HEJ, MY LOVE

SYMPTOMS

Jonas held Sierra's lemonade braids away from her face while she coughed. The woman prayed she had emptied the last drop of contents in her stomach.

December was cold and particularly harsh. Leone had the flu with a double dose of diarrhea. Now it was Sierra who suffered. She was feverish, and almost everything she ate got evicted. Jonas hoped she would be well for the family Christmas dinner.

"I'll make an appointment for tomorrow. You need a prescription."

"I'm good, Jonas. It's no big deal." Sierra hated doctors or medicine, but she detested the fuss above all.

"I'll call my mother then," Jonas said.

Her husband thought that the holistic doctor had other remedies that were perhaps more convenient for Sierra.

"No, I don't want to bother Sigrid."

"It won't be a bother."

"No, please, Jonas. I'm already feeling better." 

Jonas watched her wipe her face. She seemed fine, yet he knew something would trigger another episode.

They returned to their bedroom when Sierra stopped in front of the guest room, "it's better if I sleep here. I don't want you catching this."

"Sierra, I doubt I can catch it."

The woman fell sick after Leone, and all thought she caught the stomach flu, but what if it was something else?

It was that something-else question Jonas wished to answer by taking Sierra to see a doctor.

"Jonas, let me sleep here. You won't be bothered by me getting up."

"It's out of the question."

Sierra sighed, "I might vomit all over you."

"It doesn't matter, in sickness and in health, remember?"

Sierra smiled, "there are limits."

"There's no limit when it's about you. I can't stand seeing you sick like this."

"I'm fine; if I'm unwell tomorrow, I'll see a doctor."

Sleep didn't come easy for Sierra, who couldn't stop tossing, turning, throwing the covers, and pulling them back on again. She was convinced Leone gave her his flu until she saw what date they were. She made a mental note to stop by the pharmacy before heading to work. She preferred to figure things out by herself first instead of getting her husband excited.

Sierra woke up feeling better, and she even ate breakfast which reassured Jonas and Leone.

The arrest memory was still vivid in Leone's mind, and he noticed his mom sparkle dimmed. She took him out less and went out less altogether. How he wished he could make her happy. Why did these people take her? Leone promised himself never to stray away from Sierra's sight.

"Mama calin [mama hug]."

Giving Sierra hugs was all he could do. The little boy would pat her on the back just like she did when he was sad.

"At what time do you finish?"

"At four, I'll pick up, Leone," Sierra said as she pulled her braids out of her puffer jacket, "don't worry, Jonas, I'm fine."

"I'll pick you, and we'll go and get him together."

"You have too much work," Sierra said as she adjusted her bag on the side.

Following the scandal, Jonas and Lars decided to withdraw the products from all retailers to open the first branded Moder Yord store in Stockholm. An online store was already in the works—the population sought to find the products, which were now a rarity. Jonas also had a trip scheduled in Dubai to see how the grande hotel construction was going.