Chapter 11

It has been a week since Maddie visited James' house when Drew got sick, but she left the house with a heavy heart because of James' sudden cough. I hope he's OK, maybe I should call his number and check out. No, Maddie. Get a hold of yourself, if you call him, you'll properly will run to him. Maddie shook her head and continued to serve the customers that came to the restaurant.

An hour later, while she was cleaning the table, Maddie heard the hostess, "Here's your table, Ms. Davis. It's so good to see you back here, Maddie can you bring a highchair for a baby?" Maddie turned around from the table she was cleaning and looked at the Davis couple that stood behind her.

"Maddie? Can you please bring the highchair?" Maddie nodded her head and went to bring the highchair for Drew.

"Here's the highchair, sorry about before. I didn't expect you here. Hi Drew, how are ye buddy?" Drew was trying to reach Maddie in his grandpa's hand.

"Hahaha, I see someone here missed you. OK buddy, go to Maddie." Maddie watched as Mr. Davis passed Drew to her hands and they sat down. "How have you been Maddie? Thanks for helping James last week when drew was sick."

Maddie smiled to Albert and said, "you don't have to thank me, Albert. You know I like this little man; how come I don't see James with you?" Maddie asked as an everyday question.

"At the next day, James called us and told us to take Drew to our house for a week. He didn't look good; I think he got Drew's flue in the end. So now he's in the house trying to heal himself." Maddie was right to worry about him when she left his house, she felt that he'll be sick because he had already a bit of fever when she left.

"Did he go to the doctor?"

"Yes, dear. The doctor told him to get a good rest for at least 2 weeks, we already told his commander that James is sick."

Maddie nodded her head and sat Drew in his highchair and smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. Well, what would you like to eat? About Drew I know what he like so I'll bring it to him and feed him while you eat."

"Oh, no dear. Just work, we don't want to disturb you. We'll take turn in eating."

"Hi Mr. and Ms. Davis. I'm so happy to see you again." Dekota approached their table.

"Hi, Dekota, dear. We are happy to be here too."

"I'm going to lend you Maddie to feed this little man, don't worry. The restaurant is not busy now so we can manage this. Maddie bring them their food and you can feed Drew meanwhile they are eating."

"Are you sure, dear?"

"Don't worry, Ms. Davis. As you can see, the restaurant is not full right now. Just eat and relax, Maddie will serve you and help with Drew. You know she loves him very much."

Ms. Davis looked around the restaurant along with Maddie and indeed, it was not very busy at the dinner time. "Alright, thank you Dekota and Maddie."

Maddie and Dekota smiled. Dekota went back to the counter to help there a little and Maddie wrote their order and went to give it to Greg so he could pass it to the kitchen.

While she was waiting for the Davis order, she couldn't stop and thinking about poor James that was currently alone in the house sick and no one is helping him. She turned to her friend's side and sighed.

"Dekota, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Is it about James?" Maddie looked at her friend, was she that obvious?

"You know me too well, my friend." She sighed before she continued, "you are right. His parents just told me, that he's home with a flue, and I thought…"

"You want to go tomorrow and see him, or more like to help him get well, am I right?" Maddie nodded her head. "What am I going to do with you Maddie?"

"I'm sorry, Dekota. Forget that I'll just work and…"

"Are you crazy? I know you love him, and you won't be able to work, knowing that he's home and with fever. Plus, no one is with him to help him heal from the flue. Thank GOD it's the weekend, so don't come tomorrow. Come back on Monday, by then he'll heal, right?"

"Thank you, Dekota. You are the best. Don't worry, by Monday he'll be up on his two feet with no flue!" Maddie hugged her friend and smiled, by then her order was ready so she went to take it from the counter and went to give them their food and feed Drew. She felt happy that she's going to spend the weekend with James, even if it's just healing him from the flue. I just hope he doesn't reject my help, and I hope it doesn't get worst by the time that I'll come to see him tomorrow. Maddie spend her rest of workday feeding Drew and helping his parents by escorting them until the car and telling them to not worry about James, because she'll visit him tomorrow and help him heal from the flue that he got.

#

It has been a week since his son's flue was gone, and now he got it. Last week when he sneezed, he had a bad feeling about it. Even Maddie asked him if he's doing OK.

It was a good idea to ask his parents to take care of Drew while he tried to heal himself. James didn't want his son to get sick again, he didn't like it at first at all. When Drew got sick, he had Maddie to help him.

But now, he was alone like he should be. He can only hope that she'll come to help him heal, but it's just a wish that he wished for. While he was laying down on the couch in the living room, there was a knock at his door. James looked from the couch at the door. Is my wish coming true? He barely got up from the couch. His whole body was in pain. He trudged toward the front door; his body barely could hold him.

When he opened the door, there she was, his beautiful angel. He couldn't believe that she came to his house today of all days.

James sighed shakily, "Hi Maddie, Drew is not here today, more like for this week. I know you came to see him but…" James watched as Maddie passed him and went inside his house.

"I didn't come to see Drew. I already saw him yesterday, when your parents came to the restaurant with him and surprise… They told me you got Drew's flue. How can someone like you get a flue?! Just can't believe it. Did you eat something at least?" James looked at Maddie. She looks adorable with how she was talking to him right now. He just wished to kiss her right now, but he didn't want her to be sick because of him.

"No, I have eaten nothing today. I don't feel like eating."

"Well, I'm sorry, mister, but you need hot fluids inside your body right now. Plus, I'm sure the doctor sub-scripted for you some medicine, am I right?" James nodded his head because he had no energy for talking anymore. "So, you're going back to your room and to lie down, meanwhile I'm going to prepare for you something hot to eat." Maddie turned around and James saw her going to his kitchen. He wanted to argue with her, but right now his body wanted to lie down and to not move at all.

He sighed and walked upstairs to his room to lie down on his comfortable bed. The moment that he lay down at his bed, he fell asleep. After half an hour, he felt that someone was shaking him.

"Wake up James, I know you want to sleep, but you need to eat something and take to medicine."

James opened his eyes and saw Maddie standing next to his bed with a tray in her hands. "I'm not hungry Maddie, I just want to sleep."

"I know, James, at least eat a few spoons and take your medicine. When you do that, you can go back to sleep, and I won't disturb you anymore."

James sighed a bit, and with the help of Maddie, he got to a sitting position and Maddie outed the tray on him. James ate more than a few spoons. It even surprised him. Apparently, he was hungry. When he finished the soup, Maddie gave him the medicine and a glass of water.

"Now, I'll leave you alone so you could go back to sleep. I really hope that you'll get better soon."

"Thanks Maddie, you didn't really have to come to my house, but I really appreciate it. Will you be here when I wake up?"

James saw her smile and he couldn't help but to smile with her. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise you." James smiled to her and lay down under his blanket and fell asleep with a smile, because he knows now that when he wakes up, she'll be inside his house and next to him.

#

While Maddie was sitting on the couch watching television, suddenly she heard a scream. At first, she thought it came from the movie she was watching, but she turned the volume off and tried to hear it again. This time, she heard it clearly. It came from James' room. She got up from the couch fast and ran upstairs to his room.

Upon arriving to his room, she saw him twisting and turning around and she could see that he was sweating as well. Maddie approached his bed to feel his forehead, and she had to remove it fast, because he was burning with fever.

"Please, I didn't mean to leave you with the enemies. Please forgive me, guys." Maddie heard his murmurs through his nightmares.

"It's OK, James, there is no one that can hurt you anymore." Maddie wanted him to relax a bit, but it helped a little. James was screaming again because of his nightmares, and she felt hopeless in front of him.

Maddie looked and saw that it was already late to call the doctor, plus it was the weekend. Maddie went to his bathroom and filled a washtub with cold water and took a cloth and went to his bedside. She took a dip breath and pulled his shirt up and with a wet cloth. She tried to wash his sweat away so he could breathe better. While she was washing his body, she suddenly felt his arm on top of hers. She looked up at him and saw that he had his eyes open.

"James? Are you awake? Is it too cold for you?" James didn't answer her and just stared at her. She noticed he didn't really look at her.

Maddie got worried about him. He stopped screaming, but now he was just staring blankly at the ceiling without moving. She took a breath and did the one thing that she never thought she'll do. Maddie took off her slippers and lay down next to James and hugged him to her body. She felt him stiffen a bit, but then he relaxed his body like he knew it was her that was hugging him.

At the next morning, James woke up from his sleep and felt that he was lying on someone. His eyes looked at the body that was sleeping soundly next to him. When he looked up, his eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing. Maddie was sleeping next to him and hugging his body to her. She looked in so much peace when she slept, he just wanted to have her there with him, in his bed.

He sighted a bit and tried to get up from his bed and not disturb her sleep. With a bit of difficulties, he got up from his bed and go to the bathroom. While he was washing his face, he heard Maddie calling for him.

"James? James, where are you?"

James got out of the bathroom. "Relax, Maddie. I was washing my face." Maddie felt relief at seeing him standing at the bathroom door. She approached him and saw that he had no fever. She sighed in relief and hugged him.

"You do not know how scared I was yesterday, I was watching a movie in the living room before bed and then I heard a scream, at first I thought it was from the movie, but it was coming from here and… and…" Maddie just couldn't continue talking because her emotions got out and she cried at his shoulder. She cried out in relief that he was OK and happiness to see him on his own two feet.

"I'm sorry that I made you worry about me, but I'm feeling better."

Maddie wiped her tears and smiled at James. "I'm so happy to hear it. Sorry that I cried. I got worried about you and…" James grabbed Maddie's face and did the one thing that he wanted to do from a long time ago, and it was to kiss her.