Everybody Gets Sick

Chapter Four

After Maya's bath, Carina helped her into bed, the blonde falling asleep almost instantly. The fever and medication making her feel beyond exhausted.

Carina sat by her side, this time in a chair rather than in the bed, her hand never leaving her wife's as she watched her sleep, not daring to look away for even a second.

She smoothed out some of Maya's knotted hair with her fingers, pushing strands away from her forehead, the heat radiating off of her skin being a constant reminder of how sick Maya really is.

With hours passing by, Maya not moving much amidst her sleep, Carina stayed by her side all night, which is how Jo found her when she walked into the room that morning.

"Good morning," Jo whispers, making her presence known.

"Buongiorno," Carina replies, her words in the same quiet tone, not wanting to wake her sick wife.

"How is she doing?" Jo asks as she grabs a thermometer, heading over to Maya's side as she checks her temperature.

"She's been sleeping all night," Carina shrugs. There really isn't much to report.

"And what about you?" Jo questions and Carina frowns.

"What about me?" Carina asks defensively, not really understanding what her friend is insinuating.

"Did you sleep, at all?" Jo questions with a raised eyebrow, already knowing the answer. The sigh that Carina emits only solidifies it.

"I couldn't," Carina shakes her head, her eyes going back to her wife. "Not when she's like this."

"Well I have good news," Jo starts, Carina lighting up at her words, listening to what she has to say. "Her fever is down to 100.4 °F (38 °C), which is so much better than last night."

"That means the medicine is working?" Carina double checks, feeling hope fill throughout her body.

"Yes," Jo smiles with a nod. "I want to monitor her for a few hours, but if her temperature stays this low, then I will get her discharged."

"Grazie," Carina replies with a grin, placing a quick celebratory kiss to Maya's forehead.

"But I need you to get some sleep too. She's contagious and you don't want to catch this because your immune system is lowered," Jo states firmly and Carina slowly nods, her eyes searching for somewhere to lay down.

"You can sleep in your office and I can watch her, if you want?" Jo suggests. "I have time until I see my next patient."

"Thanks, but I need to stay with her," Carina responds and Jo nods in understanding. "I'll just share her bed."

"Are you sure?" Jo asks, knowing that the bed isn't the biggest space in the world.

"Sí," Carina nods. "Trust me, she would much rather us share a bed anyway."

It's a known fact to Carina that Maya enjoys cuddling way more than she would admit, especially when she's not feeling well. However, she doesn't think Maya will be too fond if she tells other people that, so she keeps her words to a minimum.

"Okay," Jo nods. "Do you need anything? Something to eat or drink?"

"I think i'm just going to get some sleep," Carina answers, the exhaustion hitting her all of a sudden. "Grazie Jo."

"Of course," Jo replies, nodding towards the door to signal that she's leaving. She walks out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Seeing that Maya's hogging the middle of the bed, but there's still room behind her, Carina walks around to the other side, gently sliding in behind Maya, who's laying on her side.