Page 61 of Found in Wild Sage

“Will you stay?”

My heart beats with the answer before I say it. “Yes.”

Her eyes close instantly then, like my agreeing has soothed her.

I settle into the armchair and text my mom so she sees it first thing, then rest my head back. Now that Evie’s fever is heading in the right direction and she’s back to sleep, my anxiety has eased. I need to get some food in her, and I’ve set an alarm for when she can have more meds. But for now, miraculously, I sleep.

Around eight the next morning, I crack the door to Evie’s room with Charlie in my arms.

“Mama sick?”

“She’s still sleeping. But she’ll be okay. I’m going to take good care of her while you’re at school.” I shut the door, knowing I’m going to have to wake her and try to get some food and more importantly fluids in her, but first, we need to get Charlie off to school.

“Okay. Love you, Mama.”

He’s so sweet, and even though I can tell he’s thrown by not seeing her last night or this morning, he seems to trust that she’s okay. Or at least he’s not too horrified by me taking care of him. My mom delivered a fresh batch of groceries as well as some over-the-counter medicines I didn’t have stocked. She chatted with Charlie while he ate breakfast, and that gave me a minute to go get cleaned up in his bathroom.

I’ve let Dr. Martinez know I won’t be in and talked to Maggie, who now knows she has to reschedule a fair number of patients plus she won’t have help from Evie for at least another day, likely more. They were both predictably lovely and understanding.

I take Charlie to school and come back to find my mom lingering, tidying up the already rather tidy kitchen.

“You know, you two need a night out. If Evie’s feeling up to it, let’s make that happen this weekend. And of course, you’re remembering the family camp the following weekend?” She slides a rag along the counter in a place I’m certain she’s already cleaned.

Family camp.

The words filter more slowly through my mind, likely because they are attached to heavy weights. They are loaded. There’s no way I can say no—it’d be far too obvious. But I also cannot imagine what having Evie at family camp would be like. It’s genuinely inconceivable.

Granted, I think if I gave myself the time and space, I’d get far too used to the idea.

“I don’t know how she’ll be feeling,” I hedge, and I mean regarding everything she just said.

Aside from family camp, I don’t know if our marriage will include dates. It might be worse for me. But I’d also love to have her to myself.

What a messed-up thought.

“And family camp?”

I inhale slowly, then nod. “I haven’t mentioned it to Evie. I don’t know how she’ll feel about it, but I’ll ask.”

I know Ma doesn’t love this answer, but it’s all I’ve got. I’m not about to commit my currently very ill wife to a camping trip with my entire circus of a family ten days from now. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

She hangs her rag over the faucet just like she did all my growing up years, then nudges a bobby pin back in place where it holds some of her red-gray hair in place in the twist at the back of her head. Her look is serene and she’s been so lovely and helpful.

It’s how I know something’s coming.

She approaches me with that soft deception of a smile and pats my cheek once, twice.

“You’re going to have to woo this girl if you want her to fall in love with you. I don’t think you should waste any time, dear.”

And with that revelation, she leaves.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Evie

Time passes. I alternate between shivering and burning up. I force down toast. Maybe applesauce at one point? Water. Water. More water.

I’d like to bat that hand delivering the water away, except it’s the same arm I want to bring close and wrap around me. It’s the toned forearm that belongs to the man I married, the man bent on taking care of me instead of letting me wallow in my misery alone.