Complete Chaos

078

Julia woke up one morning in the middle of March with a runny nose and a migraine; she could barely keep her eyes open.

She couldn't breathe through her nose and tried to breath with her mouth but by doing that her mouth would go dry.

She slept for only four hours. It was impossible to go to sleep. She was sick and would get chills in the middle of the night. Her eyes were a shade of pink.

There was no way she could go to work like that. She didn't have anyone else that could attend the bakery.

The only thing she could do was try to rest the best she could, having a one year old and hope tomorrow her symptoms would disappear.

Julia wanted to stay in bed for a few minutes but heard Melody cry from the other room.

She sat on the edge of the bed and held her head. She got up too fast. There was no time to sit around, Melody cries could be heard, and it was killing her head; it sounded louder than normal. It felt as if she was dying.

She got up slowly this time. She groaned as she made her way to the door. Her hand was close to touching the door knob when she sneezed. With every sneeze her head would be in more pain.

"Julia," a half asleep Steve said, getting up from the bed.

"Go back to bed; you're sick," he said, getting closer to her.

She dismissed him "I'm fine," she lied.

He placed his hand on her forehead. It barely touched her forehead for him to know she was burning.

"You have a fever. I'll take you back to bed." With his hand on her shoulder they walked back to the bed.

"But Melody is crying," she weakly argued.

"I'll go get her. You need to rest."

Her throat hurt, so she didn't argue back. "Fine," she whispered. She lay on her side of the bed and covered her body with the blanket.

Steve made sure she stayed in bed and later went to get Melody.

Julia couldn't go back to sleep. She turned and tried to sleep on her stomach, but it was no use. She sat up and rested her back on the  headboard of the bed.

Julia was able to sleep for 30 minutes.

While Julia was resting, Steve took Melody downstairs and made soup for Julia.

When he was little his mother used to make him soup when he was sick. It always made him feel better. He didn't know his mothers recipe; he was following his own, from what he remembered.

After he was done he took the soup and called Melody to follow him. After going back and forth Melody began to follow him.

She slowly went up the stairs. Steve stood behind her in case she fell backwards. Melody missed a step going up and fell forward.

She was able to put her hands out first and didn't hit herself. She stood up and continued walking as if nothing happened.

The pair made it to the room. With both hands, Melody pushed the door open, making a loud sound. Julia flinched in her sleep, and with her right hand, touched her forehead.

"Sorry," Steve apologized as Melody ran toward her mother.

The girl couldn't comprehend that her mother was sick. She didn't understand or cared about being quiet.

She jumped on the bed and struggled to go up. She lifted one of her legs and had trouble lifting her other leg.
With her tiny hands, she tried to push herself up the bed, but half of her body hung out of the bed.

Seeing her struggle, Steve gave her a small push, and Julia gave her a hand pulling her hands toward her.

Melody crawled to her mother. "Mama," the young girl said loudly to Julia's ears. Julia squeezed her eyes and greeted her daughter.

"I made soup. Hopefully, it's good," Steve said, handing Julia the bowl.

She grabbed the bowl, and Melody sat beside her. Smoke was coming out of the soup. The little that Julia was able to smell from her nose being stuffy, the soup smelled good.

Weakly she brought the spoon to her mouth.

Melody followed her mother's movement and leaned closer to Julia's mouth, wanting the food.

"Melody, it's your mom's food," Steve reminded her.

Melody smacked her lips and stared at the soup as her mother took another spoonful.

"I can't share. I don't want you to get sick, Mellow," Julia told her daughter.

Melody looked at her mother sadly. Julia was the only one sick; she didn't want to get Steve or Melody sick.

Steve was a bit dramatic whenever he got sick, he acted as if he was going to die, and Melody would spend the day crying. They were both a little dramatic, but Julia loved them just the way they were.

The small brunette girl stomps over her mother's leg to go to the other side to be with her father. She got closer to her dad.

She looked at the empty spot beside him but decided to sit on his lap instead. Melody sat on Steve's thighs, looking at him.

He smiled down at his daughter and brushed her hair back.

She rubbed her nose furiously, opened her mouth, and sneezed directly in Steve's direction.