Lyra believes she has a reasonable handle on her life. Or so she thought, until her life was interrupted by a charismatic French dancer. She faces competition from other women, interference from her family, and a man from a past relationship that wa...
Lyra groaned as she trudged to the kitchen to make some hot tea, the next morning. She felt queasy and achy trying to make herself breakfast. Just her luck, her monthly present came with an upset stomach. Finally she managed to swallow a few bites of toast and a couple of sips of her Peppermint tea before her stomach flipped. She barely made it to the bathroom before she lost it.
She called her assistant to bring fresh cinnamon and ginger as she put uncooked rice in a cloth sleeve and put it in the microwave. She chewed on a lemon before she slowly nibbled on saltine crackers and sipped the rest of her tea. She placed the sleeve on her abdomen and laid on the couch and waited for her assistant to arrive.
~~~
Lyra felt someone pat a cold cloth on her forehead and opened her eyes. Ina smiled handing Lyra a glass of water while telling her she had a bit of a fever. Lyra sat up and instantly felt overheated. Ina waited while Lyra put on some clothes before heading to the doctor.
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Lyra started feeling overheated and nauseous as she waited in the doctor's office to be called. Ina got her more water and a fan.
Lyra told the doctor her symptoms, while she struggled to keep the little food she ate in her stomach. Finally he reassured them that Lyra will be alright. He recommended she avoid caffeine and drink plenty of fluids. He also recommended ginger ale or ginger tea with honey.
Lyra lost her battle with her stomach, throwing up into the trash can. Ina rubbed her back and held her hair while the doctor wrote a list of instructions for home care. Ina took Lyra to buy fresh ginger tea then dropped her off at home.
Lyra called Keisha for a progress report then Keisha listened as Lyra contemplated how to deal with her parents. Finally she assured Lyra everything will be alright. She told her to take a warm bath and calm down.
She asked if Laurent was with her. Lyra laughed and told her he was busy for the next few weeks. Keisha nodded and told her she could send someone to watch him if she was worried about him. Lyra refused because she didn't want to bother anyone else. Keisha recommended Lyra contact her Nonna, being the closest family member to her emotionally and geographically, for more insight. Lyra agreed because her Nonna was in Belgium and her favorite family member.
Her Nonna lived about 3 hours away but had a lead foot so she could make the trip in a little over 2. Lyra thanked Keisha and called Nonna, Caterina.
Lyra barely got a word in before Catarina told Lyra she would arrive at Lyra’s tomorrow morning.
Her Nonna always said she was too old to mince words or sugar coat the truth. One of the many reasons Lyra's mother and her didn’t get along. Lyra spent summers with her Nonna from age 5 to about 14.
Catarina worked hard for to earn and maintain her wealth. Lyra’s mother, Marie, was a flight attendant when she met her father. Her mother came from a lower middle class family while Catarina worked her up from the dirt. Catarina fell in love with and married a man, who was clueless to her wealth but, he owned a moderately successful vineyard.
