Sheraises a hand and I shut the hell up before I dig myself evendeeper. “No, no…just…give me a minute.”
I’msilent, looking at her, as she looks like she’s trying to holdback. Then she darts to the washroom, and I follow her, worriedsick. When I see her dive into the toilet bowl, I know exactly whatto do. How many times my brothers have puked from drinking too muchI can’t even count. And none of them ever wanted mama to find out,so they never wanted me to go get her to look after them. So I knowto grab a damp, cold wash cloth, and put it on her neck, pull herhair back, and keep her from dipping her head right into thewater.
I sweareverything she ate comes up, and my heart sinks, but I know thatthis is common in pregnancy, so I try to soothe her as best as Ican. When she’s finished, I ask softly. “You got any ginger ale,darlin’?”
Sheshakes her head no. I help her clean up and get her over to thecouch. “You stay put, sugar. I’ll be back in two minutes.” I say,and I scoot up to the convenience store on the corner of theopposite block, and grab some ginger ale and crackers, and I takeit back to her. She’s sound asleep on the couch when I return.Puking takes it out of you sometimes, so I just leave her be, andfinish tidying up from dinner, not wanting to leave her.
Once I’mfinished, I realize that it’s only seven o’clock, but clearly Ellieneeds to sleep, so I open up my phone and play a quiet game on it,and then about an hour later, when she’s still asleep, I startreading, knowing that my bedtime is usually nine o’clock, seeing asI get up around four or five o’clock each morning. When that timearrives, I rustle myself up a pillow and some blankets, and makemyself a bed on the floor next to her. Damned if I’m going to leaveher. I lay there for a while, and she is totally out of it. So Isend my brother Blake a text message, letting him know that I’m outfor the night, and he doesn’t question. My family’s prettyrespectful of my social life. I’m a reliable guy and they don’tforget that.
Ellie’shouse is so quiet you can hear a pin drop, so I sleep like agoddamn baby. She wakes up at around midnight, and I don’t realizethis until I hear her in the washroom, relieving herself. I turnover so she can see me when she returns. “What are you still doinghere?” she asks, sleepily.
“I didn’t have the heart to leave you, doll. You got prettysick there.”
“Yeah, well, now I’m starved.” She scoffs.
“I don’t think there’s any French fries left.”
Sheraises a hand, wincing. “God, I couldn’t. I think I’m done withburgers and fries for a while.”
“I picked you up some soda crackers and ginger ale if you wantsome of that.”
Her eyesbulge. “I’ve got cheese, too!”
Grunting, I get up, and help her assemble a little picnic.“You can go home now, Maverick. I’m fine.” She says, after she’sfinished making an array of cheese-covered crackers on aplate.
“You want me to leave?” I ask her, smiling. “I figured y’allmight wanna share your little snack with me.” I give her awink.
“You sure your family hasn’t sent out a search team foryou?”
“Na, I let Blake know I’m out for the night. They don’t keeptabs on me, darlin’.”
“Well, okay. You can stay if you want. I sometimes getnightmares after eating cheese at night, but I just can’t resist. Ihave a wicked craving.”
“I’ll bet.” I smile, carrying her plate to thecouch.
Shegives me a playfully warning look. “I’ll share one cracker…justone. After that, you’ve got to go make your own.”
“You can have them all.”
“Well, then I’ll look like a pig.”
“Na. It’s just me here. After what I saw earlier, you’re nopig, darlin’.”
“True. I think everything I ate for the last week is in thesewer now.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. But I think you’re right about keepingaway from burgers and fries. It’s probably the grease that set youoff.”
“You’re just full of good news, aren’t you.”
I justchuckle.
“Here. Have your stinking cracker.”
“Them pregnancy hormones seem to be behaving themselves now,huh.” I’m facetious.
“Shut up and eat your cracker.” She hands me it and I shovethe whole thing in my mouth. It tastes like cheesycardboard.
“Good.” She asks.
