Shelby felt movement and looked over at the clock to see it was only 5:30. She hoped that the girl would drift back to sleep especially if she could not tell that she was awake.
"Momma" Rachel said with tears through her voice.
"Sweetie what is it?" Shelby asked reaching to turn the bed light on. The tone of Rachel's voice worried Shelby. As she turned around, she was met by a very pale Rachel.
"Momma" Rachel said again before throwing up all over the bed.
"Oh baby" Shelby said as she held back the girl's hair. It was easier to just let her be sick than trying to move her to the toilet. She knew that would just make even more mess.
"That's it, do you think you will be sick again?" Shelby asked after the girl appeared to have stop being sick and the girl shook her head.
"Okay, let's get this sorted" She said as she moved the duvet and helped her daughter stand up.
Shelby quickly pulled the duvet cover off the duvet and put it in a pile. She then helped her daughter take her pyjamas off. She took off her top and pants before Shelby instructed the girl to go to her room and get new pyjamas on. Rachel agreed.
Shelby quickly sorted out the duvet cover and Rachel's pyjamas before putting them in the wash. She grabbed a bucket and walked back up the stairs.
"I'm sorry" Rachel sobbed.
"It's okay" Shelby said pulling the girl into her arms "Try and get some sleep. I have a bucket here if you need though"
Rachel nodded and snuggled in with her mother again. Shelby was relieved that Rachel had a double bed as it meant that they were not squashed on the bed and they both managed to drift back to sleep. Well Shelby was not fully sleeping more dozing. She did not want to sleep in case her daughter needed her again.
Shelby woke again at 9:30 and decided to get up. She also had to move the washing to the other machine. On her way to the laundry room, she noticed Leroy and Hiram.
"I hope you don't mind but I had to put my sheets in the washing. Rachel was sick on them" Shelby explained.
"Oh no, is she okay? She's not often sick?" Hiram asked and Shelby nodded.
"She is sleeping just now but she was quite sick. I got her to drink some water after being sick and she managed to get back to sleep" Shelby said and both fathers nodded.
"That's fine, she is really snuggly when she is sick, so she'll come down and get us if she needs" Leroy explained and Shelby nodded. They all sat together while they ate breakfast and spoke. After eating, Shelby headed back up the stairs to get changed. She checked on the girl before showering and saw she was still sleeping. Once Shelby was dressed, she checked on the girl again and saw that she was slightly more restless.
"Oh sweetie" Shelby said as she walked over to the girl and tried to soothe her back to sleep. However, within only a few minutes Rachel sat up. Shelby knew what this meant and quickly handed the girl the bucket. Rachel threw up again in the bucket and continued to throw up until it was only dry heaves. Shelby stayed with the girl the whole time and soothed her until she drifted back to sleep.
Once Shelby was sure that Rachel was sleeping again, she walked down the stairs. She felt kind of helpless as it wasn't her house and she wasn't spending time with Rachel liked planned. She asked the men if she could help them, but they were adamant that nothing needed down. Instead they told Shelby to sit back and relax.
Rachel wondered down the stairs at almost 3 o'clock.
"Do you want to try something to eat?" Shelby asked. She had already had lunch and had been reading a book. Rachel made a face.
"Just a piece of toast?" Shelby suggested and Rachel nodded nervously. She sat down and wrapped her blanket around her as Shelby stood up.
Once Shelby returned, Rachel slowly ate her toast and sat back with her mother.
"Do you want to watch a movie with me?" Shelby asked and Rachel nodded enthusiastically.
Once Rachel had finished eating the toast, she placed the plate down and snuggled up with her mother. Her stomach felt more settled which she was quite happy about.
They sat through the whole movie and Shelby got a slight fright when she felt something go heavy in her lap about 15 minutes before the end of the film. She laughed when she looked down and saw that her daughter had fallen asleep.
Shelby watched the end of the movie before letting the credits run out. She didn't want to risk moving in case it woke Rachel up and there was something really soothing about watching your daughter sleep. Shelby was still sat like that almost 15 minutes later when Leroy and Hiram walked in.
"We learnt to always keep the remote close to us in case this happened" Leroy said laughing as he sorted out the TV and gave Shelby the remote.
"Do you think Rachel will be okay with me leaving tomorrow?" Shelby asked nervously and Leroy nodded.
"Of course, she will. She might cry but each time you leave and come back again it will get easier. It's even better now that you can both speak on the phone. I know that Rachel really likes that" Hiram said and Shelby nodded as she softly played with the girl's hair.
"We'll just need to arrange another trip" Leroy said and Hiram nodded. Shelby smiled.
"We were thinking about going on a short cruise in the Easter vacation" Hiram started and that caught Shelby's attention.
"Would you like to have Rachel?" Leroy asked and Shelby nodded.
"Of course, would I have to come and get her, or could she come alone?" Shelby asked.
"I think we should let her travel as an unaccompanied minor. She had been on a plane plenty of times and I trust her" Hiram explained. Leroy nodded.
"Perfect, that means if she gets upset tomorrow, you already have another visit planned. That will make her feel better" Leroy explained, and Shelby nodded. She smiled. She knew that she would need to use that if Rachel got upset.
They moved onto a casual conversation and it was not long before Rachel woke up again. She snuggled instantly into her mother's chest.
"How are you feeling baby?" Hiram asked and Rachel shrugged.
"Not as bad as before but still poorly" Rachel complained.
"Oh sweetie, do you want an ice pole to help you?" Leroy then asked and Rachel nodded. She usually had one of these when she was sick. It kept her hydrated.
"When was she last sick?" Hiram asked.
"Like 11?" Shelby guessed cursing at herself for not looking at the time.
"Okay, well you will have to stay off school tomorrow" Leroy said as the school had a 24 hour sickness rule to stop contamination. Rachel nodded, she was upset as she loved school but it also meant that she could spend more time with her mother before she left.
They spend the rest of the day on the sofa and Rachel drifted in and out of sleep. Again Shelby made the girl some toast for dinner while her, Leroy and Hiram ate.
"You need to have a shower or bath tonight and change your pyjamas" Leroy stated and Rachel nodded.
"Will you wash my hair?" Rachel asked and Shelby nodded.
"Of course I will" Shelby said. Rachel smiled and went up the stairs. She then called Shelby through once she was washed. Shelby washed the girl's hair.
"I'm going to be sick" Rachel said almost as soon as Shelby got the shampoo out of her hair. Shelby moved quickly and pulled a towel around her daughter while helping her out the bath and held her hair back as she threw up.
"That's it, let it all out" Shelby said until Rachel stopped being sick. Shelby left her daughter to get ready and got the girl some ice chips to suck to stay hydrated. She told the fathers that the girl had been sleep again and that she was now going to bed.
Leroy and Hiram nodded. Shelby went up and tucked the girl in. She stayed with her until she was sure she was sleeping before going down the stairs. Today had been a hard day, Shelby hated seeing Rachel ill but she loved being the one to hold her and make her feel a bit better.
Sorry it's not great. I'm really struggling with the whole lockdown. I'm from the UK and it appears to be a lot stricter than America. We aren't allowed to see anyone out with our households (unless for some jobs) and must stay at least 2metres away from people when out for essential shopping/medication.