Page 136 (2/2)

He had such a dazed look It was as if he didn't knoho I was or where he was He just lazed at me

"Harley, what's wrong? Harley?"

"Moood" "Harley, it's ?"

"Mamma, my stomach feels like I sed a barbecue coal I didn't ain Roy's mad I bet"

He was hallucinating Was it the fever or so this to him? I wondered,

"Moed 'Don't be ain I promise"

I crawled beside hi his face gently against h my blouse and bra

"It's all right Harley," I said kissing his forehead It was like pressing my lips to a carafter it had been left a while in the noonday sun I rocked hiently No one's mad at you"

"Mo "Don't besick"

I knew that after Latisha had died Aunt Glenda was always very nervous whenever Harley got sick, even if it was just a cold That was understandable, no h fever was ht now

I remembered how many times my mother had suffered fevers in her life, so, too Daddy told me her condition made her more susceptible to certain infections The doctors tried not to pu resistant strains, because they would then be forced to use stronger and stronger medications to cure her each time and eventually, they wouldn't work Often Daddy would try to break her fevers by lowering her into an ice-cold bath and sponging her down

Recalling that I returned to the kitchenette, found a large pot and filled it ater, running it until I got it as cold as it could be Then I cleaned a sponge and returned to the bed Harley looked like he was in a deep sleep again I carefully peeled off the sweater and took off his pants He didn't open his eves or moan He seee hihtened I needed to hear his voice

His eyes finally opened again and he cried out for more cold water I helped him sip some, and he fell back to sleep almost instantly He called repeatedly for hisout for Roy I continued to sponge him and replaced the water in the pot with fresh, colder water and did it again His breathing finally seeet less labored so I stopped and watched him sleep peacefully for a while

How often I thought had I tiptoed into Mommy's room when she was sick and watched her sleep I was always so afraid I would lose her Her being in a wheelchair always made her seem so vulnerable to every illness, every kind of pain, no matter how brave a face she wore for my benefit