I sat with Hannah in my seat and waited for Tool Time to start. Since the Super Bowl was coming in a couple days, I knew that Dad would make that the theme. It was something that Brad, Mark, Dad and I really looked forward to. Since Hannah was a baby, she wouldn't care. When she was older though, she'd grow to like it and would be one of those girls who knows about football.

The Super Bowl was an exciting time. Though the Lions weren't in it, we loved to watch it and bet on who would win. Usually, Mom didn't really care, so she would do something else, but she hadn't been feeling well lately. She had missed school yesterday so we knew something was making her sick.

"Everybody knows Super Bowl Sunday is the holiest day of the year. Come on, Al. Three steps back, go wide. Come on, buddy! Nice catch." Dad threw the football at Al but he hadn't caught it.

"How many times do I have to tell you that is not funny?"

"Couple more, maybe. Super Bowl Sunday's not about throwing a ball at Al's chest, although I love doing that."

"Here to tell us about that are three players from the Detroit Lions, with their favorite Super Bowl recipes. Linebacker, Chris Spielman! Quarterback is Dave Krieg! Kelvin Pritchett. Come on out, Kelvin! And wearing a nice throw rug, l might add." Dad grinned sheepishly. "You guys, it's nice you took time out to bring some recipes in. And maybe one of these years, you'll get the recipe for the Super Bowl!"

I rocked Hannah and thought about who would win the Super Bowl. It was fun to get to take care of Hannah.

"OK. Kelvin, can you give the audience just an example of some of the ingredients in your supersecret Super Bowl stew? The two ingredients are oysters and Spam."

"I guess the secret is why anybody'd want that combination. Chris, why don't you tell us some of the ingredients in your tuna casserole?"

"I use the finest white-chunk albacore packed in fresh spring water."

"Dave, how spicy is that bean dip of yours, buddy?"

"It's not too spicy at all. It's got a little Think of it as a quarterback sneak."

"Well, joking aside, guys who's gonna come out on top this Sunday?"

"No contest. My stew, by three helpings."

I laughed softly as Hannah waved toward Dad and Dad waved back at her. She seemed overjoyed that she still got to see Dad from the stage. It was something that all babies loved getting to do. Dad would wave back when he was able to and usually it was when the viewers could see it. When she was older and able to understand more, I figured she would be more excited. As a teen, she probably wouldn't find it as interesting.

….

Tim walked up to my room and I groaned in bed. This flu I had was just terrible. It was the absolute worst time for me to get sick. For one, I had school, but I had a nursing baby, a husband who was having a party among other things. Since I didn't feel good, I had decided to stay in bed and rest off the flu. Since exposing her to germs would be beneficial, I kept Hannah here. Tim was taking care of her and it'd be naptime soon so she would be out of the way. I doubted their ability to be quiet during the Super Bowl, though.

"Tim, I think l'm dying." I groaned and looked at him.

"Jill, I can't understand a thing you said."

"Honey, I know how important this Super Bowl party thing is to you, but I need you to take care of me today. And of Hannah since I'm too sick to."

"Just use the intercom to call me, and I'll come up during commercials."

"Let me rephrase that. I don't want you to have the

party today."

"I've been planning this for a long time. It's a tradition."

"You never had one before. Tim, I have a temperature of 1 03. I'm burning up, I feel horrible, I don't want a bunch of guys over here making noise.

"I'll keep those guys so quiet you won't know they're here. Please, please, please?"

"Oh, have your stupid party."

Tim grinned and ran downstairs as I groaned sadly. I was hurting and now Hannah probably wouldn't get taken care of. I take that back, Tim was better at taking care of Hannah then he had been with the boys. Still, I worried that he might unintentionally ignore her by not hearing her cry. If that happened, I'd be super upset. Being a father is more important than some stupid Super Bowl. The boys were going to Jeremy's so it'd be Tim, Hannah, his friends and me in the house.

…

I sat with my buddies on the couch after having put Hannah in her crib. While we watched the Super Bowl, I had to keep them quiet. For one, I had a sick wife, but I also had a baby that was sleeping. Waking up a sleeping baby was considered a big no-no to parents (especially one who had gone through colic). I'd have an angry Jill on my hands but I'd also be equally as angry.

"We gotta keep it down, guys."

"Good idea. Save our tooting for the game." Pete smiled.

And because I'll wring your neck if you wake up the baby, I thought. "Maybe we keep our tooting to ourselves."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, maybe when there's a big play, we all act like mimes."

"You know, I love mimes. Especially when they get caught in that box."

"Tim? I think I'm gonna throw up." Jill's voice came from the bedroom and I knew they'd figure out why. Plus if they heard a crying baby, they'd encounter an angry papa bear.

"Is Jill sick?"

"No, she just doesn't like mimes."

"You're having a party when Jill's sick? That's not considerate.

"How are we supposed to have a good time if we can't make any noise?"

"We could've all gone over to Harry's.

"No, we couldn't. She wouldn't let me go."

"So because of you, we all have to mime our way through the Super Bowl?"

"It's not that bad a deal. Come on. We got good food, we're all together. It'll be a great game. We'll have lots of fun."

"Yeah, but Tim, what about the surround sound you promised us?"

Horns blew on the TV and the Super Bowl music started to play. The guys started to cheer as I winced. From the bedroom (maybe out of coincidence), I heard Hannah start to cry on the baby monitor. My blood was starting to boil a little, but I knew Jill would be angry too.

"Tim! Hey. Tim. It's getting really noisy down there. Please go get the baby, she's crying from all the noise."

"Guys, l told you, you got to keep it down. There's a baby sleeping upstairs and is trying to take a nap. Please?"

"Well, Tim, he just broke three tackles. We're very excited."

"I'm uncomfortable while Jill's upstairs with the stomach flu."

"Toss me another sausage, will you?"

"With your heart condition, wouldn't you rather have raw vegetable medley? It's very good with this nonfat dip."

"Yeah, that's all l want - a little dip from a big dip! Now, come on."

"Larry, would you talk some sense into him? You're a doctor."

"I'm a neurosurgeon. As long as he doesn't put the sausage on his head, I don't care."

….

I walked up to Jill with Hannah who was crying hard and seeming to want Jill. The noise downstairs was scaring my poor girl and I didn't blame her. Men watching the Super Bowl was in general a little scary. To a baby, it was worse. They thought something was happening and that they were in danger. I was angry towards the guys and feeling hurt for Hannah.

"Let me guess, Hannah's scared of all the noise downstairs? Come here, baby, Mommy will make it all better by cuddling you."

Hannah whimpered but settled in Jill's arms.

"Poor girl," Jill kissed her head and rocked her gently.

"Look what I made for you. Jell-O with extra wobble."

"I'm too woozy for wobbling."

Jill rocked Hannah while letting her cuddle and Hannah was happy to be in her mother's arms for a while. I felt angry towards my friends, but I knew they didn't mean to be so loud. It was the father side of me. I was about as protective of my children as a bear was with her cubs. I called myself a papa bear and so did lots of other people.

"You just womited, didn't you? This'll help settle your stomach."

"Honey, I can't. I can't eat."

"You gotta eat something. Well, I get credit for trying. If you need anything else, holler. Would you give me a backrub? I always have time to give my wife a backrub. Hold on a minute. Yo, anybody?

"You said even though the guys are over you'd still take care of me. And of the baby too."

"I am taking care of you."

I start massaging her shoulders as Jill had Hannah in her lap. She was playing with her and yawning tiredly. I hated seeing my wife so sick since she was always at my beck and call when she was sick. Well, not always. She had four kids to take care of too.

Oh, that's good. You have such great hands."

"He coughed it up!"

"Tim! Where are you going?"

"Somebody coughed something up. I'll take Hannah off your hands. It could be Harry. He might be having another heart attack."

"All right! Hey! He recovered. It's OK. Talk to you later."

….

The men walked back up with Tim trying to hastily follow him. Again, Hannah was crying so I knew I'd need to take her again. Why did I think that Tim would put me or his daughter before a stupid football game? It was pointless to think that since he never would. That was mean of me, but I was pretty annoyed. He was supposed to take care of me and of Hannah and he hadn't.

"Jill, sorry to inconvenience you. We're at a critical point in the game. Could we just use your remote?"

"Just change the channel."

"Come on, my wife Turn it off."

"They're about to score!"

"Tim? May l please speak to you under here?" I got under the bed and Tim did too with Hannah wriggling towards me.

"Guys, after this, we're getting out of here."

"Hi, honey."

"Why are these men in my bedroom? Why don't they watch it downstairs?"

"Now, that's a funny story"

"I don't want to hear a funny story. You told me that if they came over here, I wouldn't have to see them. You'd take care of the baby.

"Can you see them?"

"After the replay we're getting out of here, Jill. Would you like some hot sausage? It'll sweat the fever right out of you."

"Jill, stay there. We're gonna get everybody out of here."

"Why didn't you just cancel this party? Why couldn't you take care of me? Why do you always do things like this?"

"You ask interesting questions, honey. Those guys only went upstairs because our TV exploded. I had everything under control."

"You are just so selfish! You only take care of me when it doesn't interfere with your schedule. How about when you went to a hardware convention, and I had laryngitis? I had my wisdom teeth out? Brad emptied my spit bucket, Randy changed the gauze. Mark mashed my food. What exactly did you do? You're so pathetic! You know, you take better care of your car than you do of me."

"We told Jill we'd leave after the first touchdown."

"We can't go now, it's just getting exciting."

"No, you gotta go now. Come on. Jill's gotta get back in bed, guys."

"All right, she can have the bed. "But we get the TV.

"This is not a hostage situation."

"We'll take the TV and set it up downstairs."

"No, you won't. I got another TV. We'll watch it down in the den."

"What say we go over to Big Mike's, watch the rest there?"

"Yeah, that's a great idea. Hey Pete, Larry, Harry."

I looked down at my Tim sadly and he walked away, probably going into the baby's room to rock her and calm her down. He was in big trouble and felt guilty. He hadn't meant to make Hannah cry or to upset Jill. Those two were more important to me than anybody except the boys. The five of them were my world.

….

I walked up the stairs to see Jill groggily watching TV in the bedroom. It was a heated situation since earlier and I knew I was in hot water. I had calmed Hannah down and got her to sleep when she was in her bedroom. After that, I had talked to Wilson and gotten advice from him. I knew that I'd need to do some serious apologizing and it had to be fast.

"You'll feel better when you see what l got you."

"What did you get me?"

"Going with your doctor theme, l got Dr No Let's see, uh, Doctor Dolittle Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Doctor Naughty and the Night Nurses Oops! But l also spent an hour making this special tea. It's supposed to cure nausea. I think you'll love it. It's real hot, be careful."

"Does it have caffeine in it?

"No."

"Good, 'cause I don't want to get a buzz."

"You might get a buzz. It's made out of boiled bees. It's an ancient Chinese remedy for nausea. Wilson gave it to me. It's not easy working with bees, let me tell you. Look at that. Some of those bees were still alive." hours, and ending up dead in a shoebox. Tim, All l want is for you to be attentive and comfort me. Why is that so hard for you?"

"I feel so useless when you're sick. When something's broken, l like to take it apart and fix it. I can't do that with you." How's that back?"

"It's aching. That feels good."

I kept massaging Jill's back and smiled at her. She was the most amazing woman I knew and nobody's opinion of that was gonna change my mind. I wanted to do something more make her mad. She deserved the world and that was what I was gonna give her. She deserved everything and more that the world had to offer her.

"Hi, Benny. They won? I didn't even see it. That's great. Big Mike's Super Bowl party, huh? Best one you've ever been to, huh? No, l'm staying here. I'm nurturing my wife. I'm real happy. Thanks. Bye."

"Thank you, honey."

…

I ran down with Randy and groaned at what I saw. Mom behind the stove. That meant we'd have to suffer from her cooking again and it sucked. She cooked worse than we did and that was saying something. We teased her but if someone else said it, we would get super defensive. We were protective of our mother and of our helpless baby sister.

"Food, a pot, and Mom. No good can come from this." I groaned with Randy.

"In that case, get your own breakfast." Mom teased.

"All right! Cookies and ice cream." Mark grinned.

"In your dreams."