I heard my bedroom door open.

Guess it was already time for Mom to leave for work.

I had barely slept. My stomach was killing me. I had thrown up a few times over the night, and even as early as before bed last night.

I was very clearly sick.

Mom slowly walked into my room, the sound of her scrubs made it obvious she was about to leave.

"How are you feeling baby girl?" Mom sat down in my bed, hugging me softly.

"Bad." I mumbled, resting my head against her.

She felt my forehead, her cool hand making me shiver.

"Ooh. You're burning up. Are you hot? Cold?"

"Freezing." I mumbled.

She got up, coming back over to my bed with more blankets and covering me up. "A little better?"

I nodded slowly.

She sighed. "I'm going to call out of work."

"I'll be okay." I told her. I didn't need her to stay home from work.

"Liv, you're clearly very sick."

"It's just like... a stomach bug." I mumbled.

"Okay, and? I can't leave you home alone. What if it gets worse?"

"Babe!" Callie called out from their bedroom. "What's wrong?"

Mom walked out of my room, and they must have met in the hallway, because she just stood in front of my door.

"I think she has some kind of stomach bug. I can't go to work when she's throwing up." Mom said.

"I'll be here all day, she won't be alone." Callie replied. I watched her appear in the doorway. "You ok Liv?" Sympathy covered her face.

I shrugged a little. I felt gross.

Callie turned to Mom. "You don't have to call out of work. I can take care of her. If that's okay with you, Liv?"

"But-" Mom started to protest.

"It's just the stomach bug, Mom, I'm ok." I cut her off.

Mom came back over to me, hugging me again. "You're sure?"

"Mhm." I would be fine. I didn't want Mom to call out of work over something so dumb.

After Callie convinced Mom for the ten millionth time, Mom finally left- she was definitely not making it to work on time.

Callie came into my room. "What can I get you? Water? Ginger Ale? Crackers? Do you have a fever? You're totally shivering..."

"I'm okay." I adjusted under the pile of blankets Mom had given me. "You don't have to play doctor." I didn't want Callie to feel like she needed to help me. I would be fine without help.

She laughed, "Honey, I am a doctor. Seems like you have the best care in town for your stomach bug."

I giggled at that.

Callie smiled, "So. What can I do? Or am I bothering you? Do you wanna sleep?"

"I can't fall asleep. You're not bothering me." I said softly.

"Okay. Wanna lay on the couch, then? Change of scenery?"

"Sure."

"Are you ok to walk?"

I giggled, "Yeah. It's a stomach bug. I didn't break a leg."

Callie laughed, "Okay, okay. You need me to carry these blankets?"

"I can do it." I slid out from under the blankets, immediate goosebumps forming on my skin from the cool air. I grabbed some of the blankets, and then headed out to the couch.

I got under them quickly, already way too cold.

Then, Callie sat next to me.

"You good?"

"Mhm."

She smiled.

"Mom said you guys picked a wedding date?" I watched as Callie flipped through TV channels. "She didn't get to the whole telling me what day part, though. Because I threw up. Oh, if I throw up you don't have to come. That's like... really nasty."

"Throw up doesn't bother me."

"Ew."

Callie laughed. "Patients throw up on me all the time."

"That's gross."

"My point is, if you throw up, I will come help you. I don't mind." Callie said sweetly. She waited a moment, then, "And, we did pick a date. Or, we think we know the date."

"What day?" I curled more into my blankets.

"August 14th. The day we met." Callie had a huge smile on her face.

"Aw. That's really cute." I said quietly, adjusting a pillow so I could lay down.

Callie reached over and helped me get the pillow behind me. "Yeah, I think it all matches up perfectly. And that gives us some time to plan, still. Since it's only a few people coming, I think it'll work out great."

"I'm excited." I closed my eyes.

"Me too, Liv." Callie said softly. She turned down the volume of the TV a little.

"I'm not sleeping." I whispered. "Just need to close my eyes."

"That's okay."

It was quiet for a while. Just the sound of the TV playing softly in the room. I couldn't sleep, no matter how still I stayed.

Inevitably, the stomach bug part of my illness came, and I managed to make it to the bathroom. Thankfully.

Callie followed right after me, like she said she would.

"Ugh you are so pale," Callie rubbed my back after I threw up. "You're sure you can't stomach some crackers?"

I coughed a little, hating the feeling in my throat that always came right after throwing up. Gross. I grabbed some toilet paper and wiped my mouth. "I could try." I whispered, feeling Callie let my hair go.

"Alright, you go lay down." She followed me out of the bathroom, heading to the kitchen as I laid down.

When she came back over to the living room, I was tucked all under my blankets again. She sat a little closer to me than before and handed me a sleeve of crackers.

"Thank you."

"And ginger ale." She opened up the can. "Want some now?"

I took it, taking a very small sip. I felt it go all the way down my throat- insanely cold. "Thank you." I said again. Callie didn't have to be so kind, I appreciated it.

"Of course." She smiled, then looked back at the TV.

I slowly tried to eat the crackers. "Callie?"

"Hm?"

"Can you talk to me? Just... about anything?" I thought it sounded weird to ask, but I just wanted some conversation. I couldn't sleep, and TV was insanely boring.

She smiled. "Sure! Uh, let's see. What do you want to hear about?"

I smiled a little. "Wanna tell me more about work?" She had briefly brought up work earlier, and I rarely heard about her work. So, why not. Though sucky, this was an opportunity to learn more about Callie.