For Eternity [H.S AU]

10

You're On Your Own, Kid - Taylor Swift

January 1st, 2022

KARISSA MONTGOMERY

I get Astrid out of the shower, drying her off with a towel as she stands in the middle of the bathroom with her arms crossed, sniffling.

"Stop crying," I scolded her. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"I can't breathe," she sniffles again, showing me she can't breathe through her nose.

"Blow your nose, and I'll give you that thing daddy got you, then we'll see if it works. You need to stop crying so you can breath better too, baby."

I thought after going to the doctor and her getting a shot, along with the medicine the doctor prescribed, Astrid would get much better, but she hasn't.

She hasn't gotten any worse, which I'm happy about, but her cold is not going away. I have to wake up in the middle of the night due to Astrid crying because she's cold, sometimes hot, sometimes her throat hurts, or she has a stuffy nose and can't sleep. Harry has been staying over to help me since I didn't want to take her out in the cold to drop her off at his house every day.

Crystal has also been a huge help, which I'm glad. She comes almost every day, gives Astrid breakfast while Harry gets ready for work, and I deep clean the house, disinfecting every corner of the house, not wanting the virus to stay here for when Astrid gets better.

"Good morning," I hear Crystal from the hallway, and I call her from the bathroom. "Hi, Astrid! How are you feeling today?"

"I'm still sick," she whimpers, and Crystal helps me get Astrid dressed in warm clothes. I walk to her room, with Astrid following me behind.

I sit on the floor, and I put a cushion in front of me, telling Astrid to sit down. We both look at the mirror before us, and I grab the hairbrush from the nightstand.

"What do you want in your hair, babylove?"

"Two ponytails," she tells me, pointing at both sides of her head, smiling.

"You want two big bows too?" I ask, showing all the bows she has in the shoe box under her bed.

"Yes!" She claps her hands, and I begin doing her hair. "Mommy, it hurts," Astrid grabs the side of her ear, squinting her eyes.

"I'm almost done, baby. Just one more," I do the last ponytail, and I add the bows that Astrid chose. "See? All done," I kiss her cheek, and she gets up from the floor, calling Cherry's name.

Cherry comes running through the door, and Astrid hands me a bow, telling me she wants me to put it on her.

"Like that?" I ask Astrid and she laughs, rushing down the stairs with Cherry behind her.

I get up from the floor, and I clean what I left on the floor, walking over to the bathroom and doing the same. I pick up all the towels and wet clothes from the floor, throwing them on the dirty clothes basket behind me.

I walk down the stairs, and I see Astrid already sitting in her high chair, eating strawberries with milk. Harry leaning on the counter, talking to Crystal, who has whipped cream all over her face. Astrid laughing as Harry helps her clean her face.

"Good morning," I say. Harry nodded and said good morning back.

I open the refrigerator, looking for something to make for breakfast, and get the eggs out. Crystal and Harry leave the kitchen and walk to the front door.