Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for this story.
Everyone (except Madison and Mark, that is) found their way to the Hamptons over the course of two days. Rick and Kate drove up Friday morning, Rick at the wheel, Kate in the middle of the second row of three seats with Reece on one side of her and Jake on the other, and Lily in the way back in her car seat behind Jake's car seat.
Jim was following them in his own car, which carried roughly half of the family's luggage, because they didn't have enough space in the SUV, despite its size, with Rick, Kate, three children ranging in age from 3 months to 3 years, along with all of the baby paraphernalia Kate insisted they needed to take in their car—diapers, bottles, changes of clothes, and toys for both boys—and a change of clothes for Lily just in case, plus her LeapPad, a Color Wonder book and markers, her Wonder Woman and Supergirl dolls, and her new pail and shovel from Grandpa Jim for sandcastle building. (Grandpa Jim had the rest of the stash of beach toys he had bought for Lily packed in his car.)
It was the first time Rick and Kate had made the trip to the Hamptons house with Lily, Reece and Jake all three, so there were a few stops along the way, but they still arrived around lunch time.
After a quick lunch, Rick and Jim unloaded both cars while Kate settled in the living room with the kids, sitting on the floor and playing with all three of them.
Alexis and Javier took the train up Saturday morning, and Jim met them at the train station to drive them to the house. When they got there, they found that the Ryans had arrived and Lily, Sarah Grace, and Nick were chasing each other all over the front lawn while Kate, standing on the porch, tried to soothe Reece, who was wailing in her arms; Rick gently bounced the fussy Jake, seemingly to no avail; and Kevin and Jenny were trying to corral all three of the older children, unsuccessfully. "Oh, thank God, backup!" Kevin exclaimed when he saw Jim, Javi, and Alexis emerge from Jim's car.
"Both boys are overtired and really need naps," Kate said over the wailing.
"You and Rick take Reece and Jake inside, Katie," Jim said. "We've got this." He gestured to the cars and the older kids.
"Thanks, Dad," Kate said.
Once Lily spotted Alexis, she shrieked, "ALEXIS!" and veered off to run to her big sister.
"Too much excitement, huh, guys?" Rick said once he and Kate were inside with Reece and Jake.
Kate looked at Reece more closely. His face was bright red from crying, but he was also pawing at his left ear. Kate kissed his forehead, and then frowned. "Rick, Reece has a fever!" she exclaimed. She hurried upstairs to the master suite and carefully laid Reece down on the bed, causing him to wail even louder. When she unearthed the digital thermometer from a pocket in one of the diaper bags, she inserted it into his right ear, and when it beeped several seconds later, she looked over at Rick, who was standing in the doorway with Jake over his shoulder, whimpering softly as Rick patted and rubbed his back, and a look of concern on his face. "His temperature's 101.2," Kate said anxiously. "We have to get him to a doctor."
"There's a pediatrician who lives three blocks away," Rick said, entering the room. "He has forever. He saw Alexis a few times when she was a kid. I hope he's home this weekend."
Kate scooped Reece up, covering him with kisses and cradling him close, her palm cupping the back of his head. "I know, baby," she crooned. "We're gonna get you some help."
At that moment, Martha appeared at the threshold of the master suite. "We could hear the crying outside," she said.
"Reece is sick, Mother," Rick said. "At least, he has a fever of 101.2 and he's very unhappy."
"Maybe it's an ear infection," Kate fretted. "He keeps pawing at his left ear."
"Since this isn't exactly in Lanie's wheelhouse—we ran into her and Alan and Will on the train and they're here too—shall I call Dr. Abernathy?" Martha asked.
"Please," Rick said. Jake, unsettled by his brother's upset, was still whimpering softly and had his little fists curled tightly into the front of Rick's shirt. "I don't think Jake wants to let me go."
"Right," Martha said. She hurried into the room, grabbed the phone, located the phone book on the bottom shelf of the nightstand, and after looking up the number, punched it into the landline. "Hello?" she said after what felt to Rick, Kate, Reece and Jake all four a terribly long time. "Dr. Abernathy?...Thank goodness. This is Martha Rodgers….No, I'm afraid it isn't a social call. Are you still practicing?….Good. One of my grandsons is very ill. He has a fever of 101.2, and he's tugging on his left ear….He's three months old….Yes, our address is the same….Thank you, Dr. Abernathy, we'll be waiting." She hung up, then turned to Richard and Katherine. "He remembers us, and he's on his way over. He'll be here in just a few minutes."
"Thank you, Martha," Kate replied.
"I'm going to go downstairs and fill in the others," she said, "and then direct Dr. Abernathy up here." Then she was gone.
Jake was still whimpering. "Hey, now, Jellybean, it's okay," Rick said, gently bouncing the baby in his arms. "We'll have the doctor look you over too, just in case, although you don't feel warm."
About five minutes later, Martha returned, with Dr. Abernathy, Jim, Alexis, Lily, and Lanie in tow. "One of my godsons is sick?" Lanie asked.
"You must be the doctor," Dr. Abernathy said to Lanie.
"I thought you were the doctor," Jim said.
"That's what it says on my diploma from Johns Hopkins," Dr. Abernathy replied.
"Oh lord, Castle, he's you in twenty years," Lanie said.
"I'm much better with medicine than I am with words," Dr. Abernathy said. He opened his black bag. "Now, all concerned grandparents, siblings, and godparents who also happen to be doctors, please wait in the hall. I need to examine the patient."
Alexis took charge then, herding Lily out of the room with the promise of a Popsicle, and Jim, Martha, and Lanie leaving with looks back over their shoulders.
"All right, then, let's take a look at this little guy," Dr. Abernathy. "Where can I wash up?"
"Right through there," Rick replied, gesturing towards the master bathroom with a tilt of his head.
"Thank you," Dr. Abernathy replied. He went and washed up, then returned and said, "Okay, who do we have here?" as he approached Kate and Reece.
"Reece," Kate replied.
"Martha said he was 3 months old," Dr. Abernathy said. "Martha and I went to dinner a few times several years ago. I met her significant other downstairs. I saw him in a production of Same Time, Next Year in Connecticut a couple of years ago." He pulled his stethoscope out of his bag and said to Kate, "Could you take off his onesie, please?" Kate made quick work of removing Reece's onesie, and Dr. Abernathy listened to his heart and lungs. "No congestion, that's good," he pronounced. "But you're a little space heater, Reece." Reece continued to protest when Dr. Abernethy took his temperature in his right ear and confirmed that he still had a fever of 101.2. "Do you have infant Tylenol or Motrin?"
"Yes, in one of the diaper bags," Kate replied.
"He'll need half a teaspoon, or 2.5 milliliters if you're using the syringe, every four to six hours, and do not exceed five doses in a 24-hour period," Dr. Abernathy said. He pulled out his otoscope next and looked first in Reece's right ear. Reece had calmed down somewhat, but as soon as Dr. Abernathy switched sides and gently pulled Reece's left ear down and back to shine the light inside it, Reece began screaming his head off again. "Yup," Dr. Abernathy said over Reece's screams, "that is one nasty middle ear infection. I'll write him a prescription for an antibiotic, which I want you to fill immediately, and start him on it right away. It might give him diarrhea, so watch out for that. The Tylenol should knock out the fever completely in the next two days, and I'll prescribe a one-week course of antibiotics for Reece, although he should be much better in four or five days. I presume you won't still be here then, so you'll want to follow up with his regular pediatrician. You're probably in for a very rough night tonight, and possibly tomorrow night as well, but he'll be fine in a few days."
He replaced his otoscope in his bag, but his stethoscope was still hanging around his neck. "Let me wash up again, and then I'll check Jake over, just to be sure he's okay," Dr. Abernathy said. "Ear infections are not contagious, but I prefer to err on the side of caution." After a quick hand washing, Dr. Abernathy returned, examined Jake, and pronounced him 100% healthy. He pulled out his prescription pad and a pen and wrote a prescription for Reece for an antibiotic for his ear infection. Tearing it off the pad, he said, "Get this filled ASAP," and handed it to Rick.
"Thank you so much, Dr. Abernathy," Rick replied. He hadn't known the doctor well—and in fact, hadn't even known that the doctor and his mother had had dinner together a few times several years ago—but he would be forever grateful to the man for coming over when called and giving them the means to help Reece feel better as soon as possible.
"Yes, thank you, Dr. Abernathy," Kate echoed.
"I'll show myself out," Dr. Abernathy said. "If you need me again while you're in town, call me anytime." He then addressed the boys. "Jake, nice to meet you. Reece, feel better soon." Then he left.
The whole family came flooding into the upstairs hallway then, Jim and Martha at the front of the crowd, Earl, Lanie, and Alexis, with Lily, her mouth all purple from her grape Popsicle, right behind them. Jim and Martha were crowded in the doorway to the master suite. Reece was still crying, though no longer hysterical, and Jake was still whimpering, feeding off of his brother's abject misery.
"Reece has an ear infection," Rick announced as Kate continued trying to calm their tiny, miserable boy. He was still holding the prescription in his hand. "We need to get this filled, but I don't think Jake's going to be receptive to anyone else right now, since he still has this iron grip on my shirt." Indeed, Jake was holding on to his daddy's shirt for dear life.
"I'll run and get it filled right now," Jim said, plucking the sheet of paper out of Rick's hand.
"Thanks, Dad," Kate called as Jim threw a wave over his shoulder and rushed out into the hall and down the stairs to his car to head to the pharmacy.
"What can we do, Richard?" Martha asked, referring to herself and the others collectively.
Rick and Kate exchanged a look. "How's Lily?" Rick asked.
"Until Dr. Abernathy left, she was coloring downstairs with Alexis and Sarah Grace," Martha replied.
"Excuse us!" Alexis called then. She and Lily entered the master suite then. "How are Reece and Jake?" she asked.
"Reece has an ear infection, Jake's healthy physically but fussy because Reece is all upset, or at least that's what's what we're thinking," Rick said.
Lily clapped her hands over her ears. "Reece has never been that loud, Daddy!" she exclaimed.
"He's sick, sweetpea," Rick told her. "And he can't talk yet, and sometimes when you're sick, you feel so badly, you just have to cry, no matter how old you are."
"Am I going to get sick too? Is Jakey?" Lily asked.
"No," Kate answered. "Reece isn't contagious."
"I wanna go back and color now," Lily said.
"That's a good idea, Lily," Kate said.
"If there's anything I can do to help, let me know," Alexis said.
"Keep an eye on Lily for us," Rick said. "We've really got our hands full with the boys right now."
"You can count on me," Alexis replied. "Come on, Lily, let's get you washed up and then we'll go back and color some more, or maybe Javier and I can do something else with you and Sarah Grace and Nick."
"Yay!" Lily cheered.
After she and Lily left, Lanie stuck her head in the door, and Alan, with Will standing next to him jumping up and down and chattering away, was right beside her. "Otitis media?" Lanie asked.
"If that's medical terminology for a middle ear infection, yes," Kate said.
"Poor baby," Lanie said sympathetically. "Will had an ear infection when he wasn't much older than Reece. They're very painful. What did Dr. Abernathy prescribe?"
"Infant Tylenol for the fever and..." Kate trailed off, not having seen the prescription, and looked at Rick.
"I couldn't really make out his writing," Rick confessed. "Do they teach you Illegible Handwriting 101 in medical school? It looked like it started with an 'A.'"
"Probably Amoxicillin," Lanie mused. "That's what Will's pediatrician gave him. In three days' time, he was much better." She paused. "Since Reece is sick, is the weekend off? We were all talking about it downstairs, and we'll all understand if it is."
Rick and Kate looked at each other again. "As much as we hate to do it, yeah, it's probably better for everyone if it is. We're in for a rough night or two with Reece, and by extension Jake, since they'll both be sleeping in here with us," Kate said.
"And the house isn't soundproofed," Rick added, "although Reece isn't contagious."
"Hey, almost everyone here is a parent. We know how it is," Alan said then. "We're not worried Will's going to get sick."
"And Jenny and Ryan aren't worried that Sarah Grace and Nick are going to get sick," Lanie added. "Like Alan said, we get it. We've been there ourselves. And none of us really want to go unless you specifically want us to."
Rick and Kate exchanged another look. "Well, this is going to be our weekend," Kate said. "I'm sure my dad and Martha and Earl, Alexis and Javi are all going to stay, so..."
"We'll leave it up to everyone as to whether or not you decide to stay or go home," Rick finished, which was exactly what Kate had been thinking. "We're sorry about this."
"Don't worry about that, Castle," Lanie said. "Kids get sick. We all know that." She paused, then said, "Alan and I will go tell everybody downstairs, since Gates and her husband just arrived and don't really know what's happening yet, what's going on."
"Thanks, Lanie," Kate said.
"If you need anything, just let us know," Alan said. He bent over to help Will walk down the hall and down the stairs, and the Masters family went back downstairs to tell everyone else about Reece's ear infection and the change in weekend plans.
Jim Beckett came rushing in then with Reece's antibiotic. "I've got the Amoxicillin!" he exclaimed. "And I insist on helping you get it down Reece, Katie. It's a two-person job, and Rick has his hands full with Jake."
"The twin bond at work?" Rick asked Jake. "I promise you, Jake, Reece is going to be just fine."
Kate and Jim, working together, got the infant Tylenol, once Jim found it in the diaper bag, down Reece for his fever, and that was tough enough. The Amoxicillin took even more effort, but although Kate knew, intellectually, that the medicine was necessary for Reece, that given a little time, both the Tylenol and the Amoxicillin would take effect and make Reece start to feel better, but although Lily had had a couple of colds in her life, this was the first major illness one of her kids had had, and Kate felt a pain in her heart that she'd never felt before at seeing Reece in such pain, knowing that he was suffering, and she wished with every fiber of her being that she could take Reece's pain onto herself, magically snap her fingers and she'd have the middle ear infection and he'd be smiling and happy and not sick.
Jake fell asleep on Rick's shoulder by the time Kate and Jim had gotten the medicine down Reece. The antibiotic had to be refrigerated, so Jim took that downstairs, but left the infant Tylenol on Kate's nightstand, for when Reece would need another dose later.
Jim returned a few minutes later, lugging a Pack 'n' Play, and he set it up for Rick to put Jake down when he was ready to do so. "I'll haul the other one up here for Reece, but I don't know how much you'll be using it tonight," he said after he had finished setting up the first one for Jake.
"There's no rush, Jim," Rick said. "And thank you. For everything."
Jim smiled wistfully. "I wish I could do more, but Grandpa Magic only goes so far when it comes to things like ear infections," he said. "You were prone to them when you were really little, Katie. It was the most difficult, painful thing in the world for your mom and me to see you in so much pain, but it's a rite of passage in parenthood." He went on, "Earl and I are going to grill for dinner. Burgers and hot dogs. And Jenny said something about macaroni and cheese for the kids, so we'll take care of everything downstairs." He paused, then said, "Of course, I was never going anywhere, and neither were Martha and Earl, or Alexis and Javier, but everyone else took a vote and decided that since they all have Monday off anyway, and Lily Jo's not very happy about Reece being sick, and loud, that we'd like to help by being here to keep Lily Jo occupied, and help you out if you need it with walking the floor with Reece, or tending to Jake until Reece is through the worst of this ear infection. For now, all you two have to worry about is being with Reece, and getting Jake to take a nap. We've got everything else."
Tears clogged Kate's throat. Reece was down to whimpers, but the medications obviously hadn't kicked in yet, because he was still flushed and hot, and still tugging at his left ear. "Thanks, Dad," she managed to choke out. Jim smiled and nodded before excusing himself.
Rick settled Jake in the Pack 'n' Play, disappeared into the en suite bathroom, and returned a moment later with a cold washcloth. "Here, Peanut, this should help you feel a little better. A little cooler, anyway," Rick murmured as he gently bathed Reece's face with the washcloth. Kate was cradling Reece in her arms, and a few traitorous tears slid down her cheeks as she watched Rick tend to Reece. He looked from Reece to Kate, saw her tears, and said, "Oh, Kate."
"None of the kids have ever been this sick before," Kate said, her voice choked. "God, I just want to make this all go away for him, I just want him to feel better."
"The first time is always the hardest," Rick said. "Lily's had a couple of minor colds, and none of the kids have reacted badly to their shots. I remember the first time Alexis had the flu. She was a year-and-a-half old, and she was talking, but not as much as she would later on, obviously. It's never easy to see one of your kids sick or in pain, but it's the absolute worst when they're this little. I've just, I've been through it a few times already with Alexis, and it's a gut punch, absolutely. But I promise you, Kate, Reece will be feeling better within the next 24 hours. He won't be completely well yet, but he'll be through probably the hardest, worst part."
"So then I'm not being ridiculous or overly emotional?" Kate asked, wiping at her face with her right hand while keeping Reece firmly cradled in the crook of her left arm.
"Not at all. You're being a great mom," Rick said. He leaned in and kissed her forehead before they both turned their attention back to Reece, who was no longer whimpering and looked a little less red-faced, but they could tell by his eyes that he wasn't feeling well. Rick maneuvered himself on the bed so that he was sitting behind Kate, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding both her and Reece. "We'll get Reece through this, Kate, I swear we will."
Kate leaned back against Rick's chest, drawing both comfort and strength from his embrace. "We're right here, Reece," she said, "and we're going to take care of you until you're all better." Reece just looked up at his parents, no smile on his usually happy face because of the pain in his ear and the fever in his body.
And yet the tiny boy knew that his mommy and daddy were right there, and just being held by them, and the cool cloth on his face, and the love and security he felt from his parents' presence were enough to make the baby start feeling, if not physically better, then emotionally better for sure.
