“Give me five minutes,” she said.
“Take your time.”
I heard the can spraying in the children’s bedroom as I cradled Benjamin next to me. His fever was still raging, but he wasn’t heaving any longer. His eyes were slowly falling closed as a small pair of feet padded up behind us, and Emma reached over and placed her hand on my shoulder.
The touch was hot, and I suppressed the shiver it rushed down my spine.
“Any throwing up?” she asked.
“None at all. What did you give him?”
“Pediasure with some nausea medication mixed up in it. I hear it works wonders. Let’s get some Tylenol in him for his fever and then he can just sleep out here on the couch.”
“The couch?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’ve sprayed the entire room back there down with disinfectant, and it needs to sit for a few hours before being wiped off.”
“You have to wipe it off?” I asked incredulously.
“Wow, it’s a good thing I’m here. I’ll go get the Tylenol I picked up.”
She came back a little while later with Tylenol for Benjamin to take. He wasn’t happy about it, but I knew it would make him feel better. Then Emma came around and sat with both of us until he fell asleep. I nestled him against a pillow and tucked him in tightly on the couch, then went and got some towels to put down around his face.
If he threw up again during the night, at least it would land on something we could easily clean up.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use some alcohol after all this,” I said.
“Haven’t taken care of a sick kid before?” Emma asked.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us. But if you pour yourself a glass, I want one too.”
“It would be rude of me not to offer. Come on. I’ve got a bottle of wine already opened in the fridge.”
I poured the two of us a glass as we kept an ear out for Benjamin. Things were silent between us and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes off her. She had delicate shoulders that sloped into low-hanging breasts I wanted to wrap my lips around. Her nightgown fell perfectly along the curves of her waist and hips. I tore my gaze away from her as we sipped our wine in silence, but then I heard her move.
I looked over and she was staring at me with an empty glass of wine in her hands.
“That was quick,” I said.
“The wine was good,” Emma said.
“I’m glad to hear it. Would you like another? Or are you heading home?”
“I’m not sure. Do you want me to be here in case Benjamin has another episode?”
I’d take any reason for her to stay.
“That would be nice, if you could. I’m more concerned about the other kids getting sick.”
“Then you’d really be outnumbered,” she said with a grin.
“If you would like to stay, you’re more than welcome to stay in the guest bedroom. I’ll probably stay out there with Benjamin just in case he wakes up again.”
“Sounds like a caring Uncle doing what he knows he can.”
“Did you expect anything less?”