2)Sick
One week later…
"How was your date?", Sarah's voice comes across the living room.
"It was fun. He took me to my favourite restaurant and he paid for dinner."
"Wow…", Sarah's sarcasm is now head obvious.
"Look, don't you like Tony? What has he done to you? You know, when we started knowing each other, I thought that you'd really like him... He wasn't like the others, when they'd found out I've got a daughter they'd run off. Tony liked you very much and he's looking forward to seeing you every time!", she yells.
"Yeah, mom, I just can't bare it anymore, I can't! Next month it'll be some other guy, and the month after that, another one! Don't you see it? Since Dad left us you really lost your limits…"
Meg is left speechless.
"...Look... I'm sorry if he bothers you so much, I'll try and keep him out of the house."
"Whatever…"
Sarah rushes back to her room. She knows what she said to her Mom was rather selfish. But she won't apologize. She still isn't over her parent's break up. And she just can't bare another guy who would come and go. He would remind her of her own Dad.
The day after…
"Hey, how was school today?"
"As always…", replies Sarah, who had just arrived at home. She throws her bag on the floor and sits on the kitchen table. 'What's for lunch?"
"Mac and cheese." Meg hands her a full plate.
"So what did you -ghh- do today?
"Oh well, I run some errands, paid the bills, went shopping…Bought you the cookies you like."
"Oh –ghh- good, thanks."
"Honey, you okay? You've been coughing like that all day?"
"Yeah…it's okay, it's probably the flu, a bunch of kids had it at school, I'll survive."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah Mom." Sarah sounded reassuring.
"Okay."
"Hey…are you asleep?"
Sarah doesn't respond.
"Honey, you haven't left your bed all afternoon…I am worried. How much did you sleep last night?"
"I slept well I just…I'm a bit tired, I wanna sleep." She matters under her teeth.
"Oh, wait a minute…" Meg goes a little closer and touches her forehead with one hand. "You're on fire! How long have you been having this fever?"
"It just started half an hour ago, I'm fine…"
"Hold on…", Meg stands up and leaves the room. She comes back two minutes afterwards with a thermometer in her hands.
"Put this down your shoulder"
"Mom…"
"Just do it."
Sarah doesn't have the strength to fight back, so she follows her mother's orders.
"103…Listen. I'm gonna call Tony to come and check on you."
"No, Ma!"
"Just not to be worried, that's all…"
"No Mom, don't you dare! I don't want his hands anywhere near me! Okay?", she demands.
"Okay, okay fine, relax, I'll just sit here with you and make sure you're alright, okay?"
"Okay."
"Now get some sleep."
That very night none of them slept. Sarah was up vomiting all night. Once morning came, she was so tired she'd fallen asleep.
"Tony, Hi…"
"Hey Meg, how are you? You're sounding a little bit off… Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Hey listen…I need a favour."
"Yes, of course." Tony starts getting worried.
"It's Sarah, she's sick. She's been up vomiting all night long, and her cough sounds serious. But I'm no expert, so I thought you could take a look at her, maybe?"
"What? Of course! Can you bring her to the hospital or should I come over?"
"I don't know, whatever is best."
"Okay. Why don't you bring her over. I'll take better care of her here."
"Okay, I'll be there in half an hour."