Exhausted
After taking care of Beckett and the kids all day long; Castle collapsed on the couch completely exhausted. Beckett and the kids were fast asleep. Castle would be sleeping on the couch; this way he would be able to hear the kids and Beckett if they needed him during the night. As Castle relaxed on the couch he had a visit from a close neighbor dropped by.
"Mother."
"Richard, darling; how's it going?"
"Well let's see; my wife is home sick with the flu while JM, Kat and JJ came home from school with the chicken poxs and JR caught it from his sisters and brother. Its going just great." Castle said sarcastically.
"I'll let that bit of sarcasm slide by."
They shared a look.
"And I'll make this offer…"
"Fire away; mother."
"You focus on Katherine and getting her over the flu. I'll take care of the kids. This way you're not running yourself ragged."
"Thank you. Now get some sleep; I'll keep an ear out for Katherine and the kids."
A few hours after Castle had fallen asleep Jim called to check on his daughter and grandkids.
"How's Katie?"
"From what I've heard; Katherine is doing okay. Richard has been taking care of her and the kids."
It had been years but Jim was still getting use to Martha calling his daughter by her full first name instead of calling her by one of the shortened versions that everyone else called her by.
Jim and Martha talked some more before Jim got off of the phone so he could go to bed.
After Martha off of the phone she made some coffee for herself and pick a book to read. Tonight it was Wicked by Gregory Maguire. In a few days times Martha would be going to see the play version of Wicked on Broadway.