xxxi feel so damn worthless
xxxanother day is gone
xxxand all my faces are alibis
xxxand me, I'm half the man I wanted to be
xxx
Ben watched silently as his suspicions were confirmed. She was running a fever. Nothing unusual in kids, but concerning in her case. Jake's expression confirmed it. Something was wrong. The headache just made Ben more worried, worried that things were going to go really wrong and that he wouldn't be able to help. But he could try. The sudden, confident thought took him aback for a moment.
He got to his feet as Jake said they were going to leave, but then Jake admitted they didn't really have anywhere to go, that they needed to find another hotel room. The thought of Jake having to deal with Autumn alone, especially if she was really unwell, in a hotel in a different country sent anxiety and guilt through Ben. He look one look into Jake's eyes, eyes that were filled with fear.
"I have a spare room. Small, you guys might have to share a bed, but... you don't have to go to a hotel. You won't have to deal with it alone," Ben said, even before he'd really thought about it. But he didn't regret it. He didn't think he'd forgive himself if he made them go to some crappy hotel for the night. He could help, and he would. "You guys left stuff back at the bookstore, right? Go get it, I'll settle up here and meet you there. Do you need me to get any medications? I can get something to bring down her fever, ease her headache, that kind of stuff." He said, keeping his voice low and calm. "Let me help."