River Rose | ✓

2

Do I know you?
____________
Nighted (adj.)
Overtaken by night or darkness.

••••••
River Autumn Rose

There's a minuscule second in which you can't tell the difference between numbness and agony. The problem is that numbness spreads until you can't feel anymore and to come back...let's just say it's not ideal.

I had to take a shower again to get rid of a little blood. It was torture when the cold water hit my back, I still didn't let the tears fall.

I'm getting dressed once again when my phone rings, it's Malia. I immediately answer afraid something happened to Oak.

R: What's wrong?

M: Girl, I'm sorry but you're gonna have to come here..he doesn't want to take the bottle and he's burning up.

R: I'll be there in five, put a cold towel on his forehead and do you have any Tylenol?

M: No, I'm sorry I don't have anything.

R: I'll be there shortly.

Fuck! I don't have any money for medicine and maybe I'll have to take him to Graham's. He's been Oak's doctor and mine since..

I don't want to think of it but he has always helped us and allows me to pay him as soon as I can when I don't have the money in hand.

I take my keys, phone, wallet and run out of the house. I keep running until I don't even feel the pain in my back or the harshness of the air entering my lungs. I don't even feel the burning in my legs because all I can think of is O.

I get to Malia's porch and barge in. "Malia? Where are you?" I ask but turn to go upstairs when I hear Oakley's cries or..screams.

I open the door to her room and she has a look of absolute relief upon seeing me, she hands me the baby and fills me in.

"He was perfectly fine when you dropped him off, we played for a while and watched cartoons but then he started to get fuzzy, he fell asleep for about half an hour but then he started shivering so I made to cover him but I felt his forehead and it was burning. He woke up and started screaming, I tried to feed him but he doesn't want the bottle. He keeps making grabby hands but I don't think it's me he wants"

She finishes in a rush. I push Oak's hair out of his forehead, he is really hot. "Do you have a thermometer?" I ask and she nods, scrambling through a bunch of things on her desk she hands me one.

We wait for it to beep and when we look at the temperature I almost cry. 102.1 F.

"Fuck okay umm I'll take him to Graham's and text you how it goes okay?" She nods and I turn to leave but she says.

"Oh and he kept tugging my shirt and pointing at my breasts as if he wanted breast milk, maybe you should call his mom on your way it could be comforting to him. He needs a mom Riv" she says and I know she didn't mean to but her words hurt.

"I will" I say and run out. I put his bag on my shoulder and place him against my chest covering him with a blanket. I walk about 10 minutes and finally reach Graham's clinic. I called him on the way so he's expecting me.

"Good morning Ri what brings you here?" Zola, the receptionist asks. She thinks my name is Riley, everyone but Malia and my other best friend do besides my 'family'.

"Oh I called Graham because Oak has a high fever and I didn't know what to do" I say panicked and signal to a sleeping Oakley. Her face immediately contorts in worry and she takes me to one of the examination rooms.