Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 314: The Fever Break

Barry pulled out a thermometer to check her temperature, but Nancy restlessly turned her head away. "It hurts," she mumbled.

He had to steady her shoulder with one hand. His movements were stiff.

Barry tried to soften his voice, using a tone that felt completely foreign to him. "Just listen. Don't move. I just need to check your temperature."

His voice was dry. He sounded like he was trying to channel a pediatrician but missing the mark entirely. It was an awkward contrast to his usual cold exterior.

This was likely the first time in his life he had ever tried to speak to someone so gently.

It was a headache.

Barry put on his stethoscope.

The second the cool metal touched her skin, Nancy flinched and tried to push his hand away.

He had to lean over, effectively boxing her in against the bed. He pinned her restless wrist down with one hand and kept his voice low. "Stay still. This will be quick."

Barry leaned in further and pressed the cold chestpiece to her heart.

In her stupor, Nancy let out a soft groan.

Her burning breath hit the open collar of Barry’s pajamas and brushed against his neck.

The air was hot and damp with the fragility of a fever. It felt like an electric current snapping through the last bit of distance between them.

Barry’s hand tightened on the stethoscope for a split second.

His long fingers were pale at the knuckles. The veins on the back of his hand stood out as he held his position.

Barry composed himself and forced his mind back to the sound of her heart. His jaw remained tight in the dim light, though his throat moved as he swallowed.

He finished the exam. It was just a high fever brought on by a cold.

Barry felt a wave of relief.

Since it was just a common fever, there was no need to drag her to the hospital in the middle of the night. It was better to keep her out of the wind.

He started to get up to find an ice pack, but a weak tug on his shirt stopped him.

Nancy was curled up in a daze. Her fingers were tightly bunched in the fabric of his sleeve. Her pale lips moved as she whimpered like a small animal. "Mom..."

For the past two days, the delivery staff from Goodman Corp had mentioned that Nancy had paused her meal plan.

Barry knew she had headed into the mountains. Based on the few things she had said before leaving, he guessed she was dealing with some messy family business.

Looking at how vulnerable she was now, he felt a strange, sharp pinch in his chest.

Barry let out a quiet sigh of resignation. He pushed up his sleeves and focused on taking care of his patient.

He dimmed the lights and wrapped an ice pack in a towel to place on her forehead.

When the cold hit her, Nancy tried to pull away in her sleep.

Barry had to use his other hand to gently but firmly cup her face. "Just hold on. You will feel better once the fever breaks."

Between ice packs, he wrung out a hot towel and patiently wiped the cold sweat from her neck and arms.

Snowball sat on the nightstand with his paws tucked in. His black eyes were wide.

He had watched the whole thing.

"Oh my god!"

The stoat's tiny head was spinning. "The mean human actually has a soft side?!"

Snowball was lost in thought when he suddenly felt himself being lifted. Barry had just finished changing Nancy’s ice pack and his fingertips were wet.

Barry kept his eyes on Nancy. Without looking back, he reached for the folded white towel on the nightstand.

Instead, his hand closed around the soft, white, furry ball that was Snowball sitting right next to the towel.

Before the little guy could even react, Barry had already used the fur on his back to wipe the water off his fingers.

After two wipes, Barry realized the towel felt wrong.

Why is it warm and fuzzy? And why is it moving?

He stopped and looked down. He locked eyes with a shocked and offended Snowball.

The little guy was dangling from his hand, letting out a weak, pathetic squeak.

Barry was speechless.

He looked at the innocent stoat in his hand, then at the actual white towel on the nightstand. He sat there in a brief, stunned silence.

"Nancy used me as a mouse, the mean human used me as a towel. They're both bullying me."

Snowball was crying on the inside. "He is definitely getting revenge because I kicked him earlier. He used me as a hand towel on purpose. He is so petty!"

While the man and the stoat stared each other down in total awkwardness, Nancy heard Snowball's muffled cry and frowned.

A second later, she reached out and blindly grabbed Barry’s arm before he could pull away.

She acted like she had found her favorite stuffed animal. She wrapped her arms around his forearm and pulled it into a tight hug.