Chapter 8
Sick Days
Nozomi stumbles out of bed, feeling that her nose is stuffy and her head is spinning. She knows she is not feeling well at all, but still manages to get out of bed in time. She reads the clock that says 9:30 am and then slowly heads down stairs, noticing Honoka already washing the dishes and her 7 children done with breakfast as well. The ginger turns to her wife to greet her, but her smile quickly fades at Nozomi's appearance. She immediately drops the dishes and runs toward her.
"Nozomi-chan, you don't look too good!" she cries in alarm. She gently presses her forehead against hers. "You're burning up! You should go back to bed! I'll cook up something nice for you, like porridge!"
"Honoka-chan, I'm fine…" the violet haired woman tries to assure her, but a fit of coughs gives it away.
"That tells me that you're not fine. Here, let me take you back to bed."
With one arm over the ginger's shoulder, Honoka helps her wife up the stairs. However, Maki takes notice of the two of them and runs toward them.
"Hey, Mama Honoka!" she calls. "Is Mama Zomi going to be alright? She…she looks awful…"
"She's going to be fine, sweetie," Honoka replies. "Go play with your sisters, okay?"
Maki nods, but still has her concerned expression on her face. She turns and trots back downstairs. Honoka stops at the top of the stairs and actually picks up her wife bridal style, much to the violet haired woman's surprise.
"H-Honoka-chan?"
"Hehe~! You've carried me bridal style multiple times. Now it's my turn~!" She walks toward their bedroom and gently sets her wife down and pulls the covers. "There. Stay put, okay? I'm going to make the porridge now."
"Thank you…Honoka-chan," Nozomi says softly.
The ginger haired girl gives her a sad smile and then heads back towards the kitchen. Umi just so happens to be passing by when she sees Honoka and runs up to her while reaching her hands up in the air.
"No, no, Umi-chan," Honoka says. "I have to take care of your Mama Zomi first."
The young bluenette puffs out her cheeks adorably while crossing her arms. The ginger giggles at this and pets her shy daughter.
"Hey, hey, it won't be long, Umi-chan. How about I carry you on my back once I give this to Mama Zomi? Sound good? You can come with me to the kitchen, too."
Umi brightens and nods. She trots along next to her mother and jumps on a chair while waiting for the porridge to be made. It only took about 5 minutes to make and when it's done, Honoka serves it in a bowl, puts it on a tray with a glass cup of water, some medicine and a napkin and silverware next to the bowl. She then goes over towards her shy daughter, picks her up and puts her on her back to give her a ride upstairs towards their bedroom.
Once she arrives at the bedroom, she greets Nozomi with a smile. The violet haired woman sits up a little and grins.
"Umi-chan wanted a ride to get here, hm~?" she teases. "Now aren't you a spoiled little girl~?"
"Umi-chan insisted, that's all," Honoka says.
Nozomi giggles and takes the spoon from the napkin. She takes the first bite of porridge and closes her eyes at the taste.
"Mmm…tastes really good," she hums. "Thanks, Honoka-chan."
"I placed some medicine on the tray as well," the ginger says as she points to the pills. "They should help you feel better in a day."
"Thank you, Honoka-chan."
Honoka wipes the sweat off her forehead. "Thank goodness it's the weekend and I don't have work."
"Hehe! I'm glad."
"I'll be leaving now," Honoka says. "Let me know when you're done okay?"
"Sure."
Umi waves to her mother as Honoka gives her a ride once again downstairs. Nozomi finishes the porridge and takes a look at her pills. They were just a couple and she knows in order to get over her cold, she has to take her medicine. She pops them in her mouth and drinks her water. She then calls Honoka to tell her that she's finished. By a few minutes, Honoka comes upstairs, but brought along Maki, Hanayo and Rin along with her, much to the violet haired woman's surprise.
"Oh~?" Nozomi says. "I get more company?"
"They were pretty worried when I told them," Honoka replies as she takes the tray.
Maki is the first to run up to her violet haired mother and hug her tightly, softly crying.
"Please get better, Mama…" she sobs. "Get better…"
Nozomi returns the embrace and gently strokes her hair. "Hey, hey, I'm going to be fine, Maki-chan. It's not that serious." She pulls her away and smiles at her while wiping her tears. "Come on, smile for me, please?"
The little red-head nods and gives her best smile.
"That's my girl~" Nozomi kisses her on the forehead, sets her down and lets Hanayo run up to her so that she can pick her up. "Why, hello, Hanayo-chan~!"
"Hi…" she says softly. "I-I hope you get well soon…"
"Aw, thank you! That's so sweet~!"
Rin is next, so she runs and jumps on the bed towards Nozomi's lap. "Get well soon, nya~!" She does a cat-like pose, making the violet haired woman giggle.
"Oh, Rin-chan, you're so silly~!" Nozomi pets her and sets her down on the floor. The three youngest daughters run towards Honoka.
"I'll be leaving now," Honoka says. "Call me if you need anything."
Nozomi nods as the ginger leaves the room. She looks down at the sheets with a small smile and looks around the room. For her, it can get a little lonely without her wife and children with her. But at least Honoka is bringing her children up to tell her their best wishes. She decides to read some books to combat the bordem a little bit. She grabs one next to her and starts reading.
About an hour and a half passes when she hears some footsteps yet again. She looks toward her right and out comes Kotori, Eli and Nico with some papers in their hands. Kotori is the first to walk up to her mother and present her gift.
"This is for you, Mama Zomi," she says. She drew pictures of flowers, birds and a clear blue sky with the words, "Get Well Soon" written in big letters.
"Thank you, Kotori-chan," she gives the ash-brunette a hug.
Eli is next and presents her gift. She simply drew a heart and wrote "Get Well Soon, Mama Zomi" inside the heart. "Here, for you."
"That's very sweet of you, Elicchi~!" Nozomi says as she hugs the blonde and kisses her on the forehead.
Nico is next and slowly walks up to her mother, presenting her gift. Nozomi takes the paper and is quite surprised on what Nico drew. A poor attempt on drawing a bear head with some flowers, butterflies and scribbled blue sky. It's a bit too much, but at least she sees the words "Get Well Soon" on it. She gives the petite girl a hug.
"Thank you, Nicocchi," she says softly. "That was wonderful."
"Oh, you think so?" Nico says. "Heh, well, I call that a masterpiece~!"
"R-really now?" Honoka sweat drops. "Come on, children. Your Mama Zomi needs to rest now."
"Okay~!" The three children run up to Honoka.
"Call me if you need anything, okay?" Honoka says.
"Sure."
As Honoka leads her children downstairs, Nozomi pulls the covers and her emerald eyes stare at the ceiling for a moment. Things have been going on since she caught the cold, but with her wife and children's support, she knows that her cold will go away faster. She then closes her eyes and falls fast asleep.
**Next Day**
Honoka is cooking up breakfast when a pair of arms wrap around her and a kiss on a cheek. The ginger turns to her wife and she smiles a big smile.
"Nozomi-chan~!" she exclaims.
"I'm all better thanks to all of you," she says. "Thank you."
The ginger runs toward her wife and embraces her. "Oh, thank goodness! That medicine really hit the spot then~!"
"It sure did~!" Nozomi says. "Are the kids up yet?"
"They should be," Honoka glances over toward the stairs and there is Umi up and ready to go when she notices Nozomi, all better now. The shy bluenette walks toward her violet haired mother and reaches her hands up while jumping a couple times.
"Oh, Umi-chan~!" Nozomi picks her up and Umi laughs. "I'm all better see~?"
"Wow~!" Honoka says. "That's the first~! Umi-chan running to you first instead of me this time."
"She's just happy that I'm all better."
The other children come downstairs, rubbing their eyes from waking up when they notice Nozomi with Honoka. Maki gasps happily and runs up to her mother while hugging her.
"Mama Zomi!" she cries. "You're all better! You got better!"
The violet haired woman returns the hugs after setting Umi down and pats her back. "Yes, Maki-chan. Your Mama Zomi's all better."
Hanayo and Rin hug her from both sides as well. And then Eli and Nico and Kotori take their turn greeting their mother by hugging her. Honoka smiles at this wonderful scene. Her children hugging their mother in the morning. Once the celebration is over, Nozomi turns to Honoka.
"Say, after breakfast, why don't we go somewhere special?" she says. "How about the amusement park, hm~?"
"AMUSEMENT PARK!?" The 7 children shout in unison.
Nozomi giggles at their excitement. "Of course! To celebrate my cold going away~!"
The children nod their heads and head towards the table to wait for their food to be served. Honoka tells them to wait a bit longer as the two wives walk towards the living room and share a few kisses. They press their foreheads against each other.
"I'm glad you're better, Nozomi-chan," she says as she caresses her cheek.
"It's all thanks to you and the kids," Nozomi whispers back. She kisses her wife on the forehead. "Thank you so much for taking care of me."
"It's my pleasure as your loving wife, Nozomi-chan…"
The two wrap their arms around each other's waists and share one long passionate kiss.
