IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH
Disclaimer : They are not mine.
It was recess, and most of the time Alex, who was 4, was one of the boys on the Monkey bars. He loved to climb, and never tired of doing that. Today, however, he was sitting against a tree with his head against his knees. One of the teachers took notice, and came to him.
“Alex you should be playing with the other children.” she said to him, kneeling down. He lifted his head, and his cheeks were flush.
“I’m tired,” He told miss Kelsey. She reached out, and felt his cheeks, which she found were warm.
“Come on honey, we need to go see Nurse Lilly,” she said, helping him stand. Usually Alex was rearing to go, today he just dragged his feet. When they arrived in the nurses office, Lilly looked up, and noticed Alex’s flushed face. She came over too him, and helped him sit on the exam table. First she took his temperature which was right at 100. Then she listened to his heart beat, and while doing that noticed red bumps on his stomach. She touched them.
“We need to get you home.” She had him rest on a cot, and called the O’Connell home. A woman picked up
“O’Connell Residence,” Marie responded.
“Yes is Mrs. or Mr. O’Connell home?” asked Lilly.
“Not at the moment. May I take a message?” Marie asked.
“I need to speak with one of them regarding their son. Alex has what I believe to be the start of the chicken pox, and I need for one of them to come and get him.” At that, Marie assured her that Mrs. O’Connell would be there to get Alex.
At the Museum, Evelyn had just finished a meeting with two of the Bembridge Scholars who wanted to fund a dig in Egypt, to go in search of Hamunaptra. She had managed yet again to persuade them to fund a different dig, one in Thebes. Now in her office, she was getting ready to catalog some books, when the phone rang.
“This is Evelyn O’Connell,” she replied.
“Evelyn. The school called and says that Alex may have the Chickenpox, and want you to come after him.” Marie relayed.
“Thank you Marie,” She hung up the phone and called Daniel into he office.
“My son is ill, so I need to go and get him. There isn’t to much you should have to do till closing.” He nodded and once she was sure all was in order, she left to go get her baby boy.
When she arrived at the school, it was quiet time, and most of the children were having naps. Evelyn walked up the stairs, down the main hall to the nurses office. When she entered, Nurse Lilly greeted her.
“He has been asleep for an hour. I would call your doctor to have him take a look at Alex.” Evelyn nodded and followed her into a small room. There Alex slept. She knelt down and kissed his warm cheek.
“Alex honey wake up,” He moaned and rolled onto his back looking up at her.
“I feel icky,” he told her.
“I know baby,” She helped him sit up, and stand, then lifted him into her arms. He placed his head against her shoulder, and she frowned feeling that he did indeed have a fever. Once she got them out to the car she laid him in the back seat, and he was asleep before she even got the car going.
On the home front, Rick was making lunch for himself, and Evelyn. Marie had already gone for the day, so it was just him to handle making a meal for them. He had decided to warm some of the left over beef stew, and was doing that when she walked in.
“Hi,” he said turning to her. He hugged her.
“We have a sick child,” she murmbled against his neck.
“Alex sick?” He was just as surprised as she had been. Aside from a few ear infections, he had been healthy as a horse.
“He is asleep in the car. Your better about getting him out without waking him than I am.” He kissed her, and they went out together. It was a cool Autumn day, and the sun was hidden behind gray clouds, which promised rain. Quietly Rick opened the back door, closest to their son’s head, and settled down on what little seat there was left. He lifted Alex into his lap, which got some movement from him.
“Shh.” Rick stood with Alex against his chest and shoulder, and let Evie get the door shut. Once inside he headed up to Alex’s room, while Evelyn made a call to the doctors office. Alex’s room already had a fire lit to keep the chill out, and was warm. Once he got his son settled in bed, Rick untied his shoes, and pulled them off along with his long socks, noticing red bumps on his legs. Rick frowned, and touched one. It didn’t look like a bug bite, but perhaps that is all it was. He pulled the covers over his son, as Evelyn came in.
“Evie I want you to look at something.” She came to the bed.
“All right.” He pulled the cover down and showed her the bumps.
“I think maybe he has the Chickenpox,” she said after they found more on his tummy. Someone knocked at the door, and Doctor Brown came in.
“Well now our healthy little boy is sick?” Both parents nodded, and at hearing the Doc’s voice, Alex came awake.
“No go away.” he mumbled. Evelyn settled next to him and he hugged her.
“There now, I just want to see whats wrong with you,” Doctor Brown reassured. Alex was reluctant but ins his mothers arms he felt safe.
“I’ll need his cloths off, just down to his underpants.” Alex sat up, and lifted his arms letting his mum take his shirt off, then stood, though he was wobbly, and let her take his pants off. Doing that revealed more bites, or red spots. The doctor did all of the standard things, listening to Alex’s heart beat, and looking in his nose, throat, and ears. Then he pulled out the thermometer, and Alex held still as the doctor felt his pulse, and took his temperature.
“Well young man I’d say you have the chickenpox. Evelyn I know you and Jonathan had them when you were both children. Rick what about you?” He asked looked over at Rick.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted.
“You have already been exposed to him, so if your going to get them it will be in a week or so before we know.” Rick assured him that he was healthy, but Dr. Brown knew that if Rick had not been exposed, he would get them. He told them not to let Alex pick at the sores, and for their son to drink plenty of juice and water, and get plenty of rest. As Rick led him out Evelyn helped her baby into his pajamas, then into bed.
“Mum I’m sleepy,” He admitted. She settled down beside him, and he rested his head against her chest.
“Go to sleep my baby,” she said softly. His eyes shut, and in a few moments he was asleep. Once he was, Evelyn moved off of the bed making sure he was covered up, then went downstairs to check on her husband. When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs he was sitting on the couch, and looked up as she came to him.
“Is he asleep?” Rick asked. She nodded in response, and sat beside him.
“I wish he wasn’t sick with this,” she admitted.
“I know. Do you really think I’ll get this?” he asked. It was pretty much unavoidable.
“If you haven’t had it yet, then yes I think you will get sick, and it won’t be easy on you,” she said. She had known a friend who had gotten the Chickenpox late in life, and had been very sick. He sighed, never liking to be ill.
When night fell, Alex woke up itching everywhere. He scratched at his arms first. Then reached up and felt his face scratching there. His tummy itched, his legs, his ears, and his head.
“Mummy,” he called out
“Daddy I need you now,” He kept scratching, miserable and hot. In a moment both parents arrived, turning the lights on as they walked into the room. Alex was covered in little red bumps, and still scratching at them as they came over to him.
“Its itching me all over,” he said, starting to cry.
“Go run the bath,” Evelyn told her husband. He nodded, and Evelyn removed her babys cloths to find that he was covered in the bumps. There was not one place on him that didn’t have the chickenpox, and they were even on the bottoms of his feet.
“Alex baby, you have to stop scratching at them,” He held to her rubbing his face on her gown as he did. She eased him away.
“No honey you can’t scratch at them.” He cried harder.
“But they itch mum.” She carried him into his bathroom where Rick had the baking Soda bath ready. Gently she settled him in and began to pour the water over his skin. It only took a few minutes for the itching to stop, and Alex had a hard time staying awake. Rick held him steady, as Evelyn continued to pour the water over his skin.
“We need to get him back to bed,” she whispered. He lifted Alex out, and they wrapped a towel around him. Then Rick carried him into his room, and sat in the rocking chair patting his skin dry, while Evelyn got some clean pajamas Once he was dressed they put him back in his bed, and Evelyn put socks over his hands so that he wouldn’t be able to scratch at his sores
It wasn’t all that much later that he woke up again, and pulled the socks off of his hands. He scratched on the top of his head, then on his face, rubbing his eyes, and then his neck He scratched at his belly hard enough to make himself bleed, but it made him feel better. When he lifted his hands in the dimness of his night light, and saw that he was bleeding his eyes grew very big. He slipped out of bed, and when his feet touched the floor they hurt. He started to cry again, laying curled up on the hard wood floor. It wasn’t long before Rick came in. He picked him up finding that his chest was bleeding a little from his sores being picked open, and carried him down the hall to their room. When they arrived, Evelyn got up and they ran another bath putting him in, and as before his itching was temporarily soothed by the warm water, and the Baking Soda. While he was in the bath, Evelyn called Doc.Brown who told her to make a paste out of the Baking Soda, and coat his sores with that. He also told her he would be by first thing in the moring to check on Alex. Once she got off the phone, she went down to the kitchen, and got a bowl, and mixed enough Baking Soda in it to make up the paste.
“Dad where is mum?” Alex asked still sitting in the water.
“I think she went to find something to make your itching stop,” Rick reassured as he poured more water over Alex’s back and front. When she returned she had the bowl with her.
“All right Alex I think I have something that will help your skin,” she said. Rick got him out and wrapped him in a towel then they put him in their bed on another towel. Once he was patted dry, Evelyn sat down, and got out an old blush brush, dipping it in the paste then painted is sores with the paste she had made. It took her a bit to get all the parts she could covered, and the towel was there to keep the mess contained. Now Alex lay on his back.
“I’m sleepy mum” he said as she continued to cover him with the paste.
“I know baby, just close your eyes.” He did and soon fell asleep. Rick came with a sheet and the put that over him, then both lay on either side of him to try to get some sleep while he was feeling relatively well.
When morning arrived there wasn’t a part of Alex’s body that didn’t have Chickenpox. He had them on the tops of his feet, and bottoms, between his toes, on his legs going all the way up, even his Winky had some sores on them. His face was covered with sores, and one eyes was swollen because of it. His lips had sores, even his nose, and his ears. Now he was in the bath with his dad, too tired to stay awake, and too weak. The baking Soda had helped some, but not on his face, and he and Rick were reclined in the tub, and Alex had a wash rag over his face, which he had said itched the worst.
“Daddy when you get sick like me I get to tell you not to itch,” Alex said. Lately that was something he heard allot of, ‘Alex don’t scratch your sores,’ and he was tired of that. If he had his way, he would scratch at them all day long. Evie came in then.
“Dr. Brown is here.” Alex sat up.
“No doctors,” he said trying to get out of the tub. As soon as he stood he cried out, and plopped back in the water. It was Rick who got them both out, and handed him to Evelyn, for her to dry while he got dried off and dressed. So far he hadn’t shown any signs of sickness, but he still had the better part of a week to see whether or not the Pox got him sick.
“I don’t want to see the Doctor,” Alex said starting to cry. He was usually brave about things, but given the fact that he was so sick, he had a right not to be brave. Evie put his robe on him and carried him into their room where the Dr. Brown waited.
“Hello Alex.” Alex had his head resting against his mum’s shoulder.
“Hi.” he said. While Dr. Brown looked at his sores, Alex sat on his mum’s lap.
“Just keep doing what you are doing, you should see improvement in another two days,” Evelyn nodded, and as Dr. Brown was about to leave Rick came out.
“I think I’m getting them,” he said. He showed the Doctor on his legs and arms, a few there and on his stomach, and it was confirmed.
“I don’t feel any different,” Rick said, thinking that perhaps even if he did get sick this wouldn’t be a bad thing. His temperature was normal.
“Well to be on the safe side, you should stay in bed with Alex.” Dr. Brown told him. He took his leave, and Rick got some books for he and Alex, and read to his son, while Evelyn painted his body with the paste.
Nights were always worse, and by night Rick who had been so sure this would be easy, was also running a fever. Evelyn was the only one well, as was Jonathan who agreed to help, though more with Alex. It was now Dinner time and he carried the trey for Alex while she got the one for her love.
“I bet Rick feels like eating his words,” Jonathan said recalling the conversation he and his brother-in-law had the night before last, when Rick said that he was too healthy to get a kiddy disease.
“Be nice Jonathan, he isn’t feeling good,” Evie reminded. When they walked they found both of the guys asleep. Rick had on only a loose fitting pair of boxers, and his body was fairly covered with the sores, but not nearly as bad as Alex, who was breathing with his mouth open.
“He looks miserable,” Jonathan said of Alex.
“They are in his nose. You will need to feed him so he won’t get any in his mouth. Evelyn went to Rick’s side of the bed and kissed him feeling that he was pretty warm. He opened his eyes.
“Remind me not to brag about being a pillar of health,” he said sitting up with her help. He noticed Jonathan then.
“And not a word from you,” Rick warned.
“I won’t say it,” he promised. Rick looked down at Alex.
“We should let him sleep,” he said.
“I would, but he needs to keep down his fluids so he won’t dehydrate.” Evelyn walked to her side of the bed and settled down.
“Alex baby its time for dinner.” He closed his mouth and coughed as he tried to breath and could not.
“I have pox up my nose,” he said sounding very stuffed up. He made an effort to smile when Uncle John brought his trey.
“I’m not hungry,” he told them.
“I know baby, but if you eat good then you will get better, and then you can go back to school to be with your friends, Evelyn coaxed noticing that Rick was starting to pick at the sores on his arm.
“Rick leave them alone,” she said. Alex looked over at his dad, and laughed a little.
“Told you it would make you want to scratch them,” he said. Rick sighed.
“You were right buddy,” While Rick fed himself, Alex let his uncle feed him. He had soup, and ate only a few bites of it before he wanted to stop.
“Come on Buddy, both of us need to get better,” Rick said, trying to encourage him.
“But I can’t breath,” he said, and showed them, by trying.
“Its in my nose, and its not fun,” he said. Evelyn got him to drink down most of the broth, and a glass of water, and by then his strength had run out, as had Rick’s, and both of them went back to sleep.
At some point during the night both parents woke up to Alex’s thrashing about. While Rick turned on the light, Evelyn rubbed his back and felt how warm he was. His cheeks were pink, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead.
“Alex baby,” Evelyn shook him, and he woke up crying.
“It hurts.” He still couldn’t breath out of his nose, and it was evident that he had a high fever. Rick got the Thermometer and brought it to them. Evelyn stuck it under his arm knowing that it wasn’t effective that way, but considering that he could breath that was the only way aside from doing it in his bottom. She waited five minutes and when she checked it was 102.5.
“We need to call Dr. Brown,” she said. At her words Alex screamed.
“No doctors mum nooo,” He cried, and while Evelyn soothed him, Rick made the call. He got off the phone fairly fast.
“He said for us to run a luke warm bath and put him in there, and he will be here shortly.” She nodded, and Rick stood feeling weak, but for Alex he wold be strong. He lifted his son into his arms, and carried him into the bathroom. While he got him undressed Evelyn ran the bath, knowing that this was not going to be pleasant. When the tub was fairly full, Rick carried him there, and when he lowered him in Alex screamed.
“GET ME OUT,” He struggled to be let out splashing, and screaming, because the water to him was like ice water. Rick got undressed, and got in with him, and within moments Alex began to calm down.
“I want out dad,” his teeth were chattering, and he cried everytime they poured water over his shoulders and front. It was then that the Dr. arrived, and talked to Evelyn while Rick got Alex out and dried off. The doctor’s way of doing things was to take Alex’s temperature rectal, and by the time that was done Alex had drifted to sleep.
“You don’t need to put him in the bath anymore, but you’ll need to use cool water and rags and wipe his body down until his fever drops. Keep his fluid intake up. If he gets dehydrated we will have to admit him to the hospital,” He left and Evelyn got a wash basin ready, and brought out two wash rags, and the rest of the night was spent wiping him down with the rags.
Usually in the morning, when Jonathan got home, someone was always up making breakfast This morning when he arrived, everything was quiet, and he guessed that last night had been a long night for Evelyn and Rick. Being a caring brother, he decided to make breakfast, and in a matter of minutes had Eggs, Bacon, Toast, and Juice ready for his family. He loaded everything onto a serving tray, and made his way upstairs, down the hall to the main room. The door was cracked open, and inside he found Evelyn getting dressed, fresh from a shower. Alex lay in his fathers arms covered in just a sheet, both of them asleep.
“Hey,” he said softly. She smiled when she saw he had brought breakfast, and signaled him in.
“Rough night?” he whispered.
“Very. Alex had a temperature of 102, and we spend all night getting it down, they just fell asleep, but both of them need to eat,” she said. He gave her a hug and she leaned against him.
“How is Rick holding up?” he asked.
“Pretty good, no more sores, so I think he lucked out and got a light case. I wish Alex wasn’t so sick,” she commented as she went over to her husbands side of the bed. She leaned in, and kissed his lips which roused him.
“Jonathan brought breakfast.” Rick smiled.
“Impressive,” he said in a light tone. At that, Jonathan shook his head, and left the family alone. With Evelyn’s help Rick sat up in bed, and Alex rolled away from him, moaning out in his sleep, and snorting a little. Once Evelyn had settled the tray on her husbands lap, she went to the other side of the bed, and settled down rubbing her baby’s back. Alex whimpered
“No temperatures mum,” he said. She felt bad, because the whole night he had gone through things that were very unpleasant.
“No baby no more temperature taking, but I’ve got a glass of juice for you.” She eased him to sit against her and held the glass while he took some swallows, then pushed it away.
“No honey drink a little more that way you will be strong and fight off this nasty sickness,” Evie coaxed. He drank the whole glass, and she let him go back to sleep. By that time Rick had finished all of his breakfast, and she had what was left for hers.
“I think I feel good enough to be up today,” he told her, and she shook her head.
“Oh no you don’t, You will overdue it, and get as sick as Alex, and right now I need you strong for him,” she said, and her tone was forceful, meaning no argument.
“All right I’ll just waste the day way in bed then,” he said.
“Good.” She took the tray downstairs, and once she had gone Rick got up despite her orders and decided to have a shower. He felt tired but didn’t pay that any mind. In the bathroom, he turned on the water, then got undressed and stepped under the stream. It felt heavenly, and he let the water run over him. He managed to get clean, and as he did became more and more tired. Evelyn had been right, and now he slumped down in the tub trying to muster strength to get up when he felt the water stop, and looked up to find Evelyn standing there.
“You didn’t listen,” she said.
“Can I help it if I’m stubborn? And anyway you never listen to me,” he pointed out. That was true enough, and she sighed helping him out of the bath and drying him off, then helped him into bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was asleep, and Evelyn decided to join both of them in rest, needing that after the night they had experienced.
The next few days marked improvement in both Alex’s and Rick’s condition, and by the weekend both of them were back on their feet. Rick was able to do what he normally did, Alex however was still fairly weak, and it didn’t take much to tire him out. Right now he was begging his parents to let him go out and ride Seti.
“Alex honey not today, your to weak, and you need to rest.” He crossed his arms.
“I’m better now,” he pouted. Evelyn sighed.
“Why don’t you and I make a puzzle.” He shook his head.
“No I’ll just be sad,” he said still pouting. He was still in his bed, and Evelyn got up kissing him.
“Alright you can be said, and take a nap.” She kissed him and left, and as soon as she was gone, he was out of his bed. He got dressed and tiptoed downstairs sneaking out the door on his Uncles side of the house, and ran into the field. He broke out in a sweat, and by the time he got to the barn he could barely stand. Seti was close by and came over to him as he settled in some of the hay. He nuzzled Alex.
“I’m sick,” he told his horse, and closed his eyes feeling dizzy.
“Maybe I just need a little rest,” he said and took off his coat using it as a blanket. He lay down in the hay and fell asleep there.
A little later Rick went in to check on Alex, and found him missing. He wasn’t worried thinking that maybe his son was down with Evie and Johnthan. When he got down to the Parlor the two were playing chess, and there was no Alex to be found. At his approach Evelyn looked up smiling.
“Your wife doesn’t play fair,” Jonathan commented as she made the final winning move. Rick shook his head.
“She never lets me win either, so no sympathy. Have you seen Alex?” he asked her. She nodded.
“He was going to have a nap,” she told him fixing the game up for the next players.
“Well he isn’t in his bed.” At that Evie frowned.
“Maybe he is in our bed,” she suggested, but Rick shook his head.
“I just came from there.” Jonathan stood.
“I’ll check my room.” He ran to do that, and found that it was empty. When he returned, and told them Evie thought a moment then ran out of the room.
“He went to the barn. I told him no.” The guys followed her, and in a few minutes they arrived finding Seti standing in front of the hay pile guarding their son who was sound asleep. When they arrived, the horse took off at a gallop, and Rick scooped Alex into his arms.
“Go way,” Alex mumbled. He was exhausted, and they all went back to the house relieved that he was safe. Once in their room Evelyn got his pajamas back on him and they tucked him into their bed without a single peep from him.
“I guess we better stand guard,” Rick commented as they left him to sleep.” She nodded.
“He is as stubborn as you are Mr. O’Connell,” Evie said. He pulled her into his arms turning her to face him.
“No my dear he gets that from you I think.” With that, he lowered his mouth to hers and they kissed, only to be interrupted by Jonathan.
“Oh please can’t you two do that in the privacy of your own room.” Rick parted from her only momentarily.
“This is our part of the house, and if I want to kiss my wife in the hall I will do so.” Evelyn smiled and pulled his head back to her, and Jonathan walked off shaking his head. Things for the most part were back to normal, which was to say that his brother-in-law and sister were back to being all mushy, and that was enough to get Jonathan away from the house, to a place where people were not so publicly open with their love.
THE END