Kate & Ann

Pull Over!

*Vomit Warning*
*Emetophobia Warning*

Dinner party, after dinner drinks.  Kate was standing near a crackling fire, chatting with a few friends over wine when she noticed Ann sit gingerly on a sofa in the corner of the room. 

Kate's eyes narrowed.  Ann had been acting strange all night, claiming (not very convincingly) that she just was sleep deprived.  She looks like she's in pain...

"Can you excuse me for a minute?" Kate asked with a polite smile, edging out of the circle and walking over to Ann.  Ann looked up as she approached, a weary expression on her face. 

"How's it going?" Kate asked, taking a seat beside her girlfriend.

"I don't feel very good," Ann replied quietly, leaning her head on Kate's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Kate ran her fingers through Ann's hair as she waited for a response.  "Do you want to leave?"
"I don't know."  Ann sat up, wincing a little. 

"My stomach feels weird."
"Maybe you ate too much?"
"Yeah.  Yeah, maybe."  Ann swallowed and forced a smile.  "I think I just need to lay down."

"Let's go home.  I'm talked-out anyway.  Okay?"  Kate looked at Ann, who nodded in agreement.  Kate kissed her forehead.

After saying their goodbyes and gathering their things, the two women headed to Kate's car.  

Ann was unusually quiet.  Kate thought about asking her again how she was feeling, but decided against it as she started the engine.

The first fifteen minutes of the drive were uneventful, the radio playing '80s rock as the highway flashed by outside.  Kate stole a few glances at Ann – each time her head was resting against the headrest, eyes closed.

Just as it started to rain, small droplets splattering the windshield, Ann opened her eyes and sat up.  "Uhhhhh," she moaned softly, sounding pained.  She was breathing through her mouth, one hand over her stomach.

"Are you alright?" Kate asked as she turned down the music.
"Can you pull over?" Ann asked shakily.

She'd picked the wrong time to ask.  They had just exited the highway onto a crowded main street, and were sitting in two-lane traffic stopped at a light.  "I will as soon as I can,"

Kate said, looking for something Ann could be sick in.  The only container she spotted was an empty thermos.   She handed it to Ann, who suddenly seemed unable to speak.

Traffic started moving again.  Ann clutched the thermos in both hands, stomach churning. 

Her eyes started watering as saliva began to pool in her mouth – she knew what was about to happen.  She gagged, and suddenly her dinner was in her throat as the first wave of vomit showered into the small thermos. 

"Okay, hang on," Kate said, eyes scanning the road ahead for a strip mall or a side street.   "I'm so sorry, darling." 

Ann grimaced, hating the taste in her mouth but also terrified that if she was sick again, the thermos would overflow.  Unfortunately, the hypothetical scenario quickly became a reality as a wet burp brought up another, chunkier stream of vomit which almost immediately overwhelmed the container and overflowed onto her lap.

"Shit.  Okay, I see a side street – just a few more seconds," Kate said, trying to stay calm. 

Ann moaned as the hot liquid soaked through her tights.  Somehow she felt worse, not better – and she could feel more pressure building in her chest, her body trembling. 

The second Kate stopped the car, Ann opened the door and threw up a massive amount of liquidy vomit all over the curb.  She coughed, trying to prevent the thermos from spilling as her body started shaking.

Kate appeared in front of her, maneuvering around the puke.  She took the thermos, then managed to pull Ann – carefully – out of the car onto the grass.  Ann stumbled a little, clutching her stomach in pain. 

Somewhere Kate had found paper towels, and she started wiping the vomit off Ann's clothing while trying to comfort her.  "Talk to me," she said gently, looking at Ann under the streetlights.  The rain was still falling – but it was light, almost refreshing.

"I feel sick," Ann whispered, taking shallow breaths.  Kate rubbed her back, a little surprised that Ann wasn't feeling better after vomiting so much. 

Moments later Ann's breath caught in her throat and she gagged again, leaning over the grass as a thin stream of vomit spilled out of her mouth.  Spitting out bile, she cleared her throat enough to say, "A little better now."

"We should get you out of the rain."  Kate kissed Ann's cheek, and Ann nodded weakly.  Kate helped her stand on shaky legs, then opened the back door (where the seats weren't speckled with puke).  "Ten minutes and then we're home."

Ann nodded again, curling into a ball in the back seat.  "Thank you," she mumbled.
"Anytime, sweetheart."