In the moment

Temperatures and rashes

The next morning Soph woke up still in her bubble, touching her skin in memory of jacks fingers. She rolled over and admired the sun peeping through her curtains, any other day she'd hate it but today she felt prepared for anything. Mae still sleeping soundly in her next to me, Soph took the chance for a shower before waking her for breakfast.
As she heads downstairs with mae she notices somethings not right. She wasn't like her normal morning sleepy coming round for day self, she was falling back to sleep in her arms, completely lethargic. Soph places her hand gently over maes forehead and it feels as if her skin is on fire. She looks for Ada as she heads for the downstairs changing table but she must still be in her room packing for her weekend away. She lays mae down and she starts crying, the most ear pinching cry Soph  has ever heard. 'Shhhh it's okay baby girl, mummy's right here, shhh shhh shhh' she whispers to her as she picks her back up to sooth her 'mummy's going to put you back down for 2 seconds so we can change your bum sweetheart' she lays mae back down and and she's now screaming even louder. As she's changing maes nappy's she notices a rash over her tummy, she opens a few more buttons on her sleepsuits to revel that the rash continues to her chest and back. She scoops mae up in her arms and grabs the thermometer from the changing table draw and sits in the rocking chair with her, she starts singing to distract her and places the thermometer under her arm. '43' she makes a mental note and heads upstairs to Ada.
She knocks at Adas bedroom door and she answers immediately, mae now back to sleep in sophs arms. 'Is everything okay Soph? I heard her crying I was just about to come down!' She asks with a face full of worry and pulling her dressing gown belt tight.
Soph looks down at mae her forehead soaked with beads of sweat 'I'm not sure, I don't know. She has a high temperature and rash all over her body. Was she okay last night, did you notice anything?' Soph now panicking as it the first time mae has been properly poorly since she was born.
Ada strokes maes face, 'she is warm, what was her temperature?'
'43'
Ada purses her lips in concentration 'I think we should take her to the hospital just to be safe, have you given her any medicine?'
Soph face drops feeling mortifying 'not yet, I didn't even think. I don't even think I have any in the house'
Ada rubs the top of sophs arm in comfort 'don't worry we can grab some on the way to the hospital, let me quickly get changed, I'll drive'
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6.35am
1 text message - Soph 💇🏻‍♀️
Morning J, I hope it's not to early to message but maes poorly and I'm just on the way to hospital with her and Ada. I'm going to have to cancel our plans for dinner, I'm really sorry. Soph xx

Jacks slows his treadmill at the sign of the notification. He opens the message and reads it twice over, and can't help but feel an ache in his heart for how Soph must been feeling.
He starts typing his reply.

6.42am
1 text message Jack G
Morning gorgeous, I'm already up and training but don't ever feel like you can't message me because of the time. I'm really sorry about mae, is she okay? Don't worry about dinner, keep me updated and I hope you get seen to quickly! JG x

7.30 am 1 text message Soph 💇🏻‍♀️
She has a temperature and rash, we're not sure what it is just yet. We're waiting to be seen by the dr now. Thank you for understanding and I will! Sorry for interrupting training xx

Jack sits himself on the weight bench and pulls the hem of his tshirt up to dab the sweat on his forehead.
He thought it would be best not to reply and let her concentrate on mae, but he felt relieved they were being seen to quickly and he knew she'd reply with any news. He grabs his things and heads back up to his apartment.

As he sits on the sofa he can't help but think about what it must be like to be responsible for another human. He's looked after the lads on nights out and vice versa but to actually be responsible for a small human that can't communicate must be terrifying. He sits on his phone Googling temperature and rashes in babies and gets side tracked reading all the possible scenarios for at least an hour. He feels the worry that Soph must be feeling when he sees how serious some types of rashes can be. His phone pings

10am - Soph 💇🏻‍♀️
Hey jack, she's doing loads better. They think it's just a viral infection but want to keep her temperature down before letting us home. Xx

A wave of relief hit him and he can't help but notice the feeling he just had. Was he ready for this kind of commitment? He was sure he was falling in love with Soph. Last night was incredible and they fit together perfectly, like the last puzzle piece his nana use to let him place in her jigsaws. But he wasn't sure he was ready to be a step dad, as much as he loved Soph, he didn't know if could love mae the same. She wasn't biologically his to love.
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2pm - FaceTime Soph 💇🏻‍♀️
Jack didn't answer, he just watched his phone vibrating on the side. He still was trying to work out his feelings for a child he hadn't even met. One part of him knew he was just naturally great with kids, but he's never had to bond with a baby. He sits there pushing his fork around his plate until his guilt for not answering gets the better of him. He calls her back.

2.30pm - FaceTime Jack G
'Jack?'
He pauses for a moment 'Hi Soph, sorry I fell asleep on the sofa, is everything okay? Is mae okay?'
Soph flips the camera round to show mae fast asleep in her next to me. 'She's absolutely fine now, just keeping us on our toes.' She reaches round to grab something off the side and he hear a loud bang 'SHIT'
'Are you okay Soph?' Everything's gone silent but he can just about make out her silent sobs and shes manoeuvring around on the floor. 'Soph bab?'
She picks her phone back up tears streaming down her face 'I'm just tired it's been along day yknow.' She spins the phone around to show a pink splattered mess along her wooden floors 'I've only gone and fucking knocked her calpol over and it's the only one I had' tears start filling her eyes again 'adas gone to her parents for the weekend for a wedding and I just don't want to move her Jack, I'm scared I won't be able to sooth her if she cry's again' 
He knew in his heart what he had to do, he felt it for both of them 'Soph I'll grab some calpol from the pharmacy over the road, I'll be with you in about 20 minutes alright?' He smiles at her through the phone he can see the relief on her face 'is there anything else you need?'
'A cuddle, I just need a cuddle Jack' she lightly sobs back to him and he nods knowing that's something he's good at.