Drifting to sleep
˝Hey...How is she?" Fanboy whispered quietly as he kneeled down next to Yo, who was sitting on the couch, their 2-year-old lying in her lap.
˝The same," Yo whispered back, gently caressing the girl's hair and removing long black locks from her forehead, in effort to make her feel cooler. ˝The fever's still there and she didn´t eat anything apart from few spoons of soup that I managed to sneak into her mouth," she said, leaning down and caringly kissing the top of girl´s flat head.
˝She calmed down, though," she added, pointing her head at her daughter, who was sucking at her thumb quietly; staring absently somewhere in front of her.
Fanboy leaned forward, his hand softly reaching for Fandrea's forehead. "She´s still burning," he said, and his eyes met hers. She could see the pain in them. She knew he hated when something like this would happen. She hated it too. As parents, they wanted the best for their child and there was no worse thing than seeing her hurt; especially if the child was young and couldn't understand while her parents, who, in her eyes, were supposed to know how to fix everything, couldn't make her feel better.
˝Yeah, she is. ˝Yo said, looking tenderly at her daughter. "Although…I think the fever is a bit smaller than it was half an hour ago. ˝she added, throwing a small comforting smile at Fanboy.
Fanboy smiled too. He knew she guessed what he had been thinking of. He loved that about her. That she knew to guess his thoughts without him needing to voice them. It was kind of special ability that the two of them shared. They had been feeling it before too; but it grew only bigger once they´ve become a couple; and especially since they´ve been blessed with a child. He felt like he didn't only know her character, her personality; but her soul too. Her core. And he knew she was feeling the same.
"Okay. I´ll bring some wet cloth and you try to lay her down, so I can apply it, okay?" he directed, getting up.
"Okay," said Yo, nodding. She reached to stand up, but suddenly she felt dizzy, her head exploding with sudden warmth.
"Whoa, whoa…" Fanboy said, reaching forward to steady her. His hands easily found her shoulders and he applied a small pressure, helping her sit down again. "You okay?" he said, looking at her worryingly.
˝Yeah, I just felt dizzy for a moment," she said, rubbing her forehead. "I´m alright now," she rushed, not wanting him to push the discussion further.
˝You don't look alright," Fanboy said in a concerned voice, kneeling down again.
˝Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel special," she teased, a small smile appearing on her lips.
Fanboy laughed. ˝You know I didn't mean it like that, Yo," he said, grinning widely at her.
˝Yeah, I know," she whispered back, blushing slightly.
Fanboy looked at her, stunned for a moment. She was beautiful. He loved the way her eyes would shine whenever she looked at him or at their daughter; and the way her lips would reflexively spread into small smile; often barely noticeable, but still visible enough to tell him everything he needed to know: that she was happy.
He was brought back to reality as he saw her eyes closing a bit, like she was fighting the instinct to fall asleep.
˝Yo?" he said, straightening up. ˝Are you okay? ˝
She forced herself to open her eyes. She was starting to feel really strange: her head suddenly felt heavy and her body limp.
˝It´s nothing, really," she rushed. ˝I guess I´m a bit tired, that´s all," she said, trying to make her voice sound sincere.
But Fanboy wouldn't fall for it. Despite her protests, he brought his hand to her face and gently pressed his palm against her forehead, feeling relieving moan involuntary escaping her mouth as his cold skin met with the warmness of her forehead.
˝You´re burning up, too," he said quietly, as he gently removed few raven locks from the front of her head. He bent down and kissed her forehead; maintaining his lips there for a moment like he wanted to soothe her heating skin.
"Okay, let´s go," he said determinately as he reached down to take Fandrea from her arms.
"Where are we going?" asked Yo, handing over the toddler. She watched Fanboy confusingly as he placed the girl on his bony hip; her flat head leaning down immediately on his torso; then reached out for her.
˝We…are not going anywhere," Fanboy said, taking her hands and pulling her up. ˝But you are going to lay down a bit," he said, moving her in front of him and gently pushing her forwards.
˝Lance…˝ groaned Yo, but Fanboy wouldn't take none of it.
˝The question is not even open for discussion," he said firmly, guiding her into the room.
Once they got there, he quietly helped her climb into the tall bed, covering her with the blanket. "There. I´m going to take Fandrea in the living room and try to make her to drink something; and you stay here, okay?" he asked, tucking her in gently.
˝Whatever you say, doctor," said Yo smiling, knowing that arguing about it with Fanboy wouldn't take her anywhere.
Fanboy leaned Fandrea down so Yo could kiss her; and then leaned himself too, capturing her lips in one brief, but tender kiss. ˝Try to get some sleep, okay?" he said tenderly, straightening up.
˝Okay," Yo replied quietly.
Fanboy kissed her forehead one last time; then got up and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
˝So…what are we going to do?" Fanboy asked, managing his daughter with one hand and trying to make a cup of tea with another. He poured the water in the cup, adding a couple of guava leaves and two spoons of sugar; then reached out to the cupboard and took a bowl of home-made syrup. He had a hard time doing all of it with one hand, and Fandrea wasn't making things any easier while she was trying to push his hand away from the medicines.
"Fandrea not wanting that," she protested, shaking her little head.
"Fandrea doesn't want what?" Fanboy asked, moving her hand away and trying to stop her from spilling it out.
"The yucky thing," she said, pointing to the syrup.
"Awww…it´s not yucky," Fanboy said, finally finishing. Fandrea raised her head from his shoulder and gave him a look; the one that reminded him so much of Yo when she would try to tell him to cut with it. ˝Okay, it is yucky," he surrendered, grinning. ˝But…" he said, opening the cupboard and taking the purple spoon. ˝…It's not yucky when you have…the magic spoon," he said, eyes going wide to show her that he wasn't joking.
"Magic spoo? ˝Fandrea asked skeptically, but her eyes still flickering with interest.
"Yep," said Fanboy, taking the cup and heading into the living room. He eased himself down on the couch; then placed is daughter in his lap, turning her so she was facing him. ˝You see…" he explained, taking some of the syrup with the spoon. ˝this spoon is magical because…one sip out of it and…you´ll immediately feel better," he finished.
"Pwomise?" Fandrea asked, her eyes growing wide.
"I promise," Fanboy assured her. ˝Plus, you get a bedtime story. Aaaand…you get to choose which one! ˝he added, knowing exactly how to win her.
He saw the smile on her face and he knew he won this round. "So…are we gonna do it?" he asked enthusiastically. Fandrea nodded. "Okay…here we go!" Fanboy said, reaching out with the spoon. The girl watched his every move intensively, but as the spoon came nearer to her mouth, she instinctively closed her eyes and mouth. "Um…Fandrea, sweetie…I´m afraid that for this to work, we´re gonna need your mouth open," Fanboy explained teasingly, smiling.
Fandrea opened her eyes and smiled a bit, blushing slightly. "Sowwy, Daddy," she said, still smiling. She rubbed her eyes tiredly; then obediently opened her mouth. Fanboy kissed her on the cheek; then poured in the syrup in her mouth, waiting as she licked the spoon clean.
The girl grimaced a bit, but swallowed it anyway.
"See…it wasn't that bad," Fanboy smiled, shifting a bit so he could make himself more comfortable. "Now…to make the yucky taste go away…I have some…Ice Monster Bun-Buns!" he said, taking a plate off the nearby table, "Extra sweet!" he added, knowing how much the girl loved sweet. Usually, he and Yo would let her take only one piece of sugar; but he decided to make an exception this time, considering she was sick.
For this he didn't have to plead her, because the girl was crazy for Ice Monster Bun-Buns. Wonder who she got that from? –he thought, smiling. He gently handed her a piece and allowed her to eat it, patiently waiting. He waited for a few minutes until she ate it all; then wiped her mouth happily with the back of her sleeve. Fanboy took the plate and placed it carefully on the table; then sat back down, taking the blanket and un-wrapped it.
"Okay…story time," he said, laying down on the green patched-up couch and taking the girl with him, covering them both with the blanket. "Soooo…which one would you like?" he asked, secretly praying that it wasn't the one he thought was coming.
"I want Beauty and the Beast!" Fandrea squealed excitedly.
Fanboy sighed, mutely cursing himself for telling her she got to choose. She'd been asking them to tell her this story over and over again, ever since Yo so wisely told it to her the first time. Of course, it was easier to Yo to deal with it, ´cause she managed to get out of it pretty soon, considering that Fandrea was real ´daddy´s girl´, at least when tucking in was in question. Fanboy still didn't know it for sure, but he had his doubts that Yo actually somehow managed to convince their girl that daddy was better at telling stories, because Fandrea now refused to go to sleep until he told her at least one story.
"Fandrea …wouldn't you rather want to hear the one about…?" he started, trying his last chance.
"Daddy, tell me," the girl cut him off, lifting up to smile at him adorably; then placing her head down at his chest.
"Fine…" Fanboy sighed, smiling. Clearing up his throat, he started: "Once upon a time, in the city far, far away, lived a rich merchant with his daughters, one of whom was called Beauty, because she was the prettiest girl in the town," he started, knowing the text by memory by now. "…Just like you are," he added, his finger poking Fandrea gently on the nose, but taking opportunity to check her forehead at the same time.
Good, she wasn't so much feverish anymore. –he thought; smiling for a moment; then resuming with the story telling. "But unfortunately, the rich merchant lost his all of his wealth, and he and his daughters had to move to live in the countryside.
One day, after having just heard that one of his ships had returned, the merchant decided to go to the city, and asked each of his daughters what they would want for him to bring them.
His oldest daughter said she wanted him to bring her some jewelry; his middle one, a dress; but the youngest one, who was the modest of them all, asked only for…a rose," he whispered the last part. He moved his head sideways slightly, looking at his daughter. The girl was slowly falling into sleep, playing absently with the edge of her dad´s shirt; her eyes closing occasionally. Fanboy felt his eyes starting to close too and he prayed that she would fall asleep soon; because he was also very tired and he wasn't sure how long he could stay awake anymore.
"Unfortunately…the big storm started…and the old merchant got himself lost in the daaark, scary forest…" he continued; his voice a bit quieter. "…The storm was getting bigger and biggeeerrr," he yawned, checking down on the girl again. She was having her eyes closed now, and he could tell by her breathing that she was slowly going into sleep; maybe even already sleeping; but…he didn't want to take a risk.
He knew he had to continue, at least for a bit more, because it knew to happen to him a lot to find himself in the situation that he stopped telling the story too soon; and then had to start it all from the beginning, because Fandrea would claim that he cheated.
So…he yawned once again and resumed the telling. "And the merchant found himself a shelter in a big palace, not aware that it was the castle of…the Beast," he said, almost whispering.
He paused for a while to see if he would get any reaction from Fandrea; and found himself grinning widely as he established that she indeed was already in a deep sleep. He slowly reached his arm backwards, turning off the light; then, still as slowly as possible, returned it in front.
He checked her forehead again and smiled quietly at the realization that she didn't have a fever anymore. He pulled up the blanket a little bit; then wrapped his arm gently on his daughter's back. He placed one small kiss on the top of her head; then brought his head down to pillow again, closing his eyes. "And they lived happily ever after," he mumbled quietly before drifting to sleep…
Epilogue…
Yo got up and made her way slowly out of the room. She wasn't feeling dizzy anymore, although she still was quite sleepy. She reached the living room on her tiptoes and stopped herself at the doorway, enchanted by the scene in front. Fandrea was lying on Fanboy; her soft black locks spread widely across Fanboy´s chest; her hand clutching her daddy´s neon green shirt.
Yo moved in a bit closer. She could see Fanboy was sleeping too; one of his arms wrapped up tightly around the little girl; the other resting on his forehead. They both had their mouths partially open and both drooled a bit. Yo giggled, bringing her hands to her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. She slowly took off her shoes; and approached the sleeping pair on the couch; pausing for a while to just look at them. They looked so adorable together.
She slowly bent to touch Fandrea´s forehead and let out a relieved smile as she saw that the girl wasn't warm anymore. "Seems like Daddy managed to find the right cure," she whispered quietly, smiling at the two of them. Slowly, she went to the lower side of the couch and lifted the blanket a little, sneaking in on the couch too.
She felt Fanboy moving slightly and she looked up at him, seeing that he was looking at her with an utterly confused and sleepy expression on his face. "Go back to sleep," she said to him quietly; smiling as she watched him nodding confusingly and then lowering himself on the pillow again. Yo lowered too; putting one hand under the pillow; and throwing the other one across Fanboy's leg. She closed her eyes, and, listening to the sound of her daughter´s peaceful breathing, found herself drifting to sleep again too…