Phone Calls

Sitting on the couch, staring at his phone with the kid sleeping soundly in the next room, Sonny was regretting his decision back at the infirmary. He knew Derrick was right, both Jason and Trent were going to be pissy, and he should have held the kid down and let the doctor jab his little ass.

Instead, Sonny let the kid play him because he felt guilty for spanking him. He was unable to forget the image of Clay sitting in his own piss and asking Sonny if he was going to get a whipping. Giving him the terrified look their kid gets when he wakes up from a nightmare or spiking a fever not knowing where he is. And Clay was so pitiful. His boy looked like he belonged in junior high with his messy head and red cheeks, shivering in just his briefs, afraid of getting a shot.

And the damn doctor threw out the lifeline with the option of trying the oral meds because he didn't want to deal with the kid pitching a fit. But Derrick was right, and Sonny couldn't deny it. Now he was going to have to man up and face the music with the boss.

"Hey, Sonny. What's up?" Jason said when he answered the call, surprised his brother would be calling so early when he had just left the previous day. "Is everything okay there? Don't tell me Clay is giving you a hard time already."

"Naw, Boss," Sonny said, lightly. "The little shit tried to stage a coup last night, but he's regretting that decision. I know you're busy with Mikey and meeting the parents, so I won't keep you. But, I wanted to let you know that the kid has himself a bladder infection."

"A bladder infection?" Jason sounded surprised. "Now there's a new one. How did you figure that out?"

"This morning he woke up sick on the couch. He was totally out of it, scared, talking to me in whatever they speak in Liberia. He pissed himself and thought I was going to beat him," Sonny said. "He scared the hell out of me. But, I used my Trent voice and he came out of it quick. I got him cleaned up, but he was running a high fever with blood in his urine so I took him into the infirmary. They confirmed the infection and put him on meds."

"Shit, Sonny," Jason said, not expecting that development. "I'm sorry. I never would have left him if I had known he was sick. Is he okay? I bet he was a mess in the infirmary without Trent to calm him down. Did they give him Penicillin?"

"Relax, Jase," Sonny said. "He's gonna be fine. We just got back a few hours ago, but he's sleeping in my bed. They put him on meds - Macro something. Liquid Tylenol and Motrin for the fever. Derrick met us there for back up, but he really wasn't too bad, boss."

"They didn't give him any shots?" Jason said, surprised. "Not even for the fever? They always hit him with the fever reducer when he's heated up."

"Well," Sonny hesitated. "The Doc was non-committal on that. The kid was whining and looking extra pathetic. The doctor said we could try the oral meds and see if that works."

"So, you're saying he whined himself out of getting shots?" Jason sounded skeptical. "And Derrick was onboard with that?"

Sonny sighed.

"Alright, Boss," he started. "It was on me. Derrick wanted to hold him down and give him Rocephin and the fever shot in addition to fourteen days of oral meds, but the doc didn't want to deal with him in brat mode and offered to try the other option. Derrick is royally pissed at me because he says the kid played me and he's going to end up having to give him the shots if the Macro shit doesn't do the trick. And yes, I know Trent's head is going to explode when he hears I let the runt leave without the shots."

"Seriously Sonny?" Jason bitched. "I know you can't stand to see him upset, but why didn't you just leave him with Derrick and sit in the waiting room?"

"I was going to Jase," Sonny said. "And I know I should have. But he got the watery eyes and said 'Trent never leaves me, and you promised not to leave me Uncle Sonny.' And I couldn't do it. I'm sorry, Boss. But in my defense, you left him with me, and you know I can't watch him cry."

"Okay, Sonny," Jason said, taking a breath. "It's water under the bridge. So where are we now? What are the odds of this Macro working?"

"I don't know," Sonny said. "The doc was just glad to see us go. But he said if he's not getting better in two days, bring him back for the shots and Cipro, or Derrick can jab him at home."

"What does Derrick say?" Jason sighed.

"That I'm a pussy and he's not fixing my fucking mess," Sonny said. "But we both know he most definitely is not going to leave the kid hanging. He went back to work when we left the infirmary, but my guess is he shows up here to make sure the baby is okay this afternoon. He took a Rocephin injection and the Cipro prescription from the doc before he left. So he's clearly not thinking the Macro is going to do the job."

"Well," Jason said. "If Trent hasn't called to rip you a new one, Derrick obviously hasn't ratted you out to him yet. But, Sonny, you are on your own with the kid's pitbull when he hears you let him out of the infirmary without the meds he needs."

"Have you heard if his step-daddy is okay?" Sonny asked. "I know I'm going to have to deal with the pissed off Mama Bear eventually, but I don't want to add more to his plate now with his family drama. And Clay really is going to be fine. He's sleeping like a rock, and his fever came down with the Tylenol/Motrin cocktail. And if the meds aren't working soon, I swear I'll hold him squalling over my knee while Derrick gives him whatever shots he needs."

"I know you will, Sonny," Jason said. "And you're right that I know the kid works you hard, and I dumped him on you. I talked to Trent last night, and his dad did well with the surgery. Sounds like he's going to be okay. I'm not going to say anything about Clay being sick today, but we both know that once things are good with his parents, we need to tell him Clay has a bladder infection or he'll be in a snit for a month when he gets home and finds out the kid is sick."

"My guess is he calls tonight or tomorrow to make sure Clay is in one piece," Sonny said. "And you know the kid will spill every single detail and blame it all on me and Derrick the second he hears his favorite uncle's voice, so the cat will be out of the bag soon enough."

Jason chuckled. "Oh, you're right about that," he said. "No one runs to his mama to snitch faster than Sunshine. Have him call me when he wakes up so I can see how he's feeling."

"Copy that, Boss," Sonny said. "How's it going with the in-laws?"

"So far, so good," Jason said. "The girl is sweet, and Mikey clearly is smitten if he called me to fly out here to meet them. She's their youngest, so this isn't their first time at the 'meet the boyfriend's parents rodeo'. But they really seem to like my kid, and he loves their daughter, so I'm on my best, most sociable behavior."

"Okay, Jase," Sonny said. "So despite my fuck up at the infirmary today, you can absolutely relax and count on me to take care of the kid until you get back. And Derrick has my back, along with his wife, the chief Clay spoiler. Everything is fine here, and I'll have your boy call to check in as soon as he pokes his head out from under the covers."

"Thanks Son," Jason said. "I know you have the kid handled. And if you need a distraction to keep him busy, call Brock to come for a playdate. Tell them I'm feeling generous and willing to relax the grounding as long as the good behavior continues."

"Got it, Boss," Sonny laughed. "Talk to you later."

Sonny straightened up the apartment and watched some ESPN for another hour until it was time to give Clay his meds. He woke the kid and hauled him out of bed to get a better look at him.

"How are you feeling there, Shorty?" Sonny asked after having the kid hop up on the kitchen counter to check him out. He pushed back Clay's hair to confirm he was still plenty warm, but not burning up or delirious as he was when he had woken up that morning.

"I'm hot, Sonny," he said, leaning forward to rest against the older man's chest. "And my belly is hurting." The kid was wiggling like he had ants in his pants.

"Woah there, hot stuff," Sonny said, stilling the squirming. "Do you need to pee?"

"I feel like there's a rock down there," he said pointing. "But it hurts when I go, Sonny."

"You feel like there's a rock in your privates?" Sonny asked, looking confused. "You mean it feels heavy?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Clay whined. "Like I need to go really bad. But I'm scared it's gonna burn and bleed again."

Sonny pulled him down off the counter, walking him to the bathroom.

"Okay, honey," he said calmly. "I get that it hurts and you don't want to go, but you absolutely cannot try to hold it. You need to pee or you're going to make it worse, and eventually there will be another accident which I know you don't want."

Sonny deposited the kid in front of the toilet, lifted the seat, and tugged down his sleep pants in case there was any confusion about the expectations. He gave his bottom a playful swat and walked toward the door to let him do his business in private.

"Where are you going?" Clay said, sounding anxious.

Sonny stopped and leaned in the doorway, shaking his head.

"I'm going to get you a nice big glass of cold water, Trouble," Sonny said. "Derrick says you need to keep filling up and emptying out your pipes or we are both going on his shit list. And I'm already on his last nerve for letting you puppetmaster me back at the infirmary. And Jason already knows, so don't bother trying to stage a cover-up."

The kid was dancing, but not letting anything out.

"Come on, sweetheart," Sonny said gently, moving over to rub the kid's warm head. "You need to relax and let it go. I know it doesn't feel good, but it's got to come out."

A few more seconds of squirming and crossing his legs and Clay couldn't hold back any longer. He cried out miserably as the dark, bloody liquid spurted slowly into the bowl.

"Ow!" Clay yelped pathetically. "It burns Sonny. It hurts really bad."

"I'm sorry, honey," Sonny said softly, rubbing his back. "I know it's hurting. But you need a lot of water to keep things moving or it's not going to get better."

Sonny flushed the toilet while Clay fixed his pants and washed his hands.

"I don't feel good Sonny," he whispered. "I wish Trent was here. He knows what to do."

"I know you want your Uncle Trent," Sonny said, kissing his head and leading him back into the kitchen. Bravo Three pointed to the counter while retrieving a bottle of water from the fridge. "Hop back on up there."

Once Clay was back up on the counter drinking his water as directed, Sonny checked his temperature to confirm it was back on the rise. "101," he reported solemnly. "Now I'm going to have to call Derrick to get you sorted and listen to him scold me for not making you take the shots."

"Can you ask if Catherine will come too?" Clay asked, looking absolutely pathetic.

"Sure, baby," Sonny said. "I'll ask. But first you need to swallow your bubble gum flavored Tylenol and this giant horse pill. Then you can curl up on the couch and finish that whole bottle of water for me. Capice?"

Clay nodded silently, leaning forward to rest against his current caregiver's strong chest again. He closed his eyes and sighed while Sonny put his cool hand up under his t-shirt to rub his warm back.

"That feels so good, Uncle Sonny," he mumbled. "Don't stop yet."

Sonny chuckled and continued to stroke his hot skin.

"I can multitask with the best of them, Shorty," he said. "But if you want me to put in the call to Aunt Catherine, you're gonna need to sit up and take your medicine so we can move you to the couch or back to the bedroom."

"Can I stay out here with you?" Clay asked, looking up with his droopy eyes.

"Sure thing, honey," Sonny said, watching him swallow his meds and sending him off to rest on the couch. "How about some toast or I can make you chicken soup?"

"I'm not hungry," Clay said, curling up on the couch and turning to look back at Sonny watching from the kitchen.

"We'll see what Derrick has to say about that when he gets here," Sonny said, scrolling through his contacts and tapping Alpha's medic.

"I thought I told you I wasn't fixing your mess Quinn," Derrick grouched.

"Is that Sonny?" Catherine called from the background, taking the phone from his hand and glaring at her husband.

"Sonny?" she said. "How is my baby doing? Don't let my juvenile husband fool you, he was just getting his bag and heading over to your place."

"Oh, don't worry, Catherine," Sonny chuckled. "Your pain in the ass pretty boy doesn't bother me. Any chance you are available to hitch a ride over here with Derrick?"

"What's going on, Sonny?" Catherine asked seriously. "Is he okay?"

"He's gonna be fine, honey," Sonny said. "He just took his medicine, and he's working on some water. But your baby is in need of some mothering. He's missing his daddy and Uncle Trent, not feeling so good, and he asked if maybe you could come pay us a visit. And I'm hoping maybe you can work some magic and get him to eat something. He hasn't swallowed anything other than water and some juice all day. And Derrick says he needs to eat with the meds or he's gonna have a bellyache."

"We're on our way, Sonny," she said. "Can you put him on the phone for me?"

"Hey Squirt," Sonny called, walking into the living room and handing over the phone. "There's a pretty lady who wants to talk to you."

"Is it Catherine," Clay asked, sitting up and reaching for the phone.

"How's my favorite kid ever doing?" Catherine asked, motioning Derrick to get moving. "Is it true you're not feeling so good, baby?"

"Did Derrick tell you I have a bladder infection?" Clay asked, curling up and resting his head in Sonny's lap, still holding the phone to his ear. "It hurts, and I feel really bad. Are you coming over with Derrick?"

"I'm on my way, baby," Catherine soothed. "And Uncle Derrick says you are going to eat something or you'll have a terrible tummy ache. So how about you tell me what you want for dinner?"

"I'm not hungry, Catherine," the kid said softly.

"I understand that, honey," Catherine said. "But I need you to try to eat something. How about I make you some pancakes? And I'll have Derrick stop to get you a blue slushie from 7 Eleven. How does that sound? Can you try that for me, Sweetie?"

"Okay. I'll try," Clay promised. "Are you almost here?"

"We're driving to you now, but we need to stop at the store," She said, tapping Derrick and pointing to 7 Eleven. "Ask Sonny if he has pancake mix, milk and eggs."

"I heard the grocery list," Sonny responded. "And I have milk and eggs, but no pancake mix or syrup."

"No pancake mix or syrup," Clay relayed the message to Catherine.

"Okay, I got it," she said. "We'll be there soon."

"Thanks, Catherine," Clay said softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Catherine said, smiling. "You're my baby."

Derrick rolled his eyes and made the puppetmaster motion with his hands. His feisty wife slapped him hard on the back of his head.

"Okay, honey," she said to Clay. "I"m going to hang up now so I can run in and get what we need to cook up a good dinner. We'll be there soon. Put Uncle Sonny back on for me."

"Okay, Catherine," Clay said. "Hurry." The boy handed the phone back up to Sonny, curling up and wrapping his arms around his adopted uncle's waist and closing his tired eyes.

"Thanks Catherine," Sonny said, sincerely. "I owe you girl."

"You don't owe me a thing, Sonny," she said. "You just keep my baby safe and settled until I get there. We'll get him fed, cleaned up and ready for bed."

"I hope that one you married knows how lucky he is," Sonny said.

Catherine laughed, looking over at Derrick who was shaking his head and still making the puppet gestures. "Believe me," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "This one here knows he won the wife lottery."

Sonny put away the pudding, popsicles, macaroni and cheese, and other Clay favorites Catherine picked up at the store while Derrick's resourceful lady cooked up some pancakes and bacon for them all to eat. While she and Sonny were preparing dinner, Derrick hauled the kid into the bathroom for a tepid bath to get him cleaned up and cooled down. Alpha's medic washed Clay's sweaty hair and got him into some fresh sleep pants and his favorite hurt hoodie before forcing him to empty his bladder once again.

After the painful time at the toilet, Derrick checked Clay's temperature to confirm it was back down under 100. The patient and unflappable SEAL sat with his longtime brother's sick boy curled into his side, clinging to his shirt, and quietly sipping his icy, blue treat. Catherine's gentle husband held the kid in his arms and kissed his head, knowing the poor kid felt sick and miserable. He wanted to kick himself for not just forcing the issue and insisting Clay get the shots and meds he needed to get rid of the nasty infection that was clearly still raging.

"How you doing there, honey?" Derrick asked softly while Catherine and Sonny set the table and got dinner ready.

"I don't feel good, Derrick," Clay said so softly the medic had to strain to hear what the kid was saying. "It hurts and burns down there. I wish Trent would come home."

"I know you do sweetheart," Derrick said, gently rubbing his head. "And I guarantee your Uncle Trent misses you too. How about we give Jason a call out in Colorado. It's between lunch and dinner time out there. I bet we might catch him just hanging out in his hotel room. Sonny told him you'd call once you were up and around."

Clay looked up and smiled at the older man currently holding him. "Thanks Derrick," he said. "I miss Jason too. I can't wait until everyone is back home again. I don't like it when everyone is all over."

"I know it makes you scared when the people you count on aren't around or when our regular routine gets disrupted," Derrick said, rubbing the boy's back. "But Sonny is right here with you. Alpha is here, and you can call and talk to me or Josh or Catherine any time you are feeling upset. And I heard the Boss is loosening up the grounding so your big brother Brock may be able to stop over to hang out with you soon."

"Really?" Clay asked, hopefully. "Jason said that was okay? I guess he doesn't know that I got spanked last night."

"He didn't mention it to me," Derrick shrugged. "And I didn't snitch on you, but I'm thinking maybe he should hear it from you, kiddo. Sonny already punished you, so the only thing you need to worry about is a sore ear from one of Jason's famous scoldings. And I get the feeling he's going to go easy on you since he's feeling guilty that he left you when you were sick and feeling so bad."

"I'll tell him," Clay said quietly, looking down.

Derrick could see the kid was hesitating. He got the feeling Clay wanted to tell him something but was holding back.

The medic wrapped his arm around the boy and pulled him in closer, allowing the kid to rest against his shoulder.

"Clay," he said, gently. "Is there something else you need to tell me, honey? I know I'm not Trent, and he's the one you want to be here with you. But I can do my best to help, and if necessary we can always call so you can talk to Uncle Trent."

"It's embarrassing, Derrick," Clay whispered. "But it hurts real bad down there, and I don't know how to make it feel better."

"Your privates?" Derrick confirmed, rubbing the sick kid's back.

Clay nodded, looking up pitifully.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about Clay," he smiled gently. "We all have privates, and no one is happy when they are hurting. How are they hurting? Like cramps in your belly, or is it more like pressure? Do you feel over-filled, like you need to pee?"

"Yes," Clay said, relieved the older man understood. "It's pressure, like I need to get to the bathroom right away. It feels like I have to pee and something is pushing down on my privates. But when I try to go, either nothing comes out or when I do pee, it burns so bad and hurts coming out."

"That's the infection, honey," Derrick explained. "Is it getting better, worse, or about the same as yesterday?"

"Definitely worse than yesterday," Clay said. "I've had a bellyache for a couple days, and my legs were sore just before Jason left, but I didn't say anything because I wanted to stay with Brock. But then, I got nervous about Jase and Trent being gone, and I backtalked Jason and got grounded. And I couldn't go with Brock anyway."

"But it didn't really start hurting bad and burning until I woke up this morning on Sonny's couch," he said, looking down. "I felt really bad and sick like I might puke. And I had to pee so bad, but I couldn't get out of the blanket. I fell on the floor and I couldn't hold it anymore. I peed myself on Sonny's rug. But luckily, he wasn't mad at me."

"Of course, grouchy old Sonny would never be mad at you for being sick or having an accident, Clay," the medic assured him. "It could happen to anyone. And no one else who loves you would be mad about something like that either."

"Sometimes I get scared about things, and I just can't stop it," Clay shrugged.

"I know you do," Derrick said. "And when that happens, if you come to one of your old uncles and let us know, I promise any of us will help you figure things out without getting mad."

"Thanks, Derrick," Clay smiled.

"You're welcome, runt," Alpha's medic replied. "So Clay, is it feeling better at all down there since you started taking the medicine?"

"No, Derrick," the kid admitted. "It still feels really bad."

"Well," Derrick sighed. "It's only been a short time since you started your medicine. But honey, if we aren't seeing some improvement by tomorrow night, or it's getting worse and you feel sicker, then I am giving you the shots and switching to the other oral meds. And you can cry to Uncle Sonny all you want and it won't do you a lick of good. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Clay nodded. "Do you think Trent will be back by then?"

"I have no idea," Derrick said. "But I absolutely know that if Trent had been at that infirmary today, you would most definitely have gotten a good, hard swat across your sore tail and taken your tush shots no matter how loud you hollered. And ditto for your boss-daddy."

"I know," Clay mumbled, looking down.

"Oh, I know that you know," Derrick said, ruffling his curls and getting the kid up off the couch and heading into the kitchen to get some pancakes in his belly. "How about you do your best to eat at least one of these pancakes Catherine whipped up for you, and drink a glass of juice. Then after dinner we can give Jason a call and see how things are going out in Colorado."

"Are you gonna make me tell him I was disrespectful to Sonny and got punished last night?" Clay asked, turning up the puppy eyes.

Derrick snorted. "Save the sad face," he said. "I've become immune. And it's your choice to tell the boss or not. But if you are looking for advice from your much older, wiser uncle, I'm going to say tell him now over the phone while he has a few days to forget you were naughty while already grounded. Either way he's going to find out because Sonny will not lie to him, even for his best kid. So it's your call to confess now or wait for Sonny to make the report when Jason gets home."

"I'll think about it," Clay pouted.

"You do that," Derrick laughed, pointing him to a kitchen chair. "But don't fret over it. It's done and Sonny already handled it, so you are currently in the sore butt safe zone. Although, as we know, you sadly never manage to stay in the safety zone for long."