𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 | 18 +

𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐒 𝐈 𝐗

Juliet

I woke up to the sound of retching, the unmistakable noise of someone throwing up, and immediately, I knew something was wrong. My heart raced, and I blinked the sleep from my eyes, quickly registering that Carter wasn't in bed beside me. Panic surged through me as I tossed the covers back and hurriedly got to my feet. The sound was coming from the en-suite bathroom, and I didn't hesitate to make my way toward the door.

As soon as I stepped into the bathroom, the sight of Carter hunched over the toilet, her body shaking as she vomited, made my chest tighten. She looked pale, her hair clinging to the sides of her face, and I could hear her strained breathing between each bout of heaving. My heart broke seeing her like that.

I knelt beside her, immediately reaching out to rub her back in slow, soothing circles, trying to offer her some comfort as her body betrayed her. "Shh, baby, it's okay. Get it all out." I whispered softly, my voice gentle as I crouched beside her. I hated seeing her in pain, especially like this. Puking was one of the worst feelings, and I could see how much she hated it from the way she clutched the sides of the toilet and winced every time another wave hit her.

Carter groaned weakly between retches, her entire body trembling as she slumped against the porcelain. Her eyes were glassy, and tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over. "I... I hate puking." she whimpered, her voice raw and shaky as she buried her face in her arms for a brief second. "I hate how it feels... how my stomach just... ugh... clenches up, and... the bile... rising up in my throat... the smell, the taste... everything."

I leaned in closer, rubbing her back more firmly, hoping the touch would calm her down at least a little. "I know, baby." I murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I know you hate it. It's awful, but you're going to feel better soon. I promise." My voice was calm, but inside, I was worried. She looked terrible, and the heat radiating off her skin told me she had a fever.

Carter continued to groan softly, her body giving in to the exhaustion that came after vomiting so violently. I stayed by her side, whispering soft reassurances until she was finally done. Once she was certain she wouldn't throw up again, I helped her to her feet, keeping a firm grip on her just in case her legs gave out. She was so shaky, her entire frame trembling as she leaned against me for support.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." I whispered, guiding her toward the sink. I helped her brush her teeth, holding the toothbrush when her fingers were too weak to grip it properly, and then cupped some water in my hands to help her rinse out the awful taste in her mouth. She looked at me with tired, glassy eyes, and all I wanted to do was take away whatever was making her so sick.

Once she was done, I wrapped my arm around her waist, leading her back to bed. She slumped down onto the mattress, curling into a small ball under the blankets. I could see how exhausted she was just from those few minutes. Her body was fighting something, and she wasn't going to be able to get through the day in this state.

"You're staying home today." I said firmly, pulling the blanket up higher around her shoulders to keep her warm. "You've got a high fever, and you need to rest. I'm not going to leave you here by yourself."

Carter let out a small groan, her eyes fluttering shut as she curled deeper into the warmth of the bed. "Juliet, you don't have to stay... I'll be fine." she muttered weakly, but I could hear the exhaustion in her voice. She wasn't in any shape to argue with me, and I wasn't about to let her push herself. Not today.

"No arguing." I said softly but firmly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She was burning up, and it only made me more certain that staying home with her was the right decision. "You're staying in bed, and I'm staying home to take care of you."

Carter didn't argue. She was too tired to fight me on it, and I think deep down, she knew she needed to rest. She simply nodded, her eyes drifting shut as she relaxed into the bed.

I stayed with her for a little while longer, just watching her as she dozed off, her breathing slowly evening out as the exhaustion took over. When I was sure she was comfortable, I slipped out of bed and started getting dressed to go to the pharmacy to get Carter medicine. As much as I want to stay, I know I can't, I have to go out to get her medicine to get her better.

Before I left, I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, smoothing back the strands of hair that had fallen across her face. "Call me if anything happens or if you feel worse, okay?" I whispered, my voice barely audible in the quiet room. I wanted to make sure she knew I'd drop everything and come back if she needed me.

Carter, her voice barely above a whisper, mumbled, "I promise." Her eyes fluttered open just briefly to meet mine before they closed again, the exhaustion pulling her back under.

Satisfied, I pressed a final kiss to her lips, gentle and brief, before grabbing my things and heading out the door. "I'll be right back, baby." I added as I slipped out of the room.

As I made my way to pharmacy, my thoughts stayed with Carter. I hated leaving her when she was sick, but I'd be back soon enough. The most important thing was making sure she rested and stayed hydrated. And knowing Carter, she'd be too stubborn to stay in bed unless I forced her to. But she didn't have a choice today. I'd make sure of it.

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~ R