Strings

Cold.

No character is promised a happy ending in this story. Just thought I'd put that out there

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"Can I spend time with her today?" I asked through the phone. "I'm busy today, I don't have time to do that." She replied. I mean I'm asking something simple and she won't even allow me that. "Well, can you tell her I love her?" I said sadly. "Yeah sure whatever nicholas." Natalia said before hanging up.

She won't even allow me to see my daughter. Does she think that I'm that bad of a person that I'd hurt our only child? "O'brian, come here son." Coach yelled. He's probably gonna make me run for being on my phone in the bench. I sighed and jogged towards him.

"You know 45 years I've been playing this game son." He said as I finally got to him. "Yeah I know coach." I said nodding my head. "Which means I know when something's wrong with my players." He said turning to me. "I know I haven't been on my game lately coach but I can get better." I said shaking my head.

"I'm not talking about that, I overhead your conversation with your wife." He said looking at me. "I'm sorry I just needed to.." I started. "Son, go home. Rest a bit and get your self together. Football is gonna be here but it's not worth killing yourself over." He patted me on the back.

He was serious? I got into college because of football and it's the only thing I have right now. "Go home kid, before I make you a benchwarmer for the next season." He didn't have to tell me twice. "And you tell Thomas just because he doesn't show up to practice doesn't mean he won't run drills." He yelled as I jogged back to the locker room to change.

About 4 hours later I'm sitting at a barbecue joint on the other side of town with the guys. Every since the whole thing with Natalia, we've been hanging out nonstop. "Okay, so check it out. Two twins both are hot but there's no way I'm gonna bag if I don't have my wingman..." Max said. "No man, grow up. I'm not about to do that shit anymore." Dave laughed.

"Worst case scenario, you have to make out with one of their ugly friends." Thomas joked. "You guys are dicks." I said. "I'm not a dick. I am committed to being a universal asshole." Thomas said smiling and we all laughed.

And then my phone ringed, it was Natalia? This is a first, her calling me? I answered. "Hello." Wonder why she's calling me? "Nicholas? Can you hear me?" She sounded as if she was in panic. "Something's wrong with Amelia. I think she has a cold and I don't know what to do?" She cried.

"Alright calm down, umm put a a small wet towel on her forehead and I'll be there in a few." I said getting up from the table. "Please hurry." She said into the phone and then I hung up.

"Woah, what's up man?" Dave asked. "I'll explain later, I gotta go." I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door. The weather has changed drastically this past week so I can see how it may be sick.

She told Jennifer she was staying at Natasha's so that's where I'm going. It didn't take long before I got there. I knocked on the front door and Natalia quickly answered with tears streaming down her face. "I'm so glad you're here." She said wrapping her arms around me.

"Yeah sure, umm where is she?" I asked. She led me to a back room. "I put her back in her crib for rest I just don't know what to do, no one would answer their phone." She said sadly. "Okay well, I don't think this is something that we have to go to the hospital for." I said placing my hand on her forehead before picking her up. "Lets get something warm on her stomach." I suggested. I followed Natalia to the kitchen and she warmed up some oatmeal for Amelia and I fed it to her before taking her back to the room.

" if it continues for the next few days then we have to take her to the doctor." I said pushing Amelia's hair out of her face. "I'm sure it's just a cold, her forehead is a little warm." I can tell Natalia was worried out of her mind but to know I was her last resort makes me feel bad.

I rocked Amelia to sleep for the next 30 minutes before putting her in the crib. "I'll watch over her tonight if you don't mind, just to make sure she's okay." I didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone tonight. I mean she has Natalia but still.

"Thank you for coming." Natalia sniffled. "Why wouldn't I have came? That's my baby." I said shaking my head. "I'm sorry, I must've worried you with my yelling and panicking I just didn't know what to do." She cried. "It's alright..we both are a little off on this family thing but it's going to be okay." I reassured her.

And then she hugged me tightly before crying on my chest. I didn't know how to respond but eventually I just wrapped my arms around her.

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I don't know much about toddlers and colds so I try to do research on stuff like that. And I read that if its a cold it's really not necessary to take a child to the doctor unless it progresses for the next few days. So if I'm wrong please inform me sorry.