Ring. Ring.
"Hello?" Serena struggled to answer. Her head was killing her.
'Serena?'
She looked at her phone screen. "Dr. Shields? Is everything okay?"
'Serena, it is okay, I am not at work, call me Darien. And everything is fine. I heard you were sick, wanted to know if you needed anything on my way home from the hospital.'
"Oh Darien, you are so sweet. I am okay. My mom dropped us off some food."
'Us? Rini, sick too?'
"Yeah, I think she got something from one of the kids at school. I have been trying to make her better, but caught the bug myself."
'What symptoms do you have?'
"Nausea, vomitting, fever, headache, body ache, and TMI...diarrhea."
'There is no such thing as TMI. I am a doctor and you are a nurse.'
"Darien don't make me laugh, it hurts."
'I wasn't trying too...But do you need anything? I can get you something for the nausea.'
"You know flushing the bug out is all I can do. And besides I don't know if I can hold down enough fluids to take the med."
Darien on the other side of the phone sighed. 'Well let me know if you need any-"
Just then Rini came into Serena room. "Mommy...?"
"Hold on Darien."
She placed the phone down. Not realizing that she forgot to hang up.
"Mommy my tummy hurts."
"Okay baby, I am coming."
"I am going to..."She started dry heaving.
"Wait, wait baby let's get to the bathroom! RINI BABY HOLD IT!" She picked up the girl with pink hair ran her to the bathroom.
"UGH!"
"Sorry Mommy!" She started to cry.
"It is okay baby. do you feel better?"
"Yes." The little girl wiped her face. Getting her vomit all over her face.
"No, no... looks like you are going to need another bath. Undress and I will run your bath okay?
Rini had missed the toilet. There was vomit on the floor and all over Serena.
She went to tub and ran the water. She saw the light from her phone. "Oh crap..."She took off her clothes so she would not trail the vomit into her room, and ran to the phone. She looked at the screen. Darien had hung up. She sighed.
"Mommy I am ready for my bath."
"I am coming baby."
She bathed her daughter. And started to clean up the throw up.
Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Who the hell can that be?" She looked at Rini.
"Maybe Grandma and Grandpa?"
"No they already came. I cannot deal with this."She dragged to the door. "Rini keep scrubbing. I don't want you to make your bed smell" She shouted as she opened the door.
"DARIEN!" At first she just peaked her head around the corner, but when she saw it was him, she opened it a little more, not realizing she was still just in bra and her underwear.
Darien was taken back by how beautiful she looked, even though she was sick. Her body was amazing. Big breast, small waste, flat stomach and long legs. He stood there and looking at her, in a trance.
Just then she realized, "Oh my god!What are you doing here?"She shut the door, but did not close it all the way. She grabbed the jacket behind the door as Darien walked in.
"I am sorry to shut the door in your face, did you need something? Forget something?"
"No actually, I came to check on you. I know you said you didn't need anything, but all the commotion on the phone when you put me on hold, said otherwise." He laughed.
"You heard all the craziness?"
He nodded.
"Darien, thank you for checking on me, but I feel like shit. She threw up and now I need to clean it up, get her back to bed and then shower."She rubbed her face.
"And I offering my help. I don't have anything better to do."
"Darien I cannot ask you to help me with my sick kid. You have done so much."
"You didn't ask, I offered. So please. Get Rini out of the bath, take a shower and I will clean."
"Darien I cannot ask you to clean up my kids vomit." She shook her head.
"Again, you didn't ask, and I clean up after kids all the time. I am a peds doctor." She smirked."So stop arguing. Your daughter sounds like she is done. Where did she throw up."
Serena sighed.
"Go!" He said shooing her.
Serena helped Rini out. She then hopped in the shower, as Darien cleaned up the other bathroom. She was in so much pain.
When Darien was done, he walked down the hallway.
"Mommy...?"
He didn't know what to do.
"Mommy?"
He sighed. "Hey Rini, your mom is in the shower, are you okay?"
"Mr. Meany?"
He laughed."Yup, the one and only."
"I want water." She started to cry.
"I will be back with that for you."
He went and got her water. He kneeled on the floor. "Okay just small sips okay? Don't want you to overwhelm your tummy and throw up again."
"Is mommy mad?"
"No. Not even a little." He sat with her, holding the cup for her so she would not drop it.
Serena was clean out the shower, wrapped in a towel, and she peaked in on this as it all happened. She took a deep breath. It was loud enough that Darien was able to hear.
"Serena?"
"Yeah."
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. Just need to get dressed." She walked to her room. Darien read Rini a short story and she fell asleep.
He went and sat on the couch. He wanted to make sure Serena was okay. She came out in pajama bottoms and a tank. Her hair wet but combed.
She sat next to him. "Thank you for help me." She rested her head on his shoulder.
"Don't mention it. You should head to bed. I will stay out here so you can rest easily."
"Darien, you do not have to do all this."
"I know, but I want to."
Serena sighed. She was exhausted. "I am so lucky to have you."
"Any time. Now get rest. Think you can make it?"
"Yeah I am fine," She said. However as she got up, her knees gave out and she was about to go down. Darien jumped up and caught her. "Woooo... guess I am not. But I got it."
Darien shook his head and with one swoop, picked her up and carried her to bed.
"Darien..."
"If you say 'you don't have to do all this' one more time!" He looked at her.
"Ugh, I am too weak to fight."
"I know so sleep!" He said putting her on the bed.
He was about to turn the light off and walk away.
"Darien...the least I can do is make sure you sleep comfortably. For all you do for me. You can stay in my bed if you want."
"Serena?"
"Like I said least I can do. Don't worry, I don't have the strength to take advantage of you!" She tried to laugh.
"Are you sure, the couch is fine."
"I am just get in and turn off the light already, my head is pounding." She threw her blanket over her head. "This is worse than a hang over!"
He laughed. Turned off the light and laid next to her, under the covers. She fell asleep, and turned into him.
He took a deep breath...'this is going to be a challenge' he thought to himself. With her little body right to him all he could think about was how she answered the door.