Day leaned in and put his lips to God’s ear. “When you get better, I’m going to show you just how much you mean to me.” Day heard God moan sensually. He smiled against the side of his face and laid a delicate, chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Now I want you to eat.”
Day propped a couple pillows behind God and fed him almost half the bowl. By the time he finished helping him drink the lukewarm tea; he heard a knock at the door. He kissed God on his forehead before getting up to answer the door.
“Hey, baby brother, how’s the patient?” Jax said coming in through the door with a book bag hung on one shoulder trailed by the same nurse who had cleaned God up the day before.
“Okay. He’s still weak, though. He woke three times through the night. The coughing is not as hard and is less frequent. He ate half a bowl of soup and some tea this morning,” Day said, making his way down the narrow hallway and into God’s bedroom.
“That’s good. I’ll probably stop the fluids since he’s drinking water now. I got the test back and it was bronchitis, which can cause flu or pneumonia-like symptoms if left untreated. It really is a good thing you got to him when you did. I brought some more antibiotics, anti-nausea stuff, and stronger cough medicine. You only need to give the pain medicine if he asks for it,” his brother said to him since God had fallen back asleep.
He had on his stethoscope listening to God’s chest. “Sounds a little clearer. By tomorrow morning I’ll be able to take out the catheter and the IV, he can take pills after that.”
“Great, thanks, Jax. When do you think he can go back to work? I’m sure he’s going to ask that,” Day said.
“Well he’s not contagious anymore after twenty-four hours of antibiotics. By the way, did you take yours?”
Day huffed. “Yes. I took it last night and this morning.”
“You probably took it with coffee.” Jax laughed.
“That’s irrelevant, as long as I took them. Now back to my question. When can he go to work?”
Jax raised God’s eyelids and shinned a mini flashlight in them before answering. “You just play it by ear. If he feels well enough to go, he can go. It’s Wednesday. I’d say let him rest for the rest of the week and then Monday he can go back in.”
“Cool. I already called his brother… well actually sent a text because he’s probably in school, and asked him to come keep an eye on him for me tomorrow while I go to the store and check on my house.” Day sat on the side of bed, watching God sleep.
The nurse began gathering his stuff to clean God up again, so he and Jax went into the living room.
“It’s good you called his brother so you can get a break, Leo.” Jax sipped the bottle of water he’d given him.
“I don’t need a break, but I do need to get some food in here and get the sheets washed since your nurse is putting the last clean set on now. I haven’t met his mom or brother yet, because God said that they have kind of a strained relationship. He never went into specifics and I didn’t press the issue. But I’m sure it’s not that strained that his brother wouldn’t help him if he’s really sick. This will be a good way for his brother to show him that he loves him,” Day said while flipping channels on God’s massive television.
“Well hopefully you didn’t do anything that God wouldn’t want you to do,” Jax said, always the voice of reason.
“Nah. Cash is always doing things for them. The relationship probably isn't as bad as he thinks. Sometimes it takes something like this to mend an argument.”
“And you have no clue why their relationship is strained?”
“No, Jax. Like I said, God didn’t really give any details.”
“Okay, don’t get antsy. I just want you to be careful.” Day let his brother drape his thin arm over his shoulder and pull him into a hug.
Day wiggled out of the hold. “I’m good, bro. Thanks for doing this, and believe me; I’m going to kick his ass about not having insurance. This really makes no sense. He lives like a peasant and never spends any money. All he has is his truck, which is financed. Unless he’s saving to buy a yacht or his own small island, I can’t fathom why he’d cut off his insurance or how the hell the department would allow it.” Day thought for a second. “Unless he told them he had private insurance.”
Day finished talking just as the nurse came out.
“He’s all clean. He wasn’t as nice today as he was yesterday,” the nurse grumbled.