By the time I’d finished all these tasks and located a pair of clean pajamas in his dresser, I heard coughing from the living room. Time to take care of the man. I gave the neatly made bed a pat and returned to his side. “Time for a shower or bath. Your choice.”
“Are you really here?” He coughed again, and I didn’t like how tight his chest sounded. “I think a bath.”
“I’ll get it started.” Although nothing about this man was in little space, when I spotted a bottle of bubble bath on the windowsill in the bathroom, I couldn’t resist giving it a more tubbie feel.
I was glad I did when he saw the bubbles and sniffled a little. “A tubbie?”
“I thought you could use some comfort.”
“Yes please. I…I haven’t bathed in a couple of days.”
“You weren’t feeling up to it, which is why I’m here until you feel better.” Helping him out of his pajamas, I kissed the top of his head. “Now, a good soak, fresh jammies, and you can have your soup in bed.”
He allowed me to help him into the warm water and sank down until his shoulders were under the bubbles. “Oh my god, that feels good. Every muscle has been aching.”
“Have you seen a doctor?”
“Telemed. He said it’s something that’s going around and I just have to outlive it.”
I spun from where I was retrieving a washcloth from a drawer in the vanity. “He said that?”
Hal dunked under the water and came up with a head full of white foam. “Close enough. I should be getting close to the end. Of the virus.”
Kneeling beside the tub, I used the washcloth to clean every inch of him before letting him relax again for a few minutes while I got everything else I needed. “All right, my boy, it’s timeto get out.” I held up a fluffy cream-colored towel and, when he stood up, enfolded him in it. “We’ll have you back on your feet and feeling fine in no time.”
Hal leaned into me with a sigh. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re very welcome, my best boy.”
Chapter Thirteen
Hal
When I first got sick, I thought it would just require a few naps, and I’d be fine. Only that day, I got progressively sicker. What I’d wanted to do was call August, but I didn’t because I didn’t want him to get sick.
The sicker I got, the less I thought about anything at all, other than my head hurting, my body aching, and remembering that if I didn’t keep drinking my water, it was only going to get worse. It burned to swallow anything, including liquids, but I did it, knowing it would hurt even worse being in the hospital.
I hadn’t expected August to show up, and, when he did, there was such a sense of overwhelming relief. The telehealth appointment had seemed like a good idea at the time, but as I got worse, I knew I needed more than that. I just didn’t have the energy. Having someone there taking care of me was great. It also had me feeling bad, worried that he was going to get sick too.
But every time I told him I didn’t want him staying too close, that I didn’t want him getting sick, he assured me he’d rather be sick than watch me like this again.
“Promise me you won’t keep anything like this from me again.” And he didn’t say it only once. He wanted to be sure I heard, digested, and agreed to his terms.
I was finally feeling human, wearing new jams, and sitting up on the couch instead of being stuck in bed.
“I promise. And I really didn’t know I was that sick.” Which was concerning in and of itself.
“I know, but you scared me.”
“It scared me too.”
“I can stay another day.” He brushed the hair off my forehead. “Let me.”
I shook my head. “No, please don’t. Because now that I’m feeling better, I’ll feel like I need to stay awake and entertain you.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I’m aware, but I can’t help it. I’m already feeling like I should talk to you instead of closing my eyes and doing nothing.”
