Don't worry.Don't worry. In an hour or so he'll be fine. Ken? Drink this." I turned over and looked up. She was handing me a liter-sized glass full of murky water. "Water and lots of vitamins?" I asked. She nodded. I took the glass and proceeded to drain it as best as I could. My body had such a craving need for water that I nearly succeeded in getting all of it into me. I sat up painfully, cursing the stiffness that was amplified by the pain in my head. "I feel terrible," I said. "You look terrible," Karen replied. "Does alcohol always do this to you?" "Always. Depends on how much I drink, though. Diphenhydramine is worse, though. Takes two days to recover from that." "Then why would you want to drink alcohol?" Karen asked. "There must be better ways of getting intoxicated." "There are," I said, "but there are good, traditional reasons for enjoying alcohol. Don't ask me to name them. Maybe when you're older." "'Maybe when I'm older'," Karen said with a smile. How many times had I said that to her? I decided it was time to stand again, feeling a little better as the water seeped into my brain and relieved the perceived pain of dehydration. "So," I said, "who's up for a shower?" "I've already taken mine," P'nyssa said, "so I'm going to head over to Cutter's." "Okay, sweetheart." I stepped over to her and gave her a close hug, feeling her soft and furry body against mine. She wrapped her tens around me and ran the pads up and down my spine, sending wonderfully relaxing signals up into my head. "See ya later," I said. She nodded, took a step back and jumped up slightly. The gravitics carried her up into the main room of my domicile. "So," I said, looking down at Karen, who had curled up around one of the pillows on the bed, "Would you care to join me in the shower?" She smiled and said, "I could use an extra pair of hands while I'm bathing. |