PANDEMIC

twenty-five

"Please, don't leave me" she sobbed out as I kept the firm distance between her and I as we stood in her hotel, her body in the room, mine outside the door, Lysoling everything.

"Baby girl, two weeks-" "you said that already!" She cried loudly, breaking my heart.

"We already hugged- if you have it, there's a chance I already have it." She cried, and she had a point, but I was not taking any chances.

We shared a five second hug and once I realized it, I immediately stepped away and made her out on germ-x and wiped her down with Lysol wipes.

"Baby girl, you can not get this virus." I tried to stress to her.

I watched her sit in the chair, the crying not stopping.

"You have to stop going to work." She cried, and I knew this was serious, she had not once asked me to stop going, but now she was almost begging.

But they needed me.

But my daughter clearly needed me more.

Was I selfish for leaving the medical field- temporarily- in a time that they need me the most?

"I'm done baby." I spoke calmly.

"I can't be by myself for two more week, just please stay with me. If we end up getting it, we will be okay-" "you don't know that baby, it's better to be safe than sorry." I tried to compromise with her.

"Then promise me you won't go back to work." She spoke firmly, wiping her tears as she did.

"I promise." I told her just as firmly.

She needed me.

"Okay, then I can wait two weeks."

After I knew she was okay, I left her room, trying my hardest not to cry.

Sophia.

I sobbed.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, angry at the thought of being alone.

A few hours later, all the guys FaceTimed me, trying to make up for missing my birthday.

I acted like I didn't care and told them multiple thank you's before we all had a meal together, my own being a piece of toast, which got multiple complaints from Ashton, but they ended up giving me a break.

Five days later.

I woke up to a FaceTime from Harry.

I answered, knowing it was most likely him calling to ask what groceries I needed or other things.

"Hey love" he smiled immediately once he saw my face.

"Hi" I tiredly spoke back to him.

"I woke you?" He asked.

"Yeah, but no biggy" I mumbled to him.

After we both talked for almost an hour, he finally told me the reason he actually called

"So I've been in quarantine as well, just like you- home alone." He cleared his throat lightly.

"And I've already talked to your dad about this, but how about we get you out of that small hotel and you come stay at my place with me? Of course you and I are both going to do Covid tests before we see each other, but I have a guest room, tons of movies and a pool-" "yes, oh my god- yes." I hadn't ever been happier to hear an idea that Harry had suggested.

And just like said, he brought "at home" Covid tests to my hotel, myself lysoling it before touching it and then following the directions to take it as he sat outside my hotel room, waiting.

After fifteen minutes, we were both declared negative and I was immediately greeted with a tight hug.

Harry.

Her body hit mine with force.

And just from me holding her in a tight hug, she was crying.

"Why are you crying, love?" I asked, worried that maybe something was wrong.

"I'm just so happy to be with someone."

Poor kid.

So I brought her straight to my home, checking her out of the hotel that I was sure she'd probably never want to go back to.

I sent Luke several pictures of how happy she was, hoping it would make him feel better, knowing that he had recently moved to his own hotel room in order to quarantine from the guys, because they weren't at the point to stop working yet.

Just as her and I were winding down to watch a movie, Luke FaceTimed her.

They talked back and forth, occasionally asking me a question or pulling me into the conversation.

Luke was in his own hotel room, having to quarantine from the guys because they didn't want to stop working just yet, but I was glad that he made this decision, Sophia needed someone.

Soon they hung up and I felt her head hit my shoulder, making me turn the movie on

"Harry?" I heard her hum, making me hum back to her

"Thank you."