“Bless you.” Samara murmured sleepily. “Allergies?”

“Prob’ly.” he sniffled, reaching for a tissue and blowing his nose. “But my pill shouldn’t have worn off yet. Heh-shoo.”

“Go take another one, hon. Maybe your allergies are just gonna be bad today.” Clay got out of bed and headed for the bathroom, noticing that he was kind of stiff and achy. He brushed it off as too many dance rehearsals. He filled a glass with water and swallowed his allergy pill, noticing that his throat was sore. He headed back to the bedroom and lay down next to Samara. “You okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m just kinda sore. Probably too many dance rehearsals.”

“You sound a little hoarse.”

“Ah-shesshh.” Clay turned his head and sneezed harshly, followed immediately by a series of racking coughs.

“Honey, are you okay?”

“Hetchoo, heh-choo, hey-shoo Cad you get be sobe water?” He asked, reaching for the Kleenex and blowing his nose.

“Yeah. Hold on a sec.” she said, placing one hand on his forehead and the other on hers. “I want to check your temp. Maybe you’re getting a cold.

” “Maybe.” He sniffled, wiping his nose. “My nose will not stop running.”

Samara went in the bathroom and got the thermometer out of the drawer. She came back and stuck it in his ear. “99.8. I’ll get you some cold medicine.” She went back into the bathroom and got him a glass of water and opened the medicine cabinet and looked for some cold medicine. There wasn’t any. She came back with the water. “Hon, we’re out of cold medicine.”

“Harashoo Great.”

“Can you just let me sleep for another couple hours, and then I’ll go get some. I can barely keep my eyes open right now. “

“Yeah. heh-ehshh, hey-eshoo. What ti-ihsoo What tibe did you go to bed?”

“A couple hours ago. Around 5. I didn’t get home from work until after 12, then I had dinner and started on my paper and presentation and layout. It’s done now. And we have the whole weekend to spend together.”

“Go back to sleep, Sab. You’re exhausted. You’ve huh-ehshoo beed burdig the cadle at both eds these last couple weeks. Eh-choo I’ll be fide for a few hours. hetchoo, echooo-choo. At least, I’d better if I wad to stop sdeezig. heh-etchoo.” He took a drink of water and blew his nose. She lay back down next to him and gave him a quick kiss. Clay pulled the covers up around his chin and sneezed. hehchoo, heyeshoo, hempchoo.”

“Bless you.” Samara mumbled sleepily.

He blew his nose and turned over to thank her. She was already asleep. He blew his nose again and went back to sleep. About 2 hours later, he woke up needing to sneeze. “Hah-ngkk.” he stifled into his pillow. Realizing that he was going to keep sneezing, he grabbed the tissues and went into the bathroom so he wouldn’t wake Samara. “het-mmph” he sneezed again, pushing the bathroom door mostly shut. “Hetshoo, hatshoo, hah-ahshoo, huhehshoo, huhehshoo-ehshoo, hahshoo, huhehshoo, ehshoo, hehchoo, heyesshoo, huh-hatchoo.”

Samara woke up when she felt him get out of bed. She grabbed some clean clothes out of the drawer and pulled on clean underwear and jeans. Hearing him sneezing behind the bathroom door, she knocked on it. “Honey, can I come in?”

Still sneezing, Clay opened the bathroom door. “I hetchoo did’d wad do eh-chishoo wagk you. hearshoo, ershoo, huh-uhshoo.”

Samara slipped off her nightie and put on a bra and tank top. “I’ll go get you some cold medicine.”

Clay nodded, sneezing again. “Hode hachoo, hahchoo, huhchoo Hode od. hatchoo, achoo, ashoo, ishoo, ehshoo, ahh-ahh-hah-hatchoo” He blew his nose several times. “Cad you get be sobe lifesavers for by throat too? Ad sobe bore Kleedex?” He asked, holding up the nearly empty box,

“Bless you. Yeah. I’ll get some orange juice too.”

“Thaks hodey. “

“Get back into bed. I’ll be back in a bit.” She tucked Clay into bed and grabbed her car keys and wallet from the dresser. “Try to get some more sleep. I’ll rent a couple movies too. We can spend the weekend in bed or on the couch, taking it easy.”

“Thaks.” he sniffled, rubbing his nose and looking like a little boy, as opposed to the 24 year old man he was. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and headed for the store.

Samara hopped in her truck and headed for target. She went in the store and headed directly for the cough and cold aisle and picked up a box of tylonel cold and a box of benedryl cold and allergy, unsure as to which would help Clay more. She grabbed a box of benedryl allergy sinus for herself, along with a couple boxes of Kleenex and headed for the checkout. She set her purchases on the counter and fished out her credit card. “Sick?” The cashier asked her, sympathetically.

“No, it’s for my boyfriend. He woke up with a cold, and he’s already got horrible allergies.”

“Poor guy. I know whatever’s in the air right now is really bad. Everybody who’s come through has been miserable.”

Samara paid for her purchases, thanked the clerk and headed back to her truck. Then she headed to the grocery store where she picked up orange juice. Clay’s lifesavers and a few other things they needed. After that, it was off to Blockbuster, where she picked up a few videos for them to watch. Noticing that her gas tank was low, she stopped at the gas station to fill up and grab something to eat and a pack of cigarettes. Then she headed for home. She locked the apartment door behind her and went into the kitchen to put the groceries away. She poured Clay some juice and headed back upstairs to the bedroom. Clay was sitting up in bed . “Hi, hodey. (Huh-ehshh)” He pulled some toilet paper off the roll he had sitting in his lap and blew his nose. “Baby, why are you using toilet paper?” she asked.

“I had adother sdeezig fit after you left, ad I habed’t stopped sdeezig for bore thad two bidutes sids. (Huhehshoo) I rad out of Kleenex ad I didn’t feel like goig dowdstairs to (uh-shoo) to get the box frob the libig roob. (hehshoo, heht-choo)” Samara opened one of the boxes of tissues and tossed it to him. “Thaks.” he sniffled, taking some and blowing his nose. “Heh’shoomph.”

“Bless you,” she said, sitting next to him and rubbing her nose. “It’s going to be a bad allergy day, too, honey.” she said, turning on the TV and going to the weather channel.

“I bought tylonel cold and benedryl cold and allergy. I wasn’t sure which would help you more.” She told him, grabbing a tissue out of the box on his lap. “Hih-chh-chhii-chh, huh-chii-chh-chhii, hit-chee.” She sneezed rapidly.

“Bless you. Yours are kicki’g id?”

“Yeah, and you know if I’m sneezing, yours are gonna be bad.” she said, rubbing her forehead

“Sidus headache?”

“Yeah, pretty bad one. I’m gonna go grab some sinus tabs and get you some cold medicine.” she told him.

“Thak you. (heh-ettchoo-choo)”

Samara went into the bathroom and took two of the sinus tablets and got out some of the cold and allergy stuff for Clay. She came back and handed him the pills. “I’m giving you the cold and allergy. I think it’ll (hit-chhii-chee-chh) it’ll help you more.” She blew her nose and yawned.

“Bless you. Let’s (asheshoo) let’s go back to bed, ‘kay. Did you get bovies?” “Yeah, you want me to stick one in?”

“What did you get? (Ah-shoo)”

“Two Weeks Notice, Darkness Falls, The Good Girl, Blackhawk Down, and George of the Jungle. What do you want to watch?”

“Two weeks dotice souds good. (ah-keshoo, hah-kishoo, ah-hehshoo, ah-hah-kit-shah)”

“Bless you. You need to go back to sleep.”

“I’b tryig, but I keep sdeezig. (eh-chuh).” he sneezed and started coughing.

“Did you get lifesavers?” he asked when he was done coughing.

“Yeah, but I left them downstairs. Hold on a sec.” She ran downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed Clay’s lifesavers and brought them back upstairs.

“Thaks, sweetie.” he sniffed hoarsely. “Hehshoo, hiesshoo, eck-choo” He blew his nose again and took one of the lifesavers from the bag she handed him.

“Thak you. (hitchoo) Gosh, I really hope this stuff kicks id sood. (hey-choo)” “Bless you, honey. Try to sleep, okay.” she told him, setting the sleep timer on the TV. She slipped off her jeans and lay down next to him. “Tired?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m pretty worn out. You probably are too. You look pretty bad, honey.”

“I cad’t (asheshhh) I cad’t rebeber the last tibe I felt this bad. (ahshoo, heyesshoo-shoo, headshot) Ugh. Bless be.”

“You’re blessed, babe. Go to sleep.”

“Yes, ba’ab.” he sniffed, laying down and blowing his nose again. “I’ll try.”

“Good, cuz I’m going back to sleep. I’m absolutely exhausted and my head hurts.”

“You look it, too. If I’b sdorig, or (ah-heshoo) or keep sdeezig, dod’t feel like (ah-shoo) like you habe to stay with be. You cad go sleep dowdstairs od the couch or (hitshah) or you cad kick be dowd there. (ah-shushh-shoo)”

“Bless you again. If you keep me awake, I’ll go downstairs. You’re sick, you get the bed. I’ll wake you if I go downstairs though, so you’ll know where I am if you need anything.”

“Okay. (yah-shoo, hah-ahshoo) I’b godda try to sleep dow.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. “Sleep good, baby girl.”

“You too, hon.” She told him, snuggling under the covers. “Shoot. Hand me a tissue, would you please, honey.” she said, rubbing her nose. He handed her a Kleenex and she pressed it to her nose and sneezed. “hih-chhii-chh-chh.” “Bless you, baby.”

“Thanks, hon. Can you throw this in the trash for me?” “Sure.” he took the tissue and threw it in the garbage. “(Hiesshah) Betweed by allergies ad this cold, all this sdeezig is goig to kill be. (ershah)”

“I don’t think it’ll kill you, honey. I think it’ll just drive you crazy.”

“It already is. (eh-hep-shoo”

She handed him a tissue. “The pills should kick in soon, hon. You just took them, not even 20 minutes ago. Usually it takes like half an hour for them to work.”

“Okay.” He blew his nose and deposited the tissue in the trash. “I’b really godda try ad sleep dow. (hah-ngkk)”

Clay and Samara both lay down and fell asleep.

Samara was awoken by the phone ringing two hours later. “Hello?” she mumbled sleepily.

“Hi Sam. It’s Faye. You’re still sleeping?”

“Yeah, I didn’t get to bed until about 5, and I was woke up at 8 and 10 and now.”

“I’m sorry, hon. You are working way too hard. I know Clay tells you that all the time. Is he home today?”

“Yeah. Let me wake him.” She turned and shook Clay awake. “Sweety, it’s your mom.”

“Hag od a sec.” Clay coughed and blew his nose. “Hi, bob.” he said, taking the phone.

“Clay, honey, you sound awful. Allergies?”

“Yeah, ad I woke up with a cold. Sab wedt ad got be cold bedicide ad stuff though.”

“She knows about your mint allergy, right?”

“Yeah. (Ah-shoo) Excuse be. She’s got food allergies too, so she udderstads. She got be pills ad cherry lifesabers for by throat. She takes good care of be, baba. (Hah-cheshh) Sorry.”

“Bless you.”

“Thaks. So, how are you?”

“I’m alright. Been keeping busy. I miss you.”

“I biss you too, bob. I’ll be cobig to bisit (ah-shoo-shoo) I’ll be dowd dext bodth whed by schedule clears a bit. Sab’s got sobe tibe off, too, so she’s cobig with be..”

“Great. You talk about her all the time, and we’ve talked a bit, so I’m dying to meet her. Call me with more details later, okay. I’m going to let you rest. You sound simply horrible. Get better, hon.”

“Thaks, bob. I lub you.”

“I love you too, honey.”

Clay turned off the phone and handed it back to Sam. “I’b godda get sobethig to eat quick. I’b a little hugry.”

“There’s oatmeal raisin granola bars in the cupboard and some jell-o and butterscotch pudding in the fridge. How hungry are you, cuz I can make you lunch if you want.”

“I’b dot bery hugry. Just a sdack is fide. (ahshoo) A gradola bar souds good.”

“Have some more juice. I’ll make you some chicken soup later.”

“Okay. Do you wadt anything?”

“Can you grab me a bottle of water?”

“Sure. I’ll be back id a bidute.” Clay got out of bed and stretched. He headed for the bedroom door, stopped and sneezed. “Heyesshhoo-shoo,” bending over from the force of it. “Huh-ehshoo” he sneezed again, this time stumbling forward a little bit.

“Bless you.” Samara told him.

“Thaks, hodey.” he sniffed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. “I’ll be right back.” He came back after a few minutes with a glass of orange juice and a bottle of water. “Here you go, Sab. Are you sure you woud’t rather have sobe orage juice?”

“Not without a shot of vodka mixed in. If you want some of my water, go ahead. I’ll probably catch your cold anyway.”

“I’b just teasig you. I dow you hate orage juice. (Keh-shoo)”

“Just keep it on your side of the bed, okay.” She sat up and opened her bottle of water and took a drink. “You want to go back to sleep?”

“Yeah. I’b exhausted.” He lay back down. “Bovie ober (hatcheyshoo))?”

“Yeah. Do you want to start it over or put in a different one?”

“Did you get anything scary? (Hah-Shoo)”

“Darkness Falls.”

“Let’s put that id ad cuddle. You cad protect be.”

Samara got up and put the DVD in and set the sleep timer. She went back to the bed and curled up next to Clay. “Starting to feel better?”

“Yeah. The beds kicked id ad by dose calbed dowd. (hetchah) Is it really albost ode?

“Yeah. You’ve slept most of the day away. Feels different, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah. I’b usually up by 8. It’s weird that it’s albost ode ad I’b still id bed. I dod’t dow how you cad just fall asleep whedever (hah-ehshoo) you feel like it.”

“My sleep patterns a lot different than yours. I mean, I’ve got class in the mornings and work at night. I try to get up with you, but if it’s a late night, I sleep as late as I possibly can. Lately, I’ve just been grabbing it when I can.”

“I dow. But you’re albost dode, baby. (ayeshhoo, hetchoo).”

“Bless you. Let’s watch this movie and go back to sleep. I’ll make you something to eat in a couple hours.”

“Okay. Thaks Sabbie. (heh-kechoo, ehchoo, heychoo, ayeheckchoo) Bless be sobe bore.”

“Go back to sleep hon, before your nose starts up again.”

“Good plad. (heyeshah-shoo)” He blew his nose again and snuggled up next to her.

“Bless you.” she said, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“I love you, Sabara Jade.”

“I love you too, Clayton Holmes.” She gave him a kiss and put her head on his shoulder. Samara slept until her cell phone rang. “Hello?” she asked.

“Hi Sami.”

“Hey Noelle, what’s up?”

“Not much. Haven’t heard from you for awhile and neither have mom and dad, so I thought I’d make sure you were still alive.”

“Yeah. I’m still here. I’ve just been incredibly busy.”

“Yeah. You were still sleeping when I called.”

“Yeah. It’s just working and school and everything. Somedays, I barely see Clay. How’s school going?”

“It’s alright. I’m ready for a break, though. I figure I’ll earn some extra money or come visit you if it’s ok with you and Clay.”

“I’ll check with him. That’s the beginning of May, right?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a couple weeks before summer school starts, so I’d like to visit for a few days and then work for a couple weeks.”

“So, how’s mom and dad?”

“Oh, you know. That’s why I’d rather visit you. At least then I won’t feel guilty about not going home.”

“I know. I’ll talk to Clay, but I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

“Ok. So how else you doing?”

“I’m pretty ok, Noelle. I know you’re going to get upset and I need you to promise not to tell Clay, but I lost 15 pounds.”

“Samara! You barely weigh enough as it is. I thought you were being good about that.”

“I know, but I got so busy and so stressed and I’d forget or I wouldn’t have time. And I had the flu and that’s when I lost 8 of it. I’ll gain it back, L. I’ve already gained back 3 pounds.”

“Okay, Sam. I just worry. I’ve got to head to class now. Don’t forget to talk to Clay and call me.”

“Promise. Love ya, big sis.”

“Love ya, too.” Samara hung up the phone and laid back down.

“Sabara.” Clay said.

“I’m sorry hon. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Do’t worry about that. You lost fifteed pouds!?”

“I’m gaining it back.”

“Sab, (hah-ehshh) You are skid ad bodes. You dod’t have fifteed pouds to lose. You deed to start taking (hepchoo) care of yourself. (hey-esshoo)”

“Bless you. You need sleep. I promise I’ll start taking better care of myself, okay,:

“Okay. How’s Doelle?”

“She’s good. She wants to come visit at the end of the semester for a few days instead of going to Mom and Dad’s.”

“That’s be good. You’re godda beet by fab’ly. I shoud start beeting yours. Thigs still aid’t that great at hobe?”

“No. I don’t think they’ll ever get better. So, it’s really okay for Noelle to visit?”

“(hay-shoo) Yeah. (eh-shoo, epshoo, emp-shoo, heh-shah)” Clay took a tissue and blew his nose. “I wadt to beet her. I bead, she is your twid sister. Baybe, (hehshoo-shoo) she cad help be udderstad you. (eh-choo)”

“Bless you. It’s 2:30. Do you wanna eat now or wait until closer to 5?”

“I’ll wait; I’b dot that hugry. But I wadt you to go dowdstairs ad eat sobethig. For be.” He looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

“Okay. You know I can’t resist it when you give me that look.” She gave him a kiss and got out of bed. “I’ll be back in a bit. Do you need anything?”

“Do. (heychoo) I’b good. I’b godda (herchoo) try to fall back asleep. (hetchah) Bless be. Go eat, hodey. I’ll be right here, tryig to stop (hemmp-shh) sdeezig log edough to get sobe bore sleep. (het-shoo, heh-shoo, het-shmmff, hah-ngkk)”

“Bless you hon. I’ll be right back.”

Samara went downstairs and made herself something to eat. When she finished eating, she went upstairs with a garbage bag and a fresh glass of orange juice for Clay. “Thaks, hod.” he sniffled, running a hand across his nose, sitting up and taking the juice. “What did you eat?”

“I fried some spaghetti noodles in garlic and butter. I’m gonna go brush my teeth now; I don’t want to submit you to garlic breath.”

“I cad’t (ashushh-shoo) sbell ady-thig adyways, Sab. It’s okay.”

“I want to get the taste out of my mouth.”

Clay blew his nose. “Whed cad I take bore cold bedicide?”

“Dinner time.” Clay made a pouty face. “I’m sorry, hon. I know you’re miserable, but I’m not gonna OD you. Just try to sleep for a few more hours.”

“I ab. I (haheshoo) I just keep sdeezig.”

“I know baby. I’m gonna clean up a bit, ‘kay.”

“I’b sorry I’b bakig a bess.”

“It’s okay. It just can’t be good to have all sorts of used tissues laying around.”

“Prob’ly dot. (eh-choo) Sab, this really sucks.”

“I know, hon.” She finished picking up the crumpled tissues that littered his side of the bed and went to wash her hands. “I know.” she told him, sliding in to bed next to him. “My poor baby. You do know if you give this to me, I’ll kill you.”

“I dow, but it’s dot by fault. You (ahhshushhh) You shoud’t be curled up id bed with be.”

“I know, but I love you and almost never see you and want to be with you.”

“I dow, hod.” Clay blew his nose and took a drink of his juice.

“Just rest and get better, honey.” she told him, brushing his hair away from his face. “Rest.” She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. She settled down on her side of the bed, picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels.

Clay yawned and rubbed his eyes. “I’b dot used to sleepig this buch.”

“I know, babe. We’ll take a walk after dinner if you want. Moving around might help you feel better.”

“Yeah. Sobetibes fresh air helps.” He blew his nose again and snuggled under the covers, wrapping them tight around him.

“Cold?”

“A bit chilly. I’ll warb up. (hetchoo)”

“Bless you.” she said, snuggling up against him.

“Thaks. That helps. You’re warb.” Clay put his head against her shoulder and fell asleep. She picked up a book and began reading. Half an hour later, the phone rang. She answered it quickly before it could wake Clay.

“Hello, Sam here.”

“Hi Sam. It’s Mark.” Mark was Clay’s manager. “Is Clay there?”

“He’s sleeping. Can I take a message?”

“Sure. Hold on- he’s sleeping?”

“Yeah. His allergies are really bad, and he wok up with a cold, so I’ve been making him sleep all day.”

“Okay. Well, he doesn’t really have any performances this week, so that’s good. I was calling to remind him about the charity thing.”

“Okay. When is that?” she asked, getting up and grabbing Clay’s planner from the dresser.

“Tomorrow, at 6.”

“Okay. He’s got it in here. It’s at the convention center?”

“Yep. I’ll meet him there at five. Is he gonna be ok tomorrow?”

“He’ll be alright. I’ll makes sure he rests and drinks lots of orange juice. I’ll drug him up a bit if I have to.”

“Okay. Are you gonna be there?”

“Not sure. There’s a lot of stuff around here that doesn’t get done during the week, and Clay needs his rest, so we’ll see how much I get done here. If I do go, Clay and I will probably go separately, unless he’s really miserable.”

“All right. Well, tell Clay I’ll see him tomorrow. Bye Sam.”

“Bye, Mark.” Same hung up the phone, picked up the remote and found a movie on tv, and picked up her book and began to read. Around 4:30, she shook Clay awake. “Hon, wake up for a minute.”

“What, Sab?” he mumbled.

“You can take some more cold medicine now.” She told him, getting up and heading to the bathroom. “I’m going to give you the tylonel cold, since I think your nose has calmed down a bit. If you get worse later, you can have some benedryl.”

“Okay. Heh-ehshuh. I was sleeping pretty good before you woke me.”

“Sorry, but I thought you’d want some cold medicine.”

“I dow. I do.” he said, taking the pills she handed him and blowing his nose. “Thandks Sabara. Why is by plander out?”

“Mark called to confirm that charity thing for tomorrow night.”

“What timbe is that?”

“6. He’ll meet you there at 5.”

“Are you combing with be?”

“I don’t know, hon. I’ve got laundry and grocery shopping and dusting and vacuuming to do. And I told Mark I’d have you sleep all day, so you won’t be helping. And I’ll be taking care of you, so we’ll see how much you wear me out.”

“Sab, heh choo, you dod’t habe to dust ad vacuub toborrow. Ad I cad help with laundry. It’s by job anyway.”

“You need your rest, Clay, and cleaning might help your allergies a bit. With your cold, the pollen’s enough for you right now. I’m gonna go start dinner. What are you hungry for?”

“Ashoo-hahshoo. Adythig’s fide.” he sniffled, reaching for another tissue and blowing his nose. “Make sobethig you wadt. Thed I dow you’ll eat.” He told her, stifling another sneeze. “Hih-sshhmmph.”

“Bless you.” Sam slipped her jeans on and slid her feet into a pair of sandals. “Thadks. Did you still wadt to go for a walk after didder?

” “If you feel up to it. I mean, I probably will, but you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“I’ll see how I feel and see how buch I’mb sdeezig. If I go, it’ll probably be a short walk.”

“That’s fine.” she said as she was interrupted by the phone ringing. “That thing has been non-stop today.”

“They dow we’re hombe.” Clay told her, reaching for the phone. “Hello?”

“Hi Clay. It’s Mark again.”

“Hey, what’s up? Samb gave me your bessage.”

“Ok. I also need you to do a radio interview at 3:30 at WXYZ. They want you there about 3. How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live. It’s just a cold ad allergies. What is the indterview about?”

“They’re gonna talk about the benefit and how you got involved and take some phone calls. Nothing too hard. Then the benefit is after that.”

“Okay. Thaks. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Clay hung up the phone and sighed. “They wadt me to do a radio indterview before the bedefit.” He snuffled, picking up his planner and writing it down.

“You up to it?”

“I have to be.” He blew his nose again. “I’m gonda get dressed.”

“Okay.” Samara headed down to the kitchen to start dinner. She made Clay some canned chicken soup and reheated the leftover noodles and alfredo for herself. She set the dishes on the table as Clay came downstairs. He opened the fridge and reached for the milk. “No milk, hon. Not while you’re sick. You know better. Water, OJ, apple juice or sprite.”

He took the apple juice out of the fridge. “You wadt ady?” She nodded, and he washed his hands and poured them some before sitting down. He coughed roughly, taking a drink.

“How you doin’ hon?”

“Lousy, but not as bad as I was this bording. I cad breath dow.”

“You’re having problems breathing?” she asked, instantly alarmed.

“Just -” He turned his head and sneezed. “Heh-empshoo. Just through by dose.” He sniffled, wiping at his nose with a napkin. “Dod’t worry. By dose was totally blocked up whed I woke up this bordig. I cad breath through by bouth just fide. I’b prob’ly…heckshoo….sdoring really bad too.”

“Yeah, but I was so tired, you could’ve detonated a bomb in my ear, and I’d sleep through it.”

Clay laughed and then coughed. “If I keep you awake tonight, dod’t feel bad if you wadt to sleep dowd here or id the spare roob. If I deed you, I cad fide you.” Clay finished his soup and blew his nose. “You ready to go for a walk?”

“Sure you’re up to it?”

“Yeah. It’ll feel good to bove aroud and get sombe fresh air. Just a short walk though; I dod’t dow how bad my allergies are godda be. Heh-shoo, hiehshoo, eck-shoo. Bless be. Sweety, I habe a questiod.”

“Sure, hon.”

“You dow, I hope I dod’t gibe you this, cuz you’re supposed to eat chicked soup whend you’re sick, and you don’t eat meat, so what are you gonda eat?”

“Vegetable soup. And vitamin C, and hopefully, I won’t get sick. And if I do, I guess I’ll have to drink orange juice.”

“Without vodka.”

“Without vodka.” she agreed. “And I’ll sleep and relax and take care of myself. Ready to go?”

“Just let me get by shoes.”

“Grab a jacket; it’s a bit on the cool side, and you’re sick.”

“Okay, Samb.” he said, slipping on a pair of sandals. He put on his jacket and stuffed a handful of tissues in the pocket.

They had been walking for about 5 minutes when Clay sneezed. “Heyshoo.”

“Bless you. You want to go back?”

“Do, I’b fide.” he sniffed. They kept walking; a few minutes later, he sneezed again. “Heh-choo, hetchoo.”

“Bless you again. Are you sure you aren’t ready to head back? It’s pretty windy out.”

Clay opened his mouth to say something but sneezed instead. “Huhchoo, hutchoo, heh-achoo, atchoo-choo.”

“Bless you. We’re going back.” She told him, turning around. Clay pulled the tissues out, blew his nose, and pressed a few over his face. During the walk back, Clay tried to hold back his sneezes the best he could, knowing that if he didn’t fight them, he’d be sneezing too much to walk home, but a strangled “heh-etch” slipped out every minute or so.

Once inside the house, Clay sank on the couch and began sneezing freely. “huhtchoo, ehchoo, hahchoo, huhchoo, hahchoo, huhchoo, hatchoo, choo, choo, hatchoo, hachoo, hachoo, huhchoo, huichoo, hahchoo, hatchoo, hutchoo, huhchoo, choo, choo, choo, ah-ahchoo, atchoo, kahchoo, hatchoo-choo, huh-huhchoo, huhchoo, hitchoo, harchoo, hetchah, hetch, huhchah, huhehchoo, ehchoo, achoo-choo, huh-huhchoo, heh-heh-heh choo.” Clay sneezed fiercely for nearly 20 minutes. Samara sat down on the couch next to him and gently rubbed his back as each sneeze bent him forward. She hadn’t heard Clay sneeze like this in awhile. Each sneeze was harsh and wet and seemed to have his full attention. “Hehtchoo, eh-heh choo.” He sneezed two final times, and she handed him some fresh tissues. He blew his nose relentlessly and began coughing.

“Bless you, honey.” she told him, getting up and getting him a glass of water. “Dags hod.” he sniffled when she came back and handed him the water.

“So, what do you-” she broke off when Clay looked up at her. She took stock of his runny nose and watery eyes. “Why don’t you go to bed. I’ll go get you some benedry and wake you when it’s time for your allergy pill and ny-quil.”

Clay sniffled and wiped his nose again. “Ogay. Dags.” They headed upstairs where Clay changed into his pajamas while she got him some benedryl. “Hon, do you want your nasal spray now or when you take your allergy pill?”

“Whed I tag by allergy pill.” She came in and handed him the benedryl. “Dags. By dose is too stuffed up righd dow. I dod ebed dow if I cad gad the dasal spray id.” He took the benedryl and swallowed it. “By dose still itches.” he complained, sneezing again. “Hutchoo, hetchoo, hahchoo-choo. Ugh.” He blew his nose several more times.

“Bless you. Go to sleep. The benedryl should kick in soon and probably knock you out.”

“Good. I really feel lousy. I shoud’t have gode for a walk with you, but I really wadted to.” He rubbed his nose furiously.

“Just rest, ‘kay, babe. I’m gonna do some housework, and I’ll wake you at 8 for your pill.”

He blew his nose again and laid down. “Cad you put id a bovie for be?” he asked before sneezing again. “Hayshoo, hehshoo, uhshoo.”

“Bless you.” She tossed him the box of Kleenex. “What do you want to watch?” “Batbad ad Robid.” She put the movie in and turned on the TV. “Thags. Will you stay with be for awhile?”

“Sweety, I’ve got a lot of stuff to do.”

“Please?” he sniffled, looking at her pathetically.”

“Just for a little bit. But I have to get a lot of stuff done if I’m gonna go with you to that thing tomorrow night.”

“Okay. Just udtil I fall asleep. Hehchoo. Bless be agaid.” he sniffled, wiping his nose.

Sam went and sat next to him. “Sleep, baby.”