Cal-amity

It started off as a little cough but as the day progressed it got worse.

Colleen was worried about him. He never really got sick, not like this. She waited until she had him cornered by the press before she approached to put her hand on his forehead.

"Cal, you’re burning up. Why don’t you go lie down? I can handle the paper by myself today."

The press began to whine a bit so she gave it a little kick. That fixed it.

"We don’t have much more work to go, Cal. Why don’t you just go."

"No!" he replied.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks, Colleen. I was just about to tell you how nice you looked today."

She crinkled her nose and looked down at her plain white tee shirt and jeans.

"You don’t ask for much do you?"

"Cuppa tea might be nice. My throat’s a little scratchy."

"Damn it, Cal, if I get what you’ve got I’m going to be pretty pissed off. That’s it. I’ll finish up this issue and you get your ass to bed. I never get to do the honors anyways so maybe you’ll see that I’m quite capable of leading the hunt around here once in a while.

"I know you are, Col. I wouldn’t have asked you to come here with me if I didn’t think you were the best in the business."

Cal leaned back against the wall. Sweat began to drip from his brow and he coughed pretty hard.

"Shit." he rasped. "I think you’re right, Col. I think I need to call it a day. Sorry about this."

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him away from the wall. Colleen draped his arm over her shoulder as she helped him out of the newspaper office and into the house.

"Upstairs, in bed, now!" she ordered "I’ll get your tea and a few other things to help you feel better."

He must have really felt punky because he ambled up the steps hanging on to the railing all the way. Poor baby.

Colleen got a tray down from the upper shelf in the cupboard and started putting some things together for him. Tea, some toast, a couple of paracetamol and a big glass of orange juice were placed on the tray and she carried it upstairs.

He was already in bed and under the covers shivering. Colleen set the tray down on the nightstand before sitting down beside him. She leaned down to kiss his brow and the heat she felt on her lips worried her.

"I need to call the doctor for you. You don’t get fever like that from the common cold, Cal. You have the flu or something worse."

He turned his head slowly to look her way. If she wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world right then and there then he was crazy. That’s all there was to it.

"Honey, not now. Just let me rest and you go take care of the paper. We have to get it out."

"Cal I can’t leave you here like this."

"Yes you can. I’ll be alright." he coughed again and this time it seemed as if he were not going to stop.

She moved to hold him, to comfort him. "I’m not going anywhere."

He needed that hug right then and he clung to her for a bit. Tilting his head up he looked into her eyes. "Col. You gotta get the paper out. I’ll be here when you come back. I promise. Just take care of business."

Maybe it was the look in his eyes or maybe his sense of responsibility under the circumstances impressed her. She nodded her head. Colleen would go get the paper out but she’s do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. Cal needed her now. He really needed her.