A Day's Wait - Schatz
I sat by the fire, but I couldn’t stop shaking. My body thought it was still cold.
Papa and Mama left the windows open. There must be cold wind.
It hurt when I walked, but I didn’t even play outside yesterday. I was so tired, too, but I just woke up.
Papa and Mama were still asleep. I walked quietly and closed the windows.
‘What’s the matter, Schatz?’
Papa was awake. I didn’t want him to worry.
‘I’ve got a headache.’
‘You better go back to bed.’
‘No, I’m all right.’
‘You go to bed. I’ll see you when I’m dressed.’
I didn’t want Papa to worry. I got dressed and then went back to the fire.
Papa came downstairs. He looked at me like he had a question. He walked over and put his hand on my head.
‘You go up to bed,’ he said, ‘you’re sick.’
‘I’m all right.’
At school in France, some boys told me about being sick. It hurt, and you felt really cold, but it wouldn’t kill you if you weren’t forty-four degrees or over.
The doctor came later that day. He said hi to me and Papa then made me sit down.
He pulled out a thermometer. The French boys told me about that too. It can feel how hot your body is.
The doctor put the thermometer in my mouth, then took it out and looked at it.
‘What is it?’ Papa asked him.
‘One hundred and two.’
I felt really ill. I couldn’t hear Papa or the doctor. One hundred and two meant I was gonna die.
Papa took me back to my room and made me lie down. He read to me and asked how I was. I said I was fine.
‘Why don’t you try to go to sleep? I’ll wake you up for the medicine.’
‘I’d rather stay awake.’
I didn’t want to sleep, but I didn’t want to scare Papa. He must just be trying to make me feel better.
‘You don’t have to stay here with me, Papa, if it bothers you.’
‘It doesn’t bother me,’ he said.
‘No, I mean you don’t have to stay if it’s going to bother you.’
It was quiet.
‘It’s alright, Schatz. It isn’t bothering me.’
He walked over and gave me a capsule from the doctor, then went to get me water.
Papa’s honest. He must just be pretending it doesn’t bother him so it doesn’t bother me. He must think I don’t know.
He brought me water and I drank the capsule.
‘I’m gonna go hunting for a little while. Is that alright?’
Papa loved hunting. It always helped him feel better.
‘Yes.’
‘I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Get some sleep.’
I sat for a long time. I couldn’t sleep. I just sat and wondered when I would die. Mama asked to come in a couple of times, but I told her no. Same with Peter every time he wanted to play. I didn’t want to get anyone else sick.
Papa came home and checked on me. He took my temperature with the thermometer. The doctor must’ve let him borrow it.
‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘Something like a hundred.’
I knew that wasn’t right.
‘It was a hundred and two.’
‘Who said so?’
‘The doctor.’
Your temperature is all right. It’s nothing to worry about.’
I didn’t want Papa to think I was worrying.
‘I don’t worry, but I can’t keep from thinking.’
‘Don’t think, just take it easy.’
‘I’m taking it easy.’ I didn’t like lying to Papa, but I didn’t want him to worry.
He gave me another capsule, then read a bit. I still couldn’t hear what he was reading, but I heard him stop. I didn’t want to lie to Papa anymore. I wanted to know how much time I had left with him.
‘About what time do you think I’m going to die?’
‘What?’
‘About how long will it be before I die?’
‘You aren’t going to die. What’s the matter with you?’
He didn’t want me to worry.
‘Oh, yes, I am. I heard him say a hundred and two.’
‘People don’t die with a fever of one hundred and two. That’s a silly way to talk.’
‘I know they do. At school in France the boys told me you can’t live with forty-four degrees. I’ve got a hundred and two.’
Papa was quiet, then let his breath out.
‘You poor Schatz. Poor old Schatz. It’s like miles and kilometers. You aren’t going to die. That’s a different thermometer. On that thermometer thirty-seven is normal. On this kind it’s ninety-eight.’
Papa’s honest.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely.‘It’s like miles and kilometers. You know, like how many kilometers we make when we do seventy in the car?’
Papa’s voice sounded happier. He can’t hide it when he’s happy. He must be telling the truth.
I felt much better but didn’t know what to say.
‘Oh.’
Papa put his hand on my leg.
‘There’s nothing to worry about, Schatz. You’re not going to die.’
He stood up to leave.
‘Just get some sleep, alright?’
He walked out and closed the door.
I felt like I was carrying something heavy, then finally put it down. All of a sudden, I started to cry. In fact, the next day I cried a lot. Not at sad things, but things I never cry about. It just felt nice since I knew I wasn’t going to die.