Page 25 of Ella’s Data

“I’ve thought about those meal services, but honestly, I don’t always want what I ordered by the time it comes in!” she exclaims. “But I eat it anyway, so it doesn’t go to waste. However, I like what the grocery store here offers as far as how they packaged the grilled chicken. I have choices then, I can throw a salad together, or heat up some veggies, or even make a chicken sandwich. See? Choices.”

“Like I said, let me think about it because I know Rebel won’t have an issue with me going with you, but what if you have to go into an area where I’m not allowed?” I ask.

“Naw, that’ll never happen. Even if I have an assignment at a hospital out of state or something, you’d still be able to come, Data. I don’t like those as much because of all the stupid politics that seem to go on in hospitals, but I do take them on occasion. The natural disaster jobs pay better though.”

By the time we’re done eating and the kitchen is cleaned up, she’s yawning and I know she’s about to crash again. Still, I’ll have her in my arms, so I can wait on the other. “Go ahead and get in bed, sweetheart. I’ll finish up out here and be in shortly,” I say.

“Are you sure? I don’t know why I’m so tired all of a sudden,” she replies, yawning once again.

“I think it’s a combination of things, Ella. Go on now, it won’t take me long to wrap this up out here.”

“Not gonna argue with you because I feel dead on my feet,” she says. “Just promise me one thing, if I fall asleep, wake me up enough to kiss me good night.”

“I promise,” I tell her.

I watch her head to the bedroom, her steps dragging then bust my ass to finish wiping everything down so I can join her. I won’t break my promise, because I know she desperately needs the rest.

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Ella

“Maybe I’m coming down with something,” I mumble to myself as I lie in bed waiting for Data.

Or maybe all the years of running around busting your ass and not taking a break has finally caught up to you, my brain whispers.

Whatever’s going on is messing with my dang mojo, that’s for sure. Because what I wanted to have happen tonight is definitely not gonna and there are parts of my body that want it to, dammit!

I’m fading as Data slides in next to me and pulls me to curl myself around his body. “Glad you made it,” I drowsily admit.

“Wasn’t gonna break my promise,” he says, before he kisses me. My body tries to wake up as desire floods me, but before I can rally the troops so to speak, he ends the kiss and whispers, “Sleep, baby. I think you’ve been running on empty for a very long time. I’ve got you and we’ve got all the time in the world.”

“Are you sure?”

I’m asleep before I hear him whisper, “I’m positive, Ella.”

When I wake up, I’m drenched in sweat and Data’s leaning over me, his phone in his hand, Fee’s face looking at me. “Baby, you’re burning up,” he says.

“Ella? What’s going on?” Fee asks.

“Don’t know,” I croak out, my throat feeling like it’s on fire.

“Data, it doesn’t happen often, but whenever she’s been run down in the past, she ends up with strep throat. I suspect y’all getting caught in the storm probably sped things up.”

“No time to be sick,” I mumble, crying out at the pain of trying to swallow my saliva.

“At least you’re not working,” she says, her voice soft. “Data, this is going to sound really weird, but can you use her phone’s flashlight and point it at her throat?”

“You can’t prescribe meds yet,” I whisper since it’s easier to talk that way.

“No, but I can tell Thelma what I see so we can get you started on something,” she snarks.

“I can just go to urgent care in the morning,” I argue.

“I still wanna look,” Fee insists.

So, I open my mouth and barely refrain from rolling my eyes when I see Data holding my phone, his flashlight app nearly blinding me, as he points it toward the back of my throat. I hear Fee talking and suspect she has Thelma on another phone, because she says, “Yeah, white pus pockets toward the back of her throat, he says she’s burning up. No, he doesn’t know where her thermometer is.”