Chapter 51
Liam's POV
I found a plastic baggie with a razor in it. My eyes widened, and I felt tears streaming down my face. I felt... Betrayed. Didn't she promise me she wouldn't cut anymore? I clutched the razor in my hand, and I walked into the bathroom. I sat down on the edge of the bathtub, and I opened the baggie. I took out the blade, and I flipped it around in my hands. Why does she cut? I touched the blade, running it gently across the tip of my finger. I just about nicked myself, the blade was so sharp. I suddenly felt sick, and I dropped the razor. I leaned over, and threw up. Or, more like dry heaved. I hadn't really eaten anything besides McDonald's, so I threw that up, then dry heaved.
Alyson's POV
I was in the middle of telling Zayn about my mother and sister, then I heard someone throwing up. "Do you hear that?" I hushed him, and he listened with a confused expression. "Hear what?" He asked, and I said, "It sounds like someone's puking." I ran out of the kitchen, and only saw Niall, Lou and Harry in the living room. "Liam..." I said in a hushed tone, then sprinted up the stairs, my feet only touching a few times. The door was looked, and I heard him dry heaving from the other side. "No time to pick it. We have so ruined this door." I muttered, kicking it down with my size 12 foot. I left a decent sized hole, and the door flew off the hinges. Liam was hunched over the toilet, dry heaving. I ran over, splinters in my feet from the door, and I began soothing him. He looked like he was about to pass out.
"Baby, baby, please, stop. Calm down. Liam? Liam, calm down. Shhh... it'll be alright baby." I cooed, stroking his hair, holding him. He soon quit dry heaving, and he started sobbing. I felt the tears roll down my face. "Liam, baby, shhh..." I soothed, and he slowly calmed down. I helped him stand up, ignoring the stabbing pain in my feet, and I helped him brush his teeth. "Aww, baby, it's ok. How are you feeling?" I murmured, rubbing his back in small circles. "Not good." He moaned, and I picked him up silently. I cursed under my breath, walking down the stairs with extra weight and splinters in your bare feet isn't comfortable at all. I kept my face from contorting in pain, and I let Liam bury his head in my shoulder. "I love you." I said, and I sat on the couch with Liam in my lap. He curled up into a ball, and I motioned for the boys to help me.
"Zayn, you took the steak off the grill, right?" He nodded, and I continued. "Will you drain the potatoes, put about a cup of milk, some salt, some pepper, and a little butter in the potatoes, then mashed them in the KitchenAid mixer? Thanks. Niall, will you get me some water out of the cupboard, and saltines? Harry, will you find me a thermometer? Louis, it would make my day if you could buy something like Gatorade? Liam, baby, what flavor?" He mumbled something about not caring, and I looked up. "Whatever he normally gets. Thank you, boys." I said, and I held Liam like a mother would hold their child. "Shhh, it's alright baby. Thank you, Harry." I made Liam lift up his head, and I took his temperature.
"Liam, baby, are you cold, or do you have any body aches besides your stomach?" I asked, looking at the thermometer, which said, 101.3. He nodded, and I sighed. "Baby, you have the stomach flu. Lou is getting you some Gatorade, and Niall has some water and crackers. Do you think you can eat a few crackers, for me? Niall, will you get me a deep bowl?" I asked, and they both nodded. I made Liam take a small sip of the water, and I sent Harry to get my Texas blanket. "Thanks, Hazza." I said, covering Liam and I with the blanket. "Aly, what happened to your feet?" Hazza asked, looked horrified at my feet. I just noticed they were bleeding, and I looked away. "I, um, sorta kicked a whole in the door. And I got a bunch of splinters in my foot. Plus, I walked down the stairs carrying Liam." He touch my foot, and I whimpered in pain. "My god, Aly. We have to get the splinters out." I sighed, and he walked away. Niall handed me a bowl, and I craddled Liam. I handed him a cracker, saying, "Nibble on it. Do not just shove it in your mouth." He nodded, and began nibbling.
I unwrapped my arms from around Liam as Hazza started jacking with my feet. I screamed into a pillow as he dug out splinters from my foot. I sighed in relief when he wrapped my foot up. Just as he was doing that, Lou walked through the door. "Liam has the stomach flu, which can last for 2 days. I want you to be a bit quieter so he can sleep. And thank you for buying him this." I cracked open the Gatorade, and I gently shook Liam awake. "Hey, baby. Can you take a few sips of water, and maybe a sip of this Gatorade?" He nodded, and I gave him the Gatorade, then he took a few small sips of the water. "Hazza, exactly how many splinters did I have in my foot?" I asked, and he counted. "Both feet..." He asked, and I nodded. "27 splinters." My eyes widened. "Ok, now, I need to buy a door. Will someone run and grab my purse?" It was by Niall, so he tossed it to me. I began counting my money, and saw I had just enough to buy a door.
My aunt walked through the door, and I kept my face an emotionless mask. Then I heard her stomp down the stairs, part of the bathroom door in her hands. "Who did this?" She demanded, and I slowly covered my wrapped feet. She narrowed her eyes, and said, "Why, Alyson?" I sighed. "I heard Liam throwing up in the kitchen, but I was the only one who heard him. I ran up the stairs, and he had the door locked. There wasn't enough time to pick the lock, and I don't know where a key is, so I had to kick the door down. He looked like he was about to pass out. Liam, will you nibble on this? Please, for me?" I explained to her, then started begging Liam to eat the cracker. "He has a fever of 101.3, he says he's cold, nauseated, and he's thrown up. I think he has the stomach flu, which takes a few day to cure alone. I don't want to bring him to the doctor, and I'm just as good. I know what I'm doing. Please, can we not bring him to the doctor?" I begged, and she nodded. "What happened to your feet? Why are they wrapped in guaze?" She asked, lifting my blanket to show my feet. I blushed, and Hazza told her I had 27 splinters in my feet from the door, and that I carried Liam down the stairs with the splinters in my feet. I just brushed the hair out of Liam's face, and I kissed his nose, whispering to him. I made him drink some Gatorade.
"Aunt Marie? There's steak and potatoes in the kitchen. I had to take care of Liam, so Zayn finished it up." I beamed at him, and he smiled shyly back. "Ok. Do you want any food?" She asked, and I shook my head. "I'm good. I also made some macaroons." I informed her, and she smiled. "Ok." She left back up the stairs, and Liam's eyes shot open. "I'm gunna be sick!" He exclaimed, and I shoved the deep bowl under his chin before he threw up all over me. I looked at the vomit, see it was mostly clear. "That's stomach acid." I muttered, and I made Liam eat a cracker and half of a banana. He fell asleep, and I stroked his hair, humming softly. "Aly?" He croaked, and I murmured, "Yes, baby?" "Will you sing?" He asked, chocolate brown eyes hopeful. I nodded, and I began singing, 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz.
Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people, dance and sing
We're just one big family
And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved
So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate, our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
D-d-do do you, but do you, d-d-do
But do you want to come on
Scooch on over closer dear
And I will nibble your ear
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and I laughed
I guess what I be saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Come on and open up your mind and see like me
(I won't hesitate)
Open up your plans and damn you're free
(No more, no more)
Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours
(It cannot wait, I'm sure)
So please don't, there's no need
(There's no need to complicate)
There's no need to complicate
(Our time is short)
'Cause our time is short
(This is our fate)
This is, this is, this is our fate
I'm yours
Oh, I'm yours
Oh, I'm yours
Oh, whoa, baby you believe I'm yours
You best believe, best believe I'm yours
The boys joined in, singing the background. (orange) I was slowly rocking Liam, and I handed the bowl of vomit to Harry. "Buddy, I'm sorry, but can you please wash this? By hand? I'll need it back." I begged, and he pouted, but left to the kitchen. I snapped my fingers. "Lou, where is the plastic bag you had?" He handed it to me, and Harry soon brought the bowl back. I rubbed Liam back softly, and I place the bag in the bowl. "There. Now, whoever cleans the bowl only has to tie and throw away the bag and rinse out the bowl." I said proudly. I fell asleep rubbing Liam's back, but woke up whenever he did. I sat next to him, and I made sure he was comfortable. He fell asleep in the bathroom, and I let him lay his head in my lap. I stayed awake, knowing he would wake up in about an hour to dry heave again. The cycle repeated, and I made him drink water and Gatorade. Puke, drink, nibble, sing, sleep. Over and over. "I love you. For sickness and health. I'm sorry I was so horrible today. I love you. I always will." I kissed his cheek. I watched as he slept, looking at how peaceful his face was. I played with his hair, and soon fell asleep as soon as I was sure he wasn't going to dry heave again.
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If you look closely at a tree
you'll notice it's knots and dead branches,
just like our bodies.
What we learn is that
beauty and imperfection
go together
wonderfully.