Ramirah Shiloh Capri
It's my first day back at work after the break, and honestly, it's been pretty smooth—except for the fact that I feel like I left a sick child at home.
Solana somehow caught this random cold that's acting more like the flu, so I've been checking on her every two minutes. My baby turns into a complete mess when she's sick.
She's running a fever, and her stuffy nose has been making it hard for her to breathe. The doctor gave her a breathing treatment and extra-strength Tylenol for the fever, but she's been in and out of sleep all day. Still, we call each other every now and then, like clockwork.
I just finished my rounds, so I pulled my phone out and dialed her number.
"Hey, baby," I greeted her, my heart softening at the sight of her with her red nose and puffy eyes on the screen.
"Hey mama," she mumbled, her voice thick with congestion.
"How you feeling? Better or worse?" I asked, propping my phone up while I jotted down a few notes from my rounds.
"The same. I'll feel better when my girlfriend is here to take care of me, though," she groaned dramatically, making me chuckle.
"I'll be home in a few hours, love. Think you can get some sleep til then?" I asked, knowing full well what her answer would be.
She frowned. "I'll try."
I shook my head, smiling. "What do you want me to bring you? Soup?"
Her face lit up, but not in the way I expected. "No soup. I want hot wings."
I laughed. "Absolutely not. I'll grab you some Panera and make you peppermint tea. No wings."
She rolled her eyes at me. "Just come home to me, mama."
"I'm coming, baby. Go to sleep, and when you wake up, I'll be there."
She pouted but nodded. "Okay. Finish your notes. I love you," she said, like it was the first time all over again, making my heart skip a beat.
"I love you too," I smiled, kissing the screen as she kissed hers.
Being her girlfriend hasn't really changed much, except now the "I love you's" come freely. But meeting her family? That's new. They're having a family reunion, and her mom's been pressuring her to bring me along. I'll admit, I'm a little nervous. I hate meeting people's families.
First off, you can never trust them. They'll smile in your face and talk trash as soon as you leave. Second, I'm already awkward around new people, especially older folks. Third—hell, I'm just nervous. But she's excited, and I like that. Plus, she's actually fond of this side of her family, so I agreed. It's happening this Saturday, in Chicago. That explains a lot about her tough attitude—Chicago and New York blood.
Anyway, I wrapped up my shift, signed off on my notes, and checked my Instagram to pass the time. The usual people had viewed my story, nothing special.
On the way home, I stopped by Panera to get Solana a sandwich, soup, and ginger ale. I grabbed a sandwich and water for myself, trying to avoid the inevitable phone call from my baby wondering where I was.
Sure enough, as I pulled out of the drive-thru, she called. I answered with a smile.
"Yes, my love?"
"You said you'd be here by now!" she whined.
"I'm on my way, babe. Five more minutes, I promise," I said, making the final turn toward home.
"Hurry," she grumbled, and I hung up, smiling.
Five minutes later, I walked through the door to find her wrapped in a blanket on the couch.
"Hi baby," I cooed, sitting next to her and putting the food on the coffee table.
"You took forever," she mumbled, resting her head in my lap.
I kissed her forehead. "Let me wash my hands and shower real quick, then we can eat together, okay?"
She nodded, pouting a little. I rushed through my shower, scrubbing down with my Dove body wash and exfoliating gloves. When I finished, I threw my hair up in a clip, lotioned with cocoa butter and light cozy EOS, trying to keep it simple so nothing irritated her.
When I got back downstairs, Solana was already knocked out. I gently nudged her awake, and while she groggily opened her eyes, I put the tea on the stove to brew.
"Eat, Solana," I said sternly, and she nodded, pulling the Panera bag onto her lap.
"How was work, mama?" she asked, sipping her ginger ale.
"It was fine. Got put on a new floor, so I had to adjust to new nurses. Most were cool, but one was giving me short answers like I won't knock her head between the X-ray machine," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
She chuckled. "She must've had you fucked up. You're never violent."
"I wasn't violent, but her uppity attitude had me ready to be," I frowned, taking a bite of my sandwich.
"Baby, they're just jealous of you. Don't even worry about it," she kissed my cheek, making me smile.
We started talking a bit more about her family reunion. "Do you wanna drive to Chicago or fly?" she asked.
"I definitely don't want to drive. Is it just for the weekend?" I asked, and she nodded.
"Then let's fly. Are we staying with your family?" I raised a brow.
"Hell no. Two days with them is enough. We'll get a hotel nearby."
I nodded. "You sure you want me to come?"
"Yeah, but I just wanna warn you... my family can be a lot. If they ask you any wild questions, just let me know, and I'll handle it," she said, her protectiveness making me smile.
Her mom was excited to meet me, apparently wondering who was keeping her daughter so busy. "Your mama knows it's your fault you don't call, not mine," I teased, and she shrugged.
A little while later, she whined about her headache, so I got her Tylenol and poured the tea. When I handed it to her, she wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Mama, this is gross. Take it back."
"Solana, drink the tea," I said, knowing it would help.
She mumbled under her breath but downed it, making me laugh.
"Since you're a nurse, you think you know everything," she grumbled, and I smirked.
"I'm not even done yet, but I'll be finished in four months," I teased back.
She smiled. "My nurse bae. You know you look good in those scrubs. If I was your patient, I'd keep hurting myself just to see you."
I shook my head, laughing. "Ma'am, drink the tea so we can go to bed."
Once she finished, we headed upstairs. She put on rain sounds, kissed my forehead, and nestled into me.
"Goodnight, mama," she whispered.
"Goodnight, baby. I love you," I said, my heart full.
"I love you too," she murmured, her head tucked against my neck. My happy place.
