The Show Must Go On

Cosy

Ant and Ali gave each over a quick wave as they both entered their homes. Ali shut the door behind her as quietly as possible, in case Dec was still asleep.

She untied Rocky's lead and shushed him as he whimpered. She let down her handbag and walked into the front room. She was surprised to see Dec there.

Dec was cuddled up on the sofa wearing his dressing gown and was wrapped in a blanket. He was laying on the sofa, sleepily watching Loose Women.

On the table was a box of tissues and the porridge she had left him. She could tell he only had a couple of spoonfuls of it, as it was practically untouched. He had a  bin by his side full of tissues and had a tissue in his hand.

Ali wasn't sure if he was awake, so she carefully walked over. Dec was half asleep, so his eyes were heavy. "Hi darling" she whispered, shaking him slightly. Dec's eyes opened wide and his face lit up.

"Hey, didn't know you came back" Dec whispered in such a small voice. "Only just got it. How are you feeling?" She asked, feeling his forehead. He still felt really cold.

"I'm feeling fine darling. Don't worry about me, I'm absolutely...I'm abso..." Dec began before sneezing into his tissue. It was such a tired sneeze that had no power at all. Dec weakly rubbed his nose with the tissue, sniffing.

Ali smiled. "I got you some meds. Might make you feel a bit better" she said, passing him the bag. Dec smiled weakly. "Thank you" he whispered as he pulled out a box. 

FLU RELIEF 24 HOUR COVER. He read and turned his nose. "I wouldn't say I had the flu, I've just got a bit of a cold, a bit of the sniffles, that's all" he said. Ali frowned.

"Sweetie, your voice is gone, you feel like a block of ice, you're knackered and your pale as a sheet. I would call that more than just the sniffles" laughed Ai. Dec smiled sleepily.

"I'll make you some tea to take the tablet with. What's happened on Loose Women, anyway"Ali said, staring at the screen. "To be honest I haven't got the faintest idea. Haven't really been watching fully" he said, coughing weakly.

"Aw, darling. Hopefully the tablet will make you feel a bit better and make you feel a bit more, you know, with it" said Ali as she went to the kitchen.

When the tea was ready, she walked back in with 2 mugs in her hands. ""I didn't know what mug you wanted to drink from, so I poured it in your Newcastle United mug. Your blue one is-" she began, but stopped when she saw Dec.

Her poorly husband was fast asleep on the sofa, cuddled in his blanket. She smiled and muted the TV. He was slightly shuddering in his sleep. Ali sipped her tea, watching the muted TV screen.

Dec suddenly started coughing faintly in his sleep. The coughing became stronger, and his eyes fluttered open. He couldn't stop coughing at this point, so he sat up. The coughing really hurt his already sore throat. Ali came over, gently patting hit back.

Dec carried on coughing, feeling worse and worse. He finally stopped after about 3 minutes of coughing. "Aw, sweetheart" Ali said, hugging his side.

"I just want to rest, but every time I drift off i start coughing in my sleep. I hate waking up to a coughing fit. I just want to sleeeep" whined Dec in a scratchy, lost voice. Ali smiled sadly, then remembered something. She reached for the shopping bag and pulled out a bottle.

"This medicine says it has oils to help you sleep, want to have some?" Ali asked. "No, probably isn't wise. I'm bad enough as it is, imagine what I'll be like if I felt even more sleepy. Ill be like a zombie. I'll have it at bed time, thanks though pet" Dec whispered.

That long sentence really strained his voice. He cleared his throat the best he could. "Can I have just the regular *sniff* just the flu ones" askedDec. "Here you go" Ali said and passed it to him. He swallowed it with his tea.

"Aw, that feels good" said Dec, enjoying the warm water flow through his painful throat. Dec placed down the mug then laid back across the sofa again, his head laying slightly on Ali's lap.

Ali looked down on the table and remembered the porridge. "Didn't you want your porridge? It's untouched" Ali asked. " No, I did eat some, honest, I'm just not, I'm just not that hungry really" said Dec.

Ali frowned. "Not like you to loose your appetite" she said as she ran her fingers through his messy, bed hair. "No, I'm just not that keen on porridge" lied Dec. He quite liked the porridge, really, but his stomach felt like it only wanted a couple of mouthfuls.

"Do you want some toast then, darling?" Asked Ali. "No thanks love, don't think my throat will appreciate that" he chuckled.

"Anything else, anything at all? Anything meal in the world you want, I'll make it" Ali asked.

"Well, if you're offering anything. Then I'll have a gold plated lobster with a side order of deep fried £100 notes, with a nice diamond and silver blended martini" Dec laughed.  Ali laughed too, pleased Dec was acting a bit more like himself.

"You know what I mean" she chuckled. "No, I'm good actually thanks love, thanks though" he said. Ali knew he must be feeling really ill to turn down the offer of anything for breakfast.

"You know, Dec, medicine wasn't the only thing I picked up in the shops" she said, opening the bag. She pulled out a DVD. She put her hand over the cover. "Let me guess, Alien Autopsy?" He laughed.

"Just as good.." she laughed as he moved her hand. "Star Wars the Last Jedi, thank you" said Dec, soundings vaguely interested. "Aw, that's not the response I was expecting, I thought you said you couldn't wait for it to come out on DVD so you can re watch it" she said, slightly disappointed.

"No, I am really happy. Thanks love. Sorry, I'm just not in a very excitable mood. I am really buzzing about it, honest" Dec said.

He honesty really was not in the mood for 2 hours of concentration, but he didn't want to disappoint his wife.

"Wanna watch it soon? I've never seen it before, been wanting to see it for ages" lied Ali. She hated sci fi and knew Star Wars was not her cup of tea, but she knew Dec liked it so was prepared to give it a go.

"Good idea. But first Ali, sorry to be a pain love, but would you mind filling up my hot water bottle?" Dec Asked. "Of course, sweetie" she said, kissing his forehead. He still felt freezing.

She made the hot water bottle and inserted the DVD. Dec snuggled under the blanket, holding his hot water bottle close to his chest.

"Feeling any better?" She asked. "Yes, fine thanks" he lied. He sounded more like 'Yes, find thank'. He felt worse then ever. Ali pressed play and curled up under the blanket with her poorly husband.

She could feel the cold air around Dec. She cuddled into him, trying to warm him up. "Your nice and warm" whispered Dec. Rocky also jumped up and made a bed out of the end of his dressing gown.

Ali kissed his cheek as they both were drawn to the tv. Dec felt so relaxed and warm. He felt tiredness over ride him. He tried desperately to stay awake as he really wanted to watch it, but the warm embrace from his little family of Ali and Rocky made him feel so much better and really sleepy.

Ali felt Dec slowly fall on her side. She looked to her right to see Dec asleep, cuddled up to her arm. She smiled at him as he gently snored.

She reached for the remote and managed to not wake up her two boys; Dec and Rocky. She turned the tv off.

Ali couldn't get up as Dec was cuddled up to her and she knew that if she tried to move he would wake up. Ali also felt comfortable, snuggled up with her Declan.

She also felt tired, as Dec woke her up several times in the night, coughing and sneezing. Ali also felt herself drift away in her husband's cosy embrace.