When he woke up, it was already bright outside. Frank didn't know what time did he felt off to sleep and he really didn't care. It took him a few seconds to realize where he was and why he was there. His eyes felt at the bed with his son in it. Jamie looked much more peaceful than the night before, although he still looked too pale to his father's eye. He stroke his son's hair gently, secretly wishing Jamie would wake up and he would know that his precious boy was ok. And just at that moment Jamie's body trembled a bit. At first, he wasn't sure if he just wasn't imagining it, but after a while he could see his son's body visibly moving. His son was waking up. At first, Jamie's eyes fluttered. Then he opened his eyes briefly and closing them again.
"Jamie," Frank whispered, not able to believe what was happening.
" Mmhm..." Jamie mumbled.
"Jamie, it's me, dad," he uttered, trying to encourage Jamie to wake up.
"Dad," Jamie called his dad quietly.
"Yeah, that's right, it's me," Frank responded happily.
"Jamie, how do you feel" he asked his son when he finally opened his eyes.
" Mmhm..." Jamie muttered again, obviously still weak and tired.
"It's ok, son, I'm here with you," he assured Jamie, planting a kiss on his hair, thinking God and his mum zone keep Jamie with them.
The door opened and Jamie's doctor walked in.
"Oh, I can see someone woke up," she said cheerfully, looking first at Jamie and then at Frank.
"Yeah, he just woke up," he responded.
"That's good," she nodded. "Ok, let's see how you are doing Jamie, should we?" She said towards Jamie. She then took his temperature and examined his throat and breathing.
"So, the good news is, that the antibiotics are definitely working. His temperature is now 101,3, which is way better than I have expected, although his throat is still swollen and his breathing shallow, but this is nothing abnormal considering what he has been through last night." She explained to Frank.
Frank sighed in relief.
"You have got one lucky boy, I would say," the doctor stated towards Frank, stroking Jamie's hair.
"However, given the circumstances, I would keep you admitted till he is fever free and till his breathing is back to normal," she informed now much more relaxed father.
"Thank you, doctor, " Frank said to the doctor, sending her silent thanks.
"Ok, I will go now, but I will be back soon to take Jamie's blood again to run the tests and hopefully we will find what caused Jamie's problems." And with those words she left the room.
Frank once again looked at his son with a loving smile, thanking God and his mum for keeping his baby safe.
* * * BB* * *
When Jamie felt asleep again, Frank quietly walked outside to call his father, who was surely eager to hear the word on his beloved grandchild.
"Pop, it's me," he said to his father when Henry picked up.
"Francis?" His father asked, fear evident in his voice.
"He made it, he pulled through," Frank informed his father.
There was a moment of silence.
"Thank God," Henry replied after a while.
"Yeah, thank God," Frank repeated, relief clear in his voice.
"Francis, are you alright?" Henry asked worried for his son.
"Yeah, I'm, dad, it's just...Oh God, dad, I was so worried. There was a moment when I thought we might lose him…," Frank admitted.
"But we didn't!" His father pointed out the obvious.
"I know...,"Frank said in broken voice.
"Listen, Francis, after I drop the kids off for the school, I'll come to the hospital, OK? " Henry suggested, not only wanting to see how his youngest grandchild, but also how his own son were doing.
"Ok," Frank agreed. "Say hi to the kids for me and tell them I love them," he asked his father.
"Sure, I'll. Goodbye, Francis." Henry said.
"Goodbye, pops," Frank replied.
When Frank ended up the phone call with his father, he knew there was one more phone call he had to make. The one he was postponing the whole time.
* * * BB * * *
Back at home, the children were getting up to get ready for school.
"Grandpa, where is dad and Jamie," asked alerted Danny his grandfather, when he came downstairs. He wanted to check on him himself first think after he woke up, but when he entered Jamie's room, he found nothing but an empty bed. He frantically ran to his father's room and found the same. There was no sight of either Frank or Jamie.
"Your dad had to take Jamie to the hospital last night. His fever was too high." Hey explained to Danny.
"Oh my God, Jamie's in a hospital?" Asked Erin, who just came downstairs.
"What? Jamie's in a hospital?" Cried Joe, right behind Erin.
"You all calm down. Your father just called, he will be ok." Henry tried to calm the kids down.
"Can we go to see him?" Danny asked.
"I don't see a reason why you couldn't," Henry agreed.
"Good, let's go then," Joe commanded.
"Not so fast, young man. First, you will eat your breakfast and then I will take you to the school and in the afternoon when the school is over, I'll take you to see Jamie and your father." Henry stated firmly, trying to avoid further negotiations.
"But I want to see Jamie and dad now," Joe protested.
"Too bad for you, because you are going to see him only in the afternoon and that's the end of the discussion, Joe." Henry cut him off.
"But..." Joe started to open his mouth.
"No but! Now, go and get changed. We need to leave in thirty minutes for you to be on time at school." Henry issued an order.
When Erin and Joe were already gone, Danny asked his grandfather: "How was dad, when you spoke with him?"
"As can be expected, tired," Henry sighed. "I believe he just lived through one of the longest nights in his life," he finished.
Danny just nodded in sympathy with his father and his baby brother.
"Now, you better go get ready or otherwise you really will be late for school." Henry said to him.
"I wouldn't mind," Danny grinned.
"I bet you wouldn't, but your father and mother would," Henry replied with a small smile.