Grateful | Fragile Hearts

chapter 9

It had been a little while since I took her to her room. I decided to go check on her, just incase. As I approached her door, I knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again and didn't hear anything. I waited a few more minutes before opening the door.

When I opened it, I saw Charlotte curled up in the bed with wet hair, sound asleep. She had taken a shower and wore pajamas. She looked so tiny compared to the Queen Size bed. I quietly entered the room and went next to her.

Part of me wanted to let her sleep to hopefully decrease those dark circles under her eyes. She looked so peaceful. But the other part of me knew she had to eat in order to take the medicine.

Fighting with myself, I finally coughed up the courage to wake her up.

When did you become such a baby?

I sat down on the bed next to her and gently tried to wake her up. After a few attempts, her eyes fluttered open. She woke up confused.

She sat up and before anything, I saw tears welling in her eyes.

Every single fiber in my body became alarmed.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, concern laced in my voice.

She looked to me. "It hurts" she sobbed out.

And it was at that very moment, I knew with that look, I would do anything for her.

"What's hurting?" I continued to ask her as I moved some hair out of her forehead. She was burning up. Bad.

Fuck. And I didn't have a thermometer.

What doctor doesn't have a thermometer in their house? Oh right. Me. The one who just takes a Tylenol and calls it a day.

I continued to move hair out of her face. "My-my whole body." She sobbed out.

My heart wrenched at seeing her cry.

Where the fuck are all these emotions coming from.

I nodded. "The medicine will help, love. I made some pasta, would you mind eating a few bites and then you can take the medicine?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "My throat hurts, can I just take it" she almost begged me, more tears slipping down her face.

"Im sorry but it won't work without food" I told her sadly.

I couldn't believe this. I was a doctor. A doctor who was part of the special operations in the mafia. Endured countless situations that would break a normal person. And here I was willing to risk it and throw it all away for her to feel better. In this moment, I would give anything to stop the tears on her face.

"How about I feed you a few bites and then you can take the medicine?" I asked her.

She immediately nodded. "Fine"

I rushed outside and grabbed the pasta. I cut it up into small pieces with the chicken and helped her sit up in the bed. I fed her small pieces and she ate it graciously.

I grabbed the medicine from the bag on the counter and made my way back to her room. Both were liquid doses. She didn't meet the requirement for the adult pill, so I had to give her the liquid version. I quickly took the syringe and measured the correct dosage for both. I quickly put them in her mouth and she swallowed it.

By now, the tears had ceased and she was just sniffling. I helped her under the blanket and made sure she was covered completely. As soon as her head hit the pillow she closed her eyes. I looked at her one more time before I turned off the lamp and closed the door. I took the plates to the kitchen and threw them in the dishwasher.

I then grabbed my plate and sat on the couch with my food, overlooking the city.

I sat there, deep in thought.

I was a father.