Red

CHAPTER TWENTY

Rhiannon

It's Sunday morning, hot, humid and stuffy. I wanted nothing more than to relax in my pool all day, but I really didn't feel up to anything. Except maybe being held by Jacob. His cuddles always made me feel safe, secure, and happy. Right now, I could do with one of those cuddles. I sent him a text and waited for his response. It was Sunday, so he won't be at work. But that didn't mean he wasn't out with friends, last night he hadn't mentioned anything so I hope he's available.

I felt my head grow dizzier and nausea flood my system. Oh god. If this carries on, I can see myself gripping the toilet for the next few hours puking my guts up.

As if my stomach enjoyed the sound of that, a whirl of nausea hit me again but stronger. This time I couldn't keep it in. I steadied myself and raced towards my ensuite bathroom, not forgetting my phone in case Jacob replies. Not that it would be any use. My head was stuck inside the toilet, sick pouring out of me. All I'd eaten this morning was a croissant. It wasn't my usual breakfast type, but it was the only thing I fancied on the table. Or shall I say Buffett. My parents always went overboard for family meals, especially breakfast.

The image of all the food scattered delicately across the table this morning sends another wave of nausea through my system, and intensifies my current situation. The lack of stomach cramps and logical reasoning for me to have a bug baffles me as I sit here almost unconscious. Sickness never agreed with me, and it always made me ten times worse than any other person. Like right now, I'm shivering but sweating all at the same time. Physically shaking. I tried to calculate what I'd ate at least eight hours previous, and come up short when I realised that last night I didn't eat anything. Mom and dad had cooked steak and it was the last thing I wanted; in fact, the sight of it made me almost hurl. Last night I didn't think anything of it, but now? Now I'm questioning if I'm coming down with something serious. It's not like me to not want food that I usually like, and now I'm physically sick.

I groan as my head starts to pound. All that thinking and emptying the tiny contents of my stomach, is clearly becoming too much for my head. I also feel extremely fatigue, almost like I haven't slept for days.

I pull myself up off the floor, gripping the sink to stop myself falling flat on my face, and slowly exit the bathroom to reach my bed. I really need Jacob, but I also need to stay put in bed. There's no way Jacob can come here and I don't think I've got the energy to get to his. This sucks.

On that thought, as I slip between my cold sheets, my phone rings. It's Jacob.

"Hey gorgeous, I've just got home and saw your text. I'm always available for a cuddle, come here and I'll give you one." God he sounds so sexy. Both my stomach and sex are aching now, shame they're both for completely different reasons. I'd do anything to feel one hundred percent so I could get over there and put this one ache to use.

"Baby?" Realising I hadn't replied and actually groaned down the phone instead - at both the reality of my life right now and the fact that another wave of nausea just hit me - he calls me with concern. Again he sounds so sexy.

"I'm ill." Is all I have to say before I hear him practically sit up and then the phone switches to FaceTime. I accept and see the concern flooding through him as he takes me in.

"Fuck, you really don't look well. What's happened?"

"I'm sick. Physically too." I groan again, and squeeze my eyes shut as I become dizzy again. Not now, please! I just want one minute with him! But clearly that's too much to ask as I realise if I don't get back to the bathroom I'm going to puke all over my phone - so basically on Jacob - and my bed.