This Too Shall Pass (17 page)

“I would ask what you mean by that, but I don’t give a shit.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it. Everyone knows you’re a daddy’s girl.”

“Whatever. If my dad telling Jimmy Brooks to bring me wood makes me a daddy’s girl, then so be it. I paid for it.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just feel like I am the one that should take care of that sort of thing.”

“I’m not your problem. You don’t need to worry about me.” Alexis tried to pick up her speed and catch up with the rest of the group, but Cory kept talking.

“I saw Mitch with someone else.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you’re not seeing him, Lex.”

“You don’t know Jack. Shut up. We’re not having this conversation.”

“Are you carrying my kid?”

Alexis snorted. Now he cared. Five months later? Screw that. “That’s yet to be determined. I’m going to go. I’ll be after the girls around noon.”

“Lex?” Cory questioned in a soft tone. Alexis’s head was spinning in circles. What the hell was this? She didn’t respond to the way he said her name. She kissed Kinley on the head and skipped ahead to tell Riki goodbye. The thought of all the candy going home with Cory and not her brought a malicious smile to her face. He could fight with how much Riki ate and she hoped she left every single piece of it there.

The next conflict came in November, her birthday weekend. It was Alexis’s weekend with the girls and she was sick. Riki was a huge help, taking care of her sister, but it wasn’t enough. Alexis seemed to be getting worse by the minute and she knew she needed to call Cory. She couldn’t even hold her head up she was so sick, there was nothing left in her stomach, and she was fevered. One minute she had sweat beading on her skin, and the next she was shivering from being cold, freezing with chattering teeth.

“Riki, how about you call daddy and tell him to come and get you two?” Alexis suggested with closed eyes.

“I can take care of Kinley.”

“I know you can, baby, and you’re doing an awesome job, but you can’t cook. I would feel better if you went to daddy’s for the night. I’ll come and get you tomorrow. Go get the phone.”

Riki ran off to fetch the cordless phone and Kinley ran after her, calling her name. “Kiki.” Alexis sort of smiled, but not really. She was too sick to care about Kinley being cute.

“I can dial the number, okay, Lexis?”

“Yes, you can do it.” Of course she could. Alexis couldn’t even lift one finger.

“Daddy, Lexis wants you to come and get me and Kinley, she’s too sick. Yes. Uh-uh. She throwed up a whole bunch. I don’t know. Hang on. Lexis, my dad wants to know if you have a fever.”

Alexis breathed a deep breath, reminding herself that Riki couldn’t repeat the words she wanted to say. “Yes, is he coming or not? I can call Aunt Sam.”

“Are you coming? We can go to Aunt Sam’s,” Riki relayed and then handed her the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”

Ugh! Why couldn’t he do one thing without being difficult? She would have went right over and picked them up had the tables been turned. Not Cory, No, he had to make it about him. Always. “Can you come and get them or not?”

“Yes, I’ll be right over. What’s wrong?”

“I’m sick. I’ll see you in a little bit.” Alexis hit the end button. If she wanted a doctor she would go to the clinic, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be him.

“Is he coming?” Riki questioned.

“Yes, can you run upstairs and pack Kinley some jammies, and diapers? Close the gate behind you.”

“Okay, and I’ll pack mine, too. Can I take my library book?”

“Yes, just watch Kinley doesn’t get it.”

Alexis closed her eyes, squeezing the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the thumping right behind her eyes. Kinley waited at the gate, calling up the stairs for Riki. The next time Alexis opened her eyes. Riki was sitting on the floor with a notebook and crayons, explaining to Kinley what each letter in her name was. A smile formed on her lips when Riki apologized for not knowing how to spell her name, and then her eyes closed again.

“Alexis?” the husky voice, followed by the scent of Cory filled the room. Thank God.

“I’ll see you girls tomorrow,” she said, unable to get up and see them off the proper way. She’d kiss them double tomorrow. Her eyes closed again, happy for the opportunity to rest without worrying about Riki and Kinley.

“How long have you been sick?” Cory questioned while placing the back of his hand on her forehead. She flinched and pulled away.

“Since yesterday. Go away. I just want to suffer in private.”

“You’re burning up, Lex. I think you should go to the doctor.”

Alexis sat up, ready to light into him full force. That didn’t work so well. An instant sickness twirled in her stomach and she felt weak and faint. She didn’t even try to snap at him as she’d initially planned. Too busy trying to talk herself out of being sick again, she waited, hesitating with her hand covering her mouth. Epic fail. Alexis opened her mouth to beg him to take the girls and leave and jumped up. Jesus, where the hell was this coming from? There couldn’t have been anything left in her stomach. Of course Cory followed.

He told Riki to watch Kinley and retrieved a cool washcloth and the thermometer. Alexis dry heaved into the toilet, but nothing came out. She didn’t have anything left to come out. She did take the cool cloth and covered her face with a moan, sure she was dying.

“Open your mouth,” Cory ordered, knelt in front of her. 

Alexis raised her head from her knees and gave him a dirty look. “I know I have a fever, Dr. Baker. I don’t need a thermometer to tell me that.”

“Open your mouth!”

Alexis didn’t have the energy to argue. She just wanted to lay on her couch in peace and quiet. Was that really too much to ask? Her lips barely parted, but it was enough for Cory to slip the thin rod below her tongue. Cory was in doctor mode when the thermometer beeped, revealing a one hundred and three temperature.

“Alexis, you’ve got to go to the doctor. Let me call Sam to come and stay with the girls, and I’ll drive you to the clinic.”

“I don’t want you to drive me anywhere. Take the girls and go home.” Alexis did let Cory help her to her feet. Only because she needed the extra energy.

“Lex, you’re pregnant. Your temp is way too high. You need to go to the doctor.”

“I need you to leave. I have the flu. Paige just had it, too. I’ll be fine. Just take the girls and go.”

“I’m not leaving you here sick. Go upstairs to your bed and I’ll stay here with the kids.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you? I don’t want you here.” Alexis managed to move around him and fall to the sofa with a moan.

“I don’t like this, Lex,” he tried one more time, squatting to her face, and moving hair from her forehead.

It was his fault. It wasn’t like Alexis didn’t give him plenty of opportunity to go. First she looked to see Riki and Kinley playing with Mr. Dog and then she gritted her teeth. “Get the fuck out of here,” she ordered through the clenched jaw. Cory had no choice. He had to leave her.

No sooner had they left and she was finally sleeping, Bernie was waking her. For Pete’s sakes…

“What are you doing here?” Alexis moaned. Her eyes squinted to Bernie wearing a red and white bandana over her mouth.

“Cory called me. I brought you soup and Pedialyte.”

“Pedialyte? That’s for kids.”

“Cory told me to get it. I got the Pedialyte popsicles, too. Cory said I can’t leave until you at least eat a popsicle.”

“Why are you talking to Cory? I’m not eating a popsicle. I just want to sleep. Why can’t anyone understand that?”

“Because we’re concerned about you. You’re pregnant.”

“Thanks for reminding me. Give me the damn popsicle so I can rest for Christ’s sake.” Alexis managed to keep the icy treat down and then she slept. Bernie could entertain herself. She just wanted to sleep, that’s it. Sleep.

The next time she woke up it was dark out and Bernie was gone. Mr. Dog pulled himself from his rug and went to her, resting his head on her lap. Alexis petted him, thanking him for always being there, and never leaving her side. The queasiness in her stomach was still there, but not near as bad. She still felt weak and she was sure she was still fevered. A shower was desperately needed, but there was no way. She wasn’t doing it. Alexis turned off the lights and made her way to her bed, checking the multitude of messages on her way.

Cory—How do you feel?

Cory—Lex? Please answer me.

Cory—Will you just message me back so I know you’re okay?

Cory—You’re impossible. Whatever. Be sick alone.

Cory—Please tell me you’re okay.

Cory—I’m going to load the girls up and come over there if you don’t answer.

Cory—Really? You can’t just say, I’m fine?

Cory—I’m going to keep messaging you until you answer.

There was a time that Alexis would have been flattered and found his persistency cute. Not now. She found it to be very annoying. The last message he’d sent was fifteen minutes ago. As soon as she slipped out of her pants she fell into bed and text him back.

Alexis—I’m fine. I’m sick…

Cory—Thank you! Geesh…

Alexis didn’t respond. She didn’t care. She slept, and slept, and slept. Mr. Dog woke her the following morning at eleven o’clock. Holy smokes. She hadn’t slept that long since her and Bernie were teenagers. Slowly, she sat up. The fever had broken and she thought she felt better.

“I’m coming!” she called down the steps. Mr. Dog was just going to have to wait. She had to pee worse than him. Alarm emerged when she wiped, seeing the bright red blood on the toilet paper. That wasn’t normal. Maybe she should call the doctor, but then again, it wasn’t much. It could have been from being sick, throwing up so much, and feeling like death. Deciding to give it a day, Alexis placed a pad in her panties and walked downstairs. She did feel better. A little weak, but better. The blood was probably just side effects to everything her body was going through. She bled a little like that in her first trimester and it stopped and again after Cory had his way with her on the front porch. That was hardly anything either. She wasn’t going to worry about it.

Her intuitions were correct. By the afternoon there was no blood and she was feeling like a human being again, managing to keep down dry toast and another popsicle. Although she was feeling better, she still didn’t feel one hundred percent yet. The only thing she wanted to do was curl up on the sofa with a quilt and Mr. Dog by her side, watch television, and maybe sleep. Guilt got the better of her, knowing the girls were with Cory when they were supposed to be with her and she gave up and called.

Cory answered just before the voicemail picked up. “Hey, how do you feel?”

Alexis plopped her head to the pillow, exhausted while her eyes rolled in annoyance. “Why do you have to do this? It doesn’t matter how I feel. Why is Kinley crying?”

“She wants more candy. Are you better? Did your fever break?”

“I’m fine. I’ll come and get the girls in a little while.”

“You don’t have to. Just rest. We were just going out anyway.”

“Out where?”

“I can’t ask you if you feel better, but you can ask me where I’m going?”

Alexis rolled to her back and covered her eyes with her arm. Maybe she didn’t feel better. “You have my kids. I think that justifies me asking where you’re taking them.”

“I don’t have
your
kids. I have one of ours and one of mine. We’re going to April’s for lunch and then to the grocery store for diapers.”

Well that was below the belt…Alexis didn’t respond. He could be an ass. Whatever. “I sent diapers.”

“No you didn’t, but it’s fine. I can buy them.”

Alexis remembered Riki packing the diaper bag and refrained from arguing. Maybe she didn’t. “You can bring them home after that if you want.”

“How about I just keep them tonight and bring them tomorrow. You’re sick. Rest.”

“Fine, give them a kiss for me. Bye.” Alexis hung up on that note, curled into a little ball and closed her eyes.

Alexis once again slept for hours, four to be exact. It was almost five in the evening the next time she woke to her phone ringing somewhere around her. Searching the quilt for the noise, she found it between the covers.

“Hey, Bernie,” she answered just before it went to voicemail.

“How are you?”

“Better, I think.” Alexis got up and made her way to the bathroom. She barely peed at all and made a mental note to go drink something. At least there was no blood, that was a relief.

“Do you want me to come over? Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine. How was work?”

“The same as always, but don’t worry about it. Paige came in. She’s already did your part of it. You have nothing to do but rest. Watch a love story on Hallmark or something,” Bernie suggested and popped a bubble.

Alexis frowned at the phone and the loud pop. “I don’t believe in love. I think I’ll go make soup. I’ll talk to you later.”