Virgil wakes up the following morning, sunlight streaming in through the window. Confused until he realises the window is wide open and Gordon is gone.
Confusion becomes concern, and thoughts of finding him lying on the ground in pieces, having tried to climb out the window are flooding his mind. Running over to the window, he heart pounding with fear he hears splashing coming from the pool.
Gordon is out there practicing his diving, looking more at home than he ever does on dry land. Their dad is out there with him relaxing on a sun lounger a magazine resting on his chest, as he watches Gordon climb out the pool to try again.
Virgil smiles, relaxing and realising that Gordon left the window open so he would check and not worry about him, and heads downstairs to start breakfast. He cracks a dozen eggs into a large mixing bowl and starts to make omelettes for everyone.
Gordon joins them still in just his swimming kit, and a towel around his shoulders with no socks or shoes on, happily telling his dad about his perfect dive.
"Getting my own pool was the best thing ever dad!"
"It's a family pool Gordon, not just yours" His dad reminds him smiling at his enthusiasm, and helping himself to some of the toast Virgil is now adding to the table.
Gordon opens his mouth to argue some more when Alan arrives with Scott, John and Grandma and suddenly realises he can't be bothered, a sudden fatigue hitting him so choosing instead to concentrate on his breakfast, rather than talking,
"So 3 days left John, still excited about graduation?" Grandma asks him.
"Yeah, I have done a deal with Gordon, he doesn't prank the ceremony and I will not throw him out his bedroom window!" John tells her laughing.
"Gordon?" Scott says, "you wouldn't dare prank that ceremony or I will throw you out the window after John has finished with you, there are some things you just don't mess with!"
Gordon nods, his mouth full of toast, hastily chewing and swallowing so he can reply, which for some reason hurts his throat.
"Nope even I am not that cruel. If it was you or Virgil then yeah, but I am not going to do it to Johnny, he cares about boring stuff like school!" He assures them, ignoring the onslaught of pain.
"I care about school!" Scott and Virgil reply in unison, but they're both laughing.
"Speaking Of school, you guys need to hurry up or you'll be late" grandma tells them, "and gordo, your dad is going to look at the proposal again today and see if they can rework some of the ideas"
"Really?" Gordon asks.
"Yep! Apparently not even your teachers liked the ideas and only agreed because they thought they would lose their jobs if they didn't. This means you can go to class. No more striking Squid!" His dad replies.
*TB*
Gordon and Virgil are up in their room getting dressed. Actually, Virgil is getting dressed, Gordon is lying on his bed thinking about it.
"Hey Virg, think dad will believe I'm sick?" He asks.
"Nope. You spent an hour in the pool earlier! Get dressed!" Virgil replies throwing a clean T-shirt at him.
"Okay, fine but if I really am sick you will have it on your conscience when I die!" Gordon tells him, dragging himself into a sitting position and shoving the T-shirt on over his head.
"Lazy isn't sick!" Virgil laughs. "I will meet you downstairs. Get some jeans on"
Gordon sighs. Regretting getting up so early now and really wishing he could go back to sleep for an hour. Looking tiredly at the draw where he keeps his clean clothes, he doesn't get off the bed, the headache is getting worse the longer he sits there.
"GORDON! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Scott is shouting, knowing he has no choice Gordon finishes getting dressed.
"Come on there is only 3 days left and then you have 12 weeks of sleeping in and swimming and exploring the island. Dad reckons the temporary house while they build the main villa is ready for us to stay in" Scott tells him, trying to get him out the house and into the car where John and Virgil are already waiting.
"I know but I'm tired Scott" he insists, hoping that Scott realises that he is trying to tell him that he doesn't feel well.
"Tough that's your own fault for getting up at 5am" Scott tells him unsympathetically, holding open the door for him.
Gordon gets into the back seat next to Virgil and slides into the middle so he can use him as a pillow for the short drive to the school.
"You okay?" Virgil asks.
"Yeah, I'm just tired" Gordon replies.
This is no longer true, his head is pounding, and his throat is itchy and sore. He doesn't understand why he felt okay an hour ago, but the bright sunlight is hurting his eyes, as Scott drives towards the school, but neither Scott or Virgil seem to have noticed, so he gives up trying to tell them
Unable to keep them open any longer he rests his head on Virgil's shoulder, and is sound asleep when Scott pulls into the car park less than 5 minutes later.
"Scott? He's asleep on me, does this mean I have to stay here all day until he wakes up?" Virgil asks.
Scott turns round to look at him. "Come on sleeping beauty time to get up"
Gordon stirs slowly. "My head hurts Scotty" he tells him again.
"You were fine 20 minutes ago, seriously Gordon get out of my car!" Scott replies, rolling his eyes.
"Okay but you'll feel bad when I'm dead!" Gordon replies, grabbing his back and getting out the car.
"Don't be such a drama queen!" John tells him laughing, following him onto the playground.
"See you later you two" Scott yells at their retreating backs.
"You getting out here, or do you want me to drive you across the street to your school?" He asks Virgil who still hasn't moved.
"Drive me Scott please. Roads are dangerous!" Virgil replies sticking his tongue out at him.
"Get out Virgil!" Scott replies laughing.
"I will see you after school" he tells him smiling.
"Same time same place!" Scott tells him. Like he has done every day he's given his brothers a lift. Scott is Nothing if not consistent!
*TB*
By lunch time Gordon is sure he is going to die. Finally giving into the pain he asks to be excused from his maths class to go to the nurse.
"What's wrong?" The school nurse asks him, concerned.
"My head hurts and my throat hurts and I feel sick" He replies quietly and pathetically.
"Have a seat Gordon" she tells him kindly, placing her hand on his forehead.
"You definitely feel a bit warm let's take your temperature"
"But I'm cold" He tells her, shivering slightly.
She places the thermometer under his tongue, and looks for his emergency contact details while she does so, as he really needs to be at home in bed, the number on the thermometer confirms that he is definitely running a fever. She wraps a blanket gently over his shoulders to help combat the chills he is now experiencing.
Dialling his home number, his dad answers.
"Jeff Tracy speaking"
"Ah yes Mr Tracy. I am your son Gordon's school nurse, is someone available to collect him?" She asks.
"What's wrong?" He says concerned.
"He's not feeling very well, he's running a temperature and he's got a headache. I don't think it's serious but he really should be at home in bed" she tells him to alleviate his fears.
"Of course, I will come and get him. Give me 10 minutes." He tells her, hanging up the phone.
She turns back to Gordon who has been watching the conversation.
"I spoke to your dad, he will be here soon, why don't you climb up on the bed and have a rest, there is an extra blanket you can use on there if you need it, and I will ask someone to fetch your school bag".
Gordon doesn't need asking twice, and lies down on the bed.
*TB*
"Mom? That was Gordon's school. I'm going to go and get him" Jeff tells her.
"What's he done now?!" She asks.
Jeff laughs. That was the only thought in his mind when he found out it was the school calling!
"Nothing, he's not feeling well" he tells her.
"Oh, what's wrong with him?" She replies concerned.
"Apparently just a headache and a temperature, I will be back soon" he tells her.
"Can I Come Daddy?" Alan asks.
"Not this time Allie I'm just going to pick your brother up, mom can you call Scott's school to let him know that he won't need to pick Gordon up?" Jeff asks.
"Sure, and Allie is going to come and help me make lunch, aren't you sprout?" She asks him.
"No, I want to go with daddy!" Alan replies pouting.
"Tough!" Grandma tells him picking him up and taking him into the kitchen, trying to stave off a temper tantrum, by distracting him with cookies.
*TB*
"Gordon? Your dads here" the school nurse tells him waking him up.
"Daddy? I don't feel good" he tells him. Now his whole body feels like it's on fire and not just his throat.
"I know you don't Squid, let's get you home to bed okay?" Jeff tells him, helping him down off the bed, and guiding him out the room.
The sunlight hits him like a train and he's violently sick the second he's outside. The toast he had for breakfast is all over his dads shoes. Looking up at his dad he starts to cry.
"I'm s-s-Sorry I didn't m-m-mean too" He wails certain that his dad is going to be furious with him.
"You have nothing to apologise for Gordon, these things happen, and just think, this is a story for your wedding day!" Jeff tells him gently, picking him up and carrying him to the car waiting for them. Kicking his shoes off and chucking them in a carrier bag to try to avoid the car ending up smelling of vomit.
Gordon makes it home without being sick again, and walks into the house unaided. Grandma and Alan are there to greet him. Her face full of anxious concern. She starts to fuss over him taking his temperature a second time, and insisting he goes to bed.
Gordon looks up the stairs, tiredly, like he is being asked to climb a mountain. Looking back at the sofa instead a look of longing on his face.
"I don't think I could make it grandma. Can I not go and sleep on the sofa?" He begs. Desperate not to have to climb the stairs.
"How about I give you a lift up the stairs?" His dad asks, as he knows he would be a lot more comfortable in his own bed. Bending down so he can climb on his back.
Gordon gratefully takes him up on the offer. And allows his dad to help him into his pyjamas and put him to bed.
"Bet you're really glad I got the air con fixed in here" His dad tells him, once he's settled.
"Mmm yeah" he replies exhausted.
"Try and get some sleep Gordon, we are right downstairs if you need anything okay?" His dad reassures him that they aren't going anywhere.
*TB*
Virgil is surprised at home time when it is only John waiting for him.
"Where's Gordon?" He asks.
"Dunno. Billy said he went home sick. So I'm assuming he's at home" John replies unconcerned.
"What's wrong with him?" Virgil asks.
"No idea, I'm not a doctor" John tells him.
"Good, because with that bedside manner you would be a dreadful one!" Virgil tells him sarcastically.
"Yeah well, I'm going to be an astronaut I don't need a bedside manner" John replies, just as sarcastically.
"OI, you two, over here!" A voice from the other side of the car park shouts.
Racing over to the car Virgil beats John to the front seat.
"Let's go quick before John gets in" Virgil tells him laughing.
"Nope I like not being grounded!" Scott replies. "How was your day?"
"Good until about 5 minutes ago when John told me Gordon was sick. Do you know what's wrong?" Virgil asks him.
"No, I just got a message from grandma to say I was only collecting you 2 rat-bags because he wasn't very well, if John will hurry up and get his seat belt on we can go and find out."
"Ready Scott. Let's get out of here" John tells him.
Gordon is still asleep when they get home, and both Virgil and Scott feel terrible for not taking his complaint this morning seriously as they join him in his and Virgil's bedroom.
Virgil checks his breathing and relaxes when he realises it's the deep, even breathing of a comfortable sleep.
Their dad dosed him up on Tylenol to try and get his temperature down, and to help with the pain.
Virgil stays with him, doing his last week of school homework, even though all their finals are done and past, his English teacher still wants a 1000 word essay before the end of the week, and this is the ideal time to get it typed up.
He's still working when his dad calls him down for dinner.
"What about Gordon?" He asks.
"Let him sleep, if he wants something later he can. But he did throw up his breakfast all over my shoes earlier, so food probably won't be too high up his list of priorities when he does wake up!" His dad tells him laughing.
"Poor Gordon" Virgil replies.
"I know. If he isn't feeling better tomorrow I will get him to the doctor" his dad tells him.
*TB*
Gordon sleeps through the night, and isn't feeling better in the morning. Even though he has been asleep for nearly 19 hours. He can't face food and his throat feels like he has been stabbed by a million red hot needles.
Jeff manages to get him an early appointment where he is diagnosed with a nasty throat infection. And given a course of antibiotics to get rid of it.
The doctor warned him that he won't be feeling better for a few days, and to bring him back if he has any concerns.
"A few days? Johns going to kill me" Gordon tells his dad distraught.
"Why would you think that?" His dad asks him confused.
"His graduation is tomorrow. And I said I wouldn't mess it up for him. But daddy I promise I didn't get sick on purpose" Gordon tells him miserably.
"Squid. It's okay, let me deal with John, you just get your self better. Now how about we go home, you get comfortable on the sofa and I will bring you some ice cream to wash away the taste of this yucky fake banana medicine" His dad tells him waving the bottle at him.
"Mint choc-chip?" Gordon asks hopefully.
"Of course, is there any other kind!" His dad replies with a grin. Their love of the same flavoured ice cream being just one of the things the pair share.
Gordon is sleeping on the sofa while his dad and grandma discuss how they're going to break the news to John that someone will have to miss the ceremony to stay with him.
"He would rather have you there Jeff, you're his father" she insists.
"But he loves you too, you have helped raise him, mom" Jeff reminds her.
A dreaded silence falls over them as they have no idea what to do.