"What in the world are you three still doing up? Do you have any idea what time it is?" Linda asked as she walked into the livingroom and found Jack stretched out on the sofa, Sean lounging on the love seat, and Millie perched in Danny's lap, all of them intently staring at the television.
"Sorry, Mama," Danny apologized. "What time is it? 8:30pm?"
"Almost 10:00pm."
"What?! How many episodes of this have we watched?" Danny asked, looking at his watch.
"Just four," Jack chuckled.
"Get up," Danny instructed. "You three have got to go to bed."
"But…" the kids all began to protest.
"Now. Let's go. Everybody up. Brush your teeth. Get to bed. Forthwith."
Millie turned and latched onto him as he started to stand up. "I don't want to sleep in my room tonight." She laid her head on his shoulder as he started walking up the stairs with Jack and Sean in tow.
"You're fine," Danny assured her, knowing she was more tired than anything. "Go brush your teeth." He sat her down at the top of the stairs with the boys who followed her to the bathroom so they could all brush their teeth while Danny went to lock up the house. Linda had already turned on the kids' nightlights and lamps and turned back the covers on their beds.
"Hey Dad," Jack said as the kids all wandered down the hall toward their bedrooms, "can we go eat Mexican sometime this week? I'm want tacos!"
"Ooooooh," Danny smiled. "Now I'm craving queso."
"So can we?"
"We'll see."
"Sweet!"
"Nu uh uh," Danny said as he grabbed the back of Millie's pajama shirt as she bypassed her room and headed for his. "Your room is this way."
"But…"
"Nope. This way. Your cats are waiting on you." Millie gave him the most pitiful look she could muster. "Come on. I'll sit with you until you fall asleep." Luckily for Danny, that took a whole four minutes.
"She out?" Linda asked as he made his way into their bedroom.
"That's one perk of missing bedtime. It takes little to no time to get them down for the night," he grinned.
Danny awoke at 2am when he felt Linda climb out of bed. "What's wrong, Babe? he asked groggily.
"Don't you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"One of the kids is coughing their head off."
"Which one?"
"It's either Millie or Sean. Either way, somebody is about to take some cough medicine. I'll be back."
"Let me know if you need me."
Linda grabbed the child's cough syrup out of the medicine cabinet and the thermometer before going in search of which kid was sick. It only took standing in the hallway for about 45 seconds before she figured it out. Coughs were coming from both rooms. Figuring Sean would be easier, she went to his room first.
"Sean," LInda whispered as she woke him up,"sit up a minute.."
"What's going on?" he asked groggily as he stretched and rubbed his eyes.
"You're coughing. Sit up and let me check your temperature." LInda stuck the thermometer in his mouth and waited for the beep. "99.9. Here. Drink up."
"YUCK!" Sean exclaimed.
"Snuggle back down," Linda smiled. "That should help."
She went and washed out the medicine cup and disinfected the thermometer before making her way to Millie's room.
"Hey Mil Mil," she whispered as she brushed Millie's hair out of her face, "sit up a second."
Millie rolled over and eventually pulled herself up. "I don't feel good."
"I had a feeling," Linda said. "I heard you coughing. Let me take your temperature and I"ll give you some medicine that will help you feel better."
Millie leaned her head against Linda's chest as she waited on the thermometer to beep.
"100.7. I think you have a cold, Missy. Here. Drink this." Millie gagged down the grape awfulness.
"Where's Mr. Uncle Danny?"
"He's asleep in our room. Let's get you back to bed."
"Can I go with you?"
"No. You need to stay right here. We don't want to share our cold with Daddy. I'll sit with you until you go back to sleep. That medicine will kick in in just a few minutes so it won't take long. Let me go get a cool cloth to put on your forehead. Snuggle down."
Millie laid down and was already drifting off to sleep when Linda got back with the washcloth. She gently placed it on her head and snuck out.
"Who was it?" Danny asked as Linda climbed back into bed.
"Sean and Millie. Both have a cough and fever. I gave them some medicine. I guess we'll be staying in tomorrow."
"They ok?"
"Mil wanted to come and share it with you. I got her back to sleep." Danny started to get up. "What are you doing?"
"Going to check on her."
"Danny, I just got her back to sleep. Don't you dare go in there unless you want to bring her back with you and YOU come down with whatever the two of them have."
"You're probably right," he yawned as he got back in bed.
The following morning, neither Millie nor Sean had a voice. They still both had a cough and a fever, but absolutely no voice. Jack got a lot of amusement out of the squeaks that came out when they tried to say anything. Milliie and Sean just looked pitiful. Neither of them felt good, so Linda fed them and helped them get comfortable in the living room. Sean stretched out on the sofa while Millie laid down on the loveseat. Linda put on a movie, plugged up a humidifier, and began the housework. Danny took Jack to his soccer game and then for Mexican for lunch as promised.
"Don't tell your brother and sister," Danny instructed. "They're already sad they're stuck at home today. If they know they missed cheese dip, they will really be mad."
"Yeah, but they can't talk," Jack laughed. "At least it will be a quiet mad."
"True," Danny chuckled.
When they got home, Danny half expected Sean and Millie to be stir crazy, but instead, they were right where he'd left them.
"Hey, guys. Feel any better?" They both shook their heads. "Wanna play a game?"
"Come on," Jack pushed, "let's play some video games."
Sean sat up and grabbed a controller to battle his older brother. Millie got up and made her way to Danny's lap.
"How you feeling?" he asked as he pressed his cheek up against her forehead.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"You feel warm. Hey Babe!" he yelled at Linda.
"Yes?" Linda popped her head out of the laundry room.
"Millie feels warm."
"Fever going back up?" she asked as she walked over and placed her hand on Millie's forehead. "Oh, I think Daddy's right. Let me go find the thermometer."
"No more medicine," Millie whispered.
"Sorry, Kiddo. If the fever goes up, the medicine has to go down."
Millie frowned as Linda made her way back into the livingroom and placed the thermometer in her mouth. "101.4." Linda measured out some fever reducer into a little medicine cup. "Here you go."
Millie frowned. "Go on," Danny said. "The quicker you do it, the quicker it's over."
When she finally took it, Linda stuck out her hand. "Come on. Let's go run you a cool bath."
Millie looked to Danny. "I'll be right here when you get back. Promise."
About half an hour later, Linda returned, with no Millie. "Where's Mil?" Danny asked, noticing the visible frustration on Linda's face.
"Ever tried to bathe a wild cheetah? That was about the same thing?"
"Well she's sick and you wanted her to take a cold bath, Babe. What'd you expect?"
"Not cold, cool. I wanted to get her fever down. I had no idea it was going to be a reenactment of the Salem witch trials up there."
"Is she ok?"
"She's fine. There were tears but she has now worn herself out and is asleep in her room, protected by two fat cats that hate water as much as she does apparently. They may claw my eyes out tonight for making their fearless leader bathe."
Danny took Jack to Mass the following morning and then to Frank's for lunch while Linda stayed home with Sean and Millie. Sean's fever hadn't returned, but Linda wanted to keep him home, just on the off chance he might be contagious. She didn't want Henry or Frank getting whatever the two of them had.
Sean was up and about all day, slightly bored but managing to keep himself entertained. Millie took things a bit slower, again choosing to stay on the love seat. She watched television for most of the morning until Linda finally came in and insisted they read a book or her brain would turn to mush.
It took about a week, but Millie and Sean finally got their voices back and Reagan life resumed as normal. It couldn't have come at a better time. Erin had huge plans for Nicki's birthday that weekend and they were all very excited.
"Guys! Chill," Danny instructed when he walked into the playroom to find his three kids screaming at the tops of their lungs about all of the games they were going to play when they got to Nicki's party, "the party's not for another three days."
"But today sucked and we needed something to look forward to,"
"Yeah!" Millie agreed as the two of them looked up at Danny.
Danny furrowed his brow. "If your mother hears those words coming out of your mouth, the only thing you'll be looking forward to is a pillow placed on your chair when you go to sit down. Copy?"
"Copy," they both sighed.
"Now, come up here and tell me what happened today." Danny took a seat on the couch as Sean and Millie sighed and took a seat on either side of him. Jack remained glued to the video game he was playing. He didn't want any part of a conversation that was starting out with the talk of punishment.
"Everything was wrong today," Millie groaned.
"Everything?" Danny asked. "Start from the beginning."
"Mrs. Aunt LInda made me take Seany's lunchbox because I forgot mine at school and stupid Carmen…" Danny cut his eyes at her again. "I mean, Carmen, started making fun of me at lunch. I don't like her. And so I told her that I don't like her. And then when we got to PE she started again and I yelled at her face and had to sit in time-out."
"Does your Aunt Linda know you had to sit in time-out today?"
"Probably not."
"Uh huh. And what about you?" he asked, looking to Sean.
"Cameron Churchwell wet a wad of toilet paper in the bathroom and threw it at me, so I soaked it and threw it back, but Mr. Langston happened to walk in when I did it and I had to spend our entire recess writing sentences."
"Uh huh. Does your mama know about that?"
"Probably not."
"So you both got in trouble at school today, am I hearing this right?"
"Yes sir," they both muttered as they looked at their feet. "But it wasn't my fault!" they both added at the same time.
"Millie Reagan, who is in charge of the words that come out of your mouth?"
"Me."
"Sean Reagan, who is in charge of the actions of your hands?"
"Me."
"Uh huh. So, I don't really think either of you can say it wasn't your fault. Am I right?"
"Yes sir," they both muttered again.
"And what is our rule about getting in trouble at school?"
"You get in trouble at home."
"Exactly right. Now, should I go get the wooden spoon?"
"No sir!" they both answered quickly with wide eyes.
"We're sorry!" Millie assured him.
"And we won't ever do it again!" Sean added. "Promise!"
"Yeah! Promise."
Danny relented as a small smile crept across his face. "Ok. But you both have to tell Mom. If she decides to get the spoon, well… then I think you both know you deserve it."
Millie looked to Sean. At least a Linda Reagan spanking wouldn't be as bad as a Danny Reagan spanking… if it came down to it.
The kids were on their absolute best behavior at dinner, complimenting the entire meal. Danny knew why. Linda wasn't entirely sure, but she had a pretty good idea. While the kids were definitely hiding their secret, LInda was hiding one as well. She had already been filled in by both of their teachers.
As soon as dinner was over, the kids cleared the table and then were about to head upstairs when Danny looked at his two youngest. "Hold it. Don't you two have something to tell Mama?"
"We… uh…Me and Mil got in trouble today. But we already told Dad all about it. And we won't ever do it ever again."
"Never." Millie agreed with Sean. "Promise."
Linda looked to Danny, "Should I go get my spoon or did you handle this?"
"We talked about it," Danny said. "But I told them it was up to you."
MIllie and Sean gave Linda the most pitiful looks they could muster.
Linda narrowed her eyes. "I better not get one bad report the rest of the week. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am," they both answered quickly.
"And tonight, you get an early bedtime by thirty minutes."
"Yes ma'am," they both sighed.
"Ok. Upstairs, take baths, and put on your jammies. Sean, you go to your bathroom. Mil, head up to our shower and I'll fix the water."
The kids slowly trudged up the stairs, followed by Linda who winked at Danny. "I'll be back."
When they all returned, Linda broke out a few board games when she deemed the television off limits. After a few games, true to her word, LInda sent Millie and Sean, sad as they were, to bed thirty minutes early.
"Look at my face," Linda said after hugging each of them, "tell me why are you being sent to bed early."
"We got in trouble at school," they both answered.
"Exactly right. Do not do it again."
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. I love you. Now straight to bed. No tv, no lights, no getting up unless it's to go to the bathroom."
"Come on," Danny said, throwing an arm around each of their slumped shoulders, "I'll tuck you in. Mil, head to your room. I'll be there in just a second. I need to talk to Sean."
"I know it was wrong, Dad," Sean said as he crawled into bed. "And I'm sorry. But Cameron threw it at me first."
"I get it," Danny said. "I do. Unfortunately, you do the crime. You do the time."
"I know."
"Good thing is, you stay out of trouble the rest of the week, we party this weekend. Right?"
"Right."
"Ok. Have a good night. Love ya."
"Love you too, Dad."
Millie was sitting on her bed, arms crossed, with a very sad look on her face when Danny walked in. "Ready for bed?"
"I don't want to go to bed. I'm not even tired, not even a little bit."
"Would you rather we go back downstairs and visit Aunt Linda and her wooden spoon?" Millie shook her head no. "Didn't think so. Hop in bed." She rested on her side as Danny pulled her purple, fuzzy blanket up over her shoulders and planted a kiss on the side of her head. "What are we going to do differently tomorrow?"
"Don't get in trouble?"
"Exactly right. And if somebody is mean to you?"
"Don't be mean back."
"Very good." He got up to head out. "Stay in bed. No going to visit Sean. Copy?"
"Copy," Milie muttered.
"I love you. Goodnight."
"Night."
Danny returned to the livingroom to find Linda and Jack with a deck of cards. "They in bed?" Linda asked.
"They are."
"Dad, come play. Mom thinks she can win at spades."
Jack, Linda, and Danny played cards for the next hour before finally deciding to turn in for the night.
"I'm going to check on the kids," LInda said as Danny went around turning off the lights and locking the doors.
"Sounds good. I'll be up in a minute."
Linda had just closed Millie's door when Danny made it upstairs. "They asleep?" he whispered.
"I think so… either that or they are playing a really good game of chicken."
"Let's go to bed," Danny yawned as he put an arm around her and kissed the side of her head. "I love ya."
"Love you more."
"Love you most."