Pushed & Pulled

Chapter 12: The letter

You can suffer the pain of change or suffer remaining the way you are. 

-Joyce Meyer-

"Achoo! This is no fair Cameron!" I pout between blowing my nose and sneezing. He chuckles. "It's not funny!" I yell. "You're right it's not funny and I really do feel bad that you're sick." He strokes my hair behind my ear. "But you look so cute, with your little red nose." He smirks down at me. I glare at him trying my best to stay mad. "This is all your fault! I had to call off work for the whole week with the way I'm feeling right now." Cameron finishes putting his tie on and grabs his blazer from the chair by the window. "I can't believe you're not sick, we were both in the freezing water." I cross my arms over my chest. "True." He nods his head. "But I have lived here all my life so I'm used to the water, you're not." He taps my chapped nose then kisses my forehead.

 "Jeez you are burning up." I shiver as soon as the words leave his mouth. "I don't feel hot." I mumble pulling the blanket close to my body. "I'm going to run downstairs and bring you back some Tylenol, and a couple waters, would you like anything else?" I give him a pointed look. "Yeah, I would like you to stay home and take care of me since again this is your fault!" He chuckles again shaking his head. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?" "Not a chance!" I pout. He turns and leaves the room still chuckling.

I hate being sick. I think to myself. Probably due to me being a Nurse we might actually be bigger babies then our patients. Ha yeah right!  As promised Cameron returns with Tylenol and water. He places two white tabs in my hand and I pop them in my mouth then chug down a bottle of water. "I guess I should've brought up more than three." He smiles. "I'll be fine; I promise go to work. He hesitates for a second but then kisses my cheek and heads out. I turn the T.V. on and decide to watch the news. It doesn't take long before my eyes feel heavy with sleep, I scoot down in the bed and pull the covers over me, with one foot hanging out I drift to sleep.  

"I can't breathe." I think in my head. "I can't move either!" I slowly start to open my eyes and see max lying on top of my entire body. I shove him off to Cameron's side. "Jeez max, you are not a lap dog!" I giggle scratching his ears. I grab my cell phone off the nightstand and see that it's noon. I blow my nose stretch and start to make my way downstairs. As I turn the corner to the kitchen, I see Mrs. Gramm at the stove. She turns and nearly drops the soup pan she's holding. 

"Oh!" she grasps her chest. "Oh my dear you startled me." I give her a small smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here, Mrs. Gramm." I sniff my nose while walking over to the table to grab a tissue. "Oh my." She walks over to me and gently places the back of her hand to my forehead. "You sound terrible, and you're burning up. How in the world did you get sick?" I smile at the memory of Cameron throwing me into the cold water. I decide to just shrug my shoulders. "Cameron didn't tell you I'd be stopping by, did he?" "No, he didn't but I'm not going to be upset if I get to eat whatever it is that you're cooking." I try to inhale but only sniff back mucous. "I made it just for you!" She smiles warmly at me as she heads back over to the pot of soup. "Now head upstairs and get back in that bed, I will make you some tea and bring everything up when I'm done." She kindly says over her shoulder while stirring the soup. "Thank you." I sigh then head back upstairs. I climb into Cameron's bed and snuggle in. 

Ten minutes later Mrs. Gramm walks in holding a tray with the soup and tea she promised. I sit up and she puts the tray over my lap. "The soup looks delicious I wish I could smell it too, but I'm sure it smells just as good." She smiles at me. I briefly think about how my mother used to bring me soup when I was sick and the memory warms my heart. I take a sip of the tea noting it has just the right amount of milk and sugar. I look up at her. "You have definitely made Cameron tea more than once or twice because this is perfect!" I place both my hands around the ceramic mug soaking in the warmth. She gives me a wink. The soup soothes my sore throat as the hot liquid slides down to my stomach. "It tastes like a dream, Mrs. Gramm. Thank you." "Please call me Harriot." She smiles at me warmly. "I unfortunately have to leave; I have a doctor's appointment at two, but if you need anything just give me a call." I smile and thank her again. I finish the soup and tea and decide to take a shower. Twenty minutes later I'm out and dressed in clean shorts and a tank. I blow dry my hair since I don't want to get into bed with wet hair, although I'm already sick so it probably wouldn't matter either way. I think to myself. Once I'm back in bed, I take two more Tylenol and slowly drift back to sleep.