Dr. Ricky
(I was inspired to write this fan fiction after I got sunburned at the beach a couple of weeks ago. I remembered the episode in ILL where Lucy wanted a tan, but ended up getting badly burned and then she had to model that tweed dress in the Don Loper fashion show. This takes place after the fashion show and from Ricky's point of view. I've never really done one from his alone, so we'll see how this goes!)
Ricky laid in bed and held his burnt wife in his arms. He looked down at her face and he could see the pain that was etched on it. He had warned her not to try to get a suntan because of her "fur" skin. Now, here she was, in pain and there wasn't anything he could do. He felt so bad for her and wished he could feel the pain for her instead of having her go through it.
Lucy turned slightly in her husband's arms and let out a moan. Ricky looked down at her face again and she was looking into his eyes. She looked teary-eyed and that the pain had gotten worse.
"Honey, dun't worry. This pain should only las' a couple days. Jus' try nut to move."
"Ok," whispered Lucy.
"Lemme jus' hol' you"
Lucy nodded her head slightly and adjusted herself again, which made her wince out in pain.
"Aww, honey."
Ricky thought back to when he came home from the studio earlier that day. Lucy had just been in the Don Loper fashion show and had come home to see the Loper original dress he bought her, but she was feeling awful with her suntan. He found her laying on the couch, with Ethel handing her a cloth full of ice cubes.
"Sweetheart, does it really hurt that bad?"
"Well, let's...try setting...you on fire and...see if you...still ask if it...hurts that bad," said Lucy, painfully.
"Oh, brother! Well, I tol' you that you would get burned with your fur skin and look what happen'!"
"Please...let's not say...'I told you so' now, Ricky. My body is burning with 'I told you so's'"
Ricky looked down at his helpless wife and knew that this wasn't the time to make fun of her, since she was in so much pain. He knew that she would need his help in the next few days.
"Ethel, you can go, if you want. I can take care of Lucy."
"Well, if you need any help, you know where I am."
"Thank you. We'll see you later."
"Take care and Lucy, feel better, honey, okay?"
"Okay," said Lucy, weakly.
As Ethel left, Ricky looked again at his wife and sat next to her on the couch. He noticed that she was starting to cry and he knew that he had to start making her feel better.
"Lucy, what can I do to make you feel better?"
"I think a cold shower would help me and then I need some aloe lotion. We don't have any, though. I meant to go get some on the way home, but I was in too much pain. I just wanted to get back here."
"I'll see if Ethel can get you some."
While Ricky called Ethel, he felt his heart breaking at the sight of his poor wife. She wanted a tan very badly, but now she was suffering for it. After getting off of the phone with Ethel, he went back to his wife's side and decided to wait to get her into a cold shower. Undoubtedly, he would have to help her and he knew it wasn't appropriate to help her with that and then having Ethel walk in.
"Hi Ricky, how's our patient doing?" asked Ethel, as she walked into the Ricardo hotel room.
"She's still in a lot of pain. I'm goin' to have her take a cold shower and then put the lotion on her. Is there anythin' else I can do?"
"Maybe giving her some aspirin. It might even help her sleep and take away some of the sting from the burn."
"Ok, I think we have some of that. Thanks Ethel. If I need anythin' else, I'll call you."
Ethel walked back to her room and Ricky looked over at his wife, whose face was wrinkled in pain. He couldn't stand seeing her like this and decided that she needed help now.
"Ok, sweetheart, we're goin' to get you in the cold shower first. Here, let me help you up."
Ricky picked Lucy up gently in his arms and tried not to jostle her, for fear that he would cause her more pain. He brought her to the bathroom and set her down. Ricky turned on the shower and made sure it was the coldest temperature he could get it to. He started to pull the zipper down from her dress and removed all of her clothing. Not wanting to get his suit wet, he stripped down to his boxers and got in with her.
"Oooh...my...God...Ricky...this water is...frrreezing!"
"I know, honey, but it'll help the burn."
Ricky had to admit that the water was unbelievably cold, but if it helped Lucy with her terrible burn, then it would be worth it in the end.
They spent about three minutes in the shower before Lucy finally switched off the frigid water and told Ricky that she had enough of the coldness. Ricky agreed and helped her out of the shower stall. He gave her a towel and took a towel for himself.
"Ok, Lucy, now it's time for the aloe lotion. This will help make your burn feel a lot better. Ethel also tol' me to give you aspirin. She said it would help you sleep and take some pain away."
"Ok, llllett's go," shivered Lucy, still recovering from her ice water shower.
Ricky removed the towel from his wife's body and couldn't help, but look at her from head to toe in admiration. He knew he shouldn't be thinking of her this way right now since she was in so much pain, but he couldn't stop himself.
"Ricky, stop looking...at me!"
"I can't help it, Lucy. Even with red skin, you're still so beautiful."
Lucy gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, but quickly winced in pain as she had just moved the wrong way with her delicate skin. Ricky knew this was no time to start romancing his wife and that there would be plenty of time for that later when she was healed.
Ricky got the lotion, squirt some on his hands and started to gently rub it on his wife's red body. He knew that this was going to hurt her and the last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain. As he put the aloe on her body, he knew that she was being brave and trying not to complain about how much it burned. Ricky started putting the lotion on her legs first and went up to her thighs. He then put it on her arms and her shoulders, then decided to do something that might make her feel better. He gave her a few gentle kisses on her shoulders and at the base of her neck. After putting the lotion on her face and the back of her body, he ran to the bedroom to get her nightgown. He helped put the flowy gown over her body, picked her up again, the same way as before, and laid her gently on the bed.
"Honey, I'll take that aspirin now."
"Ok, Lucy, I'll get it for you."
Walking into the bathroom, he went into the medicine cabinet, retrieved the aspirin, got a glass of water for her and went back to where she was resting. After taking the aspirin, Ricky decided to ask his wife if she needed anything.
"I do want you to do something for me."
"Anythin', sweetheart."
"Will you stay here in bed and hold me?"
"Of course, I will. Anythin' for you."
Ricky got into bed with his wife and gently gathered her in his arms. He noticed her wince for a quick second, but then smile when she was finally in her favorite spot.
"I should've listened to you about trying to get tan. I just wanted to be able to go back to New York and show off for everyone. Now, here I am, paying for it."
"Honey, I can understand that. Dun't worry, you'll feel better in a few days. I'll be here to help you, I promise. What else are husbands for?"
Lucy smiled up at her handsome husband and laid her head on his chest. All Ricky felt like he could do was try to comfort her in some way. He took the tips of his fingers and gently moved them up and down her arm. For the first time since he'd come home, he didn't feel her tense up and as he looked at her, he didn't see her pained face. He actually saw her relax and smile, which told him that what he was doing, had helped tremendously.
"Thank you, Dr. Ricardo," said Lucy, sleepily.
"You're welcome, sweetheart."
He felt her breathing becoming regular and he continued strumming his fingers against her delicate skin. He was proud that he was able to take care of his wife in her time of need.
A few hours later, after replaying the day, Ricky looked at Lucy and saw that some of the pain was back. She asked Ricky if he could gently rub her arm again with his fingertips like he had before. He was more than happy to grant his wife's wish because no matter what, she was the love of his life. No matter what kind of crazy stunts she pulled or whether she listened to him or not, she was his Lucy and that's the way that it would stay.