Chapter Four: That's What Friends Are For
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"Dad?" a half-asleep Danny asked as he heard footsteps across his wooden floor. The ex-Marine barely lifted his aching head off of the pillow.
"He left while you were asleep, Danny." a woman replied with a British accent. Turning on his other side, Danny could see an African American woman with dark, straight hair sitting at his bedside. "He didn't want to wake you as you looked so peaceful. How are you feeling?"
"How did you feel the last time you got sick?" Danny replied, pulling his blanket around him tighter.
"I see that it hasn't infected your attitude." Nessa remarked with a smile. Footsteps approached from down the hall before a smiling Mike appeared in the doorway.
"Remind me to put your bathroom back together before we leave." Mike said, holding a thermometer in his hands. A quizzical look appeared on the bald, black man's face. "This is an oral one, right? Because I don't want to have to be sticking this…"
"It's oral." Danny assured as Nessa grabbed the thermometer and placed it in Danny's mouth.
"Now, no talking until it beeps." Nessa instructed.
"He hasn't asked about the inspection, has he?" Mike asked in a voice that he mistakenly thought that Danny couldn't hear.
"No talking!" Nessa ordered as she noticed that Danny was about to open his mouth. Glaring, the African American woman with straight black hair turned to Mike. "Ed told us not to bring that up!"
Watching Nessa and Mike argue, Danny could feel worry rise within him. If Ed had told them not to mention the inspection, did that mean that it wasn't going too well? Or, did it just mean that he didn't want Danny to worry about things while he was sick? He knew that Mike and Nessa wouldn't give him a straight answer even if he asked them, so McCoy made up his mind to sneak back to the Montecito at the first moment he was given opportunity to. A beeping filled the air, and Nessa pulled the thermometer out of Danny's mouth.
"One hundred and two." Nessa announced, writing the temperature and time down on a nearby notepad. "Congratulations, Mr. McCoy! You've got yourself a nice, little fever to go along with your tummy ache."
"Great." Danny said sarcastically.
"Cheer up, Danny." Nessa encouraged with a sympathy look. "You'll probably be better by tomorrow."
"Brunson won't be inspecting the Montecito tomorrow." Danny replied, pulling his blanket around him tighter.
"I'll go check your thermostat, man." Mike volunteered, "Make sure that you're plenty warm in here."
"Thanks." an appreciative Danny said as Mike walked out of the room. The ex-Marine looked at Nessa. "How's the inspection going anyway?"
"Good." Nessa replied with a stern nod. "Not that I think you should be worrying about it so much." She gently sat on the side of the bed. "You need to concentrate on getting better, Danny."
"Jillian already told me that." Danny sighed as Mike strolled casually back into the room.
"It's the truth, man." Mike chuckled, stopping at the foot of the bed. "Me, Mitch and Mr. D. got you covered. Just like you'll have me covered when I take a day off sometime soon." A wide grin appeared on his face. "And don't think that I'm not planning on skipping out one day to make up for this. You owe me!"
"Deal." a smiling Danny agreed as more footsteps were heard coming up the steps. A blonde-haired woman appeared in the doorway, carrying a thermos and a brown paper sack.
"How's the patient?" the woman asked, looking at Danny.
"He's got a fever to match his stomachache." Nessa reported, standing up. She looked quizzically at the woman. "Ed let you come over?"
"With the message that you two need to get back to work." the blonde nodded, setting what was in her hands down on the nearby dresser.
"Guess we'd better go then." Nessa said, quickly glancing at Mike. Turning back to Danny, she rubbed the ex-Marine's arm. "Get some rest."
"I will." Danny promised, watching the pair leave.
"I'll run your car by later, man." Mike promised, pausing in the doorway for a brief moment.
"Thanks." an appreciative Danny said as Mike closed the bedroom door. The brown-haired man looked up at the blonde woman. "You know, the last time we were alone around a bed, it didn't end so well, Delinda."
"Was that a lame attempt at a pick-up line?" the only child of Ed Deline questioned.
"A casual observation." Danny shook his head.
"I hope Mary enjoys being married to such a big flirt." Delinda commented, caressing the man's cheek. Curiousity appeared in her eyes quickly. "Have you talked to her today?"
"She's at that conference, and I don't want to bug her." Danny replied, shaking his head again. He turned his attention to the items Delinda had brought with her. "What's that?"
"Your lunch if you feel up to it." Delinda replied, walking over to the dresser again. "Chicken noodle soup and dry toast, compliments of Gunther." A smile appeared on her face. "He started making it the minute he heard that you were sick. Think you can keep some down?"
"I'll try to." Danny nodded, suddenly realizing that food wasn't sounding so bad anymore.
"I'll go get a bowl and spoon for you." Delinda replied, heading towards the door. She paused to grab the glass of water Larry had left. "And a new glass of water."
"Thanks, Delinda." Danny said with a smile.
"Can I get anything for your little friend there while I'm at it?" Delinda smiled, pointing to Tugglesworth, who had fallen on the floor. A chuckle escaped the woman as Danny reached over and picked the stuffed animal up. He just thanked God that Mike had apparently not noticed it.
"Shut up." Danny replied as the still-giggling Delinda headed out of the room.
To be continued...