She’s still angry about an old argument, and tonight she’s done pretending everything is fine. While you watch her from the bed, she finally comes over and makes one thing clear: from now on, you follow her rules. She takes control of the situation, sets the pace, and makes sure you understand who is in charge.

After last night's dinner, Alexa stayed. Somewhere in the night, the fever hit. By morning, she's already there — cold towel, water, that quiet way she has of making everything feel okay. She's gentle at first. Then she's not. Best sick day of your life. Growing Close is a 6-part GFE series following one couple's journey from the first spark to something real. Episode 2 of 6.