Chapter 7
Priorities
(Kyle POV)
"Dada, Dada!" I could hear my son sniffle from my room. I hopped off the computer in the living room to check on him.
"Hey there buddy, what's wrong? Huh?" I asked, as I scooped him up in my arms.
I rested him on my hip and looked at his tear stained face and flushed cheeks.
"You don't look so good." I said, gently placing the palm of my hand on his forehead. "You feel warm too."
I grabbed his blue knit blanket and his favorite stuffed lion and brought him to the living room. On my way I grabbed the thermometer from the kitchen.
"It's okay shhh, shhh," I cooed, as I took his temperature and of course he did have a fever 100.2.
I paced around the room thinking about what to do when Lori and Josh walked through the front door.
"Hey Kyle," Josh said, hanging up his jacket
"Kyle what's wrong with Brice?" Lori asked, before saying 'hi'
"He has a fever." I informed her and both her and Josh came over to check on him.
"Aw poor thing," Lori said, stroking his blond hair.
"Feel better champ." Josh mumbled, before running up the stairs.
Lori rolled her eyes at the little compassion Josh seemed to show.
"Did you call mom?" She asked
"No, I think I can handle him." I stroked his hair "He is my son."
"Well if you need anything I'll be in my room." She offered, hanging up her coat "By the way mom always gave Josh and me baths when we weren't feeling well." She added, heading up to her room.
I searched online and read a couple articles on how to bring down a fever. Most of them said to give your child baby Tylenol, keep them hydrated, and make them comfortable.
I repositioned Brice on my hip and went up stairs to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and got the baby Tylenol.
"Okay Brice, this will make you feel better, alright?" I assured him, giving him the medicine.
He took the medicine and I chose to take Lori's advice on giving him a bath to help him relax.
I ran the bath water and made sure it wasn't too hot but it wasn't too cold either. Then I slipped Brice out of his pajamas and into the bath tub.
I held him in the tub and poured small one handed cups of warm water over him. He seemed to like the warm water. After a while of soaking in the tub I figured he had, had an enough of the bath so I snatched the big fluffy yellow towel off the rail and wrapped him in it.
I brought him back down stairs and changed him into a fresh set of pajamas. I got him a Sippy cup with apple juice in it to keep him hydrated. I took him back to the living room and sat down on the couch and wrapped him in his blanket and held his cup for him. He finished drinking his juice so I just held him in my arms and rocked him to sleep.
"Shhh, shhhh." I would occasionally say to sooth him.
After a while his eye lids began to droop but he wasn't giving in to sleep yet. I watched him; he had grown so much in the past few months. His blond hair was starting to curl at the ends now. He was learning how to talk, he knew how to walk. I just couldn't believe how truly fast he was growing up. I have started to savor every moment of him being little, because I know he won't be my little boy for long. Like now this was the first time he has ever been sick.
I was so lost in thought I didn't realize he had fallen asleep; I softly kissed his forehead and continued watching him sleep.
Stephen and Nicole came home not long after Brice had fallen asleep. I put him down in his crib and kept the door a little open so I could hear him better. When I walked into the kitchen to tell Nicole about Brice it seemed Lori had beaten me to it.
"Kyle, why didn't you call me and tell me Brice had fever? Stephen and I would have come home and helped you." Nicole told me in her worried motherly tone.
"I didn't want to ruin your evening besides I handled it fine. I gave him baby Tylenol to bring the fever down. I gave him apple juice to keep him hydrated, and I gave him a bath to make him comfortable." I informed her.
"Well I guess you didn't need us." Stephen said, a little shocked
"Nope" I gloated, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.
"Well I'm just going to go check on him, I hate that he isn't feeling well." Nicole left.
"Mom worries too much." Lori said, taking a seat at the counter "I mean you should have seen it, Kyle, was like super dad!"
"It's her grandson of course she is going to worry." Stephen pointed out, taking a sip from his coffee.
After a while of talking everyone went to bed. I got changed into my blue and white pin stripped pajama pants and a light grey t-shirt. Before I got into bed I checked my email. I had one new message from an unknown sender. I clicked on the email and read it.
Kyle,
I'm sorry I left the way I did. I know you don't understand why I left but I hope one day you can forgive me.
-J
I read the email over and over again. The email had to be from Jessi she was the only possible person. I tried to track the email but it only led to a coffee shop in Chicago. So she was in Chicago, why Chicago?
I glance over at my sleeping son. He was my priority not Jessi. My life was finally some what 'normal'. I decided not to reply to Jessi's email because I was happy with my life and she seemed to have found a new life. So why try and fix something that isn't broken? If Jessi wants to contact me she can but I want to keep my distance from the fire.
I turned off my desk lamp and my computer as well. I walk over to Brice's crib and tucked his blanket around him and brushed a few stray hairs out of his face.
"I love you." I whispered, and softly kissed his cheek then climbed into bed.
That night was the first night in a long time that I didn't have my recurring nightmare. Instead I dreamt of my future. I was playing basketball with my son and he couldn't have been more than seven.
AN: Okay so I know this seems like Jessi is out of the story for good but don't worry she isn't! I just want to keep her as a character that is either mentioned or shows up randomly through out my story. And remember when I started this fanfic (I think I mentioned it once or twice but if I didn't I am now) Brice is Kyle's main focus.
Thank you for reading please comment!