'Til Death Do Us Part- Part 16 Friday night after AJ left for New York, I had a dream that Kev and I were fighting. Over what, I didn't know. But the last thing he screamed at me was, "I want a divorce!". Fun dream.
Saturday, I woke up dead. My head was pounding, I was burning up, but had chills, and my nose and throat felt about as blocked up as rush hour in New York City.
"Oh my God," I groaned, glancing at the clock. Eleven.
As if on cue, Christina came in to wake me up.
"Mommy?" she said, approaching the side of the bed.
"Honey, mommy doesn't feel good this morning. Call Brian for me, okay? Use the cordless. You remember the code?"
She nodded and went out to the livingroom.

Brian
I caught the phone on the fourth ring.
"Hello."
"Brian?"
"Christina? What's up?"
"Mommy told me to call you. She said she doesn't feel good."
"Let me talk to her."
A few minutes later, Mary came on.
"I'm dying, Brian."
I couldn't help but smile, for some reason.
"No, you're not."
"Then I'm damn close to it."
I laughed. "Okay, what's the problem?"
"I'm on fire. My head is full of cotton. I feel like I've been hit by a train."
"Okay, I'm coming over. Don't go anywhere."
"No problem," she muttered.
I took a quick shower, dressed, and headed for Mary's.
The door opened as I walked up and Christina greeted me.
"Hey, sweetheart," I said, giving her a hug. "How you doin'?"
"Okay." She looked a little worried. I smiled at her to reassure her.
"Don't worry, baby, your mom's gonna be fine."
I followed her into the livingroom and told her to stay there and watch cartoons.
Then I went back to Mary's room. She was buried under the sheets and the blinds were closed.
"Sick people don't get better in the dark," I said, walking over and opening the blinds. Then I lowered the sheets and looked at her.
"Doctor Kevorkian, at your service."
"Take me now."
I grinned and touched her forehead with the back of my hand.
"Damn, you're hot!"
"Thanks, Brian," she said in a dry tone, "but now is not the time to be commenting on my looks."
I gave her a look and she mustered a wry smile.
I went into the bathroom and got the thermometer out, then brought it in the room.
"Under your tongue."
"I know, mother," she grumbled. I crossed my eyes at her and she stuck her tongue out, then put the thermometer in her mouth.
A minute later, it beeped.
"You could fry eggs on me," she muttered, staring at the thermometer.
"What is it?"
"104.3."
"I do believe you're sick, missy."
"Gee." She groaned and rolled over.
"Your doctor make house calls?"
"If I want him to."
"You want him to?"
"What're my choices?"
"Peterson or death."
"Let me think."
"Mary."
"Alright, alright, call him. The number's in my address book."
I found the number and dialed, noting that Mary, Kev, and Christina had three different doctors.
I gave Dr. Peterson the lowdown and he said he'd be right over.
True to his word, he showed up less than a half hour later.
"Hello, Mary," he said as he entered the room.
"Hi."
He gave her a half smile and began the usual tests.
"Brian, when are you due for another physical?" he asked, his eyes peering down Mary's throat.
"January."
"You feelin' okay? You look a bit pale."
"It's the lighting. Don't worry about me. Strong like bull."
He and I laughed. Mary tried to, but ended up in a coughing fit.
Peterson frowned and asked her to cough again three times, first feeling the area where her lungs were, then her stomach.
"I say you most likely have the flu. It is that season, and I know you've been quite stressed out lately. This is the second time you've done this, Mary. You know you have to pace yourself and give yourself some free time.
"I know," she murmured. He sighed and wrote out a prescription.
"Get this filled," he said, handing it to me. I nodded.
"Will do."
"Don't leave her alone too long, since AJ isn't here and Christina's too little to be of much help."
I nodded again. "Okay."
"And if she doesn't start showing improvement by the time the medicine is half finished, gimme a call."
"Gotcha."
He turned and looked at Mary. "No working. At all. You need to relax. Got it?"
She nodded. "Yessir."
"I mean it."
"I know."
"Alright. See you two later."
After he left, Mary looked at me.
"Get me my notebook."
"Mary! You heard-"
"I'm kidding, relax." She grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.
"I'm gonna go call Leighanne and see if she can take Christina out today."
"She's home?"
"Yeah, just got in a couple days ago."
"Oh. Okay." She sighed and closed her eyes.
"You gonna sleep?"
"Or die. Whichever comes first."
I shook my head and walked out to the livingroom. Christina was on the couch, watching TV.
"Hey, baby."
"Is mommy okay?"
"She's sick, sweetheart. But she'll get better soon, don't worry, okay?"
Christina nodded. "Okay."
"But I'm gonna call Leah and have her take you out." Leah was Christina called Leighanne. Her eyes lit up and she grinned. I laughed and picked up the phone.
"Hey, baby," I said when Leigh picked up the phone.
"Hey. How's Mary?"
"She's got the flu. Doctor wants me to stay here with her for a little while, make sure nothing else happens. You think you could take Christina out today? I don't think she should be around Mary too much."
"Sure."
"Thanks, baby. You wanna come over now?"
"Yep, I'm on my way."
"Thanks. Love you."
"Love you, too."
I hung up the phone, told Christina to stay on the couch, and went back to Mary's room.
She was awake and staring at the ceiling.
"Leighanne's on her way. She's gonna take Christina out."
"Ugh. I can't even spend the day with my own daughter."
"You're sick. Christina doesn't need to catch it."
"Blah. I promised I'd take her to the studio today."
"Well, we're both cancelling sessions today, so don't worry about it. You can take her another time."
She sighed. "How many promises have I made her that I've broken?"
"Mary, stop it. You're not helping yourself. Christina will understand. Don't worry so much about everything."
"I can't help it. Even with AJ here, I feel like I'm almost working double time to take care of Christina. Like I'm me but I'm also Kev."
"You're a mom. You're Mary. You don't need to be anything or anyone else, okay?"
She nodded slightly. "Okay." She looked at me a minute.
"You know, you're almost like a dad to me. You're gonna make a really good dad soon. Whenever the time comes."
"I hope it comes soon," I mumbled. She smiled slightly.
"Some of the best gifts come from out of the blue. When you stop hoping, your gift will come." She laughed. "Or don't even start hoping, in mine and Kev's case."
"Yeah." I laughed.
"I call Christina a planned accident. Not quite sure how to explain it, but it works."
I nodded, noticing her voice was beginning to fade.
"Don't talk anymore, you're losing your voice."
She nodded and closed her eyes. I went back out to the livingroom and called the drugstore to get Mary's prescription filled.
Then I waited for Leighanne, sitting on the couch beside Christina. She immediately settled herself against me and I smiled, putting my arm around her shoulders.
Just as it seemed that Wil E. Coyote might catch the Roadrunner, I heard a car door slam.
"That would be Leah," I said, standing up and walking to the door.
"Meep meep," I said in a Roadrunner voice when Leighanne was close enough to hear. She grinned.
"You're goofy."
"I know."
She kissed me and I stepped aside to let her in.
"Leah!"
Leighanne laughed as Christina hugged her legs.
"Hey, kiddo, long time no see. You've gotten so big! Last time I saw you, you were this tall." She gestured with her hand and grinned. "You're almost taller than me."
Christina giggled. "Am not."
"Okay, maybe not. But almost."
"Leigh, I'm gonna go get Mary's prescription. I'll be back soon."
"Okay."
I kissed her cheek quickly, then left.

Leighanne
After Brian left, I looked at Christina.
"I bet you haven't eaten anything yet."
She shook her head and I nodded.
"C'mon, I'll fix you something."
When she was seated at the table, eating, I went back to Mary's room.
"You asleep?" I asked softly.
"Trying to."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't leave, it's not you." She sat up and looked at me. "You're back. How was it?"
"Pretty cool, actually. Awesome actresses."
"Including yourself." She grinned at me and I laughed.
"Did you read the book?"
"Yeah, it's at home. I'll bring it when I bring Christina home."
"Okay, so tell me. How different is the script from the book?"
"It's not too bad. Doesn't deviate too much."
"So it doesn't suck."
"Well, I wouldn't say it doesn't suck. I mean, it's okay, but it's gonna cheesy."
"I don't see why they just can't make the movie exactly like the book. Every little thing that happens."
"Some people are afraid of details. And besides, it's gotta have a certain running time."
"Blah. Screw running times."
I laughed. "If I could, I'd make sure everything was perfect. But I can't. 'least not in this movie."
"Next movie that's a remake of a book, promise me you'll write the script."
I laughed again. "I'll try."
"Good."
"Mary, listen to yourself. Your voice is almost gone."
"Brian, shut up."
I glanced back at the door and saw Brian shaking his head.
"Don't come cryin' to me when you can't sing."
Mary rolled her eyes and I grinned.
"I'm gonna dope you up and knock you out. I forgot how obnoxious you are when you're sick. It's been so long."
"I'll leave you two to your drugs and take Christina out. Get better soon, 'cause I'm gonna want Brian home eventually."
"Bye, baby," Brian said, kissing me. I smiled at him, then left the room.
"C'mon, Christina, let's go."
She grinned and turned the TV off, then we left the house.