PART 8

July 15, 2015

"Come on guys! Wake up!" Vaughn tried desperately to get his sleeping sons out of bed. Especially Alexander was quite a groggy person in the early morning. Although Vaughn had to laugh at his own thought. Who would call 10 in the morning early? Only his wife and his sons. They sure had taken Vaughn's physical side and thus many people could see that those four children were his sons but when you got to know them, you would also make it out easy that Alex was definitely Sydney's son, especially when it came to this matter.

Vaughn never had problems to get him out of bed during the week, for school. Alex loved going to school, learning new words. He was the best out of his class. Even mathematics was a field that didn't stay unknown by him. He would always be the first one on his feet.

Saturday mornings were there to sleep in, Vaughn could hear Alex and Sydney shout out at the same time. Nothing in the world would ever get them moved out of the cozy sheets, not even an earthquake. Three of them finally peered their noses from under the sheets but as usual Alex would resist his father's pulling.

"No dad! Come on, it's Saturday!"

"Alex, you need to get up just like your brothers. Now come get your butt down here! We have lots of things to do" Vaughn got slightly irritated by Alex stubbornness.

"Yeah" Alex could hear his younger brother yell from the doorway "Hurry, we have to get ready for Joey's party, remember?"

"Collin, sh" Vaughn shushed him as he turned around to face him "Your mother is still sleeping!"

Alex furious red head made a brief appearance from under his Harry Potter sheets "See, even mum can sleep in! So I can too! That's not fair!" and off he hid his face again, pulling the covers back over his head.

"Your mum is having a baby, Alex, and she is tired and needs to rest! Now get out of there otherwise I'm getting furious! I don't have neither the time nor the nerves to go with you through this every Saturday. You know we have to go to the shopping mall and get yours and Oliver's hair cut and also get a gift for Joelina."

"I don't want to get my hair cut! I like it the way it is!" came a muffled voice from under the pillow he had thrown over his head as to not hear his father's words.

Vaughn shook his head and resigned. He turned around and started walking out of the door when Tim came up running to his dad and they almost bumped into each other.

"Timmy! No running, you know that!" Vaughn raised his voice too much after the small arguing he had just had with Alex, that frightened Tim and his body went all stiff. His eyes went wide open and his face immediately contorted into a light blue-ish color.

Vaughn lifted him right away into his arms, shaking him lightly, giving him soft pads over his back. "Come on Timmy, please breathe! Don't do this to me again"

Something like that happened quite frequently to Tim and this was not what he needed right now either. The day was supposed to be more relaxing for Sydney. They had planned everything the night before, but apparently it was going to be everything else but that.

Vaughn would be in charge of the children in order to let Sydney get some sleep. He would take them to the mall and get shopping done and by the time they would be back home, she would be ready and all rested and then they would all drive together to Christina and Eric for the children's party. Just like a normal Saturday was supposed to be.

Sydney had been awake the last 15 minutes, listening to her husband's arguing with their older son. She inwardly shook her head knowing what kind of struggle Vaughn had to go through. They often joked about whose stubbornness he got it from until they had both agreed that it was hers. A little while later she was alarmed by Vaughn's worried voice in the hallway.

Without thinking twice she was out of bed, holding her belly with one hand and her head with the other one as she realized that she had gotten out too quick. "Oh My! is the room turning or is it me?" she wondered for a second but then snapped back into reality. "Timmy!" she gasped and hurried out of the bedroom into the hall, where she saw Vaughn gathering their youngest son against his chest as he finally let out a long awaiting cry.

Everybody was around Tim in seconds and followed Vaughn's every move.

"Michael what happened?" a worried and anxious Sydney stood behind him, letting her fingers touch the boys head in a motherly affected way. Big tears rolled down his cheeks and over Vaughn's freshly washed and ironed shirt but nothing else mattered right now, then getting Tim's breathing and heart beating back to normal.

His heart and body was more fragile as other children. Every slightest motion, scream or noise could turn the child into a ghost like shape. The first time it happened, neither was ever going to forget about it.

Flashback

"Alex! You watch out your brother's ok? We'll be right back?" Alex shook his head knowing his parents could count on him. After all he would be six soon and his father always used to call him his little man, that always had made him proud and important in this big family. He felt responsible towards his younger brothers despite his tender age.

The pool was just brought up in grandpa's backyard. It was a brand new one that Jack had just gotten for the twins to plunge in. Little fish were broded on the outside all around the round cubicle. It was a hot summer day in 2010, the barbecue was all set and while the water was going to heat up in the pool, they would have a nice late lunch.

The children squealed in the backyard while Vaughn, Sydney and Jack rummaged in the kitchen, picking up the last utensils for their feast. Vaughn walked out first with two large bowls of salad in his hands, stepping down the two steps to the big yard.

"Guys, come on, let's eat something!"

"Dad? Something's up with Timmy!" Alex yelled from the other side of the pool as Vaughn lifted his eyes into his son's direction.

In no matter of time, Vaughn was next to Alex and grabbed his youngest into the air without even thinking. Only his paternal instinct kicking in, shaking his son while he had to watch his face go all blue for the first time. He had no clue what to do at that moment but there was no time to think. He grabbed Tim into his arms and shook him, pleading him to let out a scream.

Around 10 seconds later Vaughn was rewarded with one of the most beautiful cries he had ever heard except the wailing of a newborn baby. His heart was relieved straight away as he saw his son struggle to get back to his normal breathing.

End of Flashback

Unfortunately this was something that happened rather frequently to their youngest. He was much more sensitive than other children and both parents had a lot to learn. They also had to explain Tim's older brothers about his disease and his sensitiveness and nobody had ever said something against it. It only happened sometimes that Tim felt left out, especially when it came to sports, running and playing around. But he learnt how to live with it, just like all the other people around him.

Both Sydney and Vaughn were happy when they watched him ride the horse for the first time and he had this large "Sydney smile" plastered all over his face. His favorite hobby was something that kept him going. His yearly checks at the hospital and medication made everything easier. He was surrounded by people that loved and cared for him. He simply was a fighter, from day one on.

Sydney took him off her husband's arms.

"Dad? Is Timmy going to be ok?" Vaughn gazed into Sydney's eyes for the split of a second both thinking Thank God.

"Of course Oliver. Now come on let's go down and get some breakfast, okay?"

"Uhu!" Oliver agreed.

"Dad, I want pancakes" Collin requested his every Saturday cakes.

"I know Collin, I'll make you some pancakes as usual"

"Dad?" Alex called out from the parents' doorframe, leaning against it.

While the other two had squinted down the stairways, Vaughn turned around to listen to Alex "Yes?"

"I'm sorry Dad,...well you know...about before... I didn't mean to..."

Vaughn knew what Alex thought. He thought that all of this had just happened because of him. His dad had been furious after him not getting out of bed and thus he had been yelling at Tim without doing it on purpose.

"Alex, you didn't do anything, don't worry ok. Timmy will be fine, I promise" Alex gave a short nod with his head. As Vaughn wanted to go downstairs he heard him call again.

"Hey dad?.... I really don't want to go to the shopping mall. Can I not just stay home with mum? You know, somebody's gotta have to stay with her"

Always the worried Alex Vaughn thought and shook his head. Whenever it came to Tim and his mother the overprotective mode kicked in him, just like his father.

"Ok, Alex" Vaughn smiled. "Just tell Timmy to get down here when he feels up to it ok?"

"Sure...hmm... thanks dad" Vaughn winked at him and made his way to the kitchen.