Let's Be Birds (OLD VERSION)

☀12☀

The next day, Hannah isn't so sunshine and smiles.

"My stomach," She groans. "I'm going to die!"

I'm completely lost and confused. Perhaps she swallowed a poison plant while swimming or got stung by a bee in her stomach and the acid is getting to her a day late? Whatever it is, it's freaking me out and I really want the old, cheerful Hannah back.

"Hannah, do you want me to stop at a hospital?" I ask, anxious to figure out what's wrong so she can get back to being a happy go lucky person.

"No, they'll just bankrupt us and then I'll have to ask my sister to give me money." She groans again and clutches her stomach. "Do you have some Tylenol or something?"

"I uh... I have some paracetamol tablets – Are you sure you don't want me to take you somewhere?"

She shakes her head. "Can I have some tablets from you? My ovaries are dying over here and I can't do this."

Nodding, I rush into my bigger backpack and pull out the pills my mom gave me in case of an emergency like this one. At first when she gave me them I wanted to give them back because I didn't think they'd be necessary. Now I'm glad that I kept them because Hannah looks elated when I give them to her.

"You're a lifesaver, Nate Harris, I LOVE you right now!" She says and squeezes my cheeks before kissing my forehead. "Do you have any water?"

I'm blushing. "Yeah, um... there's a bottle of some over there. Do you want to eat something before you take it though?"

She sighs. "I have to, don't I?"

"Yeah, or else you'll ruin your stomach lining."

"Damn my stomach lining." She mutters. "I'll make myself some peanut butter eggs."

"... Excuse me?"

We're near the RV and I have just finished brushing off two days' worth of fallen leaves and twigs off the roof. It still looks new but also in need of a wash and I wanted to suggest going in a car wash but Hannah is in such a bad state.

"Peanut butter eggs." She repeats shamelessly. "I hate peanut butter but it's times like these that I need pee bee eggs the most."

I look at her with shock and wonder. "This is why you're sick! Peanut butter eggs? Um, that's an obvious ew?"

She looks at me square in the eyes and then bursts into laughter. "Nice one, Nate, but we both know why I'm sick."

Then she pats my shoulders and hobbles into the little kitchen. I stare after her, completely dumbfounded until she brings out these brown scrambled eggs. They look as though they were completely burned when she was frying them up and instantly I am repelled.

"Do you want some? They taste terrible." She says quite plainly.

"You're insane." I say, taking a step back. "Why are you even eating them?"

She shrugs and swallows another piece with great difficulty. "They're the only things that calm down my stomach at times like this. Which is ironic because they normally make me vomit... You sure you don't want some?" Once again, she offers the plate to me but I put my hands up against them.

"Yuck. Give me oatmeal over that any day."

For the first time today, Hannah laughs and then shakes her head, chewing on a piece of her ugly eggs. "You haven't even tried them, Nate."