Married to the Mob

Chapter Twelve

"I'm guessing I should say no?" I grumbled.

"Smart woman. I knew I liked you for a reason," Alice snickered, tossing me a gown. "Put that on and I'll get you into radiology after I call Aunt Esme." I changed into the gown, shivering and curling up on the gurney. Alice came back with Jacob, still acting like an orderly. "You can head over there once I release you, barring anything funky on your scans." She put a warm blanket over me. I must have dozed off on the ride to radiology. I took several chest x-rays, feeling shittier as the night progressed. I had some congestion, perhaps the beginning of pneumonia. Alice said she'd keep an eye out, but pushed me out of the emergency department, saying that I couldn't come back until I was two days without any sort of fever. That went for class, too.

She'd write me another note.

Thankfully, it was Thursday. I prayed I got over this and would be able to go to class on Monday.

I crashed in the car to Carlisle and Esme's, my body just giving out. When I woke up, I was in the bedroom that I'd shared with Edward. Carlisle was sitting next to me, gently dabbing my face. "What time is it?" I croaked, sitting up and feeling dizzy.

"A little after three in the morning. You were delirious," he said. "Esme is making some soup. She says it's a cure-all for any illness." He gently pushed me back, wiping my forehead. "You're very sick, Isabella."

"It's just the flu," I said, coughing.

"Alice listened to your lungs a little bit ago. They're more congested than when you are the hospital. She said you have full-blown pneumonia," he said. "You're going to have to go down to the clinic to get another set of x-rays, but you're too weak."

"I can walk," I argued. Carlisle arched a brow. "I'm sorry. I'm a horrible patient."

"You are," he snickered. "When was the last time someone took care of you?"

"When I had chicken pox," I shrugged. "I was nine." Carlisle frowned. "I was always the nurturer, Carlisle. My mom ... she was not very motherly and my dad, he was a good man, but a workaholic. Jimmy, too."

"Well, you are going to be taken care of while you're here, Bella. Edward is beside himself and was ready to take the private jet back home," Carlisle chuckled.

"That's not necessary. He'd just be watching me sleep and be a slob," I snorted, coughing and whimpering as my chest ached. Carlisle gave me some water and rubbed my back. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize, Bella," he said. "You're sick." Esme came in with a tray and she placed it over my lap. "Smells delicious, mi amore."

"Thank you," she smirked. "You need to eat, Bella. Keep your strength up. And once we're done, Alice wants to have you get another chest x-ray." I frowned, tucking into my soup, but it burned against my raw throat. I ate what I could, but the pain was too much. Esme took it away and said we'd try again later. Carlisle helped me to my feet, but picked me up easily when I stumbled unsteadily. We went downstairs to the basement into a fully functioning clinic.

"Wow," I choked out.

"In our line of work, we'd need to access to state-of-the-art medical facilities, but for there not to be a trace," Carlisle said.

"How did you buy this without ...?" I asked, gripping his arm. He didn't respond, but wore a coy smile. "Never mind. I don't want to know." He chuckled and carrying me into a private examination room. He hugged me gently before helping me onto the table. Alice breezed in, her eyes exhausted and her face pale. "Alice, you look about as good as I feel."

"Probably, but you're my priority, Bella," she said. "I'll come and get you, Uncle Carlisle, when I'm done. It shouldn't be that long. Just a quick x-ray." He nodded, leaving the room. Alice listened to my lungs and she grumbled. She moved me to get my x-ray. I followed her instructions, but struggled with holding my breath. My scans showed up almost instantly on a tablet. "Bells, you've got pneumonia. How long have you felt shitty?"