Chasing Cars

Chapter 20

"What kind of cereal would you like for breakfast baby girl? Would you like some muesli?" Derek asks Maddie.

Maddie scrunches up her nose to that. "Silly Daddy! I don't like muesli! That's a daddy ceweal! I want fwoot loops!" Maddie says loudly. "Gotsa get fwoot loops for mama too! They're her favorite!"

"Froot Loops for Maddie coming right up! And we're going to let Mama sleep sweetie. She's not feeling too well." Derek had heard her coughing during the night and had gone in to check on her.

Meredith was feverish and had been crying about her stomach hurting her. She had chemo just a day ago and radiation the day before that and her body doesn't react well to it. Chemo has been making her really sick.

"Don't feel well." Meredith moaned to herself. She was trying to sleep but her stomach was hurting her so badly. "Owwww." Tears started falling down her cheeks. She started coughing and couldn't stop. "Der- 'cough' -ek!!!" She sobbed. "I don't feel well. I can't do this! My head hurts!" She sobs, her head buried under her blankets.

Derek woke up to Meredith's cries and quickly got up and ran down the hall to Meredith's room. "What's wrong Mer? Are you feeling sick?"

"I don't feel well! Everything hurts!" She sobs in between coughs.

Derek could see the sweat on her forehead and realized she must have a high fever. He quickly grabs a washcloth and wets it and gently places it on her forehead. "This will help you Mer. I'm going to give you some medicine, okay?"

"Okay." Meredith cries. "I just want to feel better again. I want to be healthy!"

"I know you do. I want that so badly for you also." Derek has the medicine for her in his hand along with a small cup of water. "I'm going to help you sit up." He helps her get into a sitting position as she can't do it alone as she's too weak.

"Der...." She cries out in pain.

"Shh, open your mouth and swallow this." Derek says and gives her the medicine which she takes with the water.

"I want to take your temperature also and then you can go back to sleep." He grabs the thermometer and quickly takes her temperature. Meredith has a low fever, which he'll just watch for now. "Close your eyes and sleep Mer."

"Don't leave me." She whispers as her eyes grow heavy and she can no longer hold them open.

"I'm right here. I've got you." Derek whispers to her as she falls asleep."

"Daddy, when's mama gonna wake up? I wanna pway with her! We gotsa play with my dollies!" Maddie says loudly.

"I'm not sure yet, sweetie. Let's let mama sleep okay? Maybe if she feels up to it, she'll play with you later."

"Otay." Maddie says. "Daddy, why you eating muesli? You should have fwoot loops like me and mama! Muesli yucky!"

"Muesli is not yucky! It is very yummy! I have no idea why you and your mommy don't like it." Derek jokes with this little girl as he pours her cereal. "Here you go sweetie. Breakfast is served."

"Yay! Fwoot loops time!" Maddie smiles up at her dad and takes a big bite of her cereal as she clutches Nanas in her other arm. She looks at Nanas in her arms and climbs down from her chair. "Be wight back Daddy!"

"Where are you going Maddie? It's breakfast time." Derek says.

"It's a secwet! Be wight back!" Maddie says and runs off with Nanas in her arms. She runs to her mom's room and quietly opens the door. She sees her mom sound asleep in bed.