Seth was sitting in the kitchen when Kirsten came in from work.
"Hey, Seth. Why the long face?" She asked. She wasn't used to seeing her son looking so down. He usually was pulsing with energy and optimism but today, she knew something was wrong.
"I think Ryan's sick," He replied.
"Sick? Is he throwing up?"
"He's been…slow the last few days and today he finally admitted that he was feeling sick. He dozed off while I was talking…"
"Seth, I doze off sometimes when you're talking," Kirsten teased.
"Anyway," He rolled his eyes but smiled. "I felt his forehead and he's burning up. He swears he's okay but…"
"I'll check on him," Kirsten promised and kissed him tenderly on the forehead.
She grabbed the medical kit from the upstairs bathroom and then used her umbrella to walk to the poolhouse. Seth really worried about Ryan. After the incident with Oliver, Seth had been worried about his foster brother. He would talk to her and Sandy about how Ryan had been quieter and distant. She didn't know how he could tell a difference considering how quiet and distant the boy was already. But she knew that Seth was closer to Ryan than she or Sandy would ever be to Ryan. He was a complicated kid but she loved him.
She knocked on the poolhouse door but there was no immediate response. She stepped inside and recognized Ryan's sprawled form on the bed.
She'd watched him sleeping before. He tended to sprawl out with his limbs everywhere, like he wanted to appreciate all the space on the bed. She wondered if he ever had a full size bed before, let alone a king size like the one in the poolhouse. He was lying on top of the rumpled covers.
He was asleep as she approached the bed. Usually he woke up when someone walked in while he was sleeping. He was the lightest sleeper she'd ever encountered. She never let herself think about why he felt like he had to be alert even while he was sleeping.
He was pale. He was really pale.
His hair was mussed and she wondered if he needed a new brush or gel for it. She'd have to check the bathroom when he went to school next. God knows that he wouldn't ask her for anything. She had to nag at him for any information and she knew that if Seth hadn't told her about his fever that she wouldn't have found out.
It was partially her fault. She had been against letting the boy stay when Sandy had first approached her. He was a criminal, a common street thug. She'd never get over the guilt she felt for pre-judging him. Ryan was one of the sweetest, most humble, caring kids that she had ever met. She was lucky to have him in her family. Kirsten let Sandy handle most of the parenting, she tried to prove to Ryan that she cared about him, that she loved him but she was afraid that it wasn't her place to discipline the child that she never wanted. It was complicated. Ryan was Sandy's responsibility at first and she had failed to step up yet.
Honestly, she was still wary of the kid. No matter how much she cared about him or how sweet and caring he really was, there was a thread of violence running through him. He'd come home with bruised knuckles and his blue eyes would be veiled with anger and she was frightened. He always seemed in such control of his emotions, but she knew that there was something pulsing inside him. Something dark and vicious inside.
She started to put her hand to his cheek and she could feel the heat before her skin made contact. He was hot. Too hot.
"Ryan? Ryan, honey, wake up," She said gently. He moved his lips slightly but didn't open his eyes.
"Ryan. I need you to wake up," She said again. She watched as he slowly opened his eyes. They were glazed and unfocused but after a moment, he focused on her.
"Hey, Mrs. Cohen, what's wrong?" He asked.
Kirsten didn't know when he would stop calling her Mrs. and use her first name but she didn't scold him today. He was sick.
"You're running a fever, Ryan, how do you feel?"
"I'm fine. I just got chilled running around in the rain," He murmured. His voice was low and hoarse.
"I want to take your temperature, okay?"
"I'm really fine…" He protested, not meeting her gaze. He rarely met anyone's gaze, he kept his eyes lowered. She hadn't asked why. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know.
"No arguments, kiddo," She said, smiling to reassure him. He sat up and she sat down beside him on the bed. She pulled the thermometer out of the kit. The phone rang and they both jumped in surprise.
"Can I…" Ryan started.
"Go ahead," She said.
He picked up the phone. "Hello?"
Kirsten watched his face to judge his reaction. She didn't want to leave until she took his temperature but she also realized that he might need his privacy. Ryan's face paled several shades and she put her hand on his shoulder instinctively.
"What…what do you want with him?" Ryan asked as he flinched slightly at her touch. He seemed to remember that she was there and glanced up at her. Kirsten had never heard his voice sound like that.
"He's not here," Ryan said. "You must have a bad number." He hung up. As he put the phone back on the stand, she saw that his hands were shaking.
"Who was that, Ryan?" She asked.
"Wrong number," He whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure," He responded after a pause. He was still shaking but she didn't want to push him.
"Okay, Ryan. Here," She offered him the thermometer and he accepted it into his mouth. He wouldn't meet her eyes.