Lori Beth showed up sometime after four – thirty that afternoon and found him lying on the couch. She saw he looked tired.

"Hi, Richie. How was your day?"

He looked at her sleepily and answered, "Exhausting. I wanted to have a bit of free time to myself from what is going on with the kids."

"I am sorry to hear that, Richie. I will take care of them tonight. You have done enough already."

"Would you mind doing them tomorrow? I had to get up almost every fifteen minutes."

"Of course I can do it tomorrow. There isn't anything going on in my schedule for tomorrow anyway. I will even cook dinner tonight."

"Thank you. I really appreciate that. You are the best wife almost every man could have."

Lori Beth liked hearing those words from him.

"Thank you, Richie. I love you too. I will go see how the children are doing."

"Don't bother with that, Lori Beth. They are sleeping. You can check on them anyway if you want to."

"I will go do that now. I will get supper started in an hour."

"That's fine with me. I would like to sleep for a while."

"I don't blame you. I think you should go to bed early since the kids have kept you busy."

"Good idea. I like the sound of that. I will do. Richie Jr. and Sara didn't seem to sleep much today. That's probably why they are doing so right now. I can take care of them tomorrow also when you can't get to them right away."

He yawned when he said that. He wasn't joking since he was tired all day by climbing up and down the stairs throughout the day.

Maybe tomorrow if things aren't going on with him and Lori Beth taking care of the kids, he could try to call up one of his friends to say hello.

Right now he thought it was a bad idea because his friends are thinking of eating at some point.

"Lori Beth, why don't we have soup and sandwiches tonight? I am not very hungry for a huge meal."

"That's fine. Maybe when you don't feel so tired we can do that."

"Thank you. I somehow don't feel very good right now. This is why I don't want a full meal tonight."

"I understand. You do sound like you are catching something."

It was true – he was catching something. He wasn't so sure what it could be. It probably had something to do with Sara and Richie Jr.

Lori Beth walked over to the couch where he was lying down. No wonder he sounded tired – he had a fever coming on.

"You are burning up. Go to bed now, Richie."

"I would like to eat before doing that."

"Okay, you win. I do worry about you."

"I know you do."

He even wasn't in the mood to give her a hug and kiss. Lori Beth did notice that. It was best he doesn't do that during this time with their kids involved. She wanted to play safe.

So she headed upstairs like she said. Richie couldn't even watch her head on up to check on them. No wonder he's been this tired when she came back home from what she had to do.

He still hadn't moved when she returned.

"You are right, Richie. They are sleeping. I don't want to disturb them."

He began to yawn a second time.

"Is there anything you want me to get you?" she asked.

Richie was too tired to nod his head, so he told her he didn't want anything.

"I will give you some water anyway. You need to drink a lot of liquid if you aren't feeling so hot right now."

Richie coughed. His throat was bothering him enough not to say anything. Looks like he caught Sara's sort throat, he told himself.

This is what happens if you take care of sick children, he reminded himself.

Lori Beth returned right away with a full glass of water and handed it to him.

He took a couple of gulps, but his throat was bothering him and had a hard time swallowing the water down.

"I think you should try eating tonight. You have a fever running right now."

He still couldn't find any words to respond. She wasn't expecting him to say anything.

Sara will be better than he will, he told himself.

There is no telling on that one, but you may never know what will happen next.

So he tried to speak, but he still couldn't find what he wanted to say. Lori Beth didn't want him to if he had that sore throat.

Lori Beth only pointed him to the stairs so he could head on to bed. He didn't want to start any arguments, so he did what she wanted him to.

Lori Beth didn't blame him if he was feeling this hot with a fever. All she could do was her best to stay away from the germs in this house for time being.