Chapter Twenty-Five

Mrs. Hughes and the children arrived the following morning. Anna settled them in while Robert sat with John. His fever rose again during the night, then abated slightly in the morning. The doctor told them that was to be expected.

When he was awake, John was given infusions of cinnamon and milk, ginger and echinacea teas, and aspirin. Later that day, they would provide him with the antibiotics Dr. Clarkson spoke of before they left for York.

John was cooperative with the treatments, but hated the pulley system immobilizing his leg. The medication was helping with the pain, so John was able to rest easier.

He woke around midmorning and reflexively called out to Anna. Robert had been able to secure a private room with more liberal visiting hours, but Anna had gone to meet the children.

Robert sat up straighter and placed his hand on John's arm. "It's Robert, John. Anna went to the boarding house to meet Mrs. Hughes and the children. She'll be back later."

John sighed and rolled his head slightly to look at Robert. He was in a casual suit, tie open, jacket undone, and sleeves rolled up to the elbow. "How long have you been here?" John rasped, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"About an hour," Robert replied. "Your fever was up again and Anna didn't want you to be alone."

John shut his eyes. He didn't want to be alone either, he wanted to be with Anna and the children. He needed Anna by his side, that's all that would make this bearable. "Can I get you something?" Robert asked. "Some water, or ring for more of that tea?"

"Water," John replied. "That tea is an abomination to the word."

"Well, you have to drink it," Robert countered. "But water first. Do you need help sitting up?"

"I'm not a child!" John said rather forcefully as he pushed himself into an awkward sitting position. With only one flimsy pillow, he couldn't maintain it. John looked at Robert, "Oh, alright. I need another pillow."

Robert made quick work of slipping a couple extra pillows behind John's back to support his sitting in bed. Then Robert handed John the cup of water for John to drink,

"How do you feel?" Robert asked when John had his fill.

"I'm fine," John said reflexively. That was his pat answer for when anyone asked after his health. He was always fine.

"Okay," Robert sighed. "I'll try again. How do you feel?"

John knew Robert wasn't going to let it go. He also knew what he told his friend would never leave the room. "I feel awful. I don't remember ever feeling this sick. It's like the worst flu I've ever had and being shot in the leg all at once. I'm dizzy, and I'm drowsy. I'm on something, aren't I?"

"It was morphine," Robert replied. "For the trip here from Downton. Now, it's just aspirin and herbs until they give you the antibiotic injection. Anna will be back for that."

John nodded, "How is she? We had a row the night before all this started and we haven't really talked about it."

"She's Anna," Robert replied. "She's strong and she's sure of you, that you'll fight this off and win. There's no doubt in her mind you're going to come through."

"What do the doctors tell you?" John asked. "I've been out of it since I got here and I still feel very disoriented."

Robert relayed the doctor's information to John, who listened intently. "And Anna knows this? They told her about the bones and…"

"They did," Robert replied. "And I think she has an understanding now of what was happening with you. An understanding she would have had sooner if you'd been honest, John."

"What was I supposed to say? Oh, by the way, your old husband is breaking down like an old plow horse, please pass the butter?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it exactly like that," Robert chuckled. "Seriously, you said you argued, what about? Could that have been prevented if you told Anna the truth?"

"She thought I was drinking again," John replied. "She never came out and said so, but I knew that's what she thought. Margaret Mary had been playing up and my back and legs were so sore. The idea of carrying her up the stairs when she was able to do it on her own…I lost my temper when she threw a hissy fit and I spanked her."

John motioned for the tea on the nightstand, he better get as much down as he could tolerate. "Anna and I both had difficult childhoods, for different reasons, but we both agreed to never smack one of them in anger. I've had to spank Johnny a few times, Margaret Mary, once or twice, but always after a warning and a chance for me to calm down and for them to settle. This time I just…Robert, my daughter is likely to hate me now and it's my own fault. Anna, too, she was so angry."

John made a face as he drank down his dosage of the ginger and echinacea tea. Robert sighed, "We've all lost our tempers, John. I wish I had the opportunity to lose my temper with my girls, seeing how involved you are in your children's lives. I missed those things. I missed their first laugh, their first smile, first steps…I'm sorry for that now. Maggie does not hate you, I only saw her and she is worried about you. She asked after you the whole drive here, Johnny too. You're a hero to them. You are their world and your Anna's too. You have to get well, for all of them. You have to do your part and I'll do mine, I promise."

John took a breath, his breathing was still shallow, but each hour it was better. The infection was still draining from his knee, but each check showed less fluid. Still, John felt terrible.

"I'm exhausted already," John sighed. "Just sitting here and talking and I'm so tired. I don't see how there's a way out of this, not as I was."

"Then go to sleep," Robert soothed. "Just go to sleep and rest, each time you wake up, you'll feel better."

John nodded, "But first, I need to ask a few things from you. Two promises, in case things go badly."

Robert sat on the edge of the bed so he could look into his friend's eyes. They were always able to convey so much through silent cues. His commitment to John and the promise he'd make would show in his gaze.

"Promise me," John said, his voice starting to fade with fatigue. "Promise that you won't forget, that you'll be there for Anna, and see her through. I need to hear that."

"I promise," Robert replied. "You don't even have to ask. I'm staying here with her and the little ones until you're out of the woods. Then at home, anything she needs or wants. The children too."

John smiled at that and his eyes slipped closed for a moment as he gathered waning strength. "My leg…promise me you won't let them. If I die, I want to die whole. Promise me you won't let the doctors take the easy road. Please, Robert."

Robert waited a beat and slid his hand into John's. If it came down to it, he'd rather have a friend with one leg than a headstone to visit, and he knew Anna felt the same. Still, John was asking his promise.

Robert took note of John's grip. It was so much weaker than normal, and his hand was hot again, so was his arm. The fever was coming back.

John was holding on to hear Robert give him the okay, that he would protect him from the nightmare he'd had for thirty years. "Of course, I promise," Robert whispered. "Now, sleep. Anna will be back soon, she'll want to see you've been resting."

A smile played on John's lips as he drifted off to sleep and one word effortlessly slipped from his slightly parted lips. "Anna."

Anna returned to the hospital in the late afternoon. She could hear John's moans and cries of agony before she even got to his room. She started running as fast as she could to get to his side.

Robert was sitting next to John. John was turned to his left, a basin under his mouth. He had his arms wrapped around his stomach, was drenched in sweat, and was becoming violently ill into the basin.

"What happened?" Anna asked as she rushed to John's side.

John felt Anna's presence and reached for her grabbing hold of her skirts. "They gave him that antibiotic," Robert replied. "Since about an hour after he's had pain in his stomach and well…you can see the result."

Robert took a cloth and wiped John's brow as Anna held him as close as she could and whispered soothing sounds to him as he was sick again and again.

Now that Anna had arrived, Robert broke away to call John's doctor and demand answers about his friend's condition.

"The medication.. " The doctor began.

"Medication is supposed to make him better, not kill him!" Robert thundered. "There has to be something to give him to stop this."

"We can try some peppermint ginger tea, but until his body expels the arsenic, this will continue," the doctor explained.

"Can we at least give him something for the pain in his stomach?" Anna asked.

The doctor explained why sedation with such nausea was a bad idea. It should pass in a few hours, then, our hope is that after that, we will see some steady improvement in Mr. Bates' condition."

Anna sighed and stroked John's back. "What can I do for you, my love? Should we count together?"

John shook his head and weakly replied, "No. Tell me about the children. I miss the children."

"Alright," Anna replied. "Johnny has been taking such good care of Maggie and Elizabeth. He wants you to be proud of him. He says he wants to be just like you when he "gets big". Maggie, well, she is so excited about living in the boarding house for a few weeks. She doesn't understand why we are here, not really. She knows Daddy's sick, but she doesn't understand how hard you are fighting. None of them do."

Anna placed several kisses on John's cheek. "Elizabeth, oh John, this morning she did it. She held her head up in her basket!" Anna beamed. "I think she knew that it was special because she kept doing it. She'd lie it down and then lift it up. I am so proud of her. I gave her extra kisses from you. I could be wrong, but I think she misses you the most. Mrs. Hughes says even when she and I are both nearby, if Elizabeth hears footsteps, she gets very excited and is very vocal."

John smiled at that, the spasms in his stomach starting to ease as Anna talked. "I just felt so good today, John. When I saw her do that simple thing, something we were worried about, I just feel like she's going to be okay."

John slid his left arm around Anna's waist and held on tight. Anna was pleased to feel he seemed to have regained some strength, though not enough. "We all are," John whispered. "Everything will be alright, I promise."

Anna pressed her lips to John's forehead, then watched as he grimaced with another stomach pain.

Anna bit her lip and tears came to her eyes. She hated this, she hated seeing John in pain. Still, if it was going to make him well again, well enough to go home with her and their family, and well enough to continue building their dreams, she could bear it. If he could bear it, she could too. So, they managed it as they managed the many other challenges of their lives…together.