This morning when Barry told Iris he had special plans for their third wedding anniversary, she would have never thought the night would have turned out the way it had.
Everything Barry had planned was romantic and thoughtful. He had started their date by giving her a beautiful gold heart necklace and a bouquet of red roses. The dinner reservations were at one of the finest restaurants in the City. The waitstaff was pleasant and attentive to their needs. The food was served fast, hot and tasty. After dinner Barry had surprised Iris with tickets to a live broadway musical. The night was going great until about halfway through the show. Iris had left to use the restroom for the second time in the hour. When she returned Barry could see in her eyes that something was wrong. He pulled her close to him and asked if she was ok. As much as she wanted to assure him she was, it wasn't, and the problem she was having seemed to be getting worse rather than better.
"Dinner isn't sitting right with me.", she whispered.
"Do you want to leave?"
"Yeah, I think I need to." She was holding her stomach, clearly not feeling well.
They left their seats as carefully and quietly as possible.
Once they got outside Barry quickly had the valet get their car. Barry hadn't run them anywhere tonight. They were way to dressed up for Super-speed.. He was pretty sure Iris would not be able to tolerate that right now anyway.
They were less than an hour into the ride when Iris's stomach started to really rebel.
She had been extremely quiet since they left the parking lot. Barry thought she had fallen asleep. Suddenly her stomach started gurgling, and it was so loud Barry could hear it.
She opened her eyes and held her stomach.
"I need you to pull over Barry."
Luckily the road was quiet and he pulled over just in time. All Iris could do was open the door before the vomit started to erupt from her sick stomach, landing on the ground in front of her.
Barry put the car in park and leaned as close to her as possible. He held her hair back as more of her dinner made its way from her stomach to the pavement.
When she finished, Barry had been relieved when she confirmed her stomach felt a little bit better. Mostly because of his concern for Iris, but also because they had about another forty minutes of the car ride left. Unfortunately better didn't last very long. Barry had to pull over two more times before they got home. The second time after he had gotten Iris back inside the car he felt his own stomach turn. At first he figured it was probably from watching Iris getting as sick as she had, but as he pulled away from the side of the road he felt a quick sudden pain followed by urgency to use the bathroom. Luckily they were only about five minutes from home now.
He helped Iris in the house and to the couch. He grabbed the small trash basket from the corner of the room and set it down next to her. He was sweaty and nauseous now, and he had to get to the bathroom unless he wanted to have an accident in his pants.
"I have to use the bathroom Iris. I promise I'll be right back. I'll go upstairs in case you need the one down here."
Iris looked over to acknowledge him right as his stomach made a sickly gurgling sound.
"Oh no, you too?", she asked sadly.
"I think so.", he confirmed frowning before he quickly swooshed to the upstairs bathroom.
As soon as Barry sat down on the toilet a waterfall of diarrhea started to escape him. He cradled his stomach at the intense cramps. There was no question that whatever had caused Iris to get so violently ill was about to do the same to him.
Iris was laying as still as she could downstairs on the couch. The cramps she was experiencing weren't quite as bad as they were on the way home, but they were still there and she still felt extremely nauseous.
When Barry made it back downstairs he only had his boxers and t-shirt on. Iris sat up some to make room for him on the couch. Barry handed her one of his t-shirts, which she quickly changed into. "Do you feel any better?", he asked.
"Not really., she answered sitting back against the couch.
"You?", she asked.
" No.", he groaned his hand on his stomach at the sudden cramping.
Iris sat up quickly at an intense wave of nausea in her stomach. She quickly grabbed the small basket next to her, moved off the couch, headed to the bathroom and started to retch. Barry heard the sick sound of undigested food hitting the basket as she left the room. His own stomach was twisting and turning now, but even so he got up and headed to Iris.
When he walked into the bathroom Iris was down on her knees in front of the toilet vomiting. Between the sight of Iris and his stomach rolling with sickness, his stomach started to spasm.
He quickly grabbed the basket Iris had already used to vomit in on the way in, as his undigested dinner started to force its way up and out of his stomach.
He needed to get up to the other bathroom fast, but Iris was so sick too and he didn't want to leave her alone. He knew the basket wasn't going to be enough. He felt extremely sick to his stomach now, so he compromised, and headed to the kitchen. Just in time too, because the rest of his dinner started to make its appearance in the sink.
In between his stomach spasms he could hear that Iris was also still violently ill. The first chance he had he grabbed his phone and called Joe's house, putting the phone on speaker.
As soon as Joe picked up he knew something was wrong.
"We're really sick Joe. I need someone to come help Iris." Before Joe could ask any questions Barry had to lean back over the sink to vomit some more.
"We're on our way Barr.", Joe said in an extremely concerned voice.
The cramps in Barry's stomach were getting worse again. The urge to use the bathroom was back. He hated to leave the kitchen, to be even further away from his sick wife, but there was no choice. So as soon as the vomiting let up he flashed back upstairs to the bathroom. He sat on the toilet immediately. The cramps and diarrhea hitting him even harder now. The sickness in his stomach, the sloshing and turning was just as bad as the cramping. He couldn't suppress the urge to vomit any longer, but he couldn't move from the toilet. He grabbed the barrel next to the toilet, it was small but it would have to do. His stomach cramped, more lose stool running out of him, and at the same time his stomach spasmed. The vomit almost missing the basket in front of him. He couldn't help but wonder if Iris was as sick as he was now. He hoped not, she hadn't eaten as much as he did before dinner. He'd actually had quite a bit before they even left the house tonight.
Thankfully the vomiting was starting to slow down some now, but the cramps were not.
Iris was in the bathroom stilling next to the toilet. She was still vomiting on and off, but the breaks in between were more and more. She hadn't had diarrhea since they left the show, and the cramps in her stomach were easing up some, but still, she couldn't remember ever feeling so sick to her stomach. The bathroom upstairs was right above the downstairs one, she could hear how sick Barry was. She wished she could go to him, but she knew she couldn't, not yet.
When Joe and Cecile walked in the door, the sight of the sink and the smell of sickness caused panic to run through both of them.
"Barry? Iris?", Joe called.
"Dad?", Iris called back as another wave of nausea caused her to lean back over the toilet to expel more of the contents of her stomach.
As soon as they entered the bathroom Cecile bent down next to Iris and gently rubbed her back.
Barry retched loudly. They could hear him vomiting upstairs, and it sounded violent.
"Dad, Barry needs you.", Iris said catching her breath.
"Go Joe.", Cecile said. Were ok."
Joe knew Cecile could handle caring for Iris, so he headed upstairs to Barry.
When Joe got upstairs Barry was sitting in front of the toilet his head between his knees. There were small amounts of vomit next to the toilet, in the toilet and in the barrel by the tub.
"Barr.", Joe said softly rubbing over his back.
"Joe.", he said looking up. "Iris Joe."
"She's ok. Cecile's with her Barr."
Barry relaxed a little at that. Also having Joe with him now was comforting. Joe was always there for him when he was sick as a kid. He always knew what to do to keep him calm in this type of situation. When Joe put his hand on his forehead he couldn't help but lean into his touch.
"Feeling pretty awful son?"
Barry would've answered but his stomach started to roll so he moved over the bowl as more of the contents of his stomach made its way into the toilet. Joe stayed right there with him.
Barry threw up a few more times over the next hour or so. The cramps had let up completely and his stomach had started to settle down, but he still felt sick.
Iris had finished throwing up not long after Joe and Cecile arrived. Her stomach settling completely, but she also still felt sick. Cecile had gotten Iris into bed and placed a cool compress on her head when Joe carefully walked Barry into the room. Once Barry laid down Joe did the same for him. He wet and gently laid a cloth on his head. When Barry looked over at Iris she had fallen asleep, He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, hoping to join her in dreamland.
Once Barry looked to be asleep Joe and Cecile placed clean empty baskets next to the bed on either side of them and then they cleaned up the bathroom and kitchen.
Barry was awake when Joe walked back in to check on them.
"Joe?", came a pained voice.
"Yeah son?"
"Thank you!"
"Of course Barr. We'll be in the living room tonight if either of you need anything."
"Iris told Cecile what happened. It must be food poisoning. The health department will be down there tonight figuring out what happened. I made sure of it."
Barry shook his head and swallowed hard.
Joe sat next to him, encouraging him to sit up some. He grabbed the basket and held it for Barry who he knew had more in his stomach trying to come up. Barry leaned into the basket and Joe rubbed his back, a soft burp starting to bring it up the little bit of food still left in his stomach.
As sick as she felt, Iris heard Barry vomiting, so she moved close to her husband just so she could be there for him. Her hand laid gently on his thigh. A final retch seemed to bring the vomiting to an end. Joe took the vomit filled barrel and replaced it with another clean one at his side of the bed. Before he cleaned the dirty one he wet another cloth so Barry could clean his face. When he was sure Barry was ok he left to dispose of the barrel's contents
Barry laid back down holding Iris in his arm.
"I'm sorry Iris!"
"It's not your fault Barr. You planned a wonderful night. You could have never predicted this would happen to us."
"Still, I am sorry." She gave him a soft squeeze.
"I know babe."
"How do you feel?", Iris asked.
"Still pretty sick, but much better. If that makes any sense.", he answered.
"It does make sense. I feel the same way."
Barry held her tighter.
"Next year no food.", Barry laughed the best that he could.
"Sounds like the perfect date.", Iris moaned but then laughed.
"This isn't how I planned to end tonight.", Barry said holding her tighter.
"Me neither.", Iris agreed her hand on her stomach.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, I will be.", she said cuddling closer.
They both fell asleep cuddled close together.
The night wasn't the best for either of them. Iris left the bed a few times, her stomach still trying to rid itself of every bit of food she had eaten during the day. Barry only vomited one more time. It had happened in the middle of the night. He woke up suddenly to extreme sickness in his stomach. It was so intense he only made it to the edge of the bed before his stomach spasmed violently. He grabbed hold of the basket next to the bed just in time.
By morning he finally started to feel much better. His powers took over and his body started to recover quickly.
Iris struggled with her tummy troubles throughout the morning, but by the afternoon she was starting to feel much better too.
Joe and Cecile left when they were sure Barry was well enough to take care of himself and Iris. They could never thank them enough for everything they had done for them last night.
Now though, they were going to concentrate on each other. They were currently both cuddled together on the couch. Iris's head laid gently on his leg. His arm wrapped gently around her middle. The television was on, but they weren't really watching it.
Barry was feeling a bit worked up at the moment. But he knew that even though his body was feeling almost normal now, Iris's wasn't, so he concentrated on her presence and just how much he loved and cared for her.
She was all that mattered to him and he would make sure to give her the best opportunity to recover, and he knew that meant he had to let her rest, so that's exactly what he did.
