Somebody That I Used To Know

The Flu... Again

Tom lays in bed, closing his eyes against the soft pillow. His phone starts to ring and he starts to remember what he was originally going to do today. "Hello?"

"What time are you getting Lily?" Molly asks.

"I... I don't think I'm getting her today."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm sick."

"You're sick?"

"I think it's the flu. I'm throwing up, my head hurts, I'm shaking. I feel really ill and I don't want to expose Lillian to anything bad. Also, I have no energy to entertain tonight. Tell her that I'm sorry, please."

"I will." Molly sighs. "But are you really sick?"

"Now that I finally have my daughter back, do you think think that I'm not  wanting to see her?"

"No, but Denise left three days ago and now you're suddenly having the flu. Is that really the problem?"

"Why would I lie to you? I want to see Lily but I don't want her getting sick."

"I know this isn't about Lily, I'm asking if this is about you."

"That I'm sick?" Tom questions.

"Well we know that you're sick but I'm thinking it's not the flu."

"Molly, if you're insinuating-"

"I'm just making sure you're okay. With Denise gone, I know that sometimes you forget to do basic things when you're alone... like eat. Do you need me to come over there and check on you?"

"Molly, no. I'm not a child, I'm a grown man, I'm fine."

"Fine. I'll tell Lily that she can't come over."

"I feel bad for this, you know. I'm not trying to avoid her, I love my darling, but I don't feel well."

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later."

"Molly-"

Molly hangs up and Tom places the phone on his nightstand. Molly wasn't exactly wrong, he hadn't left the bed in 3 days unless it was a trip to the bathroom, but even that wasn't for what was originally intended.

Denise thinking that Tom didn't want to be with her anymore made him feel bad. Actually, it made him feel sick and ashamed in himself to have her think he still loved Molly.

Whether or not that was true, he felt like he had to punish himself for it. That might staying in bed all day and not getting up to eat. By the third day of Denise being gone, eating just wasn't even in his mind anymore.

A pounding headache beat through his head as he lays in bed, clutching the pillows next to him. Tom kept water bottles in the nightstand to have easy access to, so he wouldn't have to get up to get water.

Shakily, he takes a sip from the water bottle and sets it on the nightstand, small droplets of water spilling over the side from it being put down.

There was a thermometer next to the water as well, just to make sure that he didn't go below anything dangerous. It wasn't the not eating for three days that made him sick, it was not eating and throwing up the small bit of remains that were in his stomach.

Tom puts the thermometer in his mouth and closes his eyes while waiting. After this, he'd take another nap. He didn't have much energy to do anything.

Beep

It was at 97.3°.

"Not horrible," Tom whispers to himself and sets the thermometer on the nightstand. He sighs and rolls over in bed, taking deep breaths. Even that small amount of movement was tiring.

His phone starts to ring again and he groans as he answers it. "Hello?"

"Daddy?" Lily says.

"Lils, hello, dear."

"Hi. Mummy told me that you're not coming to get me. Do you not like me anymore?"

"No, darling, no, no, no. I just don't good, alright? That's all it is, I'm sick."

"Is this the flu again?"

"It is."

"The flu like the last time? Are you gonna pass out again?"

"I sure hope not." Tom chuckles. "But no, I'm alright. I'll get you when I can, do you understand?"

"Okay, Daddy. I love you and miss you."

"I love and miss you too, darling. Goodbye, sweetheart."

"Bye, Daddy."

Tom hangs up the phone and place it on his nightstand, a sound coming from it. He closes his eyes and quickly falls asleep.