Chapter 17

Charlie kneeled down near Bryan and placed him on his side.

"Bryan...Bry! It's Daddy stop!"

Charlie tried to prevent Bryan from biting his tongue.

"He was fine a few minutes ago!"

"Why'd he spiral into this?!" I screamed.

"If I knew that I wouldn't be wondering why he spiraled into it!" Charlie screamed back.

"I don't understand, Jennifer said she followed my instructions for his breakfast and his lunch..."

"What about his dinner!?"

I looked at Bryan's plate in the kitchen. He hardly touched his food.

"Did he eat?"

"No...he-"

"Har, very important go get him a cookie and then get my meter out of the bathroom!"

It was then we discovered that Bryan was refusing to eat. Everytime he opened his mouth it would pull at the stitches. It wouldn't tear them but they were definitely being tugged upon. After Bryan's seizure Charlie held him and tried to calm him even more.

"Ssh...its okay...son..."

I broke off part of the cookie and gave it to Charlie.

"Look here Bry..."

Bryan refused to open his mouth.

"Open up...come on Bryan open your mouth."

"Baby open your mouth for Daddy." I told him sweetly.

Bryan contiued to cry but gently opened his mouth. He let out a shrill cry.

Now I don't know the pain tolerance of toddlers. Nor do I know Bryan's. I suspect that what would feel like a small sting to Charlie and I; must feel like a stab wound to Bryan. I think the stitches were more than he could tolerate. They sent him home some pain medicine so as instructed I quickly put the pills in applesauce. I brought it back on a spoon to give to Charlie; so he could give Bryan his medicine.

"He's not gonna open his mouth!" Charlie screamed.

"Why are you yelling me!"

"Because if I can't get him to open up his mouth for a cookie he's not gonna open his mouth up for any medicine, you're being stupid!

Bryan contiued to cry.

"Charlie!"

"Come on Bryan please...open your mouth son!" Charlie shouted over Bryan's screams. Charlie then groaned loudly.

"Take him from me!" He demanded.

I took Bryan and sat down with him. Charlie got so frustrated he left the room.

"Charlie wait a minute!"

I sighed and gently touched Bryan's cheek.

"Bryan...will you please take this for mommy?"

Bryan slowly opened his mouth and cried. I just stuck the spoon in quickly. He swallowed the medicine and the applesauce in one bite. I knew he wouldn't be willing to eat the cookie, so I picked him up and carried him on my hip into the kitchen.

I fixed him up a sippy cup of chocolate milk. He happily took it and began to drink it. I stroked his fringe in his hair.

"There now...you're okay...I'll just put you here while I check on Daddy."

Bryan nodded as he sipped his drink.

"Okay..."

I put him on the couch and turned on some cartoons for him. I then left him to talk to Charlie. Charlie was in our bedroom sitting on the side of the bed. He was crying.

"Char..."

I sighed and walked over to him. I sat on the bed behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

"I...I'm so sorry Har...but...He was just in so much pain and I desperately wanted to make it stop..."

"I know Charlie...I understand."

"I...you're not stupid Har."

"I know babe you were upset...he's gonna be okay now."

"First I give him my horrible illness and now I can't even help him with it."

"No...baby don't think like that."

I hugged him around the neck and kissed his cheek.

"Everything that has happened around us is something we couldn't predict...and you did help him through his seizure...its alright...I promise.

"Harmione...I...feel useless to you sometimes."

"You are never useless...ever...I love you...you're a wonderful husband...you're an awesome Daddy...most Dad's have never done all that you have for me and Bryan. And you're still hot..."

Charlie smirked. I kissed his cheek.

"You're still charming..."

"Thanks..."

He raised his arm up and scratched the side of my head gently. We both sighed heavily. It grew quiet. Finally I broke the silence.

"I've never seen you get so flustered before though...something else happen today...something you want to talk about?" I asked with my breath close to his cheek.

"I...being station manger isn't all that great...its hard to focus on everything they throw at you while you're just trying to work on your own work...I really messed up today...sent the wrong emails to the wrong people...may cost us some adverts and some listeners. Not to mention money for broadcasting the wrong ads...and I...just feel like I'm a failure at work...and I...I understand Har...really I do...you might not think I don't but I do. About how things seem to always go from great to bad and then from bad to worse and it feels like your fault..."

"And you've told me time and time again its not my fault...well it's not your fault either...its just our life Charlie."

"I...I'm so exhausted though Harmione...I can't...I can't keep up with how are lives have been."

"I know honey...but we're gonna get through it just like we have everything else."

"Anyway I'm sorry."

"I already forgave you."

He turned and began to make out with me. We then entered the living room to check on Bryan. He was doing much better than he was prior to his seizure. We were going to have to work around the stitches. Even though it meant I had to hand feed him for a few weeks.

I didn't want to put that stress on Charlie. He seemed to be having a worse time than I did when I cried in the bathroom that night; but because he bottles everything up he hardly cries as much as I do. I could tell he was hurting though.

A month later I was correct in things returning to normal. Naturally. Bryan had his stitches removed, Jennifer had no futher problems with him. Charlie contiued to have problems at work and it bothered me so bad.

Meanwhile I had been helping and watching over Mrs. Brunner's class. The more I was around them, the more I fell in love with them. Each student was like my own kid. I gave them respect as students and tried my best to aide them in their studies. Teaching them how to read was the highlight of my day. Each day I had a new story to tell Charlie. I wanted Charlie to feel some happiness.

It was getting close to Halloween and Charlie's birthday. Charlie was born on October 21, 2018. He was going to be the big 22. I had a huge idea planned for him. A Halloween/Birthday Bash. It was going to be the party to remember.

That weekend I invited everybody. There were going to be about 17 to 18 people at the party. After everything that had happened to us, Charlie deserved it. Plus your only 22 once, and because of everything that happened the year before neither one of us could celebrate our 21st birthdays. For months on end he would act just like he did when Bryan had his mini seizure. Charlie was a mess. I had never seen him so angry and frustrated all the time. It hurt me to watch. So I'm hoping the party changes all that.

It was eight am. Charlie normally gets up at 5am. After he went to bed I turned off our alarm clock. He slept in all morning. I then made him breakfast in bed.

"Charlie..."

"Hm...mm...what time is it?" He asked tiredly and sat up stroking the back of his head.

"It's almost eight...but don't worry I let you sleep in..."

"Har...I was gonna write some more radio copy this morning..."

"No sir...not this morning Mr. LeMay."

I put the tray on the nightstand.

"Wow...is this for me?"

"Well who else would it be for silly?"

Charlie smiled and began to eat his eggs and bacon, with a blueberry muffin on the side and a glass of orange juice.

"So Happy Birthday babe."

"Thank you...mmm gimme a kiss."

I pecked his lips.

"You didn't have to do that Har."

"I also didn't have to pack a breakfast with Bryan and send him to Jennifer's or make you tons of other surprises, but I did."

"Harmione come on I've had all the surprises, twists and turns, I can stand."

"You'll like these surprises and I've made a whole day of them."

He smiled at me and I winked.