Nicola returned to the bathroom. The shower was still turned on and Blake was trying to calm his daughter down. Iris was shuddering with the effort and the exhaustion, completely unaware that Nicola was there. Blake was holding her, rocking slowly, murmuring words of comfort. His pajama pants were soaked in warm water.
“I’m here, Mr. Echols…” she said slowly, getting near them.
“What did the doctor say?” Blake asked gently, glancing her way, while he was still rocking Iris.
“Iris has the flu. It’s the season…”
Blake sighed heavily.
“My sweet baby… What should we do, Nicola?”
“The shower was a great step ahead… For now, we have to make sure she gets plenty of rest and fluids. We should give her Motril or Advil…”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“It’s Ibuprofen for children… It helps with t
