Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 95: Reflect

Chris and Julie text them again early the next morning, letting them know that they'd ended up inviting Brian and Josh over again that evening, and while Josh happily spent time with Rob and Dianne and the kids, Brian had a chat with them.

"It's not perfect immediately," Julie had said, in a text, "but he's genuine and apologetic and we're going to work towards a place where we can forgive him and have a better relationship."

Courtney and Shayne plan to catch up with the kids, Chris and Julie again the following day, before they fly back home, but their plans are quickly disrupted midway through their morning routines when Courtney stumbles out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, hand pressed over her eyes.

"I'm having another fucking migraine," she mumbles, Shayne quickly rushing over to help guide her back into their bedroom, pulling the curtains closed and switching off the light as she messily pulls underwear and one of his shirts on so she at least doesn't get too cold, burying her face against a pillow when she falls back into their bed.

"Can you tell me what happened, what you're feeling?" Shayne asks, voice soft and quiet as he sits up on the bed beside her and rests a gentle hand on her arm.

"It hit really suddenly in the shower- headache, nausea, just one weird bright spot in my vision so I got out and dried myself but it just kept getting worse and everything was bright spinning spots again," she explains, clear discomfort in her voice.

"I'm sorry, love, that sounds awful. You stay here, rest a bit, I'm just going to text the others and then would you like me to come back and stay with you?" he asks.

"Yeah, stay... wait, text who?" she mumbles.

"Family, we won't be able to go see them today. But that's okay, looking after you is important, we'll see them another time," he reassures her.

"Oh... yeah, forgot that," she sighs, and Shayne silently furrows his brow in worry. She'd been all excited about going to see them only fifteen minutes earlier before she got into the shower...

He tries to push the worry out of his mind as he reluctantly moves back out into the living area to grab his phone, opening up the main group text chain they use between the six of them. He hesitates on what to say, for a moment, deciding to fudge the details just a little.

"Hey guys, Court and I are both feeling a bit unwell this morning, think we might have to give coming over a miss – sorry we can't catch up again this time," he texts. He doesn't wait for a reply, flicking his phone onto silent and leaving it sitting on the dining table as he quickly moves back into the bedroom, his own morning routine forgotten as he climbs up on the bed to lie down beside her.

"Hey," he greets her, gently, just to signify his presence. She doesn't reply, but she shifts towards him until her side presses against his chest, hand reaching out to grab towards him. He makes it easier for her, taking her hand gently in his as he lies silently beside her. He can tell she's drifting in and out of sleep, and he knows they lie there for quite some time, but he simply lies in silence as his mind races with thoughts and worries, thinking back to Pam's text just over a week ago.

She said it could be nothing – if it was just one. If it didn't happen again.

"Are you going to make me go to a doctor?" Courtney asks, the first thing she says when she moves ever-so-slightly onto her side, although still keeping a pillow pressed in front of her face, close to two hours after she first lies down. Shayne wonders if she knows how long it's been.

"I'm not going to make you do anything, love. How are you feeling?" he replies, watching as she sighs and lets the pillow fall from in front of her face.