Part 543

Nick swept Becca’s hair off of her face and smiled broadly as she whimpered. "Mornin’ baby," he whispered.

"Shhhhhh!" she hissed, and then groaned, attempting to pull the covers over her head.

"Time to wake up, Bec."

"Go ‘way, I’m dying," Becca mumbled.

"Breakfast will help," Nick suggested, stifling his laughter.

"Oh god, no. No food."

Nick looked at Becca, at least what he could see of her beneath the pillow, and saw that she was a sickly shade of green. "Oh baby, I’m sorry. What can I get for you?"

She mumbled something that he couldn’t quite make out.

"What was that?" he asked again.

"A gun. Get me a gun. I can put myself out of my misery."

Nick laughed. "Aw Bec, you wouldn’t really shoot yourself."

"No, I’m going to shoot YOU if you don’t shut the hell up."

Nick was laughing, and when a loud knock sounded at their door, he laughed even harder at the string of expletives that issued from beneath the mountain of covers his wife was buried beneath. Pulling a t-shirt on, he eased out of the bed and went to answer the door.

"Here," Sarah said, handing Nick a jumbo sized bottle of aspirin. "Where’s Sleeping Beauty?"

"Follow the moaning," he snorted. "How many of these should I give her?" He was peering at the directions on the label and reaching for a glass of water.

"They’re for you. I figure by the time you have to listen to her all day long you’re going to have a bigger headache than SHE has." Sarah grinned and headed for the bedroom, making as much noise as she possibly could. Seeing the pile of covers and the pitiful sounds emanating from beneath, she almost took pity on her best friend.

Almost.

Leaping onto the bed she shouted, "Wakey wakey!"

Nick winced, and left the room. His stomach wasn’t strong enough to witness this torture so early in the morning. Grabbing a glass he filled it with juice and walked across the hall to find Howie and his son.

"You bitch, go away!" Becca shouted, and then held her aching head in her hands, praying for sudden death.

"You wish!" Sarah cackled. "I brought you some aspirin."

Becca turned her back, pulling the pillow even closer around her face.

"Bec, you’ll smother under there," Sarah laughed. "If I promise to whisper will you take off the pillow?"

"What have I ever done to you?" Becca asked painfully.

"I dunno, nothin’ I guess." Sarah thought for a moment. "Nope, nothin’."

Becca rolled onto her back, removing the pillow and partially opening one eye. "You’re enjoying this aren’t you?" she accused.

"Awww Bec, not feeling too good today?" Sarah smirked and if Becca had had any energy, she’d have physically thrown her out of the room. "C’mon sis, sit up. I brought you some aspirin."

Aspirin? Okay, that sounded like a plan. Becca sat up and immediately wished she hadn’t. The room began to spin, there were stars behind her eyes and her mouth felt like she’d licked the floor of some seedy bar. "Oh god," she moaned as her stomach lurched. She hadn’t felt this sick since she’d been pregnant with- "Garrett! Sarah, where’s Garrett?"

"Relax, he’s in my room, with Howie and Nick."

Becca looked around in confusion. "Umm … Sarah? This IS your room."

"Bec, we swapped last night so you could get some sleep. Garrett’s fine. Now take these aspirin like a good girl so we can go get some food in you." Sarah bit back a retort at the look Becca gave her and decided to be nice. "I’ll start the shower for you. You’ll feel a hundred percent better, trust me."

Becca stepped gingerly out of the bed, and even the jarring of her feet touching the floor made her head hurt. The shower did feel wonderful, but the throbbing behind her eyes refused to go away. By the time she stepped out of the shower, Nick was waiting with a large fluffy towel and a heaping dose of sympathy.

"You okay?" he whispered, wrapping her up and gently toweling her hair.

"Ask me next week," she whimpered. "Is Sarah gone?"

"Yeah, I threw her out. I thought you could use the time off to plot her untimely demise."

Becca sighed. "You’re a peach, thanks." She sat on the toilet seat as Nick drew the brush gently through her hair, slowly working out the tangles. "I can’t decide how to do it," she murmured. "Slow and painful, or quick and merciful." She thought it over for a minute and then snorted. "Ah fuck it, slow and painful. I can’t think of anyone more deserving."

Nick burst out laughing, but was immediately contrite when Becca covered her ears and winced. "Sorry! Sorry!" he whispered. "Come on, I’ll walk you down to breakfast."

Becca groaned again. "Only if you’ll call ahead and have my personal pot of coffee waiting."

"What about Garrett?" he asked, knowing that coffee was off limits to a nursing mother.

"Let him get his own coffee."

Part 544       Index