A Bride for 100 Days

six: we bought Target

I woke up in agony. My whole leg was on fire. 

"Jeb?" I struggled to get up on the crutches and landed face down in the carpet. "Jeb?!"

The bedroom door swung up and he raced to my side. "What...ah..." With an exasperated grunt, he lifted me into his arms bridal style and carried me out to the couch. 

"Meds," I gasped, pressing the heels of my hands into my thigh like I could stop the pain from reaching the rest of me. 

He brought me a pill and a glass of water. I was shaking as I took them. Jeb tossed a gray fleece blanket over me. I sat, shivering and counting up and down to 10 until the pain started to slip away.

"Thank you." My whole body unclenched, bit by bit. My heart stopped thudding like a woodpecker. 

"It shouldn't hurt like this," Jeb shook his head. 

"Dude! Big scary spider! More poisonous than a rattlesnake!"

"Yeah, I know. I been bit a few times myself. In construction, we get all kinds."

"You've been through this more than once?"

Jeb nodded as he pulled out his phone. "Worst of it is always over in maybe 4-8 hours. I don't like this."

"Uh, me either."

He grabbed his phone and flipped to  FaceTime. It only rang once before being answered. "JJ, she's not better," Jeb said to his screen. 

"Let me see."

Jeb brought his iPhone over to the couch and I smiled at Dr. Scott before Jeb aimed the camera at my foot. I winced but followed orders in turning it around for him. 

"Jeb, is that reddish-blue?"

"The mark? Yes," he touched it lightly. "It's hard, a bit raised. Maybe turning into a blister."

"Thanks. Alice, this looks like what we expect. A second or third wave of pain, even worse than the original bite, is not uncommon. I'm concerned by the delay, though. Do you have a rash anywhere else?"

I shook my head. "Not that I've seen."

"Jeb, can you take her temperature?"

He nodded and got an electronic stick that Bluetooth connected with his phone. I was surprised when it turned out to be the thermometer. "99.1, Jay."

"Right. The clinic is closed until 8AM but I want to check to make sure she isn't having a systemic reaction. How soon can you get to the hospital? I'll call ahead."

"We'll leave in 30 minutes."

"Excellent. Jeb? You know Queenie's in labor?"

"WHAT?"

"On and off all night."

"But she was on duty!"

"My wife's a badass, what else do you need to know? The contractions have become steady so it will probably be soon. And that said, uh...she was on the phone with Maggie and..."

"Oh, shit."

"There's your head's up."

"Seriously, what was..."

"In. Labor."

"Fine," Jeb hung up angrily. 

"What's going on?"

"Nothing to worry about. Let's get you to the hospital."

"Not until I've showered and dressed," I said firmly.