Lovers & Enemies

Chapter 6: I feel sick

Lovers & Enemies

© 2011 Kaci Lancaster

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“Oh no!” I gasped as I ran out of my bedroom and into the jack-and-jill bathroom.

                I bent over the toilet just in time. I was used to the sudden nausea by now; it was happening all the time. The feeling sucked, though. Even with the medicine from the drug store, I was still sick. I didn’t have as high a fever when I took it, but I was still sick. I’m not sure if the doctor gave me the right medicine...

                Still feeling sick, I stuck my cheek to the seat. If I was going to vomit again, I won’t have to go too far.

                After a couple of minutes, I realized that I wasn’t going to puke again and stood up to brush my teeth. When the comforting feeling of mint stuck to my tongue I relaxed. As long as it wasn’t vomit on my tongue, I was okay. I just hate being sick. I finished brushing my teeth and put the toothbrush back down on the counter.

                My stomach groaned. “Okay, then….”

                I shook my head and left the small washroom. When I got downstairs, my mom was humming. She still hadn’t noticed me when I sat down on the barstool.

                “Mom.”

                I narrowed my eyes.

                “Mom!” I yelled out again. My mom turned around instantly, dropping the pan that was in her hands and splattering soap all over the linoleum. “Oh shit! I’m sorry.”

                “It’s okay, Lexi,” She responded, saying my old nickname.

                When I was a kid, that’s what people used to call me. As soon as I hit thirteen, I had told people that I was a ‘grown woman’ and didn’t want to be called that. Apparently, my mom didn’t get the message.

                I walked over to where she stood and dropped down to the floor to help clean up. Grabbing a cloth from the counter, I scooped up the soap and ran the wash-cloth under the faucet. “Hey, mom?”

                “MmmHmm?”

                “Do you think maybe I can stay home for the day?”

                She shot me a confused look. “Is the medicine not working?”

                “Not really.”

                “Well…,” She turned back around and continued to clean the dishes. “You need to go to school. It just started last week.”

                I sighed. Like I didn’t know that? It’s just…I don’t know what else to do right now.

                “Okay,” I replied monotone.

                Walking up the stairs, I watched my step. Lucy, my little sister, was playing with her dolls in the middle of the stairway. When I walked past her, she grinned and threw one of her dolls at me. “Lucy!”

                She laughed and grabbed her dolls. I watched as she ran into her room, leaving the door wide open. Shaking my head and smiling, I continued to walk down the hallway and into my room. I sat down on my bed and picked up my hairbrush.