Daydream Believer

xxii. sick days and staying home

xxii. sick days and staying home

I woke up sweating. I weakly got out of bed. I had a headache and I was tired. I slowly walked to the breakfast table.

"I don't feel good," I said.

"It's well, McKenna," Mommy said. "You don't feel well."

"What's wrong, McKenna?" Daddy asked.

"I have a headache and my tummy hurts and my nose is really runny and I just don't feel good."

"McKenna, if you're just saying this so that you can get out of going to school today..." Mommy said.

"I'm not Mommy!" I didn't want to go to school, but I really did feel sick.

"We can't wreck your perfect attendance," Mommy said. "You're not throwing up or anything, so we're sending you to school."

"But Mommy!" I said.

"You're obviously feeling okay enough to go to school," Mommy said.

"Janice, maybe we should take her temperature first," Daddy said. "She does seem kind of sick." Daddy ran to get the thermometer. I sat at the table. I really didn't feel good.

Daddy came back with the purple thermometer. I opened my mouth and Daddy stuck the thermometer in it.

"101.5," Daddy said. "Let's have her stay home."

"Okay," Mommy said. "But one of us is going to have to stay home with her."

"I'll do it," Daddy said. Mommy ran off to get Noah ready. "Do you need anything?" Daddy asked me.

"I don't feel good," I said.

"I'll get you some medicine," Daddy said. He got me some thick, blue liquid and I drank it. "That should make you feel better."

I lay down on the couch. "Can you get Bronto?" I asked.

"Sure," Daddy said. He went into my room and got Bronto. "This is it, right?"

"Yes. Thank you Daddy."

"You're welcome McKenna."

I curled up with Bronto. "Can you turn on the TV?"

Daddy turned on Cartoon Network. "Scooby Doo okay?" Daddy asked. I nodded. Daddy walked into the kitchen and started making some soup. I was tired, so I snuggled up with Bronto. Before long, the rhythms of the TV made me fall asleep.