Kiss of Life

Chapter forty: Dan

"Oh pish posh," Genevieve laughs and her hands disappear into her sleeves.

We all laugh.

"Hi Dan," She says personally to me now.

"Hey," I get a little closer, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thank you," She smiles, "Me too."

She was really sick over the weekend, but still somehow went to work without letting on that she felt like she was dying, as she put it in the group text.

She went to the ER Sunday night. It was hard for her to talk and her throat hurt so much. Doctors aren't open, sillily, so she went there where they were able to find out she had strep and give her antibiotics, while telling her that the first day of them she would be contagious and couldn't go to school. She asked for a note and everything, because she hates missing school.

She runs her hand through her hair and I look at it. It's beautiful like this too. She has really nice hair that suits her so well, matching her brown eyes and freckles.

"Leigh!" We hear.

"Uh oh," Genevieve laughs.

"Did you clean the house??" Her dad comes in, in his work clothes.

"No..." She tries.

He laughs and shakes his head, "You weren't supposed to leave your room!"

"But Dad!" She laughs.

"No 'buts' young lady! Stay in your room!" He says.

She laughs, "Fine!"

"Hi guys," He smiles, we wave/say him, and then he looks back at his daughter, "Oh, and I brought you soup, tell me when you're hungry." Then he leaves the room.

We all laugh.

"I think if that's the worst thing you do as a daughter, cleaning the house and also your room, you're golden," Beth laughs.

I laugh and Genevieve laughs, "Me too."

We all sit on her bed and update her on the day she missed. She wants to know the most mundane of things. She wants to know everything. Just like Genevieve.

"I wish you would wear your hair like this more often," Beth says and touches Genevieve's hair, "It looks beautiful on you, like you're a mermaid or something."

Genevieve kinds of shakes her head and laughs, "I would rather brush it out, I don't know."

"Shame," Beth laughs, "People work so hard to get wavy hair like you, that you already have so simply and naturally."

She touches it more and starts playing with it. Genevieve seems to relax a little more as she giggles, which makes me smile.

Genevieve seems to get kind of lightheaded at one point, even though she doesn't want to admit it, we can just tell. So Beth lays her down and pulls the blanket up for her. She runs a hand through Genevieve's hair and her hand touches her forehead and cheek.

"Close your eyes, Leigh, it's okay," Beth says gently.

"We'll see you tomorrow," I add.

She closes her eyes, "Thank you guys," She smiles.

We leave her room and head downstairs.

"I think Leigh might be taking a little nap," Beth tells Mr. Lambert who's in the kitchen.

He laughs, "Okay."

"And she feels a little hot," Beth adds.

"I'll get her some IbProfen," He goes to a cabinet, "Thanks, Beth."

Beth nods and he puts the bottle of medicine near her soup.

"Thanks for coming over you guys, I'm sure she appreciated it," He smiles.

"No problem," Beth smiles.

We say our goodbyes and leave the house.

Genevieve came to school the next day. Still a little run down, but stubbornly determined, as always.

~*~