Elizabeth left early in the morning, before the kids were up to drive to Augusta. She took Jack's truck so she had more room to carry things.
Jack made eggs and bacon with of course fresh fruit so that when the kids were up, they could eat.
"Dada!" Addy and Aiden called from their crib.
"Coming guys," he told them as he climbed the stairs.
"Daddy?" Autumn stood in the doorway of her room.
"Hi, pumpkin."
"Daddy, ow," she whimpered, holding her ears.
"Your ears hurt?" She nodded.
"Hot."
He kissed her forehead and touched her flushed cheeks. "Alright, baby, let's get you some medicine." He picked her up and took her into the master bath to get take her temperature. He scanned her forehead and temple. 101. He decided to give her some Tylenol and put her in bed. He couldn't call the pediatrician for another hour so he would do what he could.
He helped her into the big bed and covered her up. "I'm going to change their diapers and feed them. I'll bring you up some juice." He kissed her forehead and went about getting them fed.
When he had the twins in their high chairs and had given them eggs and cheese, he took his phone out of his pocket and called Elizabeth.
"Hi, Jack."
"Hey, babe. How's your drive?"
"Good. I'm about an hour out of Augusta. I'm eating breakfast at a little diner."
"Autumn woke up with a fever and both her ears hurt."
"How high is her fever?"
"101. I gave her Tylenol and she's laying down."
"That's good. Make sure you give her juice and water. Um, when I'm done eating, I'll call Mom and tell her I can't help her today and then I'll be home."
"No, that's okay. I'm going to call the pediatrician and get her in to see him. I just wanted you to know."
"Who's going to watch the twins? We don't have anyone cleared with DCF."
"I am. I'll take the double stroller. We will be fine."
"Jack, they are monkeys. They will be climbing out of that thing."
"We will be fine. You help your mom and I'll call you after we see the doc. I love you."
"I love you too. Give them a kiss for me."
"I will."
Jack took a quick second to put some apple juice in a sippy cup and run it up to Autumn.
He walked in and kissed her forehead. Still hot. She was asleep so he put her juice on the side table and left the room.
"Uh oh!" Addy said as he heard something fall to the floor.
"Uh oh!" Aiden mimicked and then giggled.
"Addy, Aiden, what are doing?"
"Dada! Fall!" Addy pointed to her bowl of eggs that was now on the floor, flipped over.
Aiden picked up his spoon and dropped it, giggling. "Uh oh."
"I'm guessing you're done," he said, quickly grabbing anything else they could drop on the floor.
"Dada, up!" they said in unison.
"I need to wash your faces first."
"Dada up! Dada up!"
"Hold your little horses," he told them, grabbing two baby wipes and wiping their faces and hands.
"Daddy!" Autumn called from upstairs.
"Yes, pumpkin?"
"Autumn….throwed up."
"You threw up?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, baby. I'll be right there."
He thought for a moment about where to put the twins. Their crib seemed logical. "Alright, babies, let's go upstairs."
He followed them up the stairs and took them into his and Elizabeth's bedroom. Autumn was crying on the bed, apparently the Tylenol and all its redness not agreeing with her stomach.
He put the babies in the crib and walked over to see Autumn. "Aw, sweetie, I'm sorry you don't feel good. Do you want to take a bubble bath in the big bathtub?"
"Yeah," she whimpered. "Okay." He took her into the bathtub and started the water. "Mommy bubbles?"
"Yep. You're going to smell just like Mommy."
Jack turned around to head into Autumn's room for clean clothes and almost ran into Aidan.
"Hi, Dada!"
"Did you climb out of the crib?"
"Yeah. Climb."
He picked him up and put him back in. "Aiden, stay there."
Aiden nodded so Jack hurried out of the room. He was back in one minute but that was enough time for Addy to climb out and find Autumn.
"Addy, did you climb out?"
"Climb, Dada."
At least they were honest. He stopped the water and put Addy back in the crib. "Stay there, Addy."
Jack helped Autumn undress and get into the bath. Every thirty seconds he popped his head out and made sure the twins were in the crib. So far, so good.
When it came time to wash her hair, he had to trust they would stay in the crib because it would take longer than thirty seconds.
As soon as he helped her out and wrapped her in a towel, he checked on them. The crib was empty.
"I'll be right back, Autumn. Addy, Aiden, where are you?"
He found Addy drinking Autumn's juice and playing in the dresser drawers.
"That Autumn….juice!" Autumn cried.
"I'll get you more, baby."
Aiden was in the closet playing with shoes.
"Autumn want….juice," she sobbed as she sat on the floor. "Addy….drink."
"Autumn, let's get you dressed."
"No! Juice!"
Rather than reason with her or making her dress herself, he decided to pick his battles and did it for her.
"Alright, babe, let's go get you juice."
"Daddy, carry Autumn?"
He picked her up and herded the other two. "Addy, turn around as you go down the stairs. Good job, Aiden."
At this point, Jack missed Elizabeth terribly. It was going to be a long two days.
….
Elizabeth pulled into her childhood home driveway. Everything in her heart was telling her to go back home but he insisted he could handle it so she kept driving.
She walked in the door. "Mom?"
"Beth, I'm in the kitchen!" she called.
Elizabeth walked to the kitchen, marveling at how different everything looked packed in boxes.
"Hey, Mom."
"Hi, dear."
Elizabeth started wrapping paper around the glasses and putting them into boxes right along with her mom.
"How are you, Mom?"
"I'm good. It's a little bittersweet, you know?"
"Yeah. Are you sure you're ready?"
"To move? Yes. To move forward? Definitely. To say goodbye to the memories, not really."
"No one can make you say goodbye to memories. They will always be in your heart." Like Mercy.
"They start fading though. Things aren't as clear." They packed quietly for a few minutes and then Grace changed the subject. "How are my beautiful grandbabies?"
"Autumn has another ear infection."
"Oh no! Why aren't you there? I would have understood."
"Jack insisted they would be fine. But three little ones, one of whom is sick, is not easy."
"Maybe you should call him."
"I don't want him to think I don't think he can handle it."
"But you're their mother, dear. He would understand."
"I have been away from them for four hours and I miss them so much."
"Call."
Elizabeth nodded, took out her phone, and dialed.
"Hey, babe," he answered.
"Hi. How is Autumn?"
"Well, in addition to her ears, she threw up all over herself and our bed. I'm not sure the Tylenol color will come out."
"Jack, maybe I should come home. I don't know how you are handling that plus the twins."
"Well, they are monkeys, that's for sure. And quick ones. They both know how to climb out of the crib."
"They do? I thought it was just Aiden."
"Nope. When I told him to stay, Addy climbed out. It's like they were ganging up on me." Elizabeth chuckled. "Thanks, hon."
"I'm sorry. Did you remember to call school and tell them Autumn isn't coming in?"
"No. I forgot. I did get an appointment for noon for her at the pediatrician though."
"I'll call the school. You just deal with the crazies we call our children."
"Thanks, babe. I miss you."
"I miss you too. All four of you. Love you."
"Love you too."
Elizabeth hung up and called the school and then went back to helping her mom.
….
At 11:30, Jack got everyone in Elizabeth's little car and started driving. "Hey guys, I think Mommy needs a bigger car. What do you think?"
Five minutes from home, he realized he had forgotten the stroller. He was proud he had remembered the diaper bag.
Ten minutes later, they were on the road again with the stroller in the trunk.
They pulled into the doctor's office parking lot with five minutes to spare.
Jack got out and set the stroller up. Then he helped Autumn get out and asked her to stay by the car. Finally, he put the twins and the diaper bag in the stroller.
He picked Autumn up and pushed the stroller through the slush and snow of the parking lot and into the warm building.
"Dada! Poop!" Aiden announced.
"Are you serious?"
"Poop!" Addy mimicked.
He sighed and walked up to the desk. "Hi, my daughter Autumn has an appointment at noon. Also, I need to change a diaper or two."
"Dr. Shepherd is ready for you. You can change a diaper in the exam room."
"Thank you."
She showed him the room. "Doc will be right in."
Jack put Autumn on the exam table and took Aiden out of the stroller. As he was changing his diaper, Addy was attempting to climb out of the stroller. "Addyson, sit down please," he told her in a stern tone.
"Up!"
"No, sit down."
Aiden giggled as he watched his sister. "Its not funny, mister. I'm almost done and then you will be in there with her. Then I'll be laughing."
"Autumn Thornton," the doctor said as he walked in the room with a smile. "How are you feeling, sweet pea?"
"Autumn…throwed up."
"You did? That's no fun. How does your tummy feel now?" She shrugged. "What about your ears?"
"Hurt."
"Her temp was 101 when she woke up. I gave her Tylenol but she threw it up. I'm not sure how much it helped."
He pulled a thermometer scanner off the counter and scanned her forehead.
"101.8. Hmmm. Let me look in your ears, alright, Autumn?" He pulled out his instrument with the light and took a peek. "This one is pretty mean looking. Let's check your other one." When he was done he smiled at Jack who was trying to keep the kids occupied with a snack of goldfish crackers. "Where's your wife today?"
"In Augusta. She's helping her mom move to Riverton. She will be back tomorrow."
"Mama!" Aiden said.
"Until then, you've certainly got your hands full."
"I do."
"Well, Autumn has a double ear infection. I'll give you a script for antibiotics. I'm guessing her tummy troubles were related."
"Thanks, Doc."
"If she keeps getting ear infections, we might want to think about giving her ear tubes."
"How does that work?"
"Its like a tiny straw that we insert into her ear drums. It lets air in and helps stop fluid build up."
"I'll talk with Elizabeth about it."
"Alright. Just a hint. When these three sleep, take a nap too. You look exhausted."
"Thanks."
About an hour later, they were home after getting chicken nuggets for lunch and giving Autumn a dose of antibiotics. Autumn didn't feel like eating so they would save hers for later.
"Guess what, guys? It's time for a nap. Everyone gets to sleep in the big bed."
"Daddy sleep?" Autumn asked.
"Yep. Me too. You guys wear me out."