It was one of those days. Those days that you just want to lie there in bed, eyes wide open, tucked tightly in your nice warm bed. The rain falls against the windowsill, the pitter patter of rain could be heard, splashing gently against the window. Joy lies there, stretched out in her four poster bed. She had just awoken abruptly; her sheets still clung to her. Sweating profusely, she had just woken up from a nightmare and was still heavily breathing. Joy sits up in the bed, and turns to face her nightstand, finding a cup of tea…her favorite kind of tea. Next to the cup of tea, there was a note. She picks up the note, proceeding to read it. Quickly she recognized the handwriting. It was Victoria's handwriting.
'Good morning, Joy. Made some tea, and thought you would like some on this dreary day. Love you, Victoria.'
Joy smiles sweetly, taking a sip. She loved tea, and Victoria made her one of her favorite breakfast teas. The warm liquid felt good against her parched throat, she was thirsty after what she presumed to be the worst nightmare she had since she was a young child. She picks the cup up once again, and takes another sip, savoring the tart flavoring of the tea. Noticing Victoria had added honey to the tea, she smiles. As she thought about it, she sees a familiar face peer into the room. It was Victoria, carrying a tray of food. She sees Joy has awoken, and smiles brightly.
'Good morning, I see you've finally woken up. How are you feeling? Are you up to taking a brisk walk outside with me? It's lovely outside today.'
Joy smiles sweetly as Victoria sets the plate of food in front of her. She still felt feverish from the night before. Maybe this explained the sweating she was experiencing this morning when she woke up. She must have been ill. Eating the oatmeal in front of her, she gagged a bit. Joy hated oatmeal. She always thought it looked so blah, and how it tasted so bland. Even with garnishing it, she still found it to be something she would likely turn her nose up at. Victoria laughs a little, trying to cover it by covering her mouth.
'I know you despise oatmeal, but please, eat. They say it's better to eat things like that when you're not feeling too well. Oh yes, and soup…yes…soup.'
Joy looks up at Victoria, raising an eyebrow. 'How long was I out?'
Picking up her cup of tea, Joy takes another sip, as she toys with the string from the teabag still inside the cup.
Victoria thinks for a moment. She remembers picking up Joy off the floor, still in her nightgown and carrying her to the bed. She had found Joy there, feverish and barely coherent. Victoria remembers to take Joy's temperature, and finds she is feverish. She sends for a doctor, and sure enough, the only on call doctor that still came to visit patients at home, checked in on Joy. Apparently, Joy had the flu, and it was pretty bad. Her fever was still pretty bad, as Victoria could feel the sweat bead down Joy's forehead. Sighing, she had dabbed a washcloth into a bowl of cold water Elka had gotten for her, and dabbed Joy's forehead and cheeks gently. She hears Joy sleeping soundly, and smiling Victoria knew, her girl was a fighter. Meanwhile, Melanie went out to get ingredients for the soup, and Victoria stayed near Joy, making sure she was alright.
'You were out about twelve hours or so, Joy. I took care of you while Melanie went to the market for ingredients for a soup. She says that she used to make this soup when Jenna or Will was ill, and she thought it would be great for you too.'
Joy smiled, thankful for her wonderful friends. She was grateful that Victoria took care of her, with the help of Melanie. They had always been there for her. They had seen her at her best, and helped her through her worst moments. She didn't know what she would do without them. She knew that she had the best friends that one could ever ask for. They took care of her when she was sick; they took her out when she was lonely. They cheered her up when things didn't go right. She had to admit, they were pretty special to her.
Setting the cup down momentarily, she reaches over to turn the light on beside her bed. It was still very much dark out; the sun had yet to peek through. Actually, she didn't seem to think it would, considering how gloomy it looked outside. The clouds were dark and brooding, and she could tell it was windy outside because the large trees in the backyard, which her room faced swayed enough that it was noticeable. Victoria sits there on the wicker chair, watching Joy stare outside at the rain.
'When you are well again, Reyjoyla, we will go on that walk…I promised that to you.'