I apologize this took so long. I had to revise this more times than I can count before it sounded right. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! It's kept me writing a lot longer than I ever intended.

How It Happened Chapter 7- Cleaning Up Spaghetti

Carrick

Damn! And I thought this was going to go so well. Then again, it hasn't even been one day. What was I expecting, miracles? Christian continues to shovel noodles into his mouth. This time he's getting his whole hand in there and starts licking off the sauce. Gawd, he's making a mess. Sauce is absolutely everywhere! It's all over his gown, we've already replaced these blankets once today and we're definitely looking at doing it again… I want to just pull him away from the food, but can I touch him? If he screams at Grace when she does it, there's no way it will work for me. And really? I just came from court. I'm not dressed for this. I don't want to go anywhere near all that sauce. I'm not exactly sure how to go about this, this time.

Then I'm pulled from my thoughts. I hear him gagging, but the noises suddenly stop. There are noodles hanging out of his mouth, sauce is all over his face, into his eye lashes… His eyes are wide and panicked. I realize what's happening…

"Spit it out! Now! Christian! Spit it out!" I think he's choking! I hold out a napkin and some of the offending food falls out, but he still isn't making any noise. His face is red- and not all of it is sauce. His eyes are watering as they look up at me in desperation. I don't even think, but move to be more behind him and wrap my arms around his stomach. I pull just under his ribs. More noodles are expelled and I hear him taking deep breaths, but each breath is accompanied by a muffled scream and flailing arms. Realizing that my touch, both on his stomach and the pressure on his back against me are causing them, I immediately let go and reach to push the table out of the way so he doesn't dive for the food again. I'm not sure he understands the cause and effect that just happened here, and I'm not taking any chances .

I move to get his milk and hold up the carton and straw. "Here ya go. Relax…" He takes it and drinks it down like it's the elixir of life. Which in a way, I guess it is. He is rocking as he drinks the milk. I don't believe that's a good sign.

My faculties return and I think to push the nurse button. I suppose someone needs to know he was just choking and there is no 'Dr. Grace' button. The nurse comes in and is in shock by the red mess all over the blanket. I assure her it's just spaghetti sauce but tell her what happened. As she checks Christian to be sure he's OK, I ask "Is Dr. Grace coming?" When she is sure Christian is OK, she tells me Grace is not out in the hall right now but will send her in when she returns. "Can you please get some clean bedding? And he's going to need a new gown." Hell, he's going to need a bath! Thankfully her training kicks in and she gets a wet washcloth from the bathroom to wipe him down a bit. He's not very comfortable with this, but I notice she's not touching his body, just his face, and he's letting her. She wipes off his hands next and tells me there are clean gowns in the cabinet. "Thank you. I can take care of that," when we're done cleaning up the mess. No sense getting a second one dirty quite yet.

While the nurse heads out to get the other clean items, I turn to face Christian. "Christian… Buddy… you have to stop doing this. Do you hear me? You are going to make yourself sick. Dr. Grace wants you to get better, not worse." I said the magic words; Dr. Grace. He looks around and notices she's gone. His eyes widen in panic. Pointing to the door he grunts and starts to climb out of the bed.

"Whoa. No. You're not going anywhere." I'm keeping calm, but he's ignoring me and heading to the door. Luckily, the IV lines will only let him go so far. "I said no." Then we're back to the stare down. This little bugger is stubborn!

"You made another mess, and it needs to be cleaned up again." I know the nurse is bringing the clean items but the least we can do is strip the ones here. "Come on… Over here now. You take this right here.." I hold the edge of the blanket out to him. Again I get the frustrated expression. "Yeah, I know you don't want to, but that's just too bad. Take it." I can hear my voice raising and I'm trying not to let it but really? Our casual family lunch has been a bit stressful. Miraculously, Christian takes the edge and I pull with him so the blanket comes flying off. Apparently this is fun to him because I see something close to a smile.

We are taking off the sheets when the door opens and Grace returns with Elliot. "Carry? What on earth?..."

"Hey! Can I do it too?!" Elliot runs over to grab some of the blankets as well.

"Elliot, no! You're going to get covered in…" But I'm too late. Elliot already has the sheet off the bed and flying through the air. "Oh what the hell. Have fun." I step back and watch as Elliot, proceeds to whip off all the bedding, pile it on the floor and roll around on it like it's a pile of leaves.

After a moment of watching in wonder, Christian cautiously joins Elliot on the pile. He doesn't really move around, but is kneeling and watching Elliot as if he needs to learn what to do first. Elliot is laughing as he buries himself in the blankets. He's thoroughly enjoying himself. Christian is almost letting himself too. He lifts one up and puts it over his head.

"Carrick! We can't let them.."

"Why not? They're having fun and they're washable."

The nurse has come back and in spite of the boys on the floor, has remade the bed. It's amazing to me how nurses can make a bed about as perfectly as the military. I'm sure I could bounce a quarter off that thing.

"We need to finish lunch Carrick. Christian really needs to eat."

Oh! The fork. We didn't even get to that. I see it across the room, so I step over the pile of boys-in-a-blanket to retrieve it and head to the bathroom to wash it off. I hear Grace take over.

"OK you two. Enough is enough. Time to finish lunch. Elliot, out of there. Christian, you too. We need to get you back in the bed."

"Aww, Mom!" Elliot's whine brings a smile to my face. As I step back into the room I have to laugh. Both of them have red sauce in their hair, on their faces, on their clothes… I find the gowns in the cabinet and hand one to Grace.

"Well, that takes care of Christian, what about Elliot?"

"I'll get him changed when we get home. For now, I'll just wipe him down. Come here Elliot. I need to clean you up a bit." I take him into the bathroom and hear Grace on the room phone, returning to the task at hand- lunch.

"…and I need another lunch for Christian Beckett… As soon as possible…. We're not really sure how much he actually ate…. Um, how about something less messy than spaghetti…. that would be perfect. Thank you."

Elliot and I emerge from the bathroom. He heads back over by Grace and grabs his lunch. "Now I'm really…" He notices his mother's stern look. "…hungry." He continues to eat while Grace and I finish wiping up the sauce on the table. We haven't given Christian back his food yet. He's looking from us to Elliot and watching him finish lunch. When he figures out what's happening, he gets upset and make his feelings known.

First he's making loud, panicked whiny grunts. Then he adds the fists pounding on the bed. I start to say something, but Grace holds her hand up to stop me so she can handle this one. She sits on the bed and looks directly at him. "Now stop. You could have been finished by now if we hadn't had that episode. You cannot act that way when you eat." She's much calmer than I was feeling, but he's definitely listening to her. "Another lunch is coming very soon, but now you have to wait. That's the consequence. You make a mess with your food, you can't eat it."

Christian looks hurt and gets teary eyed. Not the reaction I was expecting. Frustration maybe, but tears? Grace in all her wisdom handles this like a pro. "No tears. It will be here soon, and then you can eat. But we will not be having any more of those episodes, do you hear me?" She holds her hand out to me. I give her the fork, unsure what she's going to do next, but in awe of her demeanor right now. She's being loving but firm. Christian is staring at her with a slight look of shame. "I said 'Do you hear me?'" Christian hangs his head slightly and nods. "If you need this, we will help you learn to use it. It will, however, never end up on the other side of the room again. Have I made myself clear?"

Christian has a lone tear running down his cheek. She definitely has some kind of powerful connection with him. Again he slowly nods but doesn't take his eyes off hers. We hear another muffled whine. Grace reaches for her lunch, I sit and take mine back. Elliot is wisely staying out of things this time. I see Grace hand Christian her garlic bread. Silently, he takes it and begins slowly eating it. He's obviously still unsure about any of us right now.

I whisper over to Grace. "I thought you didn't want any outside food brought in."

She whispers back, "Well, I can't have him sitting there while we eat in front of him, now can I?" I have to smile. She is amazing.

Soon the orderly brings in another lunch. We place it on the tray, and cut up the piece of chicken. Grace picks up the fork and hands it to Christian. "Just stab it into the meat and put it in your mouth." We watch as he once again, tries to use the fork. This time is a bit easier and he proceeds to try everything on the plate. Chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes… No mess. Well, less of one anyway. We all continue eating rather calmly.

After a while I notice the time. Grace's lunch hour has been over for ten minutes, Elliot has finished his lunch and is playing with some of the cars on the floor but I can see his eyes getting droopy. I look at Christian. He's also looking tired.

"I think it's time to take Elliot home, Baby. You need to get back to work, and I think both boys could use a nap."

Grace gives Elliot a hug as tight as she dares; there's still red sauce on his clothes I'm sure she doesn't want on her coat. That would probably not go over so well. I look over at Christian. He's still not too sure about me yet, but the initial fear isn't really there anymore. "OK Buddy, we're heading out. You finish your lunch and be good for Dr. Grace, OK? I'll see you later. Elliot, come say good bye to Christian."

Elliot looks at him and says "Bye. You can play with my toys more. It's OK." I send him out to wait for me. Turning to Grace I look deeply into her eyes. "You are amazing, you know that? This is one lunch I will never forget."

"Well, I'd say it's all in a day's work, but that would be a lie." That's not what I expected her to say. "This wasn't a doctor thing Carry, this was a Mom thing."

"Yes, I guess it was." Not wanting to upset the little guy in the bed again, I walk out of the room before I give her a kiss. "Well, Gracie you are one hell of a mom."

"Eww! Kissing?!" We hear Elliot's disgust and we have to laugh.

I turn to him and add "Someday, you may not mind so much young man. Come on, let's go now. We'll see Mom and Christian later," and I turn to head for the elevators.

"Carry? Will you do me a favor?" I turn around and give her a nervous look. Didn't this whole thing start with her asking me to do something for her? She takes something out of her coat. "Wash this please." She holds out Christian's filthy security blanket. "He hasn't noticed it's gone yet. Maybe you can get it washed before this evening? I don't' think we'll get through the night without it, but…"

I look through the window at him. "Sure. I think we're OK for a while." I nod to the door and Grace looks in too. Christian is sound asleep with the fork in his hand.