Recollections

The Time Erin Was Sick

The Time Erin Was Sick
(song of the chapter: From Now On // The Features)

Told in Austin's POV
"Is it okay if I drop her off at your place?" Laney had begged me earlier. I'd told her yes, mainly in a rush to get off of the phone since I was in the midst of my work day. Now that I'm driving home, I'm worried about Erin. I hope she's been okay alone at my apartment all day. Dammit, I knew I should've left work early to stay home with her.

Laney's words from our previous phone conversation run through my mind. "Please Austin, she's contaminating our dorm and I have finals next week, I can't afford to get sick right now. Besides, she's your girlfriend and I'm not cut out for this nurturing bullshit."

Suddenly, I decide to veer into the right turning lane that merges into the Publix parking lot. A horn blares but I ignore the driver who I've merely pissed off. I may not be a doctor, but I do know that Erin will need some key resources to beat this flu. As soon as I breach the store's threshold, my first instinct is to turn and run out with my tail between my legs. Anytime I need anything from the store, Erin gets it or she comes with me and she takes the lead. The shopping carts near the entrance catch my eye and I decide that it'd be a good idea for me to snag one. Slowly, I read the signs that hang above each aisle and try to find where the canned soup would be located. Once I find what I'm looking for, I make a bee line straight towards aisle nine.

There are cans surrounding me from every angle. Beef stew, chicken and rice, vegetable medley, they all sound so appealing. Which is the best kind for healing fevers? None of them have a neon light pointing to it that reads 'this will fix Erin.' A red label that says chicken noodle soup stands our from the others and I reflexively grab it. This one sounds familiar, it should suffice. Tossing the can into the cart, I grab a few more of the same type. Just as I'm heading towards the check-out line a pharmacy sign practically lunges at me.

Medicine.

Backing away from the line, I make a u-turn towards the shelves that are lined with capsule after capsule of generic cures. I'm skimming several of the labels but I'm not quite sure which one would be the most suitable for her. Elena didn't exactly tell me Erin's diagnosis on the phone. Absentmindedly, I grab a bubble gum flavored cold and flu box, along with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, and also some allergy medicine. Whatever she has, this oughta do it.

**

Erin's sprawled out on my couch, beads of sweat are formed on her skin and her dark locks are matted to her forehead. I've turned the fan on high and adjusted the air conditioning three times. The thermostat currently says its seventy degrees throughout my apartment, yet Erin's still warmer than a furnace. I'm tempted to drop the temperature until it's snowing inside, and bundle myself up, strictly for her well-being.

Hesitation is evident in my hands as I try to pour some of the pink, gooey, liquid medicine into the tiny measuring cup since the dosage is based on weight. Without thinking I tap on her shoulder. She needs medicine and if she doesn't drink this now I'll go insane watching her writhe on my sofa. "Erin..." I whisper loudly.

Her weak eyelids flutter apart and she struggles to look up at me. Guilt washes over me for waking her as her weak lips pull up in a fragile smile. She greets me and I kneel down beside the couch.

"How much do you weigh?"

Erin's eyeing the medicine in my hands now. "What are you talking about?"

"Would you say you're in the seventy to one hundred pound range?" I press. She's still looking at me funny and I explain to her that the medicine dosage depends on weight. Extending her hands, she requests to examine the bottle.

Her tired eyes skim the label and I impatiently wait, obnoxiously tapping my foot, as she searches for details. A humorous expression overtakes her face. "What?" I demand.

"Nothing." She lies, a paroxysm of giggles bubbling out from her pasty lips. Insisting that she tell me what's so funny, Erin finally succumbs to my persistence. "It's just that, this is children's medicine. That's why it's bubble gum flavored and the dosage is measured by weight."

I can feel the color drain from my face. Erin looks up at me pitifully, clearly regretting that she revealed this futile bit of information.

"It's okay," Erin gushes. "I can still take it. I just weigh a little over a hundred, so I'll need a few milliliters more than the measurements show." She's trying to ease my embarrassment and her dainty hand is passing the medicine back to me so I can pour it for her.

Shaking my head, the corners of my lips pull down slightly. "I'll go back to the store."

Erin refuses, insisting that this medicine will work just fine. A wide smile is plastered onto her face as she makes a big show of bringing the cup to her lips and downing the thick liquid. "Yum, tastes like bubble gum." She exaggerates teasingly. She licks her lips slowly and my mind wanders to the idea of tasting her bubble gum tainted lips. Without realizing, I begin leaning towards her. Erin's hand juts out and presses against my chest.

"Ah ah ah." She jokingly scolds. "I'm sick."

My bottom lip juts out in a pout. "I don't mind." I say, leaning in again but she turns her face away so that my lips only graze her cheek.

"If I'm sick and you're sick, who will take care of me?" She has a good point.

"That's easy, Laney. She'll take care of both of us." I fib.

Erin's murky, grey eyes roll exaggeratedly. "Yeah right. Elena couldn't wait to drop me off here. There's no way she'd willingly take on the both of us." The corners of her dry lips are fighting a grin as she considers adding something to prove her point. "You should've seen her. She followed behind me with a can of Lysol and sprayed every surface I touched."

I'm doubled over in laughter at Erin's story and high pitched giggles chime in. Quickly, her laughs turn to coughs and I can see the ache in her eyes.

Rising from her spot on the couch--even though I insisted I could handle it--Erin takes her medicine cup to the sink to rinse. Her gaze falls upon the other medicines that I purchased and she glances over at me. There's a light gleam in her eyes as she purses her lips.

"You bought stomach and allergy medicine too? What type of sickness did you think I had?" Her laugh echoes throughout the room and I hide my face behind my hands grumbling to myself.