29
Once the boys got Anja's coat on and Axel grabbed her wallet, they moved out to her truck. It was still pitch black out and the air was crisp and cold. Otto held her close as he got in the back seat. Axel got in the driver's side and Oscar was about to get in the passenger's side when he looked up in realization. He hurried back inside and Axel watched him confused. Otto held his hands out as if asking "what the hell is he doing?"
The two got their answer when their youngest sibling hurried back out with what looked like a bunch of bags from their trips to the store. He finally jumped into the truck and handed a few bags to Otto who just looked at him confused and Oscar just shrugged. Axel started the truck and took off. Anja groaned gently, her cheek slightly leaning into Otto's chest. She let out a sigh of relief as her cheek touched his flesh. She must have been cold. Otto raised his hand to gently stroke the side of her head to soothe her. Axel was speeding down the road, but Oscar looked at him in warning. They didn't want to be pulled over and have to explain what was going on.
"I think I'm going to vomit." Anja muttered out. Otto grabbed one of the bags immediately and opened it and pressed it to her and she started retching, her body leaning over into the bag before vomiting up into the bag. Oscar glanced back at her before looking at Axel in worry. No one said anything as the truck picked up speed. Axel looked at Otto and Anja through the rear-view mirror. Having been raised on a farm sickness was nothing new to either brother, but seeing their girlfriend ill, felt different to them. She could have anything. But she'd never been sick with them.
Once Anja was finished throwing up, Otto tied the bag tight in case the doctor wanted to examine its contents. She was panting gently now as if tired from throwing up. Otto went back to gently stroking the side of her head gently shushing her.
Anja's POV
My stomach muscles were tight after vomiting. Shit what did I have? My skin was hot but I still felt cold. I shivered some, but feeling Otto's warm skin against me gave me tremendous comfort. I didn't even realize we were in the truck and driving. My jacket is on and I am being cared for. They didn't even seem bothered by my vomiting and I don't know why I felt so self-conscious about it. I haven't been sick around others since I was a little girl. Finally the truck stopped and I glanced forward to see we were in front of a small building. I knew this place. It was an urgent care clinic that I had been to when I cut myself many years ago with my kitchen knife trying to cut some chicken. I would be in the system. Axel and Oscar got out and I saw Axel open the back door and Otto scooted out with me in his arms. I squirmed a bit wanting to walk myself and then I realized they didn't put shoes on me. That was okay. I wasn't too weak I couldn't walk.
Otto looked at me as if asking if I was sure. I gently nodded.
"I'm good." I replied weakly. He nodded and just held my hand as we entered the small clinic. The woman in purple scrubs at the receptionist desk looked at us one by one. I made a move toward the desk, but Axel raised his hand to me and motioned for me to sit in the waiting room off to the right. He held up my wallet. He was going to check me in? But I was not going to argue. Otto and Oscar sat on either side of me and I just leaned over on Otto's shoulder. Oscar gently leaned on my shoulder, an empty bag in his hand in case I needed to throw up again.
I could hear Axe muttering something to the nurse.
"Alright what is her name?" she asked.
"Anastasia Monroe." He replied.
"Date of birth?" she asked. I glanced over and just watched as Axel handed her my license in response. She took the card and began typing my information. "Her symptoms?"
"Fever, chills, vomiting." He replied glancing back at me. Otto got up for a split second to throw away the used bag of vomit before coming back to me. Axel approached sitting beside Otto now and they all just sort of looked at me. Axel's stare was grizzly as usual, but I could tell he was tense. Was this his way of worrying or showing concern for something when he didn't know what was going on? Otto and Oscar just held my hand. "Um guys if she has a fever you all may not want to sit so close you could catch what she has."
The brothers just shot her a glare that said "mind your own business or we will shoot you in the face". The nurse visibly gasped and just looked down at her computer.
"Behave." I said softly. Another woman in scrubs came out from the side door and called my name. The boys stood up in unison and I slowly got to my feet. Luckily we were the only ones here. Once in the back, the nurse practitioner, Michelle Cryer, the woman who stitched my arm up was still working here. Axel and the others just stood there watching Michelle examine me with their arms crossed. Everything tool she pressed to me, they watched carefully as it touched me as if half expecting her to pull out a weapon.
"Are you feeling anything else?" she asked.
"Stomach pain. It may be from the vomiting though I don't know. I replied. She nodded checking my neck and then checking my throat, nose and ears. She took a step back and nodded.
"Yeah you are dehydrated. We're going to run a strep and flu test on you and see what that tells us. Anything you ate before bed?" she asked. I looked up in thought.
"Made sandwiches." I replied. She nodded writing what I said down.
"Okay we may be looking at food poisoning. I'm going to put those orders in and a nurse will come in shortly." She said with a smile and I nodded and watched her leave the room. Now it was just the four of us and Axel just looked at me stepping close to me looking me over before putting his hand on my cheek.
"What can we do for you?" he asked. I leaned in to his palm looking at all three of them.
"Right now nothing. We will just see what they say. Thank you for bringing me here." I said with a soft smile. "But if that food from the farmer's market got me sick I am not getting food from there anymore." Oscar smiled warmly at the mild humor in my tone. The nurse returned and swabbed my nose and my throat and then was gone within a minute or two.
We waited for a few minutes, the boys still not sitting at all. Michell returned with the same gentle smile she came in with earlier.
"Hey so your strep test came back negative, but your flu test came back positive for flu A. Flu season has started and you just happened to catch it." she said. I nodded slowly as she looked at her chart. "Your history states you've had it before so you know what you need. I can give you some Tamiflu if you want."
"No." I replied.
"Yes." All three brothers replied just as I answered and they looked at me almost confused.
"Take the medicine so you can feel better." Axel replied.
"I've taken it before and it did not work. With the flu you just have to treat the symptoms so that means, bedrest and tons of fluids." I replied. Michelle looked stunned to hear us speaking Swedish. Otto stepped closer to me.
"But this time it could work. You need to get better fast." he said.
"Boys." I groaned.
"Please." Oscar added and I sighed thinking they were not going to let up and their concerned an determined faces said so. Fine what could it hurt. I looked at Michelle and nodded.
"I will take the Tamiflu." I replied. She nodded.
"Your prescription will be sent to your pharmacy electronically. Should be there shortly, okay? Take care guys." she replied and left. Once we were back in the truck I gave Axel the pharmacy's address and we took off toward it. My head was swimming and I felt like utter shit, but it was good to know what I had. The pharmacy had after hours and so while we waited for the Tamiflu, the four of stood in one of the aisles merely looking at the different bandages and oral medicines that were just there. I leaned over on Otto feeling even more exhausted. He leaned in toward me some to better hold me up. We heard the pharmacy doors open and shut again and we all glanced up at the round mirror on the ceiling that showed most of the store to see three figures in black hoods coming in, their faces hidden. One of them sped up to the register.
"GIVE ME THE FUCKING MONEY OLD MAN!" one of them shouted as they pointed their gun at the man. I groaned.
"Oh shit." I whispered, my heart pounding hard now at what was going on. The Swedes looked in unison at the front of the store the emotions draining from their faces. Slowly Oscar pulled out a shot gun and handed it past me to Otto who just took it and handed it to Axel. Oscar pulled out a second shot gun and handed it to Otto. Damn Oscar, that jacket definitely can hide some weapons! He pulled out one of his hand guns and gently took hold of my forearm and just slowly switched positions with me so now all three brothers were standing together weapons up. I knew they planned to handle it. I slowly just turned and moved back to the pharmacy counter as two of the pharmacy techs were crouching behind the counter. I sniffled some.
"If I could just get that Tamiflu now that would be great." I whispered. Within ten seconds, it sounded like a war zone behind me. I closed my eyes for a moment hearing yelling and it was not from my boyfriends. I looked up at one of the celling mirrors now to see my loves gunning down each member. I looked back down to see the girl before me shakily placing my Tamiflu on the counter before me. I smiled softly. "Thank you."