A Kiss to Wake Me by Cheryl Eager

Author:Cheryl Eager
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: 5310 Publishing
Published: 2022-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

Cara

The eight of us sit down to dinner at the large, beautifully set table, decorated in all reds and greens. Jamie’s dad, Brent—although I still don’t feel comfortable calling him by his first name—asks my dad to say the dinner prayer. It is brief but heartfelt, asking blessings for our families, the food, and the year ahead.

I watched my dad uncertainly for a few minutes after we arrived while he interacted with the others to make sure he was having a good time; but he’s been smiling and enjoying the conversations. Dad is quiet yet naturally good with people and enjoys being around them, which is the main reason he is so good at his chosen profession. He’s also not one to pass up good food or wine, and tonight, they’re plentiful.

Walking into Jamie’s house tonight flooded me with warmth and memories of the lively Christmases from years past when my mom was still alive. Mom loved Christmas as much as Susan and always made them special for us by going all out with decorating and cooking. Jamie’s Christmas tree is larger and the decor more elaborate than we ever had, but the effect is the same—simply a peaceful, incredible feeling of home and family.

The food was delicious, and we all complimented Susan and thanked her for the work that went into its preparation; but lately, I haven’t been able to eat much.

Jamie noticed, of course, and while we are cleaning the kitchen, he comments, “You didn’t eat a lot. Are you still having trouble with your stomach?”

“Yes,” I say, “but I think it’s getting better.”

I began having bouts of queasiness recently where food of any type just hasn’t been appetizing, yet I always feel much better if I go ahead and eat a little. I researched my symptoms, and they all lead to one condition. It’s the same thing I was diagnosed with after my mother passed away.

“I have IBS,” I tell Jamie, “Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It causes a lot of digestion issues when it acts up. I won’t go into it all, especially the ‘B’ part of it.” I attempt a laugh but think about all the cramping and bathroom visits that are a part of my life, and cringe instead. “If you look it up, I have almost every symptom, especially food sensitivities and fatigue, sometimes nausea. It was pretty bad after my mom died, but I haven’t had it flare up like this since then. I started taking a probiotic, and it’s helping.”

“I’m sorry, babe. I hope your appetite gets better. You need to stop losing weight or you’ll only get more fatigued,” Jamie lectures, brows drawn in concern. “Maybe Shadow and I need to take you out for more ice cream. That’s what always makes me feel better.” He grins, and I catch a glimpse of the cute little boy he used to be. It’s adorable.

Susan listens to us as she loads the dishwasher. “Jamie, ice cream isn’t the remedy for every ailment, especially not for IBS.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.