Morning came and Johnny stretched protesting limbs. He looked down on his son laying in a bed that seemed too big for him. The night passed with the usual nurses coming in to check JJ and get vitals. So sleep was an on and off again scenario. Johnny ended up crawling into the bed and sleeping next to JJ, until the next time for a vitals check. Right now though, JJ was asleep and Johnny was watching him and thinking back to finding him on his doorstep; finding out he was definitely his son and then facing how it had changed his life for the better.
"Remember the first time you and I were alone together after I went back to work? And you decided to get Colic? Oh man! I was so scared! And I rushed you in here to the emergency room. Dr. Morton, happened to be on that evening. He was a lot of help huh," Johnny said as he rolled his eyes and mimicked Dr. Mortons voice...
"Gage, relax man it's just colic."
"Doc he's in pain! Can you give him a shot or somethin? He's arching his back and his stomach is rigid. Are you sure he isn't bleeding somewhere?"
Morton, using his best bedside manner, began with "Colic has been around since the beginning of time! Here give him these tablets and here is a list of foods and trust me in a few months it will be over with. "Now excuse me, I have to go tend to real patients."
"At least your Aunt Jo and Mrs. Stanley were a lot more helpful than he was right, Junior?"
At that moment Dixie poked her head in. " I heard he was admitted. Well JJ, looks like you had an exciting Birthday young man!" She said as she absently brushed his hair off his forehead.
"Hey, Dix, he sure gave me a scare! I mean I couldn't move or breathe, it was like slow motion. If I had been by myself without Roy's help I just don..."
Dix fixed him with a stare, "Now hold on! We are not going to play the blame game hear? You would have been fine, these things happen. It's only the start of many! Trust me! Hey remember when my nephew came for the weekend when he was 11? He ended up with a concussion? He told me he knew how to ride a skateboard. Then I saw him lying there not moving."
"Dix you were scared right?" Johnny seemed to need reassuring that his reaction was normal.
"Well, yes it's scary! Even with a helmet on he still had a mild concussion. It happens to all of us and yes, I felt bad but what can you do? I am sure you got into lots of scrapes when you were little."
Johnny rewarded her with a crooked grin. At that moment JJ woke up with a cry. Johnny leaned over and started talking softly to him "Hey Junior, you're okay! I'm right here."
"Dee Dah" came JJ's response.
Dix smiled "well I'll be. Sounds like he's calling your name."
Johnny looked like his buttons would pop off his shirt. " He's been saying jumbles but this was pretty clear wasn't it?"
A tray was brought in and placed in front of Johnny. JJ made a grab for it.
Dixie just winked, "Okay then, Dr. Hunter will be in soon but I have a feeling this little guy will be going home today. You may need all your strength so eat up!" And with that she left.