Anonymous: "PROMPT: bellie and/or tenley get the chickenpox

This incident is mentioned in TGO. I forget what chapter. But this is the story. I think I purposefully put it in there after I got the prompt tbh, I don't remember.

Anyway….this is just TGO history so I'm not sure much is going to happen. Sometimes I just kind of go in to this word and let it take me wherever…But Early Years so far have ALL been in 3rd person I think.

100 Encore, Day 21: "Itchy Pox"

"Mama, me an' Tee knows what we gon' do. She will scratch my itchy pox, I will scratch hers an den we not breakin' da rules of no scratchin' youself. I just comed to tell you, OK? Gonna go watch the bideo now.. Bye…"

April sighed and hung up her cell phone when she reached Jackson's voicemail again. At least Arabella's Tylenol had kicked in. She stopped stirring the soup.

"Bellie Catherine listen to me right now. No scratching at all! No one's scratching anyone's itchy pox, understand? Keep the mittens on please. You are the big sister. You have to set an example. I asked you for just a few minutes to make you soup and then I'm gonna come in and help with the itchies and all three of you are gonna take a special bath…"

Arabella groaned, then eyed her mother, suspicious. "What kind of soup?"

"Chicken noodle."

"Wit the squiggly noo-dles like daddy likes?"

"Yes. if your daddy ever gets home it's the noodles you both like and lots of chicken and only vegetables everyone in this house eats." She rolled her eyes, thinking of the fit her husband threw whenever he simply saw celery in the house.

"What are you talkin' bout, special bathie?"

"One to stop your itchy pox and that's all you need to know. We're gonna go in mama's big bathie. All three of my girls." April was not about to explain an oatmeal bath to Arabella.

"Four. 'Acause Laidy's in you big pop!"

"I know. Everyone seems to see how big I am except daddy. Please take your mittened self upstairs and go explain to your sister that the rules are still the same. In fact, if she's up too will you go get her so you can eat down here? I think that will be easier for everyone." April decided, resigned to the fact that her daughters were going to be her only help, even though they were the sick ones.

"Aright, Aright, I goin'…."

"Arabella, please…"

"Don't scratch the itchy pox…I know." four years old and April could already hear the eyeroll in her voice. But at least she was doing as she was asked, helping.

"What, babe?"

"Guess what Jackson."

"April, I'm balancing budgets right now."

"And I'm very pregnant, about to serve your three very sick little girls soup but I still found a second to call you…thanks for choosing to answer this time."

"Babe, three? I thought Brae…"

"24 hours ago when you left she was fine but now…"

"April, don't you think I wish I could be there?"

"I don't know Jackson," she mumbled it, filling up the last bowl.

"I wish I could be there babe, of course."

"Can't you come home and do that after, when they're in bed?"

"Sweetie, I'm in the zone. I'll just be a few more hours."

"They'll be sleeping in a few more hours."

"Great…I'll give you a massage, we'll both relax…"

April tensed up at the last part. Because of course staring at paperwork was the same amount of stress as taking care of three sick kids under four. But she didn't say anything about that. She just decided to give it one more try. "It's just there's still dinner and baths and then I saw this thing online that if you let them paint the Calamine lotion on the pox themselves they'll feel independent and less likely to scratch so I was gonna do that before bed with the big girls, but…"

"Great, that sounds great sweetheart…"

"I put nail polish on them because I had to cut their nails so scratching would do less damage and I wanted to make it fun….sorta…." She couldn't believe she was hoping for anger, disappointment, anything.

"The big girls? So what? Do what you gotta do, right? I gotta go sweetheart…"

"Love you," April said, without even thinking. Angry at herself, she hung up without waiting for a response. But she didn't hear a little feet coming down the stairs, she had to remind the girls it was dinner time.

"Why are we eben singin'? Eveone jus' play wit you toys," Arabella huffed.

"Bellie, we are singing because it calms Brae Brae down when we do that but you certainly don't have to. But please let us continue…"

"No no no no!" Brae screamed and threw a purple rubber duckie at her mom.

"No talking I know, and later we're gonna get cozy…..what do you want to sing for Brae, Tenley, the ant song?" Tenley nodded and April started another round of the "Ants Go Marching." She really did feel bad for Braelyn. If she had her way, she'd have prepared an oatmeal bath for all three girls individually. The baby seemed to have a worse itch than the big girls and seemed to be overstimulated by everything.

But she didn't have help, so to get through the night everything was a three-in-one deal. If Bellie wanted to roll her eyes and play by herself that was fine, as long as everyone was soothed.

Bath time ended a few verses later and then everyone crawled into April's bed and she let them paint some of their itchy pox, though she did most of the work in the interest of time.

"Mom, why dis happened?"

"Why did Elsa freeze everything? She didn't mean to…"

"No, why all of you babies getted itchy pox same time?" Bellie curled up to April and yawned.

"Oh viruses move to different people, sweetheart, that's all. Mama can't catch them so I can take care of you."

"My daddy can catch dem?"

"No baby. He's working."

"Fer how long?"

"I don't know."

"When he comes he gon' cuddle wit us?"

"I don't know baby."

"Where he gon' sleep 'acause one of our beds breaked."

"Don't worry about it diva, just cuddle up with mama and close your eyes and go visit your dreams sweetie. No more talking." April rubbed Arabella's back until she heard her daughter's breathing slow. Only then did she turn off the t.v. and let herself relax, pulling her girls close.

"Daddy, all us have itchy pox." April woke to Arabella's tiny whisper and saw her in Jackson's arms. She sat up and panicked a second when she realized her bed was empty.

"I know diva."

"You wanna cuddle agether?"

"Tomorrow baby. Right now I'm gonna take you to your bed so daddy can go to sleep."

"I was cuddlin' wit my mom, and my sisters too…" Bellie groaned, but kept her mittened hands around her daddy's neck.

"You know the rules, diva. Now you get a whole bed all to yourself."

"Bring them back, all three of them Jacks…they're sick. Just sleep on the couch…" But she was exhausted, there was no bite in her tone and she immediately fell back on her pillows, letting her husband leave the room with the last kid.

"Hi babe," he whispered three minutes later. April slid away from him. "Oh don't be like that. I haven't seen you in a whole day…give me a kiss." She turned her head so he could kiss her, but kept her eyes closed and ignored the nibbles on her neck. Both of them forgot about the massage Jackson had promised.

So I'm back to being super late with prompts. I hate that but it is what it is.

I just wanted to take a second to say thanks to the super sweet anon on who left me a message about TGO and this blog yesterday (perfect timing…not planned either). It means so much to me that so many people appreciate this world! I can't even put into words what it means, really. I love these girls so much and to hear that other people do too, and just appreciate my writing in general means the world! (It's easier to respond here than on ff but I know you check the blog so I hope you see this…I get not making a tumblr account…but if you ever want to pop on anon and chat don't be shy! And thanks again!