A Double-Edged Sword

Tragedy

Two days after Christmas, Erinoto arrived at her doorstep at the time that Markie normally did.  

“Hey Erinoto,” Lela greeted him, ushering him into her house.

“Hi Lela,” Erinoto grinned at her, “Markie sent me over ‘cause he’s sick and didn’t want to get you sick.”

“Oh, well tell him to rest up and get better quickly,” Lela replied, remembering that Markie had said something about the fact that he felt like was coming down with something, when he had spoken with her the other day.

“Is Derik here?” Erinoto asked.

Lela smiled and indulged Erinoto by giving him her younger brother’s whereabouts.

~

When Markie didn’t come over the next day, Lela resolved to go visit him instead. She set to work cooking some soup to bring as a get well soon gift. The next day both she and Johhin, traipsed over to the Fandrin's homestead.

Salina opened the door, “Hi Lela. Hey Johhin.”

“Hi Salina,” Lela replied, smiling at her, “We came to see if Markie was really sick or if he was just avoiding us.”

Salina wrinkled her nose, “He’s sick alright. He was throwing up all last night.”

“Is he up to visitors?” Johhin asked.

Salina shrugged, but left to find out. She returned quickly, “He says he wants to see you both.”

So Lela and Johhin walked into the room that Salina had just exited. Markie was sitting, propped up in bed, looking both flushed and pale and quite miserable.

“You look horrible,” Johhin observed.

“Thanks,” Markie replied, “I feel horrible too.”

“I made you some soup,” Lela spoke up, “But Salina said you aren’t eating much right now.”

“After last night, I might never eat again,” Markie replied wryly, “Although I’m sure if you made that soup, it will taste wonderful.”

Lela smiled at his compliment.

“Yeesh,” Johhin commented, “You too are a little too lovey dovey sometimes. Markie, don’t let this girl change you too much. Remember, I knew you first.”

“Only because you were born first,” Lela retorted.

They spent a few hours keeping Markie company, but by the end of their visit, Markie kept nodding off. So Lela and Johhin slipped out, deciding to let him rest.

~

It was Salina who rapped on Lela’s door late the next night. Derik and Malia were already in bed, and everyone else was getting ready to retire.

“Salina?” Johhin asked as he opened the door to reveal her standing on the front step.

“Markie’s getting worse,” were the first words out of her mouth, “We had the doctor out this afternoon and he doesn’t know of anything to help. He thinks it’s an infection from his shoulder. Markie was asking for you Lela.”

Salina looked past Johhin, to meet Lela’s gaze. Lela stood frozen for a few seconds. Markie was getting worse. What did that mean? He couldn’t be dangerously sick, could he? He had survived the war. He was courting her. He couldn’t be sick like her father had been. He just couldn’t.  What did Salina mean that the doctor didn’t know what to do? How could Markie have gotten worse enough, in one day, that he required a doctor to come out and see him? Lela remember that Markie had turn his old wound open a few days ago, pushing himself more than he should have been, but wounds healed just fine all of the time.