The Adventures of Harry and Grace (H.S.)

Man Flu

Walking into the bedroom after you finish your morning workout, you notice Harry still softly snoring in your bed. It's not normal for Harry to sleep past 7 am, as he is typically an early riser so it is a bit strange he is still asleep. You walk into the bathroom. Stripping off your exercise clothes, you slip into the warm shower.

You and Grace have been battling a pretty bad cold. The body aches, stuffy nose, and cough have plagued you and your daughter's system for over a week and a half and it is nice to finally feel like you can breathe again.

Rinsing the excess soap off your body you turn off the water. Stepping out of the shower you wrap your body in a white fluffy towel and then throw your head upside down and twist another towel around your hair. Your ears perk up as you hear a groan come from your bedroom. A hint of worry hits your system that the groan means something is wrong. You walk into the bedroom and spot Harry sitting up in bed, the heel of his hands rubbing back and forth across his eyes.

"Good morning babe." You greet your tired husband as you walk over towards the bed.

Harry feels the bed sink from the weight of your body as you sit on the edge next to him.

"Morning." Harry flops back down into bed, his hair bouncing as his head hits the pillow. The tone of his voice is telling you something is up.

"What's wrong H?" You question, touching his leg over the covers with your hand.

"I'm feeling proper ill." He groans. "Pretty sure I've got a fever. My nose is all stuffed. My body hurts. Honestly, I think I'm dying."

You reach up and feel his forehead. His head doesn't feel any warmer than it usually does. The only thing that looks out of the ordinary is the slight runny nose Harry has. You try to not roll your eyes at your not so poorly husband. It seems as though Harry has caught a tragic case of the "man flu", a sickness where a man has a small, still functional illness, but the man feels the illness is debilitating.

"I'm sorry babe. Would you like some ibuprofen?" You ask, trying your hardest to be sympathetic.

"Please. I'm really not well." He states with a sad tone to his voice.

"Okay." You walk to the closet, letting your towel drop to the floor. Putting on a bra and some panties, you search for some jeans and a t-shirt. Pulling the shirt over your head you walk into the bathroom, throwing your hair into messy bun.

"Hi mum!" Grace exclaims.

"Hi bug! How ya feeling?" You say, reaching into the cabinet and pulling out some ibuprofen for your slightly ill husband.

"All better. No more bogies mom. All gone!" She jumps up and down with excitement.

"I'm glad love bug! If you go get dressed and meet me downstairs, I'll make ya pancakes?" You tell your daughter.

"Pancakes! I love pancakes!" She claps her hands with happiness. Grace starts to skip out of the bedroom as she hollers "Hi daddy!! Get up! Mummy making pancakes!" She doesn't wait for a reply as she skips to her room to get dressed.

"Take this." You hand Harry a few pills and some water. "Why don't you get up and shower? It will help you feel better." Harry looks up at you with an unamused expression. Taking the pills from your hand, he throws them in his mouth. Drinking some water he swallows. "After you shower, come down stairs, I'll make you some tea and then you can rest on the couch. Watch all the rom coms you want." You instruct kissing his forehead.

"Okay." You see a small smile sneak onto his face at the mention of his favorite type of movie.

"Go shower Harry, it will be good for you." You pester on your way out of the room to make breakfast.

Breakfast is over, multiple pancakes were eaten, another sign Grace has started to feel much better. Grace helps you with the dishes. She is learning how to load the dishwasher and is very eager to help.

"Thank you for your help Gracie." You tell her as she closes the door to the dishwasher.

"I gonna go play tea party with daddy." You don't stop her as she makes her way into the front room. You worked the whole time while you had a nasty cold. Harry can sit and sip tea with his daughter while he recovers from his "man flu."

Grace finds her father nursing a cup of tea. He is sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, with a grey hoodie snuggled on his body and his Green Bay beanie atop his head.

"Daddy o-tay?" Grace comes around the corner of the couch taking in the image of her father.

"No Gracie Bug. Daddy is not feeling well." He takes a small sip of his tea. "M feelin' very poorly."

"Daddy ill?"

"Mmhmm." Harry hums.

"Dad got runny nose?"

"Mmhmm lots of bogies." He tells her with a sniff.

"Like mum and Grace?" She asks.

"Yes, just like when you were ill."

"O-tay. Daddy? Play tea party? My animals gonna come!" Dismissing the fact that Harry has just told her he is feeling under the weather.

"Gracie my love, daddy is sick. I can't play tea party." Harry coughs a little bit.

"I play when I sick dad." Grace is not going to take his excuses. "Mum go to work and she sick."

Harry tries not to laugh at his observant daughter. "Daddy needs ya to take care of him. Come cuddle with daddy?" He sets his tea on the table next to the couch, opening his arms for Gracie to cuddle in.

Grace places her hands on her hips. "Not that sick Daddy. You feel better." She shrugs picking up Bob and petting the hair on his head. "Hold Bob, he help me feel better." Gracie hands Harry Bob, her sheep, as she attempts a small act of kindness to help him feel better.

Harry let's out a few weak coughs. "Can ya bring Daddy the remote love?"

"Daddy..." Grace giggles. "It right there!" She points towards the remote that is sitting on the coffee table. Only an arms reach away from Harry.

"It's too far Grace, just bring it to Daddy please." Harry pleads with his 3 year old who seems to be in a very sassy mood.

"Just try daddy, you say it all the time." She says not giving in. "You can do it." She says in a deep voice imitating her father.

"Please come here." Harry asks his little girl. She slowly makes her way towards her father. Grabbing Grace, Harry tickles her and forces her to cuddle. Reaching out and grabbing the remote, Harry turns on Netflix.

"I'll let you pick the movie..." Harry sings to Grace.

"O-tay, mmmm Moana!" She shouts pointing at the Telly.

"Oh that's a good one." Harry starts the movie and cuddles close to his little girl.

"Feel better Daddy?" Grace gives him a kiss on his cheek.

"A little bit. Thank you love." Harry says, closing his eyes, content to have his little one snuggled up close.

You make your way into the front room, Gracie's eyes are glued to the telly, while she cuddles with her father who is quietly snoring away. You smile at your two favorite people. You love your husband and his need for attention but you say a small silent prayer that the "man flu" doesn't last very long and that Harry will be feeling better very soon.