"I didn't realize I had," Joe lied. "Must be all of the exercise I've been getting over the summer."
"But exercise would tone you," Biff pointed out. "You just look sick."
"Thanks," Joe said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"They're right," agreed Frank, his voice quiet and eyes filled with guilt. How could he not have noticed it? "You should see Dr. Bates," he added, mentioning their family physician.
"I feel great!" Joe told him, his smile vanishing to be replaced with a scowl. "I don't need to see a doctor," he added, turning and leaving the group.
Joe headed down the hall to his homeroom. He wore a scowl but inside he was elated. Finally! Someone noticed! He couldn't believe he had been home all summer and no one had noticed he had lost over thirty pounds. He had long since gotten over the hunger pains but recently he had been getting dizzy and in spite of the fact it was August, the hottest month of the year, he couldn't seem to get warm.
"Joe, is that you?" asked Vanessa Bender, Joe's seventeen-year-old girlfriend as she stopped and turned to stare at him. She had almost passed right by him.
"Of course it's me," Joe said, smiling at her. "How was Japan?" he asked.
"Great," she replied, her smile wan as she looked at him in concern. "What happened to you? I hope Frank messed up the creeps who hurt you."
"I haven't been hurt," Joe said. "It's been a fairly quiet summer."
"Then you've been sick," she gasped. "You are getting better, aren't you?" she demanded.
"I haven't been sick," Joe snapped and took off.
"Easy," Callie said, coming up and putting an arm around Vanessa's shoulders. "There's Frank," she added, nodding her head in the direction of Frank, Chet, Phil, Biff and Tony Prito, who had just joined the guys. "Let's find out what's going on with Joe from him."
"Why?" Tony was asking as the girls approached.
"Why what?" Callie asked.
"Why has Joe lost so much weight?" Chet clarified for the girls.
Frank looked guilty. "I hadn't realized he had," he admitted. "I must be blind."
"Don't blame yourself," Callie said, knowing where Frank was going. That was the one fault she could find with her boyfriend: he felt responsible for everything that happened to Joe. "It's harder to notice something like that when you see the person everyday."
"She's right," agreed Biff. "Mom was on a diet for six months and lost twenty-two pounds and neither dad nor I had noticed until she came home from her weight watchers meeting and told us how well she was doing."
"Still, he does look sick and I should have noticed something was going on with him," Frank said, scowling. "I will tell you one thing, though, he is going to see Dr. Bates before the day is out."
Callie entered history class and took a seat near the front. She could see Joe four seats to her left. He looked pale and he was quieter than he had been last year. Last year he was literally the class clown, always joking and laughing, but this year it was like he was a totally different person.
For once, maybe Frank is right to worry so much about Joe, thought Callie as the other students piled into the classroom and took their seats. After class, Callie waited until the other students had departed before standing up. She had decided to wait for Joe who seemed to be taking longer than usual to get his books together.
Joe stood up and swayed. Callie and the teacher both noticed and raced to Joe's side, catching him before he could fall. "Go get the nurse," Mr. Kramer ordered Callie after they had lowered Joe to the floor without injury.
Callie took off running. "No running in the halls," called out Mr. Barns, the vice-principal.
"I have to get the nurse," Callie told him, continuing on her way.
"Where's the fire?" asked Frank as Callie came streaking by.
"It's Joe!" she shouted as she hurried away from him. "He passed out in Kramer's class."
Frank ran down the hall and into Kramer's room and was relieved to find Joe in a sitting position. "What happened?" asked Frank kneeling down beside his brother.
"He fainted," Mr. Kramer replied, keeping a hand firmly on Joe's shoulder. "Would you please tell him to stay still until the nurse arrives?" he begged Frank as Joe tried once more to shrug off Kramer's hand.
"You move and I'll make sure you're grounded for a week," Frank promised as he frowned at him.
"Fine," Joe said and blew a wisp of hair from his eyes.
Callie and Nurse Jenkins arrived a couple of minutes later. She checked his pulse and asked how he was feeling.
"I'm fine," Joe said. "If I could just stand up?" he ended with a sharp edge to his voice.
"I think we should call mom and dad," Frank said, ignoring Joe. "He should see a doctor."
"I don't need a doctor!" Joe shouted angrily.
"I agree," Callie stated. Like Frank, she was ignoring Joe too.
"Nurse Jenkins, do you think I should see a doctor?" Joe asked looking up at her slyly.
"I'm calling mom and dad and we are leaving it up to them," Frank growled, shooting Joe a stern look. He knew Joe knew the school nurse wasn't allowed to give an opinion like that.
"An excellent suggestion," Kramer agreed.
"You can use the phone in my office," Nurse Jenkins offered.
"I'll use the pay phone in the cafeteria," Frank declined the offer. "It's closer."
"I can call," Joe decreed.
"Joe, I want you to go to the office and wait," Kramer instructed, aware Joe could get hurt if he had another fainting spell. Like Callie and the Hardys' other friends, he had noticed a marked difference in Joe this term.
Frank bit back a smile as he nodded his thanks to Mr. Kramer. "Callie, you had better get to class," Kramer continued. "Nurse Jenkins can escort Joe to the office."
***
Fenton and Laura arrived in less than thirty minutes. Frank had been very informative on the phone but they were having trouble imagining Joe could be as ill as Frank said when they had just seen Joe that morning and he had seemed no different.
Laura and Fenton stopped just inside the office and looked at the blond headed youth who sat with his head resting against the wall not with the passing glance they so often did, but as one might look at a long lost relative. Joe was indeed a different person. They both recognized the clothes as ones he had outgrown over a year ago. They could see the jeans bunching around his thighs and their bagginess was even more astounding because it was so obvious while he sat down. They couldn't make out his chest because he wore a sweater with a collar poking through at the neck. Why was he dressed for the cold when it was in the eighties?
They walked over to Joe and Laura faltered as Joe opened his eyes, which looked too big for his face. "This isn't necessary," Joe insisted as they neared, not noticing the fear that had crept into his parents' eyes as they looked at him. "I feel fine."
"Humor us," Laura said softly as she smiled at her son, hiding her fear with the expertise that she had developed long ago.
Fenton signed Joe out and then the three of them went to see their family doctor, Dr. Alfred Bates. After a thirty-minute wait, Joe was taken back, accompanied by Laura and Fenton, and examined. One of the nurses came in and took a blood sample and then Joe was ordered to go to the restroom and produce a specimen.
While Joe was absent, Dr. Bates talked with the Hardys about Joe's condition. "He has lost a lot of weight," Dr. Bates began. "A full thirty-six pounds since his last physical," he added with a deep frown. "Has he any other symptoms?"
"He fainted today in school," Laura said.
"And I noticed he's wearing heavy clothes," Fenton added, frowning. "But I don't know if that means anything or not."
"The clothing is probably to keep warm," Dr. Bates commented. "He's lost a lot of body fat, more than is healthy for his age and height. We won't have the results from the tests until tomorrow but I am going to give him a prescription for some vitamins. They should increase his appetite."
"But if they don't?" Laura asked.
"If his appetite doesn't increase of he starts vomiting or having diarrhea, bring him back. I will call you with the test results tomorrow morning. If nothing shows up then I suggest he be admitted to Bayport General for more extensive tests. Also," he added as Joe returned to the room, "no excessive exercising, Take it easy for a few days."
"But football try-outs start this week," objected Joe.
"Not for you, I'm afraid," Dr. Bates stated with a firm shake of his head.
"But..." Joe turned to his parents but his protest died on his lips when he saw the way they were looking at him.
"We'll leave you to get dressed," Dr. Bates said to Joe. "Just come on out when you're ready."
Fenton stopped by the pharmacy nearest the doctor's office to get the prescription filled and then drove home. There he gave Joe one of the vitamins and Laura sent him to his room for a nap. Frank arrived home a couple of hours later.
"What's wrong with Joe?" he demanded, entering the living room.
"Hello to you," Laura said, rising from the sofa.
"Sorry," apologized Frank. "Hi. How's Joe?"
"Dr. Bates ran some tests but said he wouldn't know anything until tomorrow," Fenton answered. "He did give Joe some vitamins to take that are supposed to increase his appetite."
"Are they working?" inquired Frank.
"Don't know," Laura answered. "He's been asleep since we got home. But I'm making his favorite dinner and he better eat it," she continued with a smile
"When will it be ready?" asked Frank. He had been so worried about Joe, he had been unable to eat his own lunch.
"In about thirty minutes," Laura replied. "Joe was sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake him for lunch so I thought we would have an early dinner."
"Sounds good," Frank said, smiling. "I'll go wake him up and make him get ready."
Thirty minutes later, Joe entered the dining room and took his seat. "Mmmm," he said, grinning. "Smells great!"
Laura smiled and set Joe's plate in front of him. It was loaded to the brim with chicken fricassee, mashed potatoes and a huge ear of corn on the cob. Fenton set a glass of milk beside Joe's plate and handed another to Frank before sitting down.
Laura set her own plate on the table, checked to make sure everyone had everything, then sat down. "I picked up your homework," Frank told Joe as they began to eat.
"Great," groaned Joe as he ate. "Homework on the first day of school. It should be unconstitutional."
Everyone relaxed a bit as Joe finished his dinner and requested seconds. He finished every bit of his second helpings but declined the apple pie his mom had made for dessert. "I'm stuffed," Joe apologized, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his stomach. "I can't remember when I've been so hungry."
"Must be the vitamins the doctor gave you," Laura said.
"Vitamins?" Joe asked. "I thought it was some kind of antibiotic."
"No," Fenton said. "Dr. Bates said he wouldn't know what made you sick at least until your test results come back. The vitamins are to increase your appetite and give you added nutrition."
"Oh," Joe said. "I guess I had better get started on my homework," he said as he watched Frank and his parents began their dessert. Is it in your backpack?" he asked Frank.
"No," Frank answered. "I laid it on my desk."
"Thanks," Joe said. "May I be excused?" he asked, looking at his mother.
"Of course," she answered, pleased Joe had eaten so well. As far as she was concerned, if Joe had his appetite then there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
Joe got up from the table and headed upstairs. "I think I'll make sure he's feeling all right," Fenton said, standing up. "I'll be back in a minute." He was glad Joe's appetite had returned but, unlike Laura, he didn't think one meal meant he was better. There was something causing Joe to lose weight and until they found out for sure what was wrong with Joe and how to make him better he was going to keep a close eye on his youngest son.
Fenton went upstairs and rapped lightly on Joe's door. Receiving no answer, he opened it and went inside. The bathroom door was open and he saw Joe standing over the toilet. He started to turn and leave so Joe could have his privacy but stopped as astonishment took over. He watched flabbergasted as Joe put his forefinger down his throat, gagged, and began to heave his dinner into the toilet!
"But exercise would tone you," Biff pointed out. "You just look sick."
"Thanks," Joe said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"They're right," agreed Frank, his voice quiet and eyes filled with guilt. How could he not have noticed it? "You should see Dr. Bates," he added, mentioning their family physician.
"I feel great!" Joe told him, his smile vanishing to be replaced with a scowl. "I don't need to see a doctor," he added, turning and leaving the group.
Joe headed down the hall to his homeroom. He wore a scowl but inside he was elated. Finally! Someone noticed! He couldn't believe he had been home all summer and no one had noticed he had lost over thirty pounds. He had long since gotten over the hunger pains but recently he had been getting dizzy and in spite of the fact it was August, the hottest month of the year, he couldn't seem to get warm.
"Joe, is that you?" asked Vanessa Bender, Joe's seventeen-year-old girlfriend as she stopped and turned to stare at him. She had almost passed right by him.
"Of course it's me," Joe said, smiling at her. "How was Japan?" he asked.
"Great," she replied, her smile wan as she looked at him in concern. "What happened to you? I hope Frank messed up the creeps who hurt you."
"I haven't been hurt," Joe said. "It's been a fairly quiet summer."
"Then you've been sick," she gasped. "You are getting better, aren't you?" she demanded.
"I haven't been sick," Joe snapped and took off.
"Easy," Callie said, coming up and putting an arm around Vanessa's shoulders. "There's Frank," she added, nodding her head in the direction of Frank, Chet, Phil, Biff and Tony Prito, who had just joined the guys. "Let's find out what's going on with Joe from him."
"Why?" Tony was asking as the girls approached.
"Why what?" Callie asked.
"Why has Joe lost so much weight?" Chet clarified for the girls.
Frank looked guilty. "I hadn't realized he had," he admitted. "I must be blind."
"Don't blame yourself," Callie said, knowing where Frank was going. That was the one fault she could find with her boyfriend: he felt responsible for everything that happened to Joe. "It's harder to notice something like that when you see the person everyday."
"She's right," agreed Biff. "Mom was on a diet for six months and lost twenty-two pounds and neither dad nor I had noticed until she came home from her weight watchers meeting and told us how well she was doing."
"Still, he does look sick and I should have noticed something was going on with him," Frank said, scowling. "I will tell you one thing, though, he is going to see Dr. Bates before the day is out."
Callie entered history class and took a seat near the front. She could see Joe four seats to her left. He looked pale and he was quieter than he had been last year. Last year he was literally the class clown, always joking and laughing, but this year it was like he was a totally different person.
For once, maybe Frank is right to worry so much about Joe, thought Callie as the other students piled into the classroom and took their seats. After class, Callie waited until the other students had departed before standing up. She had decided to wait for Joe who seemed to be taking longer than usual to get his books together.
Joe stood up and swayed. Callie and the teacher both noticed and raced to Joe's side, catching him before he could fall. "Go get the nurse," Mr. Kramer ordered Callie after they had lowered Joe to the floor without injury.
Callie took off running. "No running in the halls," called out Mr. Barns, the vice-principal.
"I have to get the nurse," Callie told him, continuing on her way.
"Where's the fire?" asked Frank as Callie came streaking by.
"It's Joe!" she shouted as she hurried away from him. "He passed out in Kramer's class."
Frank ran down the hall and into Kramer's room and was relieved to find Joe in a sitting position. "What happened?" asked Frank kneeling down beside his brother.
"He fainted," Mr. Kramer replied, keeping a hand firmly on Joe's shoulder. "Would you please tell him to stay still until the nurse arrives?" he begged Frank as Joe tried once more to shrug off Kramer's hand.
"You move and I'll make sure you're grounded for a week," Frank promised as he frowned at him.
"Fine," Joe said and blew a wisp of hair from his eyes.
Callie and Nurse Jenkins arrived a couple of minutes later. She checked his pulse and asked how he was feeling.
"I'm fine," Joe said. "If I could just stand up?" he ended with a sharp edge to his voice.
"I think we should call mom and dad," Frank said, ignoring Joe. "He should see a doctor."
"I don't need a doctor!" Joe shouted angrily.
"I agree," Callie stated. Like Frank, she was ignoring Joe too.
"Nurse Jenkins, do you think I should see a doctor?" Joe asked looking up at her slyly.
"I'm calling mom and dad and we are leaving it up to them," Frank growled, shooting Joe a stern look. He knew Joe knew the school nurse wasn't allowed to give an opinion like that.
"An excellent suggestion," Kramer agreed.
"You can use the phone in my office," Nurse Jenkins offered.
"I'll use the pay phone in the cafeteria," Frank declined the offer. "It's closer."
"I can call," Joe decreed.
"Joe, I want you to go to the office and wait," Kramer instructed, aware Joe could get hurt if he had another fainting spell. Like Callie and the Hardys' other friends, he had noticed a marked difference in Joe this term.
Frank bit back a smile as he nodded his thanks to Mr. Kramer. "Callie, you had better get to class," Kramer continued. "Nurse Jenkins can escort Joe to the office."
***
Fenton and Laura arrived in less than thirty minutes. Frank had been very informative on the phone but they were having trouble imagining Joe could be as ill as Frank said when they had just seen Joe that morning and he had seemed no different.
Laura and Fenton stopped just inside the office and looked at the blond headed youth who sat with his head resting against the wall not with the passing glance they so often did, but as one might look at a long lost relative. Joe was indeed a different person. They both recognized the clothes as ones he had outgrown over a year ago. They could see the jeans bunching around his thighs and their bagginess was even more astounding because it was so obvious while he sat down. They couldn't make out his chest because he wore a sweater with a collar poking through at the neck. Why was he dressed for the cold when it was in the eighties?
They walked over to Joe and Laura faltered as Joe opened his eyes, which looked too big for his face. "This isn't necessary," Joe insisted as they neared, not noticing the fear that had crept into his parents' eyes as they looked at him. "I feel fine."
"Humor us," Laura said softly as she smiled at her son, hiding her fear with the expertise that she had developed long ago.
Fenton signed Joe out and then the three of them went to see their family doctor, Dr. Alfred Bates. After a thirty-minute wait, Joe was taken back, accompanied by Laura and Fenton, and examined. One of the nurses came in and took a blood sample and then Joe was ordered to go to the restroom and produce a specimen.
While Joe was absent, Dr. Bates talked with the Hardys about Joe's condition. "He has lost a lot of weight," Dr. Bates began. "A full thirty-six pounds since his last physical," he added with a deep frown. "Has he any other symptoms?"
"He fainted today in school," Laura said.
"And I noticed he's wearing heavy clothes," Fenton added, frowning. "But I don't know if that means anything or not."
"The clothing is probably to keep warm," Dr. Bates commented. "He's lost a lot of body fat, more than is healthy for his age and height. We won't have the results from the tests until tomorrow but I am going to give him a prescription for some vitamins. They should increase his appetite."
"But if they don't?" Laura asked.
"If his appetite doesn't increase of he starts vomiting or having diarrhea, bring him back. I will call you with the test results tomorrow morning. If nothing shows up then I suggest he be admitted to Bayport General for more extensive tests. Also," he added as Joe returned to the room, "no excessive exercising, Take it easy for a few days."
"But football try-outs start this week," objected Joe.
"Not for you, I'm afraid," Dr. Bates stated with a firm shake of his head.
"But..." Joe turned to his parents but his protest died on his lips when he saw the way they were looking at him.
"We'll leave you to get dressed," Dr. Bates said to Joe. "Just come on out when you're ready."
Fenton stopped by the pharmacy nearest the doctor's office to get the prescription filled and then drove home. There he gave Joe one of the vitamins and Laura sent him to his room for a nap. Frank arrived home a couple of hours later.
"What's wrong with Joe?" he demanded, entering the living room.
"Hello to you," Laura said, rising from the sofa.
"Sorry," apologized Frank. "Hi. How's Joe?"
"Dr. Bates ran some tests but said he wouldn't know anything until tomorrow," Fenton answered. "He did give Joe some vitamins to take that are supposed to increase his appetite."
"Are they working?" inquired Frank.
"Don't know," Laura answered. "He's been asleep since we got home. But I'm making his favorite dinner and he better eat it," she continued with a smile
"When will it be ready?" asked Frank. He had been so worried about Joe, he had been unable to eat his own lunch.
"In about thirty minutes," Laura replied. "Joe was sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake him for lunch so I thought we would have an early dinner."
"Sounds good," Frank said, smiling. "I'll go wake him up and make him get ready."
Thirty minutes later, Joe entered the dining room and took his seat. "Mmmm," he said, grinning. "Smells great!"
Laura smiled and set Joe's plate in front of him. It was loaded to the brim with chicken fricassee, mashed potatoes and a huge ear of corn on the cob. Fenton set a glass of milk beside Joe's plate and handed another to Frank before sitting down.
Laura set her own plate on the table, checked to make sure everyone had everything, then sat down. "I picked up your homework," Frank told Joe as they began to eat.
"Great," groaned Joe as he ate. "Homework on the first day of school. It should be unconstitutional."
Everyone relaxed a bit as Joe finished his dinner and requested seconds. He finished every bit of his second helpings but declined the apple pie his mom had made for dessert. "I'm stuffed," Joe apologized, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his stomach. "I can't remember when I've been so hungry."
"Must be the vitamins the doctor gave you," Laura said.
"Vitamins?" Joe asked. "I thought it was some kind of antibiotic."
"No," Fenton said. "Dr. Bates said he wouldn't know what made you sick at least until your test results come back. The vitamins are to increase your appetite and give you added nutrition."
"Oh," Joe said. "I guess I had better get started on my homework," he said as he watched Frank and his parents began their dessert. Is it in your backpack?" he asked Frank.
"No," Frank answered. "I laid it on my desk."
"Thanks," Joe said. "May I be excused?" he asked, looking at his mother.
"Of course," she answered, pleased Joe had eaten so well. As far as she was concerned, if Joe had his appetite then there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
Joe got up from the table and headed upstairs. "I think I'll make sure he's feeling all right," Fenton said, standing up. "I'll be back in a minute." He was glad Joe's appetite had returned but, unlike Laura, he didn't think one meal meant he was better. There was something causing Joe to lose weight and until they found out for sure what was wrong with Joe and how to make him better he was going to keep a close eye on his youngest son.
Fenton went upstairs and rapped lightly on Joe's door. Receiving no answer, he opened it and went inside. The bathroom door was open and he saw Joe standing over the toilet. He started to turn and leave so Joe could have his privacy but stopped as astonishment took over. He watched flabbergasted as Joe put his forefinger down his throat, gagged, and began to heave his dinner into the toilet!