Virgil can't believe how long it takes for him to recover. Ten days in bed is not his idea of a good time. Slight movement pulls of his stitches and he finds himself sleeping more than he's awake.
When he is awake, he always has company, and he finds himself being roped into doing Gordon's homework, who tries to claim as he's left handed he can't write with the cast on, and besides Virgil needs something to keep his mind occupied and third grade maths homework is perfect!
The Squid is doing a great job of looking after him, Virgil won't deny that. He hasn't complained once not even when Virgil woke him up at 4 in the morning for more painkillers. And it's been ten days since his new principal started and he hasn't landed in detention once!
"Virgy, I brung you a snack" Alan tells him entering the room a plate piled high with whatever he could find in the fridge.
"Gordy, Johnny and Scotty are at school so it's just me and you. And Grandma but she doesn't count because she's asleep on the sofa, so I am going to look after you now"
Virgil takes the plate from him, smiling. Which quickly becomes a grimace as he eyes up the mess on the plate.
Alan has dumped an entire pot of cottage cheese on the plate and added the pickled onions, pineapple chunks, lettuce, and the whole thing is covered in garlic mayonnaise.
Just looking at it makes Virgil feel sick, and he has no idea how he can let Alan know he's not eating this without upsetting him.
"That's really nice of you Allie, but I'm not hungry. Maybe later okay. Now go and put it back then come up here and we will watch cartoons okay?" Virgil tells him.
They are cuddled up in Virgil's bed when Grandma comes to fetch Alan.
"Alan? Did you make that mess in the kitchen?"
"It isn't a mess! It's Virgil's lunch! Gordy isn't here so I am in charge so I made lunch" Alan tells her proudly.
She can't be angry when he's trying so hard, but still makes him clean the mess up.
"You have a hospital appointment this afternoon, Virgil just a checkup and maybe get your stitches out. Gordon is going with us for a cast check. And if all goes well you might be able to go back to school next week."
"Can I come?" Alan asks.
"Nope, you're staying here with Scotty and he's going to help you cook dinner" she tells him.
Grandma meets Scott in the elementary school car park for the hand off, Gordon climbing into the back of her car, while Scott takes Alan and John home.
Gordon stays with Virgil while they remove his stitches telling him that stitches are no big deal he's had hundreds! Virgil watches in interest eyeing up his new scar proudly.
"It's not as cool as mine!" Gordon tells him raising the leg of his jeans and showing off his biggest scar.
"Enough comparing you two! Let's get Gordon over to the fracture clinic for his check then we will go and eat whatever concoction Alan and Scott have created." Grandma tells him helping Virgil down off the bed.
Gordon's x-ray reveals that the break is healing well and he's told to come back in 2 weeks for another check.
Alan is cooking hot dogs. Sitting on the work surface, his legs crossed bossing Scott around while he heats them up and butters hotdog rolls for 6 people. They know their dad won't be joining them as he's on a business trip in California, and will be gone for a few days.
"John? You could help!" Scott tells him, calling into the living room where John is doing his homework.
"Nah, you're doing a fine job in there and besides if I don't get this essay done I might fail English, and you don't want to have me spending my summer in summer school on your conscience. And possibly not graduating elementary school and making dad feel bad about letting me skip a a grade" John tells him. "And besides. You have Alan's help!"
"Yeah Scotty you have my help! Now I want mustard and onions, and Gordy will want onions and mustard and ketchup because he's weird and Virgy hates onions but he's weirder than gordy!" Alan informs him.
Scott just puts everything on the table and decides to let his brothers sort out their own!
"Scotty it's my birthday soon isn't it? Gordy said I'm going to be older than grandma!" Alan tells him.
"2 weeks, and no; you'll be 4!" Scott tells him laughing.
They're interrupted by a key in the door which is suddenly flung open by Gordon who bounds into the house and plops himself down on the sofa stretching. Kicking Johns English notebook onto the floor and placing his legs on the redheads knee.
"Ugh. GORDON!" John shouts at him pushing him onto the soft carpeted floor. Getting off the sofa, he rolls Gordon onto his back and starts to tickle him causing the younger boy to squeak with laughter until he has tears streaming down his face.
"Stop it Johnny!" He begs for mercy breathless with laughter.
"Promise me you're not going to do that again?" John tells him sitting on his chest.
"I promise!" Gordon confirms.
John let's him up, and pulls him to his feet, and together they go to get their dinner.
Even though it is only hotdogs they eat in the dinning room to celebrate Virgil getting his stitches out. Grandma has got out their finest silverware and poured wine for herself, and orange juice for the boys.
"What is this? Christmas?" Gordon asks looking around the room and sitting down at the head of the table where his father usually sits.
"Move Squid" Scott tells him severely. "In dads absence I am in charge here and I get to sit at the head of the table."
"Grow up Scotty it doesn't matter where we sit and I got here first" Gordon replies, poking his tongue out at his elder brother, refusing to get up.
"I will sit on you Squid" he threatens.
"Stop it Scott and just sit down! Gordon eat your hotdogs" grandma orders, putting an end to the argument.
Gordon smirks at Scott as he applies copious amounts of mustard to the hotdog on his plate, who gives up and eats his own food.
"John you're washing up tonight" grandma reminds him. After they have polished off their dessert.
John is beginning to suspect Gordon broke his wrist to get out of doing chores, as it was initially his week, but he doesn't complain.
"I think I'm in a food coma" Scott moans massaging his stomach. "Grandma carry me to the sofa!"
Grandma laughs. "Clean the table Scott and then I want your home work done before you watch that superhero show you're obsessed with."
Groaning Scott gets up, and starts to clear the table.
"Gordon, homework!" Grandma tells him, sensing him trying to sneak out of the room undetected.
"Okay fine, Virgil can you help me?" Gordon asks hopefully.
"You mean do it for you!" Scott tells him.
"No! I always do it I just need someone to write down the answers for me, we are doing times tables this week, ask me anything!" Gordon insists.
"What's 7 times 8?" Scott asks.
"56" Gordon fires back without thinking.
"Damn!" Scott replies.
Virgil laughs, "come on up to our room Squid we will get it done together".
They leave, followed by Alan and it is just Scott and grandma in the room.
"I'm going to help John with the dishes, get your homework done Scott" she tells him.
*TB*
"How much of this homework are you doing Gordon?" Virgil asks him, once they are back in their room.
"None, you're doing it all, I'm going to sleep. Been a long day." Gordon tells him yawning. Settling back down against the pillow.
"Get your pyjamas on first Squid, and remember our deal. I do it, you study my answers! And go and brush your teeth. You're a dentists worst nightmare with the amount of sugar you eat" Virgil tells him.
Gordon does as he is told, he might like to wind Virgil up, but his big brother has been there for him throughout everything. And he is always going to do as Virgil tells him. Well almost always. If there is a prank to play and he knows he won't approve he just doesn't tell him!
Gordon allows Virgil to get him into bed, tucking his blanket around his shoulders. Even though he knows it will be on the floor before morning. Gordon never has had the ability to lie still.
Virgil himself goes to bed shortly after, having completed Gordon's homework, and worked on something his school had sent home for him.
*TB*
"You don't need to worry about the boys. Virgil's stitches are out and he can go back to school on Monday, Gordon's wrist is healing and he shut Scott up nicely when he was being obnoxious at dinner, John is on track to graduate elementary school a year early and Alan has not attempted to repaint any more of the house since you left! Grandma catches Jeff up in their nightly video chat. All 5 boys are fast asleep, grandma having to replace Gordon's blanket when she checked on him as he had kicked it off.
"That's good. I'm glad I can leave them with you mom, I know you don't get anywhere near enough credit for all you have done for those boys. You should be relaxing on a beach somewhere enjoying your retirement not bringing up 5 kids." Jeff tells her.
"I wouldn't swap my life with you and the boys for the world. I know it's been a rough few years, but I love you son, and I love those boys. You are my whole world. You know I think Virgil may be able to go back to his own room soon, Gordon coped well when he was in the hospital." She assures him.
"I don't want to push him mom, they will sort this out when they're ready, Virgil is going to high school in 18 months he will probably want his own space then." Jeff tells her.
"To sneak girls in if he's anything like you were!" Grandma laughs.
"I only did that one time!" Jeff tells her indignantly.
"No you only got caught one time!" Grandma tells him.
"I need to get going soon, I am taking the TV21 out for its first night flight about 11pm your time. So 9pm here. The time zones can get confusing, sometimes it's hard to believe we are in the same country!"
"Good luck Jeff dear, and let me know how you get on when you land, even if it's just a text I can wake up to. Promise?" She asks him.
"Of course, I will speak to you soon, give all the boys a hug from me at breakfast and tell them I love them" Jeff tells her hanging up.
*TB*
Grandma is shocked out of a deep sleep by her phone ringing, groaning she turns over and looks at the clock. 3am it reads.
This can not be good news, she thinks as she picks the mobile up from her bedside table.
The voice on the other end sounds frantic. And desperate for her to understand that something has gone wrong.
Fully awake and half way into clean clothes grandma can't believe what she is hearing. Hanging up the phone she holds her head in her hands in despair before going to wake the boys. This she knows she can't leave until the morning.
She starts with the easy one, the one still small enough for her to carry.
"Allie?" She shakes him gently awake. He's eyes open slowly and struggle to focus as she picks him up.
Moving on to Johns room, which is bathed in moonlight from the window where he likes to keep the curtains open at night. So he can fall asleep while looking at the stars.
"Johnny? You have to get up dear. Can you wake up Scott for me, take Alan and go downstairs. There's something I need to tell you all."
"And it can't wait until morning?" He asks confused and half asleep.
"No dear, please just do as I ask" She reiterates.
John climbs out of bed and takes Alan from her and heads across the hallway to his eldest brothers room.
While she takes Virgil and Gordon.
Gordon's blanket is once again on the floor, and his left leg is half hanging out the bed. She moves across the room, and gently slides it back on massaging his toes as he slowly wakes up.
"What's going on?" He asks, sleepily.
"Come with me Gordy," She tells him already moving on to Virgil.
All 5 boys still clad in pyjamas join her on the sofa. Alan on Johns knee and Gordon on Virgil's. And they all have the same confused sleepy look on their faces.
"There is no easy way to say this boys, but your father." Grandma pauses and takes a deep breathe. Before being able to continue.
"You're father was on a test flight on the TV21 when he was attacked by a wanted criminal known as The Hood. Boys I'm sorry, but your father is missing"
