Chapter 8
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Charlie woke up. He wondered what time it was. Jordan was curled up beside him, asleep. Charlie's stomach was upset. He headed for the bathroom.
Jordan woke up. Charlie was gone. She sat up, and looked through the door. "Charlie?"
He came in, with a hand on his belly, and sat down on the bed next to Jordan.
Jordan put her arm around him. "Are you okay?" She looked at him, trying to see his face, But it was too dark in the room. But she could tell he wasn't feeling well.
"Sandwich," Charlie muttered.
"Huh? What? Did you say, 'sandwich'?"
He sighed. "Yeah. They were serving sandwiches at the university yesterday. I got one. I thought it tasted 'off', but I figured it was probably the fact that it was about 100 degrees that made it taste funny."
Jordan rolled her eyes. "It tasted funny, and you ate it?"
"It took me over two hours to get to the university, and I was starving," Charlie said defensively. "I thought it was because it was so hot and humid, that it tasted funny. I really didn't think it was the sandwich." He met her eyes, and gave a small smile. "I thought about bringing you a sandwich, too. But I didn't want it to go bad in the heat."
Jordan smiled at him, shaking her head. "I'm glad you didn't. But I wish you hadn't eaten that."
"Me too."
Charlie laid down on his side. His stomach was really hurting. Jordan laid next to him, and put her arms around him. The Eppes' dozed off.
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Jordan woke up to hear Charlie in the bathroom. She immediately got up, and found him vomiting into the toilet. She gently rubbed his back until he finished. She got a washcloth and wet it with water from the bathtub, and handed it to him.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"Are you okay?" She looked at him worriedly.
He wouldn't meet her eyes. "My stomach really hurts."
"Food poisoning," she sighed.
Charlie held his belly, as he slowly walked back to bed and laid back down.
Jordan made sure he was comfortable, and went into the kitchen. She poured a glass of water, and added a straw. It was going to be a long hot day. She was worried about Charlie getting dehydrated. She found a plastic bucket she could set next to the bed. She carried the water and the bucket into the bedroom, setting the bucket on the floor. She pointed the straw towards him. "Sip this."
"I can't."
"Yes, you can. Come on. Just a little bit."
"It won't stay down."
Jordan sighed. "Please? Just a sip."
Charlie hesitantly took a small sip. He waited for his nauseated, badly cramping stomach to protest. It didn't take long. Jordan was quick with the bucket.
"I told you," He looked at her apologetically.
"I'm sorry." Jordan was really getting worried. "We'll try again in just a little bit."
"Oh, goody." Charlie said dryly.
"Well, if you get dehydrated, you really 'will' be sick." Jordan leaned down to kiss his cheek. She frowned, and put a hand to his forehead. She sighed.
Charlie looked at her. "What now?"
"You've got a low grade fever." She frowned, looking at him worriedly.
"I thought so."
"You rest, okay? I'm staying right here with you." Jordan smoothed the hair back from his face.
Charlie nodded, and closed his eyes.
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Later that afternoon...
Charlie was in the bathroom, yet again, with the door closed. Jordan felt sorry for him. She knew he was completely miserable. She was thankful that at least he had finally stopped vomiting. She padded into the kitchen to pour him some more water. It was horribly hot. Jordan knew it had to be over ninety degrees inside the cottage. The humidity was awful. She pulled her long, curly hair up into a pony tail. She'd left it down all day, because she knew having it up only emphasized her bruises. But the heat was so bad, she had to get it off her neck.
She walked back into the bedroom, as Charlie slowly emerged from the bathroom. He looked pale, Jordan thought.
Gingerly, he eased himself back onto the bed. "I'm sick of this." He closed his eyes. "Shoot me. Please."
"Nope. I'm too attached to you," she smiled at him.
Charlie's eyes went straight to the bruises on her neck. He looked at her sadly.
"Stop it, Charlie. I'm fine."
Jordan offered him the water. He dutifully took a few sips, and then laid down. Jordan wet a wash cloth and gently sponged his face, then put the wash cloth on the back of his neck.
Charlie lay still, with his eyes closed. "Thanks," he whispered.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Charlie started to get up.
"Oh, no you don't. You rest. I'll be right back."
"Take the fence post," he told her.
Jordan smiled at him, picked up the fence post, and went to answer the door.
A middle aged woman stood at the front door. Jordan cautiously opened the door. "Yes?"
The older woman looked at her and smiled. "Hi. I'm your neighbor, Janet." She pointed at the house across the street. "I live over there."
"Oh, hi. I'm Jordan." Jordan smiled, and opened the door wider.
Janet's smile faded when she got a better look at her young neighbor. "Dear, are you alright?" she asked quietly.
Jordan blushed. "I'm fine. It's okay. I know, I'm pretty bruised up." She frowned. "A man came in on me yesterday while my husband was gone." Jordan explained. "Thankfully, Charlie came back and stopped him before the man could 'really' hurt me."
"Oh you poor thing! I'm glad you're okay!"
Jordan forced a smile. "Me too. Thanks."
Janet brightened. "Oh! The reason I came over, is that the chicken in our freezer is all thawed out. We are going to go ahead and grill it all tonight. We are inviting all the neighbors over to help eat it. Otherwise it will be wasted. You and your husband are welcome to come."
"Thank you. I appreciate that. But Charlie is sick. I can't leave him."
"Sick? What's wrong?"
"Food poisoning. He has been really sick all day."
"Oh, the poor thing!" Janet shook her head sympathetically. "And in this heat, too."
Jordan sighed sadly. "I know. I wish to God I could give him some relief." Jordan shook her head. "Thanks so much for your offer though. I really need to go be with him."
"Go ahead, Dear. I hope he feels better."
"Thanks. Me too." Jordan waved goodbye to her neighbor, then closed the door.
She hurried back into the bedroom, to find Charlie asleep. Jordan sat down on the floor, leaning against the bed. She watched him sleep.
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It was nearly dark. Charlie walked out of the bathroom. He looked tiredly at Jordan. "It's finally getting a little better." Charlie very gingerly eased himself onto the bed.
Jordan put her hand to his forehead. "You still have just a low fever." She kissed him gently. "You still need to rest, okay?"
Charlie was not happy, and he still felt miserable. He was glad that nausea had eased, at least.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Jordan looked at Charlie. "Don't you move. I'll be right back." She picked up the fence post, and went to answer the door.
Jordan saw that it was Janet again. She opened her door. "Hi Janet."
Janet was grinning. "I brought you something." The older woman handed Jordan a foil wrapped package. I know you said your husband is sick, but I brought you some chicken anyway. That's not all," she grinned broadly. "One of the other neighbors went today when they were giving out ice. He stood in line for three hours. I told him how sick your husband is, and he insisted I bring you this." Janet handed Jordan a large plastic cup.
Jordan looked inside. It was a big cup of ice. It was partly melted, but she didn't care. She grinned at Janet. "Thank you!" Jordan hugged her neighbor.
"Oh, hang on." Janet turned around and shouted, "Are you bringing that, or not?"
She turned back, and smiled happily at Jordan. "I've got you something else, too."
Jordan watched, as a boy of around twelve years old, came running up. "Here, Mom." The boy said breathlessly, as he handed Janet a two liter bottle. Janet grinned, as she handed it to Jordan. It was ginger ale.
Jordan stared at her neighbor in surprise. "I just cannot thank you enough. Truly. Thank you." Tears welled in her eyes.
Janet grinned at her. "I hope it helps. Hope he feels better."
Jordan smiled gratefully. "Thanks so much. For everything."
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Jordan put a straw into the cup of ice. She wrapped her hands around it, getting her hands cold. She smiled as she walked into the bedroom. "Charlie?"
"Yeah? I'm awake."
Jordan thought he sounded rather weak. "Here, Sweetie, time to sip."
Charlie dutifully sipped. His eyes widened. "How did you...?"
Jordan laughed. "Surprise." She set the cup down, and laid one of her cold hands against his forehead, the other on his neck.
Charlie closed his eyes. "Oh, man," he sighed.
Her hands warmed quickly against his feverish body. She picked up the cup. "You can either sip the melted ice, or, you can have cold ginger ale. Which do you prefer?"
"You have ginger ale, too? Umm, melted ice. Please. I don't want it to melt any faster than it has to."
"I don't blame you." Her hand was cold again, and she laid it against his cheek. She pressed the cup against his other cheek. She grinned at him, and kissed his nose.
Charlie smiled weakly. "Are you having fun?"
"Of course," she smiled.
Too soon, the ice was gone. Jordan sat with Charlie until he was asleep. She went into the kitchen, opened the foil pack that Janet had brought her, and ate dinner. She felt guilty, but she knew that she would end up getting sick if she didn't eat anything, and getting sick wouldn't be doing Charlie any good.
Jordan padded back into the bedroom, and curled up next to Charlie. She put her arms around him, and fell asleep.
