Chuck

Date/Timing: 30 July 2010
Setting: bby!Chuck Hansen's school; Medowie, Australia
.
Charlie shivers on a bed wearing nothing but a scratchy blanket.
"Are you feeling any better, love?" asks the nurse. 
"No," he croaks and huddles deeper.
"This is /such a nasty bug." She pat his head. "Your mum will be here soon with some clean clothes for you."
Charlie grunts—shivers with another cold sweat.
"Oh dear." She bustles over with the dish. "Just let it happen, sweetie."
Charlie does, gags again on the acid burn left in his mouth and nose, shudders.
Nurse reappears with an empty bowl and a plastic cup of something fizzy and gingery.
"Thank you." 
"Take it slow, okay, sweetie?" She sets the bowl beside him. 
Charlie nods, sips.
Far off, a door squeaks.
"That's probably your mum. We'll be right back." Nurse strokes his hair again, shuffles out.
Charlie's stomach gurgles, rolls hard left.
He loses what's left of his breakkie—
Fizzy splashes in. 
—whimpers.
Hard-soled shoes click on lino, a half-beat behind the nurse's trainers.
Charlie looks between his cup and the bowl wibbling.
Mum clicks across the little room, crouches to Charlie-level. "Hi, Bear."
Charlie sniffles into his cup. "Hi, Mum."
The nurse smiles. "Had a bit of a spill, love?" Swaps a clean bowl for the old one.
"Ms Christine says you've been having a tough morning."
"Uh huh."
"I brought you a fresh shirt, so let's get you dressed." Mum offers Charlie's soft PJ shirt.
He snuffs, lets the blanket drop.
Mum tugs the shirt over his head, helps him thread noodly arms through the sleeves.
"Ugh. This must be soooome bug, making /you all floppy."
Charlie grunts.
Mum squeezes his knee. "Good for trousers?" 
Charlie nods. 
"One foot, two feet—"
Charlie oozes to standing. 
"There we go!" Mum smiles. "Alright, Bear, let's get you home so you can get better." She straightens.
Charlie nods, leans hard against her leg.
She steers him, slowly, with a gentle hand on his shoulder, from the infirmary down the halls to her car. 
Charlie drags himself into his seat, fumbles—
Mum belts him in.
He sighs.
Mum comes around the car, straps in, starts the car, and aims them for home.
Charlie's stomach is suspiciously quiet.
He frowns at his middle.
"You feeling sick again?"
"Don't think so? Just—" Sighs.
"Well, we'll be home soon."
"Sorry," mumbles Charlie.
"What was that, Bear?"
"I'm sorry. For making you leave work. And trashing my shirt." Shudders.
"It's okay. Sometimes we just get sick. We can't help it."
Charlie shrugs.
"Besides, didn't you hate that shirt?"
He kinda smiles.
"So I don't have to feel bad about binning it, then?"
"Not really."
Mum makes her 'thinking' face, then says, "What else is bothering you?"
"Nothin'."
Mum hums, 'I don't quite believe you'.
Charlie sighs. "The other kids laughed at me and called me 'Chuckles'. It's gonna stick. I can tell."
His stomach flops.
"'Chuck's a perfectly normal nickname for a 'Charles', Bear."
"No, it's not."
Stomach flips the other way.
Charlie breaks out in a sweat, croaks, "I'm gonna—" Gags.
The car stops and the door opens and Charlie nearly chucks fizzy drink on Mum's good shoes.
"Sorry," he pants, cringing.
"'s'okay, just spit it out."
Charlie throws his best. 
Mom pushes his damp bangs off his forehead. "I love my little Chuck, stomach bug and all." Kisses his hair.
Charlie smiles. "Thanks, Mum."
"Are you feeling well enough to roll again?"
"I think—"
Mum hops back. "That would be a 'no'."
Category:Ficlet
Category:Medowie (setting)
Category:Chuck H
Category:Chuck H (ficlet)
Category:Chuck H's POV
Category:Angela
Category:Angela (ficlet)
Category:Ficlets with images