I'm sorry for the lack of regular updates. As I said, I had missed quite a bit of school so I nearly finished this story but I didn't get a chance to update. I will try and be more vigilant with updates. Also I apologize if I accidentally mix up Ethan and George within the story, I am so used to writing stories where Ethan is the adult character... Anyway I hope you enjoy the new chapters :) Please review
The next day Jess woke up early. She still ached but she was feeling a lot better. She reached out to the side of her hoping to find her boyfriend and son but the bed was empty as well as the crib. She pulled on some clothes and a jumper before wandering down the stairs. She found her husband stood in the kitchen cooking breakfast whilst holding Ethan. Cal was sat at the kitchen table with her mum.
'What is going on in here? Why wasn't I invited?' Jess asked as she walked in threading her arms around George.
'How are you feeling baby?' Ethan asked giving her a kiss.
'Loads better now you are here' She replied kissing him passionately.
'I feel sick now, I think it's my turn. Give it a rest you two' Cal called over. Jess smiled through the kiss and she and George grew more passionate.
'That's enough now, there are children about' Cal told them mock sternly.
Jess turned to him. 'Are you feeling left out?' she asked. She strolled over to him and kissed his cheek. 'That's better isn't it. You know you just have to ask' she joked.
'I liked you better when you were sleeping' Cal grumbled.
Ethan gurgled. Cal started to laugh. 'Someone agrees with me' he stated. He put Ethan onto his play mat on the floor of the living room whilst they ate breakfast.
They sat down with their food and silence fell on the group until Little Ethan began to wail. George went to stand up. 'No, you sit down, you made the breakfast. It's my turn to do something' Jess told him.
She padded out of the room and returned a few minutes later carrying a still crying baby. 'Oh sweetie, don't cry. Mummy's got you' she soothed. Ethan continued howling. She rocked him gently in his arms. 'Oh Ethan what's the matter hey?' She cooed.
George looked over to her, worriedly. 'What's wrong with him?' he asked.
'He's quite warm, I think he might be a bit poorly' Jess told him. Cal stood up holding his arms out and taking the tiny baby.
'Let's get his clothes off, and see if we can cool him down' Cal told him as he began peeling the clothes off of his niece's child. Ethan was crying his eyes out and Jess was beginning to get rather distressed as her child was crying.
'He'll be okay, he's probably just got a slight temperature' Kate assured her daughter who was fretting. George was helping Cal check the tiny baby over. Cal went to fetch his medical bag and George went to fetch some towels.
'I'm just going to take his temperature quickly and then we'll try and cool him down. Has he been fed this morning?' Cal asked.
'Not yet, I did try and feed him at about 6 but he didn't really want anything' George told him.
'Alright, we'll have a look at him and we can take him to the ED if we need to' Cal told them. George sat on the sofa beside Cal who was digging through the bag. He took Ethan's temperature. 'Right, he has a high temperature. We'll get him cooled down and we'll give him some fluids. Kate, you take Jess outside for a minute and calm her down' Cal explained. He didn't want Jessica in the room when they put Ethan on fluids because it would make her more upset.
George soaked some of the towels in water and wrapped them around his son. Kate led Jessica outside and took her for a short walk around the park to calm her down. Cal peeled back the towels to check to make sure Ethan didn't have a rash, a sign of meningitis which would mean they needed to go straight to the ED. Thankfully there was no sign of a rash so Cal wrapped him back up and proceeded to prepare the equipment he needed to set up the drip.
'Right George, if you could give him a nice tight hug and try to keep him as still as possible, unless you would prefer to step outside. It's your choice' Cal told him.
'No, I'll stay with him, he needs his daddy' George whispered. He scooped up his son and pulled him close. 'Alright Champ, Cal here is going to give you some medicine so you need to keep still. We need to make you feel better' George told his son.
Cal prepared the site and wiped little Ethan's tiny arm. 'Okay, I'm just getting the needle now, just hold him still for a minute' Cal instructed. George did as he was told.
As the needle pierced Ethan's arm he let out an ear piercing shriek. 'Oh Ethan, calm down buddy. It's alright' Cal cooed.
'Come on monkey Daddy's here, don't cry' George murmured. Ethan seemed to calm down as he heard the pair talking to him. Cal taped the cannula in place and attached the fluids. George rocked his son back and forth to try and settle him. Cal and George decided it would be best to try and get Ethan to sleep for a bit to see if that would make him feel better. Cal carried the fluids as George strolled around the house bouncing little Ethan in his arms to try and help him fall asleep. Kate returned with Jess 5 minutes later. Jess had a tear stained face and rushed over to look at her baby. 'How is he?' She asked turning to her uncle.
'He's fine, I checked him over, there is no rash and we got him some fluids. His temperature is still a little higher than I'd like but he's quite content with being cuddled by his daddy right now so I think he'll be okay' Cal assured her.
'Thank goodness' Jess cried. She threw her arms around Cal and gave him a huge hug. 'Thanks so much for looking after him' Jess spoke, her voice filled with happiness.
'Come on darling, let's put this little monster to bed and then we can sit down for a bit. I'm sure Ethan will want a hug from his mummy seen as he didn't get one before bed last night' George whispered. They walked up the stairs hand in hand and put their child to bed. Ethan seemed to fall asleep almost instantly.
They went downstairs and collapsed onto the sofa in a heap. Cal brought them each a cup of tea and sat down with them to discuss the treatment George was having.
'Right, we have given him a unit of saline and tried to cool his temperature. Now as there is a family history of epilepsy we want to be careful he doesn't have a seizure because of the temperature. We will put him half hourly obs until we have brought his temperature down. We can take it in turns until he's better. I'm pretty certain that it is just a temperature but we will keep monitoring him incase' Cal informed the group. He pulled out his phone and set the timer. He placed it on the coffee table. 'When that rings, we'll check on him, I'll go the first time with Jess and then we'll take it from there' he told them.
To Jess it seemed like an age until the phone rang even though she knew it was only half an hour. She jumped off of the sofa and Cal followed behind her. 'Where's the fire?' He asked Jess as she sprinted up the stairs.
'I just want to make sure he is okay' Jess told him as she walked into the nursery. Ethan was curled up in his cot sucking his thumb. 'He's fast asleep, I feel bad that we are going to disturb him' she whispered.
'You lift him up and I will check him over that way he won't be disturbed too much and you can comfort him if you need to' Cal told her.
Jess lifted her child out of the cot and cuddled him. He woke up and was gazing up at his mummy. Jess' hair gently tickled his face and he grabbed it tightly. He began giggling excitedly and wriggling. Cal took his temperature and checked him over, he seemed to be much better and he no longer had a fever.
'You can bring him down if you want, he is much better now and I think it is safe to say that he is okay. We'll try him on some milk and see if he takes it, if he does then he is fine but if not, I might get him some more medicine' Cal told her.
They carried the tiny baby down the stairs and into the living room. George jumped out of his seat and hurried over. 'How is he?' He asked worriedly.
'Fever's gone, we're going to try feeding him and then see what happens' Jess relayed. George let out a sigh of relief.
'You had us worried there for a moment monkey' he whispered kissing his son's forehead. Cal warmed up the milk and handed it to Jess after testing the temperature on his wrist.
'Here, try this' he said handing the bottle over. Jess took it gratefully and held it for her son. At first he didn't seem interested and Jess started to worry. 'Give it a moment longer darling' Cal instructed. Jess adjusted her son in her arms and he suddenly latched on and drank his milk quickly. Jess smiled as he drained his bottle in record time. 'Someone is definitely feeling better now' Cal commented as he took the empty bottle from his niece.
George grabbed a muslin square and draped it over his shoulder. He took his son from his girlfriend and burped him.
They all sat down on the sofa and within a few hours everyone was fast asleep apart from Jess who was watching over her son.