"Milo, have you checked on her yet?"
"Not yet, mama. I'm on the train now. I'll call you when I get there, okay?"
"Okay. You be careful too, my son."
"Yes mama."
I sighed as I hung up the phone, and as a cough rang out behind me, I froze.
A few sharp glares followed the perpetrator, and I shot him a sympathetic look as he moved to the rear of the car.
When Covid-19 first appeared in Italy, no one thought it would be this big a deal, but as the numbers began to surge, indifference turned to concern, and concern to outright panic.
Everyone was on edge, and none more so than my parents.
It was the reason I was even risking this trip to northern Italy, to Corsico where my sister stayed.
It had been two days now since she started feeling a bit ill, and my parents pretty much demanded that I go to her immediately.
Not that I wouldn't have, anyway.
Stephanie and I were very close, and even if this were an all-out zombie apocalypse, I would probably brave the end of the world itself to get to her.
Nevertheless, I hated being told what to do, so even as I bought the tickets and hastily packed, I made certain that my complaints over 'being forced' to make the trip had been sufficiently heard.
I glanced at the watch on my hand, as another cough echoed from the back of the car.
Don't touch your face.
Don't touch anything.
I repeated the mantras as I stared out the window, hoping that Stephanie's affliction was just the flu, and nothing to be worried about.
***
It was just after noon when I finally made it to her little apartment, and as I knocked on the door and waited, her voice finally called out.
"Emiliano?" she said.
"The one and only."
The door swung open to reveal my sister, dressed warmly in her pjs and a fuzzy robe.
A mask covered her mouth and nose, and she shot me a sarcastic look.
"There's three Emilianos on this floor alone," she countered.
For a second, I wanted to hug her, but as if anticipating my desire, she hung back, staring at me defensively.
"I might be letting you in because you came all the way here, but I'm self-quarantining," she warned, and I raised a hand in surrender.
"You know how mom is. She would come here herself if I didn't," I answered, and she sighed, stepping aside and letting me in.
"I disinfected everywhere, so you should be fine, but my room is off limits," she warned, and I snickered.
"Just like old times, then," and she rolled her eyes at the comment.
"I don't remember ever banning you from my room," she said, and I smirked.
"I don't remember ever being invited."
She made sure I got in, and knew where everything was before disappearing into her room, and I sighed, then picked up my phone and called my mom, letting her know that I'd arrived safely, and that Steffi was basically fine.
"Did you get tested?" I asked, going through some of Steffi's mail that I'd picked up on my way up to her floor.
"Yeah. Result should be in tomorrow," she called, and I nodded.
"And classes?"
"Suspended for the semester," she replied.
"Guess that'll be another year in Italy," I mumbled to myself.
Steffi went quiet for a while, and when I eventually peeked into her room, I caught sight of her sleeping, so I decided to get unpacked, and I unwound for a bit with a smoke and a bit of wine.
As the evening wound on, I had begun feeling drowsy when Steffi called out, her voice a bit weak.
"You there, jackass?"
"Hold on," I said, barging into her room.
"No, don't come in!" she yelled, and I froze just as my foot crossed the threshold of her doorway.
"What?"
"I'm thirsty," she complained, and I rolled my eyes.
"And how am I gonna bring you water without coming in?"
"Leave it by the door and I'll get it myself. These are the rules," she explained, and I sighed.
As I fetched her the glass, she retrieved it, shooting me a bit of a glare as she did, and she quickly shut the door, disappearing into her room.
But from the light that peeked out from under the doorway, I could see the shadow from her body move as she sat down against the wooden barrier.
"This doesn't really feel like if I'm taking care of you," I complained.
"Yeah? Well tough," she replied. "I'm not gonna be the reason you get this thing."
Her tone was defiant, and I smiled as I took a seat on the other side of the door.
"What are your symptoms so far?" I asked.
"Dry cough. Fever. Throat really sore," she complained, and I sighed.
"I should get you some lemons; break out mom's old lemonade recipe."
"Uh, no? You're not leaving the house," she warned.
"You're not my mother," I countered, and the door swung open.
"Promise me right now!" she exclaimed, and I shot her a questioning look, surprised by how serious she suddenly got.
"Sheesh, I was kidding, dummy."
She folded her hands and frowned, before slamming the door shut, and I sighed, getting up from the floor and heading to the kitchen to do a quick supply check.
Some thanks I get for coming here
! I thought.
She appeared to have enough instant chicken noodle soups and ramen noodles to last at least a month, but I felt sick of the stuff already just by looking at it.
I'd need to go get groceries eventually, but I'd have to put that off until I had a better grasp of Stephanie's schedule, and when best I could make the run without her knowing.
"Hey, I'm gonna lie down," I called, as I walked past her room. "Ring me if you need anything, kay? Don't just sit there and yell."
She mumbled an 'okay,' and as I headed to the guest bedroom, I noticed that she was still slumped by the door.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.
I waited, and as no reply came, I began to worry.
"Steph?"
Still nothing, so this time I swung the door open, to find her slumped on the floor, falling asleep just like that.
"You can't sleep on the floor," I said, as I quickly scooped her up.
"Lemme alone," she mumbled, drowsily, and I disregarded the complaint as I half-dragged, half-carried her to her bed.
She was out cold before I could even pull the covers over her, and I let out a long sigh as I studied her, before heading over to my own bathroom to disinfect, and wash my hands thoroughly.
I slept uneasily that night, checking constantly on Steffi, and she slept quite soundly, until around four a.m., when she finally stirred as I made the rounds.
"You're not supposed to be here," she groaned, as she stretched lazily.
"Thirsty?" I asked, and as she nodded, I gestured towards the water bottle on her night stand.
"Are you taking anything?" I asked, and she nodded, pointing to her dresser.
I retrieved the card of tablets and brought it to Steffi, and she shot me a glum look as I helped her get them out.
"Seriously. I'm supposed to be self-quarantining," she complained.
"Well... I didn't come here to sit in the other room while you suffer through this alone," I countered, and she sighed. "How do you feel?"
"How do I look?" she replied, and I smirked.
"Terrible," I said, and she clicked her tongue, as she pointed at me with a finger gun.
On the mark
, I thought.
"I won't touch my face, and I'll disinfect as soon as I leave," I promised. "But just tell me what you need."
"You can't give me what I need, lil' bro," she countered, and I sighed.
"Can't get what you don't ask for," I replied, and she raised her hands as she stretched like a sleepy cat.
"Hugs, and kisses, and lots of love," she said, and I smirked.
"Fine. When you're better, I'll see what I can do," I promised, and she smiled.
"Fucking liar," she said, before hugging her pillow tight. "Now get out of here before I throw you out."
After I left the room, I slept a little better, but my sleep was interrupted by the sound of my sister's voice, and I woke up just in time to hear her talking on her cellphone.
"Steph?"
I knocked on the door as she went silent, and she cleared her throat before replying.
"Up already?" she asked.
"Yeah. Was that the doctors?"
"Yeah," she said, her tone a little down.
"Well? What's the verdict?"
"Might as well change my name to David Draiman, because I am down with the sickness," she joked, and I sighed, as much at the news as at her miserable sense of humor.
"Could you be more specific? I mean, you've been ill in the head for as long as I can remember."
"Let's just say I'm bat-aliciously, afflicted. Oh, oh! I have another one. I'm livid with covid," she continued, and I sighed, opening the door.
"One more bad pun and I might be forced to put you down," I warned, and she pouted at me.
"Keep the door closed, loser," she said, and I shook my head.
"One meter of distance. We're fine," I replied, and she sighed.
She was slumped over at her bedside, and looking as miserable as ever.
"Don't tell mom," she said, and I nodded.
"Obviously."
"Or anyone," she said, and I tilted my head.
"Why?"
"Because you've been in contact with someone infected, idiot," she answered, and I shook my head.
"I'll have to get tested anyway," I replied, and she sighed.
"And what if you have it?"
"I'll have it whether I do the test or not," I answered, and she pouted again.
"Because of me," she said, and I shrugged.
"I've endured worse things for you than a virus."
"Name one!" she shot back, and I smiled mischievously.
"Paul?" I answered, and her mouth fell open.
"Low blow."
She folded her hands, and pouted, and I shrugged again.
"I was provoked," I reasoned, and she sighed.
"If you have it, then I want my hugs and kisses," she whined, and I studied her with interest.
"Been lonely out here?" I asked, and she nodded, to my surprise.
Maybe it was just the virus, but she was being more open than usual.
It actually made me quite worried.
"How long before I need to get tested?" I asked, and she shrugged.
"I'll ask my doctor when he calls again."
"Okay. Well, I'm gonna make you one of these soups," I said, getting up and heading to the kitchen, but just as I got out a little soup pot, and filled it with water, I heard her calling out.
"What?" I asked, poking my head out the doorway.
"I'm bored," she complained, and I rolled my eyes.
"Well, get used to it. Self-quarantine, remember?"
She pouted, rolling onto the floor, and putting her feet up against the bed.
"Go get tested today."
"What? I've only been here one night. I have zero symptoms."
"I know, I just want... company," she said. "I feel achy and miserable."
I put my hands on my hips, and studied her...
The cold always managed to bring out her most bratty side, didn't it?
"I can skip the test for now and just come in," I reasoned, and she shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I don't want you to get it."
