The next day Leslie and Karen decide to go shopping. Karen met Leslie in the hotel lobby. "Hi," Leslie said in a tired voice.

"You sound bad, Les."

"I know. I'm sorry. I can't go out today, I've got to rest."

Karen took a clearer look at the 13-year-old. "You know, Leslie, you haven't been feeling so great for a few days now. You better let your mom know how bad you really feel."

Leslie sighed. "I know. I told her this morning."

"Good."

"Well, I gotta' go get some sleep. See 'ya, Karen."

Karen sat down on the couch and grabbed a magazine. She felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Nick. "Oh, hello," she whispered.

Nick sat down. "I thought you and Leslie were shopping today."

"She's sick."

"I knew it. It was obvious."

"Yeah, I guess."

Nick checked his watch. "Well, I was gonna' go grab some lunch. Care to join me?"

"Sure."

Meanwhile, Leslie was lying down in her room. Mrs. Carter felt her forehead. "Oh, you've got a fever. It's a bit high." She handed her some Advil. "Here, sweetie. Les, I'm so sorry, but there's a meeting with your record company today."

Leslie sat up. "That's all right. I just need to change clothes."

Her mother shook her head. "No, hon, you don't have to go. They want to dicuss release dates for your album, I'll represent you." Leslie held her stomach. "Is your stomach hurting?"

"Yeah."

Mrs. Carter stuck a thremother under her tongue. "Maybe I can find a way to rescheudle." She picked the phone. "How dumb of me! Their fixing the phonelines." She paused. "Kevin's next door, I'll go borrow his cell. I'll be right back."

Ten minutes later Leslie's mother returned. "Leslie, I couldn't get them to postpone, but Kevin agreed to stay with you."

"Mom!" Leslie moaned as her mother removed the thremother. "I don't need a babysitter!"

"I know you don't." She read the reading. "100.4. It won't hurt to have Kevin here, just in case you get worse. He'll be here in about 10 minutes. Will you be all right until then?"

"Yes, Mom," she sighed.

"All right," she kissed her cheek, "I'll be back in a couple of hours, dear."

Leslie curled up holding her stomach as soon as her mother left.

In the meantime, Nick and Karen were having lunch. Karen read the prices on the menu. "Whoa! I think I'll just have a glass of water."

"Get whatever you like, I'll cover it, "Nick told her.

"I couldn't let you do that."

"You could," Nick insisted.

"Fine," Karen accepted.

The waiter greeted them. "May I take your order?"

Karen went first. "I'd like a glass of water and a garden salad with ranch dressing."

Nick took a deep breath. "I'll have a double cheesburger with everything. An order of fries. A chocolate shake, and a hot fudge sundae."

"All right, sir. That'll be around 15 minutes."

"Hungry, Nick?"

"Just a little," he joked.

Karen sighed. "I feel bad. Maybe I should've stayed with Leslie, since she's ill."

Nick gazed into her eyes. "Don't feel bad. Besides, you wouldn't want to make those beautiful brown eyes blue, would you?"

She smiled. "That line was smooth. There's no way you got it off AJ. Let me guess....Howie?"

"Right," Nick blushed, "but seriously you do have beautiful brown eyes."

"Personally, I don't think I'm beautiful at all, but maybe that's because all my cousins look like movie stars."

Nick studied her features. "Don't you think Kate Winslett is attractive?"

"Yes, but what has that got to do with anything?"

"It has to do with you. You kinda' look like she did in Titanic, but a little bit sassier. And you're naturally that beautiful. You don't need makeup or hair dye. You're a natural redhead with skin the color of ivory."

"Thank you," the redhead whispered. Then she stared into his baby blues. "He's the one with beautiful eyes." Karen thought to herself.

>>>>>

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