Page 98 of His Surrogate Omega

A couple of weeks later…

Gray tucked Jamie into bed after the second chemo appointment with the help of the day nurse, Jefre. Once they were done, they both left the room and headed down. Gray was utterly exhausted. “Is that how it’ll be with every visit?” he asked Jefre.

“Everyone is different. And every cancer is, too. There’s no way of telling how bad it might get. I wasn’t his nurse the last time around, so I don’t have much by means of comparison.” Jefre paused, clenching his stomach.

“Are you okay?”

“I think something I ate might be giving me some trouble.”

Gray cast a look at the nurse as they reached the bottom stair. Jefre’s color didn’t look good, and sweat beaded on his brow. “Are you sick?”

Jefre sighed. “I haven’t been around anyone with a bug, that I know of. But it is that time of year.”

“If you’re sick, you need to go home. His immune system can’t take the added stress,” Gray said to the nurse.

Jefre placed a hand to his forehead. “I hate to leave you alone with him right after a chemo appointment, though. It might not be an easy afternoon.”

“I can handle it.”

“Iama little warm… and I don’t want to make things worse for Jamie.” He walked over and grabbed his bag. “I’ll call Serge on the way home and see if he can come in any earlier.”

“Thanks. I’ll be okay, though.”

Or so he thought he’d be.

A few hours later, as he was holding Jamie for his third round of puking, he wasn’t so sure he could last much longer.Stay strong. He needs me.

Jamie rose on unsteady legs and lunged for the bathroom counter with Gray’s help. He rinsed his hands off before lifting a palmful of cold water to his lips and spitting it back out. He lifted his stare and cringed when he looked into the mirror.

“Look at me,” Jamie cried staring into the mirror after wiping his mouth. “Just look at me.” He reached up and ran a hand over his head. He drew a clump of his short locks away before tossing it into the sink. “Iknewthis would happen. I was finally getting hair again and now it’s gone.”

Gray wiped down the toilet and tossed the paper inside before flushing it. He moved to the sink and washed his hands before lifting his stare to Jamie. “Like I said before. Hair grows. It’ll come back. I’d rather you lose that than we lose you.”

“No… this is what I didn’t want. I didn’t want to be sick. I didn’t want you and Rohan forced into playing my nursemaid. I didn’t want this.” Tears shone in his eyes. “I begged you all.”

Gray felt as if he could vomit. He’d pushed for this… and now he’d gotten it. Only he wasn’t the one being tortured. Jamie was.

Jamie eyed Gray’s long braid. He grabbed it and ran his hand down the length. “My hair used to be like that. It was long andsovery beautiful. Now, losingthatwas a tragedy. The first clump?” Jamie’s eyes filled with tears. “I cried for three days after that first clump had come out.” He looked back in the mirror. “Now it’s just a joke.”

Gray looked down at the thick braid still hanging over one shoulder.

Jamie raced past him and fell to his knees—just in time to vomit again. Gray rushed over and ran a hand down Jamie’s back, trying to soothe him somewhat. He felt so inadequate… and hoped his presence helped in some way.

He wasn’t sure it did.

Once they were cleaned up again, Gray helped Jamie back to bed. The doctors had said the first weeks of chemo were often the worst. Jamie’s body would grow a little accustomed to the medicines and in time, he wouldn’t get as deathly ill.

Knowing he was the reason Jamie was enduring this torment ate at him. He felt more and more selfish by the day.

He has to meet the baby… he just has to.

Just after getting Jamie cleaned up and back into bed, the bedroom door opened and Rohan’s face appeared.

“Where’s the nurse?” Rohan asked, frowning.

“Sick. So I stayed longer. Serge was supposed to be here by now.”

Gray fled to the bathroom, trying to put distance between him and Rohan. He began picking up the used towels and tossing them into the already gargantuan pile of dirty clothes.

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