Chapter 27 Presley


    Presley


    After being let into the building by the security guard, I knock on Dominic’s front door, armed with a bag


    of tried-and-true holistic medicine: electrolyte drinks, ginger ale, and saltine crackers. My mother


    always took such good care of us when we were sick, so I made sure to pick up the necessary


    ingredients for a settled stomach at the store before I arrived at Dominic’s building.


    When I was standing in the grocery store aisle,paring prices, I remembered I don’t have to worry


    as much about the cost anymore. I can afford to buy the organic stuff . . . something I’ve never done


    before. If I were buying for myself, I would have probably gone generic as usual. But for Dominic’s


    girls? I got the best stuff I could find.


    Francine answers the door when I arrive. She is pale as a sheet and gives me a wan smile. “Hello,


    dear.”


    “Hi. I’m here to take over,” I say with a sympathetic nod.


    “I hoped as much.” Sighing, she looks positively exhausted as she opens the door and leads me down


    the hall. “I’m not feeling well myself. I should get home and rest before I make matters worse here.


    Dominic won’t be happy to find both his girls and an olddy green in the face when hees home.”


    “He just wants to make sure everyone is okay. Including you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have called me.”


    Fran gives me a look that says I’m not so sure about that.


    I mean, why else would he have called me? I know where his apartment is, and he trusts me with his


    daughters. After thinking it through, I swallow. I guess that is kind of a big deal.


    She smiles warmly at me before she picks up arge canvas bag and an umbre and heads for the


    door. “They’re resting in their room. There are sick buckets in the tub, just rinsed. Be careful not to


    touch anything you don’t have to. Don’t want you getting sick too, dear.”


    “Thank you, Fran. Please get some rest.”


    When the door closes behind her, I set down my bag and slip off my shoes. I tiptoe to the girls’ room


    and peek my head inside. I don’t want to wake them if they’re sleep—


    “Presley!” Lacey cries.


    I guess they aren’t sleeping.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The pale little girl tries to sit up in bed, but she’s too weak and falls back into her pillow with a whimper.


    Emilia is almost unconscious, probably asleep until her sister’s outburst. Her lips move but her eyes


    remain closed.


    When I get closer, I can hear her saying, “Daddy. Daddy,” and my heart aches. I didn’t know Emilia was


    sick too.


    This really is a ruthlessly contagious bug. I wonder if I should call Dominic and tell him . . . but he’s


    driving and I shouldn’t distress him any more than he is. I’ve only ever seen him frantic when it came to


    his daughters’ well-being. I decide that he can find out when he arrivester tonight.


    “Hi, monkeys,” I say softly, approaching their beds. I know I’m not supposed to touch them, but they


    need a littlefort. I brush the sweaty curls from their faces and hold their hands.


    “Where is Daddy?” Emilia asks, her eyes heavy with sleep.


    “He’s on his way. I’m going to take care of you two for a little while before he gets here, okay?” I know


    I’m a poor substitute for their father, but I hope I can at least provide them somefort.


    “Okay,” Lacey whispers. “Can we y?”


    I chuckle. “When you’re both feeling better, we can y all you want. But until then, we’ve got to rest,


    okay?”


    “But I’m thirsty.” Lacey whines, squeezing my hand.


    “You can have just a little bit of water. Not too much.”


    For the next hour, I alternate between the girls, relying on the memory of my own mother taking care of


    Michael and me. I give them each a few sips of water, even though Lacey is eager to guzzle more. I


    want to make sure they can keep this down before I give them too much.


    Inevitably, when they start to feel sick again, I race to the bathroom to get the sick buckets. I barely get


    back in time for Emilia to lose the little bit of water that was in her stomach. She’s so scared of throwing


    up that she shakes after every bout. I use a washcloth to wipe her mouth and then kiss her on the


    forehead, promising that it will all be over soon.


    Then, when it’s Lacey’s turn to get sick, I try to help her through it, but she’s a little more resilient than


    Emilia. It honestly amazes me how chatty she still is. When her head isn’t in a bucket, she’s asking me


    questions.


    “Are you and Daddy married?”


    “No, we’re not married. We’re just good friends.” Well, that’s a very G-rated way of putting it. I’m not


    about to tell his kids that I have no idea how to define my rtionship with Dominic.


    “Howe?”


    “Because . . .”


    Luckily, Emilia throws up again before I have toe up with an answer. I brush her hair out of her


    face and help her blow her nose.


    “I want Daddy.” She cries, breaking down.


    I know Dominic is still far away, at least three more hours by car. Knowing him, he’s probably speeding


    here as fast as he can, trafficws be damned.


    “Let’s wait for Daddy, okay?”


    I gently lift Emilia from the bathroom floor and carry her across the hall. She’s so light . . . even lighter


    with nothing in her stomach. Iy her down on her bed, and then check on her sister. With a fresh


    washcloth, I wipe the sweat from their faces and pull the covers up to their chins.


    It really is rming how contagious stomach flu can be. Ever since I first touched the girls, I’ve felt off.


    My own stomach churns at the thought of eating anything, even though I’m starving.


    Oh shit.