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“How about… one with dinosaurs?” I try to be animated, but he only looks at me, his bottom lip tucked between his gapped teeth.
“I don’t feel well. I want my Dad.”
“Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?” I say gently. “Is it your head? Your tummy?”
“I feel sick.” He lets out a hiccup, rubbing his watery lashes and curling closer to me. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’ll be home in a couple of hours.” I grimace, feeling helpless. “Let me see if we have any medicine, huh?”
It’s an effort to squirm away from his clinging body, and he begins moaning immediately. Yep, definitely sick. I can already feel a damp patch on my shirt from his forehead. As I root through the cupboards, I try to call Roman. Still nothing.
Just as my fingers curl around a bottle of children’s Tylenol on the end shelf, I hear Leo’s feet padding behind me.
“Madison, I’m going to?—”
Vomit pours out of Leo’s mouth instead of the end of the sentence, splattering all over the glossy wood floor.
I remain frozen for just a moment before instinct kicks in, and then I hurl his retching frame towards the bathroom, both of us covered in his mess.
“Into the toilet, buddy.” I try to multitask, soothing him with one hand while I start to run a bath with the other. He’s sobbing now, loud and afraid, and I know I can’t just leave him here.
I need a doctor.
Unfortunately, the only one I know is currently my least favorite person in the world.
* * *
Chloe looksworried at the door, her hands in her pockets and her blue scrubs hanging loosely on her petite frame. I step aside to let her in, and we walk down the hall in silence. In the living room, I display Leo, who is curled up on the couch in a duvet.
His temperature has gone down a little and the bath seemed to soothe him, but he still won’t eat, and it’s an effort to keep him hydrated. Roman still hasn’t called me back. I even texted Brandon, but he said Roman’s away in meetings across the city all day — the one day they’re not joined at the hip, and this happens.
“Thanks for coming.” I wipe the messy hair from my eyes, feeling sour both at the sight of my ex-best friend and the fact my shirt is still covered in vomit.
“Of course. What’s going on?”
“Leo is sick.”
Judging by her calm features, she already knew about Roman’s son. I guess Brandon doesn’t keep secrets from her, though he managed to hide it from me just fine. Bitterness rises in me, but I push it down, feeling too exhausted to give it any energy.
“I think it’s a stomach bug. He’s thrown up and won’t eat anything, and he has a temperature. I’ve given him some children’s Tylenol, but I just… I need someone to tell me he’ll be okay. Roman isn’t picking up his phone, and I don’t know which doctor he usually goes to, and?—”
“Okay, okay.” Chloe puts her hands on my shoulders, her expression filled with concern. “It’s okay, Maddie. You did the right thing. Let me check on him. You go…” She looks down and grimaces, “Change your shirt.”
Since Leo is so quiet, I decide I can leave them alone for five minutes and run downstairs to change. I bring an extra T-shirt back up with me, just in case. If Roman is going to leave me stranded here, I’m not going to sit in Leo’s vomit all afternoon.
Chloe is crouched in front of Leo when I return, giving him a check-up with her stethoscope. I’ve never seen her in her scrubs, let alone tending to a patient. She was only just becoming an intern at med school when I left for Italy. Now, she looks like she’s grown into her resident role. A kernel of pride drops in my gut, but I can’t let myself feel it for long.
I watched her torture herself through exam season and held her while she cried about grades. Where did that relationship go?
I sit on the couch beside them and squeeze Leo’s hand. He’s so tired that he doesn’t seem to care about the prodding and poking as Chloe continues her examination. It’s awkward in the silence, but I have no idea what to say to her.
“Did you call Roman?” Chloe asks quietly.
“Of course.” Maybe the question didn’t warrant such a bite, but I give it anyway. Does she think I’m incapable of this? “I can’t reach him, and Brandon said he’s not in the office today.”
“That must be frustrating for you.” Chloe places her hand on her knees, finished looking at Leo. “You were right. It looks like a stomach bug to me. You should keep him drinking fluids — those are most important. His appetite will come back in a day or two, hopefully, so don’t worry too much, although something dry would be good to settle his stomach. Keep up the Tylenol, but if his temperature or symptoms get worse, call me and we’ll bring him in.”
“Okay. Thank you.” My voice is wooden in my own ears.
