I'll keep you safe

Chapter 109

Six weeks later...

Eddie woke up to the sound of retching coming from the bathroom. He shot up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he stepped into the en-suite.

His eyes fell on Rachel, who was sat on the floor beside the toilet. Her face was pale and clammy, her breathing heavy. She looked at him wearily, putting a hand to her head.

Eddie sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest, sighing heavily. The room was spinning and tilting, her stomach churning violently. She closed her eyes, taking some deep breaths, hoping it would stop.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, stroking her hair away from her face

She nodded tiredly

She was lying of course. She hadn't been feeling well for the last week or two. Every morning, she'd woken up feeling sick and dizzy. She was tired all the time, no matter how much sleep she got. The days just seemed to suck all of the energy out of her.

But this, today, was the worst it had been. She'd woken up at 5AM, her body screaming at her to run to the bathroom as the bile was rising in her throat. She'd only just made it.

She hadn't told Eddie how ill she'd been feeling of course, she didn't want him to worry. But he was worrying now, seeing her like this. She could feel him stressing. This wasn't like her at all. Rachel Mason didn't get sick, ever. She knew it, and he knew it. Eddie always joked that her immune system was made of steel; no illness could go against it and win!

He thought back to last year, before they'd got together, when they went out for a meal with the staff. They'd all ordered the exact same meal, and all the staff had come down with horrendous food poisoning, Eddie included. But not Rachel. She'd somehow come out the other side, unscathed.

When the flu had gone round the school last year, in Rachel's first few months as Head Teacher, all the staff and students had gone down with it at some point. But again, not Rachel. She just didn't get sick somehow.

So, her being sick now meant there had to be something wrong. And that scared Eddie.

"I think it's just nerves, we have that Inspector coming today from the LEA. I'll be ok once we get to work" Rachel said, sitting up

"Why don't you go back to bed for an hour? It's only 5:15" Eddie suggested

She nodded. Normally she'd be up and dressed by now, but her body was aching and exhausted, begging for sleep.

With Eddie's help, she stood up. Her legs were shaking as she walked back into the bedroom. Eddie wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her before helping her back into bed. He wrapped the covers around her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I'll get you a glass of water" he decided, heading back into the bathroom

When he came back a couple of minutes later, Rachel was already asleep. He smiled. She looked so peaceful; it would be cruel to wake her up again. So he left her. She could have the glass of water when she woke up.

He lay back in bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her carefully. She cuddled into him instinctively, draping an arm over his torso. Eddie closed his eyes, falling back into sleep.

...

When Eddie woke up again, his alarm was screeching at him. He sat up with a yawn, noticing Rachel was sat on the edge of the bed, getting dressed. She turned, smiling at him weakly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked

"Better" she nodded

She was lying again; she didn't feel well at all. But she wasn't about to tell Eddie that.