Mountain of Courage

Chapter Eleven

I woke up to pain. My head was killing me. I opened my eyes and shut them again immediately. The sun was shining and the light actually hurt my brain. I realized my entire body was aching, especially my stomach.

What on earth?

What had happened?

I shifted, trying to get comfortable.

What was my head on? That did not feel like a pillow.

I ran my hand across the surface of a very hairy bare leg.

Oh, God! What?

I sat up quickly, which was a mistake. The room immediately started spinning. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Riley?"

The deep voice of Jake. Of course. My guardian angel had saved me, yet again. Bits and pieces of last night flooded my brain. I was laying in his lap. I had put myself there. How forward of me!

The pain in my stomach increased. I opened my eyes. Jake's blue-gray ones were in front of my face and worried.

"How ya feelin'?"

I knew if I opened my mouth to answer him, I would throw up, so I silently got up and to the bathroom as quickly as possible. Everything really hurt, like my entire body, but especially my head. I could feel my pulse throbbing in it.

I carefully knelt in front of the toilet and felt Jake collect my hair in his hands.

I started to cry. I couldn't help it. I really, really, really didn't want to throw up.

Unfortunately, my body was going to do what it needed to do regardless of how I felt about that. Barely anything came up, only bile, but my body wanted to go through the motions anyway. It was horrifying, embarrassing, wretched, and painful...and Jake was standing there witnessing all of it.

I felt so weak, and every muscle in my body was screaming when it was over. My whole body was shaking, I was sweating, and I was crying.

"I'm okay", I whimpered to Jake, while I was still draped across the toilet seat. "I'm sorry I drank too much. I'm so stupid. Why isn't this stopping?"

"Stop apologizin'. Ya ain't stupid and ya ain't okay. I'm afraid ya got alcohol poisoning", he said.

"What does that mean? Please tell me I don't need to go to the hospital".

"What time did'ya start drinkin'?"

"Eight".

"It's been twelve hours. If ya can't keep anything down by twenty-four hours, yer gonna have'ta get an IV. Dehydration can be real dangerous".

I started crying again.

"It's okay, kid", he said. "I been here plenty o'times myself. We gotta get liquids in ya even if they come back up. We gotta try".

"Fine. I need to brush my teeth".

"Yes, ma'am, I know the drill", he said. "Four times already".

I only remember twice.

He lifted me directly to my feet and my head swam again. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped the sink for support.

"I'm dizzy".

"I gotcha", he said.

He did, indeed, have one muscular arm around me with an iron grip.

After I brushed my teeth, I didn't even protest Jake carefully picking me up and carrying me back to the couch.