A/N: Thanks for all the well-wishes and positive vibrations! My grandfather is making a slow, but steady recovery!
Part XIII
Hot. She was always hot. And not just a run-of-the-Mill Southern California in the fall hot. Letty's entire body was on fire from the inside out. And she was so goddamned itchy!.
Stupid, fucking chicken pox!
A classmate of Mateo's had kindly given them to Letty's son who passed it on to his mother. Dom, of course, had already had them as a child and was subject to waiting on them hand and foot.
"You need to eat." Dom said, holding out a spoonful of soup.
Letty huffed and turned her head away, her feet moving childishly under the covers. Dom sat the bowl down on her bedside table.
"The doctor said you have to eat."
"I'm not hungry." She rubbed her chest over top of her tank top. The friction that the fabric caused against her skin was extremely satisfying. Dom took her hand in his own, effectively stopping her subtle scratching.
"I didn't think I'd have to deal with two cranky children tonight." Pressing to fists into the mattress and towering over his ex-wife, he watched as her lashes fluttered and her breath quickened. His eyes flickered down to her lips and back up to her eyes.
"If you don't behave, I'll have to spank you." Dom told her, matter-of-factly,
"You can't… you can't say that." She sputtered. He always was able to render her speechless.
"I just did." He replied, pressing his lips against Letty's. She melted into his kiss, her hands immediately reaching upwards to touch his face. When he pulled away, Letty gave a small whine.
"The sooner you eat your soup, the sooner you'll get better."
"Fine. I'll eat the stupid soup."
Dom grinned and picked the bowl back up. "This is not stupid soup. It's magic soup, thank you very much." He dipped the spoon into the broth and held it up to her lips. This time she let him feed her.
"Mateo is knocked out cold, covered in aloe gel and vitamin E oil."
"He's had a rough couple of days."
"Yeah. He's more upset about not being able to play soccer than anything."
"Pobrecito."
"He's had his magic soup though." Dom held up the bowl, feeding her more. "So, he'll be better in no time at all."
"Mhm." Letty said, playfully side-eyeing him. The truth was, she did feel a little better now that she was getting some sustenance.
"I'm going to take her temperature again and then after you shower, you have to put on the vitamin E gel so you won't scar."
"Yes, Dr. Toretto. Whatever you say."
"Hm. That sounds like a good role play, too."
Letty weakly raised an arm and smacked his chest with the back of her hand, earning her a chuckle for her efforts.
When she'd finished enough soup to satisfy him, Dom took the bowl downstairs to wash it out before returning to start Letty's shower for her. He exited her en-suite bathroom and smiled at her.
"Come on, chicken little." He said, pulling down the duvet and turning around. Letty grinned and stood up on her bed, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. Dom gave her a piggyback ride into the bathroom, setting her down in front of the sink.
"Do you need help undressing?"
She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. Placing a hand on his chest, she pushed him toward the door. "Out."
Shutting the door in his face, Letty stripped off her clothes and headed for the lukewarm shower. Dom had supplied her and Mateo with organic oatmeal soaps to soothe their irritated skin. He'd been so thoughtful for the past four days and Letty couldn't thank him enough. But every time she did, he told her there was nothing she had to thank him for. He reminded her of all the times she'd cared for him when he was under the weather and that it was the least he could do.
"Let me do this for you, Let, please." He had practically begged. And Letty had to herself that she was supposed to be allowing others to help her when she needed to be helped.
"Since you were a child, you've always had such a nurturing spirit. Always making sure everything and everyone had what they needed. It's time for you to be taken care. What do you need, Letty?" Alex had informed her.
So, here she was, letting herself be taken care of. And it was hard. Harder than she expected it to be, in fact, but it also felt good. On one hand, she was relieved that for once she didn't have to run around, making sure Mateo was better while making herself worse. But on the other hand, there was an inkling of guilt behind her relief. Was she being a good mother by handing over the reins to someone else? Was she being a bad mother for feeling that relief?
She pondered on that while she was showering and when she finished, she dried off, wrapped her towel around her body and exited the bathroom. Her bedroom was empty: Dom giving her the space and privacy she needed to get herself settled in a clean set of clothes. When she finished, she found him in the living room, flicking through the channels.
"I feel like a bad mom." She confessed, still standing in the doorway between the hallway and living room.
The tv immediately turned off.
"Why do you think that?"
"I was thinking in the shower."
"About?"
"I feel guilty."
"Why?"
"Because you're doing everything to make sure me and The Kid get better and I'm just sitting in bed letting you."
"So?"
"So, I should be doing something. Helping him."
"There's literally nothing you can do, Letty. The chicken pox have to pass on their own."
"I know, but still."
"You're a control freak."
She scoffed. "I know you are but what am I?"
"What are we, 12?" Dom laughed.
She chuckled, shrugging a shoulder.
"I'm just saying, it's healthy to relax a little every once in awhile. Especially when you're sick. Besides, you're my wife and he's my kid, so—." Dom trailed off, realizing what he'd said. Letty's brows had gone up, but she didn't comment as she normally did. He was at a loss as to how she should finish. Letty put him out of his misery ten seconds later.
"Fine. I will work on trying not to feel so guilty."
"Good because you have nothing to be guilty about."
Letty put a hand on the wall, picking at a nonexistent chip in the paint. She looked up and then back at Dom, obviously trying to find a way to phrase her next question. "Will you stay the night?"
It had less tact than she normally had, but it would do.
"Uh, yeah. Of course."
Office of Dr. Hans Klaus, Wednesday, 6:03PM
Seven days later, Letty and Mateo were given clean bills of health. To thank Dom for all he had done, Letty cooked him his favorite meal: steak teriyaki before their session with Dr. Klaus.
"So, tell me something. Anything." Klaus began.
Dom and Letty looked at one another, smiling.
"Well, our communication has gotten so much better."
"Yeah, way better." Dom agreed.
Klaus made a note about how much closer they were sitting compared to previous sessions.
"And what do we talk about?"
"Everything, really."
"I see. Give me some examples."
"Uh, we talk about Mateo, and ourselves. How we're feeling."
"Feeling about?"
"Whatever may be happening at the time."
"Mhm, and have you talked about how you feel about each other?"
"Well, we—."
"I mean—."
Klaus smiled. "I suppose what I'm asking is what is the goal? What are you working towards?"
When neither of them spoke, Klaus' smile broadened. "It's okay to voice your hopes and wishes here, and it would be helpful to reaffirm that this is a safe space."
"For me, I have to say I want to work towards having a relationship again, possibly marriage sometime later down the line." Dom said.
Letty's brows raised. This wasn't news to her, but it was the first time either of them had talked about the possibility of being married again. She looked pleased at this development.
"And Letty?"
"The idea doesn't repulse me, so—." She teased. Dom scoffed playfully.
"Gee, thanks." He replied deadpan.
"All kidding aside, that's something that I hope we can work towards as well. Dating would be a start."
"We had a lot of fun the first time around."
"That we did."
"So then," Klaus interrupted, "begin there. A date. That's your homework, so to speak."
Dom's, Friday, 5:52PM
"I don't even know why I invited you guys here." Dom told his friends.
"Because were the comedic relief. I thought that was clear. Were we not clear?" Rome asked no one in particular.
"We were plenty clear," Han replied, "Dom is just nervous."
"Why? It's Letty."
"Exactly! It's Letty! He fucked up last time." Tej added.
"They both fucked up last time." Brian said. "So, there's a little more at stake here."
"The added pressure really helps. Thanks guys." Dom said, taking a swig from his beer.
"The outfit works though. It's very Dom."
Dom looked down at his black cargo pants and black Henley shirt. "It's the same outfit I wore the first time I met Letty."
"It's also the same outfit you wear when you pay your taxes."
Brian smacked Rome's arm with the back of his hand.
Han, with all of his quiet influence, cuffed Dom on the arm. "You look great Dom. She'll love it."
And that was that.
Letty's, Friday, 6:23PM
"Damn, Letty." Ramsey said when the Latina walked into the living room.
"What? Too much?"
"You look great." Mia told her.
Letty pulled a hair tie off of her wrist. "Hair up or down?"
"Up."
Letty wrapped her dark hair into a low ponytail and held up her hands as if asking for approval.
"Perfect. He's gonna love it."
"He'd better." Letty joked.
"Are you going to sleep with him on the first date?" Mia asked, conspiratorially, and handed her a glass of wine.
"Even if I did, I wouldn't kiss and tell." Letty told her. And then the doorbell rang.
Followed by two knocks.
"That's him."
"How do you know?" Mia inquired.
"He always knocks twice." Letty replied as she went to open the front door and experienced the strongest déjà vu.
"Hi." She breathed.
"Hey." He greeted in the same tone. "You look amazing, Let."
"You don't look so bad yourself."
And while Letty didn't know what the night had in store for them, she knew she was about to experience something different.
"We expect her back by midnight." Ramsey warned.
"Yeah. And no sex, drugs or rock 'n' roll." Mia added.
"Yes ma'am." Dom said and gave Letty his undivided attention. "Ready?"
"Ready." She took her keys and wallet from Ramsey who held them up and let Dom lead the way.
From the doorway, Ramsey and Mia watched as they got into the car and shut the doors in unison.
"They're totally having sex tonight." Mia began.
"Oh, without a doubt."
