Live-In Position by V.S. Tice Read Free Book Online

prescription for her cough, and handed me instructions on ibuprofen doses for fever and pain. I got her back into bed and made her some soup, which she ate very little of before falling asleep.
    I decided to sleep on the couch in her room so I could be close to her. It was around two in the morning when her coughing attack began. I could hear the congestion in her cough and chest.
    Grabbing her cough medicine from the bathroom, I poured out the correct dose and then coaxed her into taking it. I gave her a drink of water and lay her back down on elevated pillows. Her coughing subsided but I could still hear the rattle in her breathing. In the hall closet I searched on my hands and knees until I found a vaporizer.
    “Is there something the matter with her?”
    I gasped, almost dropping the vaporizer on the floor.
    “Sorry,” Dr. Bishop mumbled quietly.
    “She has strep throat,” I panted, still trying to catch my breath.
    “Did you take her to see the doctor?” he frowned.
    “Yes. He gave her a shot of penicillin and a prescription.” I lifted the vaporizer up. “I am just going to get this going to help with her congestion and cough.” I closed the closet door with my foot and headed back to her room.
    I plugged in the base of the vaporizer, inserted the filter, and took the top into the bathroom to fill with water. Stepping out of the bathroom I saw Dr. Bishop standing at the end of Victoria’s bed looking down at her. With one deep breath, I walked toward the vaporizer base next to her bed and put the top on it before crawling between the side table and the bed to plug the vaporizer in.
    A gentle hum filled the air along with the cool mist. Climbing back to my feet, his presence was still noticeable. He was standing looking at the couch – my makeshift bed.
    “Is that where you are sleeping?” His tone was monotone as usual.
    “Yes. I wanted to be able to hear her if she needs me.” I walked toward the couch.
    “There are monitors in the wall that allow you to hear in your room.” He looked at me puzzled.
    “I prefer to be here if she needs me,” I said in a flat tone as I sat on the couch. I looked up at him. “The doctor’s papers are in your mail slot on your office door.” He said nothing. “Was there anything else?”
    He stiffened up and clenched his fists.
    “No,” he said and then briskly walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. With a loud sigh, I threw myself back onto the couch and pulled the covers over my head.
    Victoria stayed home for three days before she was finally able to get back to school on Thursday. Friday arrived, and after I took Victoria to school, I felt like crap. My head swirled, my body was tired and hot, and I was completely irritable. Once I got back to the house, I took some medicine and tried a nap. When I woke up, my sinuses were congested, my throat was itchy and irritated, and every joint in my body ached. With a groan, I trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen to make some soup and tea. Halfway through making soup, I had to lay my body over the cool marble counter top.
    “Ahem.”
    Slowly I pulled my head up and squinted until I was able to focus on Dr. Bishop leaning in the doorway. With a groan I just put my head back down.
    “Not feeling well?” Maybe it was the cold medicine, but I swore I heard humor in his voice.
    “I’ll be fine,” I croaked.
    The microwave beeped and I dragged myself over to it, pulling out the mug of soup before heading back up to my room. I hadn’t even cared enough to excuse myself from the room.
    Not able to finish even half of the soup, I fell into a Nyquil induced sleep. I woke to a knock on my bedroom door and jolted up, but then had to brace myself from the dizziness flooding my head.
    “Whoa,” I groaned and closed my eyes.
    “Come in.”
    My eyes widened when they landed on Dr. Bishop, wearing glasses, sitting in the corner of my room with his laptop on a table in front of him. I heard the door