The Playboy's Misfortune

11: Buddies

"Timе stops to still
When you are in my arms, it always will
And life,
lifе is changin' tides"

~-~-~

It was around 4.30 in the morning and I was dressing under the dim lights.

"Leo?" Chelsea sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.

"Go back to sleep."

"Are you leaving early today?"

"Yeah, I'll be back early though," I replied.

"I'll make some coffee." She got out of bed and stretched herself. As Chelsea kept the kettle on the stove, she began coughing, "My throat feels dry."

"I could help with that," I replied without glancing at her, Chelsea gave me an annoyed look. "I would have found a good comeback if I didn't have this damn headache," she groaned.

After drinking the coffee, I kissed Lucy and grabbed my things. "No goodbye kisses?" Chelsea pouted.

"You're not the baby," I narrowed my eyes on her.

"Come on, at least give me a hug. I feel cold..."

"I'll sell that junk tomorrow." I pointed at the TV and she rolled her eyes, "I love you too, Leo."

***

When Chelsea opened the door in the evening, her nose was bright red. Her eyes had shrunk and I could hear her wheezing.

"Welcome back..."

"You sound like a grindstone," I blinked at her, "Are you sick?"

"Dr.Carter said... She said... She...!" Chelsea sneezed hard and that snapped Lucy awake. Our baby began crying again.

"She said yeah, I'm sick," Chelsea mumbled and crawled under the blankets, "Lucy's milk is near the stove... Can you feed her with the bottle? I don't want her to catch my virus... And give her a bath, please."

"Okay," I sighed and took Lucy in my arms.

After showering her, I changed her diaper with a lot of difficulty. Chelsea was fast asleep on the bed and I dragged the cradle far away from her, the last thing I wanted was for Lucy to be sick again. I put my daughter to sleep and sat by the edge of the bed.

Chelsea looked very pale. Her breathing was irregular and strained, "Are you cold?" I noticed how she was trying to scrunch the blanket around her body.

"Yeah..." She whined without opening her eyes.

When I laid down next to her, she immediately snuggled up against me, "Hugs, please," she whispered and I had no choice but to comply. "Did the doc prescribe anything?" My wife's body felt terribly warm.

"She did... I ate a pill before you came... She said the fever will go down in the morning."

I hummed and wrapped my arms around her. She nuzzled closer to my chest and I heard her calm breathing after a while.

Chelsea's fever lasted for a couple of days and I'd always return home to take care of Lucy and to hug her mother until she fell asleep.

It was strange to get close to her this way but I wanted her to get better because Lucy was deeply missing her mother's touch. Even though I'd never admit it, Chelsea's fond caressing was something I missed as well. It was as though she had lost all her weight while being sick and her body became as sleek as the time I married her.

An entire year had passed.

So many things happened, Lucy being the best part.

At this point, I didn't know what I'd do without her.