Blind date (n.s)

7

"Feel so sick", Louis mumbled whilst resting his head against the car window.

I sighed.
"What a surprise, Lou"

When I finally pulled up in the parking lot of the hospital, I dragged Louis out of my car and hauled him to the reception.
Only a few minutes later Louis was set into a wheelchair and rolled into a treatment room.

I was probably being over dramatic for getting him into hospital after a few bears, but I didn't know what else I could have done. I couldn't take him home with me as I didn't want to disturb my daughters sleep. But I couldn't take him to his flat either because leaving him all on his own was no good.

After a while I had to drive back home to be there when Alice woke up.

The digital clock in my car showed 5.34 when I got home. Alice was probably still asleep so I tried my best in being silent whilst entering the flat.

"Daddy?", a weak voice called me from my bedroom.

I was quite surprised when I found my daughter curled up in my bed. Her eyes were red and her lips fizzy and sore.

"Hey darling", I rushed by her side and set onto the bedside.
"What's the matter with you?"

"I'm not feeling well, daddy", Alice whined.

I put my hand on her forehead. It was very warm. Too warm.

"I think you have a fever, sweetie. Is there anything else that hurts?"

"My head", she answered weakly. "I didn't sleep all night"

"Oh, Alice. You could've woken me up. Okay, let's see... you're definitely not going to school. I'm gonna search for some medicine and you'll go back to sleep again."

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"Juls, I can't go to the blind date." I told Julia through the phone.

"But, Ni..."

"No buts. Alice is ill, I can't leave her alone and Louis shouldn't go anywhere where he has access to alcohol, so no clubs or pubs. Oh, and could you pick him up from the hospital?"

"Yeah, yeah, course. I'll call you later, the lights are turning green again. No talking on the phone and driving at the same time."

"Right. Drive carefully!"

I put the phone onto the nightstand and looked over to my sleeping daughter. Poor darling. I was pretty sure she had the flu.

My phone rang again. But this time it was Shawns name that popped up on the display.

"Shawn?", I asked surprised.

"Hey Niall. You home?"

"I am, but what-?"

"Can I come over real quick? It'll only take five minutes, I promise."

"Sure"

————————————————————————

A few minutes later Shawn and I sat at the kitchen table, both with a hot coffee.

"So what do ya wanna talk about?" I asked and sipped at my cup.

"Yeah, first of all, I don't want to push you into anything. But please listen to me first before getting completely self-pitying and blaming everyone but you"

I gasped. "Excuse me? I'm not self-pitying!"

Shawn raised an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes. He wasn't that wrong to be honest.

"I understand that you are uncomfortable with the blind date. You were right on from the start and that's okay. I know that you don't have the best experiences with dates and I also know that you're not really trusting others, not even Louis or Julia. You have your reasons for being like that but you should really go, you know. I don't have a say in that, that's for sure but I feel like you're being in your own way over and over again. Your sister will be babysitting Alice so there's practically no reason why you can't go. Yes, Alice's not feeling well and it's a fathers duty to take care of their kids, especially when they're ill. But you would miss a big chance if you stay here. Your sister will be here with Alice, so you can go out. I know, that if you're not going today you'll blame yourself afterwards for it."

Shawn looked at my very intensive. I could tell that he knew something I didn't.

"Who am I gonna meet, Shawn?"

"I can't tell you. You have to find out yourself. I'm sorry, really. But Ni please think about going there. He will be waiting at the Kiwi tonight. Julia, Louis and me will be there as well. Just think about it"

I tightened the grip around my cup.

"I have to go now. Barbara will freak if I'm not on time", Shawn emptied his cup with one gulp, "thanks for the coffee, Ni. Bye!"