Dear Emmett

Chapter Thirty One - [Sick.]

"Ooh, good. I haven't gotten to see her in a while."

I knew most people would probably feel irritated at the thought of being "babysat", but this was something that was my idea. Being this far along in my pregnancy, I didn't feel comfortable being at home alone. I knew my aunt or Emmett and his family were only a phone call away, but something could always happen with the phone service or they could be far away.

This was just more comforting.

Emmett left at about eight thirty after he fed and watered all of the animals. Brooke and I talked for a long time, catching up. She did a lot of gushing over my belly, and soon after noon I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up, not feeling very well.

I had a pretty bad headache, but I decided to shake it off as nothing more than that.

"What's wrong?" Brooke asked when she walked into the living room.

I shook my head.

"Nothing, my head just hurts."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine," I answered, giving her a reassuring smile.

She shrugged it off, and continued to dart around the house as she did a bit of cleaning. I told her she didn't have to, but she didn't listen to me. Emmett didn't let me do much these days, and sometimes he was just too tired coming home from work to do much.

There was a pile of unkempt laundry, which she started on immediately. She was just as stubborn as her brother, and didn't listen to me when I told her again she didn't have to do that. Emmett came home at about five to a spotless house and a cooked meal, none of it (besides helping with desert) done by me. Brooke had insisted doing it mostly by herself.

I should have known the headache was not simply that.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I'd gotten hit by a bus. My entire body was sore, my nose was stuffed up. I couldn't really swallow and my throat hurt. I also had an earache. I actually woke up before Emmett, the time on the clock reading just 6 a.m.

"Emmett."

I reached over, shaking him. He didn't stir at first, the heavy sleeper that he is. I shook him harder, saying his name louder.

"What's wrong, Charlotte?"

"I don't feel good," I said, my voice wrought with emotion. Between the hormones and feeling like I'd gotten rain over by a train, I wanted to cry. Emmett sat up then, moving over so he was sitting behind me on the bed. He began to rub my back.

"What's wrong, baby?" He asked soothingly.

"I've got a head cold or something," I explained, "I feel like death."

"I'll go get a thermometer. You feel really hot."

He scooted off the bed, and returned from the bathroom with the thermometer. My temperature was 102.

"Stay here, I'm going to call the doctor."

I laid back down, pulling the covers up to my chin. My concern wasn't with me, but with the baby. I knew it couldn't be good for him to have my body temperature this high. I hadn't had any health concerns the entire pregnancy, and this had come on very suddenly.

"The doctor's office doesn't usually open until seven, but he said that he's already there so he wants you to come in now."

I got dressed in sweatpants and a long sleeved t-shirt, then put my coat on over it. My muscles were even sore, so I was moving slowly.

Since there was no one at the doctor's office, we were seen right away. It wasn't my normal doctor, but this one seemed to be friendly and understanding. It was just a cold, but he checked on the baby's vitals and declared that they were just fine.

"This will probably be gone in a day or two. You'll need lots of rest and fluids. With such a high fever, I'm going to put you on bed rest until you feel better. The baby should be fine, but if you notice any lack of movements or bleeding or anything unusual, come in right away."

"But he's okay now, right?" Emmett asked.

"Yes, the baby is fine now. Very healthy. But keeping the fever down and resting is very important for the baby right now. I'll send you with some Robitussin, some cough drops and vapor rub. All of which are safe to take during pregnancy."

We got the medicine and were sent home, and I immediately parked myself on the couch. I laid down with a big blanket, and took some of the Robitussin. The TV was on and Emmett was moving around the house, but it wasn't long until I fell into a deep, hard sleep.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, guys! I've been very busy with work. :/ And don't worry, I will tell you when the last chapter is coming up!