"Hello Mother." Erik said. Christine just looked at him in shock. Then to the woman, Erik's mother, to see shock still on her face.
After a long moment she blinked and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"You know I wouldn't be here if I had another option." Erik replied.
"What's happened?" She asked looking fearfully at Zoey resting her head on Christine's shoulder.
"This is my wife, Christine," He said motioning to her. "and our daughter Zoey. We are traveling to Paris and Zoey has become very ill. We have little money and she needs a doctor." Erik paused for a moment trying not to glare at her. "Is he here?"
She starred at Zoey for a moment longer, then looked to Erik. "Yes he is. Please come in out of the cold." She said opening the door letting them in. Erik and Christine walked in and stood in the foyer while Erik's mother shut and locked the door.
"Madeline. Who was at the door at this hour?" A male voice said from the living room. He walked into the foyer and just starred in shock as Madeline had. "Erik?"
"Ethan." Erik answered with a certain amount of annoyance.
He looked at Madeline then to Erik with a slight smile. "What's all this then?" He said with a slight laugh.
"This is Erik's wife and daughter." Madeline said. Ethan looked at her surprised then back to Erik still with a small smile. "His daughter is ill and needs help."
Ethan studied them for a moment as he heard the girls small voice. "Papa."
Erik quickly snapped his attention to her. "I'm right here peu d'amour." Erik whispered placing a hand on her back. She then reached out to him and he took her from Christine.
"Of course." Ethan finally said. "Allow me to get my bag. Madeline show Erik to his old room." She nodded.
Then another unfamiliar voice came from the second floor that overlooked the foyer. "Mother, what's going on?" Christine looked to see a young woman standing there in a night dressing robe and a young man walk up behind her.
"Is everything alright?" The man asked.
"Everything is perfectly fine. Go on back to bed." The man noticed Erik and his family. Erik somehow just knew that the man knew who he was. "Right this way." Madeline said leading them up the stairs. When they reached the second floor the man and woman still stood there. "I mean it you two. Taylor go check on your sister then get to bed. Thomas to bed. Everything is fine."
Taylor and Thomas nodded then went to different rooms. Madeline lead Christine and Erik up a smaller set of stairs where there were two bedrooms one on each side of the hall. They walked into the room on the left. The room was different than Erik remembered it. The small bed in the far corner had been moved out and replaced with a queen sized bed. There was now a small couch in front of the window and a filled bookshelf next to the fireplace, also a new looking desk in the corner of the room next to the door. Erik wasn't sure what to think of all the change. Zoey let out a cough that snapped him out of his thoughts. Erik very gently lay her down on the sofa. "I'll be right back with Ethan." Madeline said leaving the room.
Christine glared at Madeline's back, then turned to Erik. "Erik what the hell?" She whispered.
He sighed and looked at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go."
"I'm sure we could have scrapped up enough money for another doctor." She said.
"But what about a place to sleep Christine?" He argued.
She huffed turning away from him for a moment. She hated when he was right. Christine finally looked at him. "Do you honestly trust them to help us?"
"Madeline may have been a horrible mother when I was younger, but there is one thing that she will never turn her back on, and that is family."
"So you trust them?"
"Yes."
"Then I will do my best to do the same."Christine replied.
Erik sighed rubbing the back of his neck, then quickly turned when he heard Zoey start coughing again. "Papa," Zoey said weakly sitting up. Erik sat next to her putting his arm around her. "Where are we?"
"With people that are going to make you better." He replied. She nodded laying on his chest. Christine sat at her feet reaching up pulling her hair out of her face. She made a worrisome face that only a mother could make when worried about her child. "It's going to be alright." Erik said, more so to Christine than Zoey.
They heard footsteps on the stairs and Zoey sat up saying, "I think I'm going to be sick again Mama."
"Here." Madeline said setting down a bucket in front of Zoey. Not any sooner Zoey leaned over throwing up. Christine was quick to her hair holding it high.
"How long has she been doing that?" Ethan asked setting his bag on the bed.
"Since yesterday afternoon." Christine replied as Zoey finished. She sniffled looking at her mother.
Madeline handed Christine a rag, "Thank you." She replied quietly, then told Zoey to whip her mouth off. After Zoey did that she leaned back on Erik who put his arm back around her. Madeline took the bucket into the bathroom rinsing it out and Christine watched her the whole time.
"Vomiting and a fever. Anything else?" Ethan asked.
"She has this horrid cough, then that about sums it up." Christine answered.
"You can help can't you?" Erik asked.
Ethan looked at him seriously, "Of course I can." Then looked back into his bag. "There was a virus of some sort going around about a year ago. Sounds like she has caught it. It's very common among travelers unfortunately." Ethan picked up a vial and a syringe filling it with the contents of the vial. Ethan put away the vial and turned to them. "This should stop the vomiting and bring her fever down." He said walking to them. He knelt down in front of Zoey who looked at him fearfully. "Hello there little one."
"Hi," Zoey replied quietly. "Who are you?"
Ethan smiled at her. "I am Dr. Etienne, but you may call my Ethan." Zoey nodded still fearful. "And who are you?"
"Zoey. Zoey Alice Destler." She said proudly but still quiet. Erik smiled down at her.
Ethan nodded. "That is a very pretty name. May I see your arm please Zoey?" She looked at her mother who nodded. Zoey very slowly stretched out her arm. Madeline now stood next to Ethan and handed him a wet rag. "This is going to be cold, so I hope you like cold things." Zoey smiled and laughed some as he cleaned the nap of her arm with the rag. He handed the rag back to Madeline then smiled back at Zoey. "Tell me Zoey do you like animals?"
"Yes." She replied with a smile.
"Do you like little bears?" She nodded. Madeline came back with a little teddy bear that she handed to Zoey who's smile grew in size. "Can you give the bear a name?"
"Yes." She said looking at the bear.
"What's it's name?"
"Buttons." She said with a giggle.
"And why Buttons?"
"Because he has button eyes and I like buttons." She answered.
"Makes sense to me." Ethan said with a laugh as he pulled the syringe out of her arm. Madeline took the syringe from him and handed him a bandage that he quickly put on the small puncture wound from the needle. "There, and we're all done." Ethan said smiling at Zoey. "You'll probably start to feel sleepy soon Zoey, but that's alright because you're in good hands, and you can keep Mr. Buttons here."
Zoey smiled. "I like the name Mr. Buttons far more than Buttons." She replied.
"Then Mr. Buttons it is." He said standing, then looked to Erik and Christine. "Is there anything else we can do before we leave you?" They were silent. Erik was unsure if it was obvious they needed a place to stay or not. "I guess not then. Of course the three of you are aloud to stay as long as needed or wanted." Ethan said as if having read Erik's mind. "There is another room across the hall if Zoey should want it at all. If there is nothing else, goodnight. We will see you three in the morning." Ethan said grabbing his bag and leaving the room.
"If you need them the closet in the bathroom has extra pillows and blankets." Madeline said looking at Erik. She had hardly been able to take her eyes off him since they arrived. "Well, goodnight." She said turning and shutting the door behind her.
Zoey's eyes started to get heavy and then before long she was asleep holding Mr. Buttons close to her chest. Christine went to the bathroom taking out a pillow and two blankets. Christine handed the pillow to Erik to hold for a moment as she covered Zoey. Very carefully Erik put the pillow under Zoey's head as he slid off the couch laying her down the rest of the way. Zoey was out like a light and Erik smiled.
"It will be the first decent sleep she's had in days." Christine whispered. "Doubt I can say the same for us." She said walking to the bed.
Erik huffed. "How many times must I apologize?"
"Until I'm satisfied." She said sitting on the bed.
Erik knelt down in front of her taking her hands in his. He looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry." He kissed her left hand. "I'm sorry." He then kissed her right hand. "I'm sorry." He came close to her face. "I'm sorry." Then kissed her lips. "Am I forgiven yet?"
Christine smirked. "Getting there." She whispered putting her arms around his neck kissing him again. Erik chuckled through the kiss laying Christine on the bed.
Erik pulled away gently kissing her nose and bringing his hand to rest on her stomach. "I wish you would have asked him to check."
Christine frowned some then shook her head. "I'm not. I feel that I'm not."
Erik sighed. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."
"No, it's fine." She said stroking his hair smiling. "You're concerned, and that's one of the things I love about you."
Erik smiled down at her moving a strand if hair out of her face. "What did I do to deserve you?"
She chuckled. "I find myself asking that same exact question often."
"I love you."
"I love you Erik."
The next morning Ethan had gone to work and Madeline went to the market. That left Taylor, Thomas, and Adalyn, the youngest, with their newly discovered family. The three siblings were instructed not to bother them unless they came out and needed something. That did not sit well with Taylor however. Zoey had yet to wake but her parents were already awake. Erik sat on the edge of the bed pondering the situation and Christine lay on the bed still under the covers doing the same. She looked to Erik worried about him and how he was actually doing considering where they were. Erik took a side glance at her. "What?" He asked somewhat amused.
"Nothing." She replied.
"You still believe this is a bad idea don't you?"
"Yes. Can you blame me?"
He chuckled. "No. I don't." He then turned to her. "We will leave as soon as Zoey is better."
Christine nodded fingering the pattern on the blanket. "So those two that we saw last night..." She trailed off.
"It would appear they are my siblings. Half to be exact." Christine nodded and Erik laughed. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't tell you if I had siblings?"
Christine smiled looking at him then chuckled. "I'm sorry. It's strange is all. I never actually thought I would ever be meeting your family."
"Trust me I didn't either." Erik said somewhat annoyed. "If I could have kept you away from here I would have. I would prefer to not associate you with any part of this place."
"I understand." She replied. Then there was a knock at the door.
Erik got up grabbing his mask and Christine sighed irritated he had to wear it. Erik opened the door to a rather small red headed girl at least 19 or 20 years of age. She looked at him as if shocked he answered the door. "Hi." She finally said awkwardly after a relatively long amount of silence.
"Hello." Erik replied curious as to why she had come up there.
"Um, I'm Taylor. I have made some food downstairs for everyone. I do this most mornings after Father leaves for work. I was wondering if you three would want any?" She said looking stiff and still nervous.
Erik looked her up and down. Then replied, "I'm fine. Thank you."
"Oh. Alright." She replied with what looked to be a forced smile and disappointment in her eyes.
"But, I'm sure my wife would like something now, and my daughter will more than likely want something when she wakes."
Taylor seemed to relax then smiled sweetly at him. "Of course. I'll bring up a tray then."
Erik nodded as she left. Taylor walked back down to the kitchen as Thomas drank his coffee he gave her a look. "What?" She asked.
"Oh nothing." He replied taking another sip.
"Alright then." She said going for a tray to prepare.
Adalyn sat at the table eating her breakfast looking at Taylor. "You weren't supposed to do that." The twelve year old almost sang.
Taylor huffed setting a plate of pancakes on the tray, then looked to her siblings. "We just found out we have a brother, sister-in-law, and niece. And neither of you want to know more about them?"
Thomas set down his coffee. "Half brother first off." Taylor rolled her eyes scoffing. "And if I remember mother telling me correctly, he left. He made his choice to be apart of this family or not. He choose not to be. And I for one am going to respect that."
"That was before any of us were even a thought Thomas."
"That doesn't matter Taylor. He still made that choice. Besides I do believe mother and father have their reasons for us to stay away from them."
Taylor moved to the kettle squealing on the stove. "Well I for one do not consider that I good enough answer. They are our family wither they want to accept that or not." Taylor took two tea cups and a glass of water placing them on the tray along with the kettle and tea bags. She looked at Thomas. "I want to know them. And for the record father said to make them comfortable, mother was the one that said leave them be." She then took the tray up to them.
Thomas sighed turning to Adalyn. "She's going to get in trouble." Adalyn said to him.
He chuckled. "I know she is." He looked off towards the stairs. "And she knows it too."
