Page 81 of Biker Orc Baby Daddy
"Go."
I make it to Sparkle Beauty in four minutes. Three red lights ignored. Parking's a disaster. I don't care.
Inside, Cecie's pacing. Orry's in her arms. Flushed. Whimpering. His little face is blotchy and his eyes are glassy.
"When did it start?" I ask.
"Hour ago. He was fine this morning. Then he got cranky. Wouldn't eat. I checked his temp and—" Her voice cracks. "I don't know what to do."
I take a breath. Force calm into my voice. "Okay. First, let me see him."
She hands him over. He's burning up. I press my lips to his forehead. Definitely fevered.
"Did you give him anything?"
"Baby acetaminophen. Twenty minutes ago."
"Good. That's good. What's his baseline temp normally?"
"Um. 98.6? Maybe 99 when he's teething?"
"Has he been drooling more? Fussy?"
"Not really. Just. Suddenly sick."
I nod. Run through the checklist I memorized three days ago from a pediatric care manual.Fever management. Hydration. Monitoring for escalation.
"We need to keep him hydrated. Small sips of water or milk. And we need to bring the fever down gently. Lukewarm bath, light clothes. Do you have a cool washcloth?"
Cecie blinks. "You. You know all this?"
"I researched."
"Of course you did." She almost smiles. Almost. "There's a washcloth in the back. And a baby tub."
"Perfect. Let's set up."
The back roomof Sparkle Beauty becomes a makeshift nursery. I fill the baby tub with lukewarm water. Test it three times. Cecie hovers.
"Is that too cold?"
"It's body temperature. We don't want to shock his system."
She nods. Wrings her hands. I've never seen her this rattled.
"Cecie. He's going to be okay."
"You don't know that."
"Fevers are common. Kids spike them all the time. We just have to monitor and manage."
"You sound like a doctor."
"I sound like someone who read twelve articles last night."
That gets a laugh. Small. Shaky. But real.
I undress Orry. He whines. His little body's limp and hot. I ease him into the water. He startles. Then settles. I cup water over his legs. His tummy. His back.
