Chapter Two

I guess I must have been coughing a lot in my sleep because the next thing I know, my uncles sitting to the left of me holding my head up, while my aunt is sitting to the right of me, dripping cough syrup down my neck and body. I know I haven't had much experience with this, but isn't the medicine supposed to go inside the mouth? "Ugh" I groaned and rolled over on my stomach, shoving my face into my pillow. This should keep 'em away from me for a while.

"Faith, come on, get up and take some medicine" My aunt stroked her nails gently along my back. I hate being touched so late at night, especially when I'm sick.

"Get off me please" I moved to shake her away but she stayed.

"Up and Adam" She patted me on the butt and tried to pull me up. This very well could mean death on her part. Nobody, I mean nobody, has ever patted me on the butt and lived to tell the story.

"I'm sleeping" I was completely frustrated by this point, and didn't know how much longer I could contain myself.

"Take your medicine" Geeze, she just would NOT let up!

"Take a hike" Hah! Take that auntie! I held a pillow over my head to block out the sounds, and for the most part, it worked.

"Fine, stay sick" My aunt got up and walked out of the bedroom, leaving my uncle and I alone for the first time; not one of her brightest moves. Oh, and one point on my part.

"Come on Faith, let up on her. She's doing her best, we're all doing out best" He leaned in towards my face trying to see if I was paying attention or not. Ever heard of toothbrush buddy? I did all I could to keep from gagging then looked up at him.

"Goodnight" I used the coldest tone I had and gave him my mom's death ray. The expression on his face was priceless, and translated to point two on my part. I laid my head back down on the pillow and pulled the covers up over my head and watched as my uncle walked out of my room and shut the door. Shouldn't rangers and ADA's know it's rude to wake the ill? I think we're going to have to enroll them in a crash course of proper etiquette.

Morning came all too quickly for me, and my bonehead cousins were crudely running around the house making obscene amounts of noise. I guess that's what I get for being related to people who were born in a barn… I stood up and changed into jeans and a t-shirt and looked in the mirror. I look exactly how I feel; like shit. I groaned and put my hair up in a pony tail, but even that didn't work. I guess in my case, nothing would. I won't complain, I have no one to impress anyways. I walked out of my bedroom and didn't see anyone. My guess is they disappeared. Wait; maybe that's a wish. Hmm... More confusion, just what I need.

My aunt and uncle appeared from the den a few minutes later. Darn, and just when I was starting to miss them. A little longer and I could have actually been begging for them to come back… NOT. 'Go back in!' I wanted to shout. Leave! No luck there, either.

"You were coughing all night, Sweetheart" Yep, definitely dropped in from Mars. And who is she to be calling me sweetheart! Ick!

"Yeah, people usually do that when they're sick." Hah, take that as a dose of logic buddy.

"Okay. Umm, are you running a fever?" Do I look like the type to check for fever? Why don't you check for me, after all, you are the walking thermometer…

"I don't know" I replied. I couldn't find it in me to be that mean; there must be something in the water.

"Well come here" She walked towards me with her hand out. I could bite her; I could run from her, but nooo, I just had to stand there. That's it; no more water for me. "You are feverish" Sure lady, only because you're hand is FREEZING. I stepped back and it took all I had to stop from running into a steaming shower.

"Okay" Again, short and sweet. Let us see if you get the point now.

"Open wide" My aunt was coming at me with a spoonful of more cough syrup. Open Wide? No way was she winning this one. I backed away from her and the medicine on the spoon spilled pathetically on my tile floor. Hah! Point three.

"Whoops" I rolled my eyes and reached for some bread. Toast sounds good; anyone wanna pass the butter? I made some toast and started nibbling on it, when out of nowhere a spoonful of medicine shoved itself down my throat. Well, actually, it was shoved down my throat by mother hen Walker. This is getting a bit ridiculous; I wonder if they know I have a shot gun in the basement…

I coughed and my reflexes forced me to swallow the syrup. "Yuck" I spit up what was left and reached for the water. My aunt tried to grab it again. This means war.

"Don't try it" I growled. Hah; I win! She backed away from me instantly. I gulped down as much of the water as my mouth could hold and then yawned.

"Get some rest" My aunt just couldn't back off could she?

"Sure thing Ms. Know It All" I really did not like her right now. All I've ever wanted was to be left alone; so why was God punishing me with the cleavers? My aunt rolled her eyes and escorted me to my bedroom and then she did the unthinkable; she tucked me in. That's it, this has to be a nightmare, and if not, I'll be on the first bus to San Juan, Puerto Rico in the morning.

Usually, in times of death a smile a day keeps the therapist away, Right? Well, if that doesn't work, sing in the shower, clean; do anything that seems remotely cheerful and sane. And, when all else fails, spend quality time with your family. Curl up on the couch with a magazine and pretend to be reading the stories in it. If you want to catch some shut eye, go ahead; just remember to turn the page every so often to keep up your cover. It works great for me, it should work for you.