‘The best place when you’re sick is Papa’s bed,’ Juliano repeated gravely like a mini-me version of his father, who smiled indulgently.
‘Juliano and I had both had the flu in March this year, which will probably be more than sufficient immunity, so we should be fine. Anyway, it’s too late now. If we’re going to get it, it’s already incubating.’
He offered her three pills. ‘The antiviral we got given just in case and some cold and flu tabs.’ A glass of water came next and he watched as she swallowed them. ‘The results from your nose swab today should be in tomorrow so we’ll know for sure whether it’s swamp flu.’
Nat nodded wearily as she sank back into the pillows, her eyes already shut at the effort of just sitting and drinking. He was saying something else about leaving the water on thebedside table but Nat barely heard him as she drifted towards a dark abyss.
18
Alessandro put Juliano to bed a couple of hours later and checked on Nat again. She’d kicked her coverings off and was lying in a fairly good likeness of the recovery position, her back to the door. Her nightdress had ridden up and he could just see a glimpse of bare cheek as he remembered he hadn’t passed her any underwear earlier when she’d been in the shower.
Striding across the room, he placed his hand on her forehead. She was cooler but didn’t stir at his touch or when he pulled the sheet up over her again. He departed then but was back after another two hours with some more tablets. The sheets were kicked off again but she was much more decent this time, having rolled on to her back, her clothes covering her completely.
Shaking her awake, she roused only enough to swallow the pills and take a little more water at his urging before collapsing against the sheets again. Alessandro wasn’t concerned – she was unwell and sleep was exactly what she needed, so he pulled the covers up and let her be.
It was well after midnight when he returned to his room for the night. He was tired and couldn’t avoid it any longer. The sheet was off again when he entered and Alessandro smiled –she was worse than Juliano. He left her as she was for the moment, heading straight to the shower instead, deciding, as the spray needled his skin, whether it was wiser for him to sleep in her room or on the sofa for the night rather than his bed.
Give her room. And space. He wasn’t exactly her favourite person now.
But, ultimately, the very sensible plan to be close enough to minister to her throughout the night, should she need it, won out. If her condition worsened, if she called out, he wanted to be close by.
Climbing into some cotton boxers and a T-shirt, Alessandro gently eased into bed, careful not to disturb her. She was on her side again, her back facing him, as he lifted the sheet over her, his fingers touching her arm to gauge her temperature, pleased to find her skin was cool to touch.
Hopefully she’d be spared a severe infection and recover quickly. The thought was comforting as he withdrew his hand and, despite doubting he’d be able to sleep, Alessandro actually drifted off with surprising ease.
He was woken an hour later to freezing hands trailing down his abdomen.
‘I’m c-cold,’ Nat stuttered, teeth chattering as her body, like a biological homing device, instinctively sought the nearest source of heat. ‘S-so cold.’
Alessandro automatically bundled her closer, pulling her into his side, his hand rubbing up and down her arm, her body burning up and trembling violently. ‘Shh,’ he murmured, rhythmically rubbing her back and arm. She was having a rigor and she’d stay like this until her temperature decreased. ‘I got you,’ he assured and absently pressed a kiss to her forehead.
In response, she tried to snuggle closer as if she was trying to become absorbed into him, into his heat. ‘C-cold,’ she muttered again.
Knowing how wretched she must feel, he murmured, ‘Roll on to your other side,’ as he gently ushered her over.
She protested a little but she rolled enough for Alessandro to move in behind and wrap his body around hers, spooning her as he’d done for Juliano the night he’d been sick, pulling her into him, covering her limbs with his and plastering himself to every square inch of exposed skin. He was pretty sure the half sigh, half groan escaping her lips was a happy one and, without really thinking about it, he kissed the top of her head.
And that’s how they stayed for the next who knew how long, him loaning her his warmth, holding her long after the chills had dissipated and her temperate had dropped, nuzzling her hair and whispering assurances. ‘It’s okay,’ and ‘You’re okay,’and ‘Hush,’ until he drifted off to sleep.
Alessandro was refreshing Nat’s water at ten the next morning when she woke, clearly disorientated if her frown and the searching way she looked around the dim room was any indication. He smiled. ‘Morning, sleepy-head.’
She blinked as she glanced at the drawn curtains. ‘How long have I been out?’
‘Apart from a few brief stirrings, it’s been about fourteen hours. How do you feel?’
Rolling on to her back, she stared at the ceiling, shutting her eyes. ‘Like I’ve been run over by a truckandbeen given a lobotomy with cotton wool replacing my brain.’
Alessandro watched as her tongue came out to wet her dry lips. He’d tried to keep her fluids up but it hadn’t been enough. She needed more. ‘Fancy some breakfast?’ She shook her head like the very thought was repulsive and he chuckled at the faceshe made. ‘No worries. But you need to get some more water into you. Don’t want you getting dehydrated.’
She ran her tongue across her teeth and winced. ‘I need a toothbrush.’
Withdrawing her pills from his pocket he punched out two more cold and flu tabs. ‘Why don’t you take these, get up, have a shower, brush your teeth and come back to bed?’
He’d change the sheets while she was up. There was nothing like a shower, fresh linen and a minty mouth to make things a little better when illness came calling.
Turning her head to look out the door she sighed. ‘I’m not sure I’m up to the trek.’
‘I’msure you’re not,’ he said firmly. ‘Use my en suite.’ It wasn’t like she hadn’t been in there plenty of times already. ‘Fresh towel on the rail and I’ll get you some clean PJs.’
