Ryan had a calm and restful night, but it brought me little sleep. Thank goodness I did something I don’t often do; fall asleep before midnight. We recorded the Presidential debate (because Ryan loved watching these) and were at least an hour behind the live broadcast. I became frustrated, because both candidates could easily have been talking about issues in the late-1970s and early-1980s (e.g., Iran, alternative/independent energy, budget deficit, etc.). I went out and plopped on the couch, happy enough flipping between Modern Marvels and another show called The Planets.
My sleep is always restless. I rarely go more than an hour or two without waking. Such was the case last night. Just before one o’clock I went in to check on Ryan. I was expecting that Sue would be sleeping in the bed next to his, but she wasn’t. She was laying beside him in his bed. His head was resting against her cheek. She had her arm completely around his chest and under his neck. This is something she does almost every night for an hour or two, but moves to her bed before we quiet the house.
Okay, I thought, maybe she fell asleep with him?
I quickly realized this was not so when she popped-up her head to look at me. She was wide-awake, with her big brown eyes as bright as ever (it were her eyes that I noticed first about her when we met… believe it or not). My first thought was that Ryan was having a rough night, but he appeared comfortable and his vitals were perfect. I was confused for just a second longer before I realized we were without our beloved nurse. She is so wonderful in her care of Ryan and I was immediately concerned for her. She can always be counted on to act in his best interest. Anyhow, it turns out, she got very ill… very fast. She didn’t want Ryan exposed and left immediately. In my earlier half-asleep/half-awake haze I remember the outside door opening, but I just thought it was Sue taking the woofers out to the bathroom.
told ordered me to go lay back down. I could tell it would be best not to challenge her and immediately obeyed.
I’m telling you, I tried to get back to sleep. I really did. I might even have nodded off. It was not to be because I felt guilty leaving it all up to Sue. Finally I gave in and got up. Sue scolded me the very instant my big toe crossed the threshold into Ryan’s room, “What are you doing up? I got this.”
It was now my turn not to be messed with. I was worried about her being tired the entire next day (today) at work. I don’t want her getting sick. She’s exhausted as it is, coming off a nasty sinus and ear infection. I was prepared to stand my ground, if needed.
“I’m up. I’d be getting up for good in an hour or two anyhow. Take Duke and go upstairs to bed. It’ll just make me tired looking at you warm and asleep down here.” BAM! For effect, I gave the “one-eyed glare”. You know the one, where the head is slightly cocked with one eyelid furrowed while the other is up? For us older folk, think about What you talkin’ ’bout, Willis?
The key was not let her know I was doing it for her. Otherwise she would have resisted. Good or bad, we each are willing to take the hit for the other and I know this. So in a huge gamble, I made it out that she would throw me off my game by being downstairs. It worked enough to get her upstairs, but I might have some apologizing to do when she gets home from work tonight. What worries me is she left quietly… a little too quietly.
Ah, that’s married-life of men… apologize even when we’re right.