Chapter 56

• The following day, Nick gazed at his gravely ill wife, shaking his head in disappointment. "I warned you," he said. She responded with a groan, turning away from him to face the pillow, and let out a harsh cough. "You're not supposed to utter those words. I need more Nyquil," she mumbled. Nick carefully placed a tray with fluids like chicken soup, water, and juice next to her, replying, "Absolutely not, especially not with the antibiotics and codeine cough syrup. The doctor made that clear. Also, no more nasal spray. I came across an article about it." She whimpered, "I want my mother." Nick chuckled, planting a gentle kiss on her messy hair, "You have the TV and its remote, a box of tissues, a romance novel, and the phone. Take some rest, I'll be back soon."
• "But I need to go to the bookstore. Maggie is terrible at handling customers," she protested. "She can manage it for a day. Just think about all the men she'll persuade into buying more books. Now, eat your soup," he advised. She mumbled something inaudible, and he softly closed the door behind him.
• With a sense of accomplishment, Nick hopped into the Volkswagen. Now that she was confined to bed, he finally had the chance to replace the tires and change the oil of her old clunker. He had personally accompanied her to the doctor, picked up the prescription, stopped at the pharmacy for supplies, and then tucked her into bed. He felt like a real husband, not just a pretend one, and the worst part was how much he enjoyed it.