down. About fifteen to go. But I need to pace myself. With typing, with drinking water, with just about everything. Because the more I drink, the more times I’m going to have to get out of this bed to pee.
Very slowly but surely, I deal with one thing and then the next. When my phone buzzes, I look to see who it is.
JAMESON:
Jasper said you’re not coming out to the farm today. Everything okay?
And ask me to look after Violet next time babe
LILY:
Sorry. Habit
Yup. Fine
I feel bad for lying. But the truth is way too embarrassing to ever admit. I’m not seeing Jameson again until I’m capable of standing upright. And he’s never knowing about this. It’s mortifying enough with only me knowing about it.
After finishing rescheduling my work stuff, there’s one more thing I need to do that I can do from bed. I need to learn how to bake a freaking apple pie. But since I don’t think I can learn how to magically bake the perfect apple pie just by leaving on the cooking channel, I guess I’m actually going to have to ask for help.
LILY:
Hey, can you teach me how to make an apple pie?
