Car Crash

Chapter 5 : Timeout

Chapter 5

The next day...
   
Rydel POV

All the boys decided to get up early and practice hockey with some of our cousins. So that meant I was in charge of watching Riker today.

Mom said I didn't need to wait in his room for him to wake up because she was sure he would just come downstairs when he woke up. I wasn't so sure though.

All of a sudden, I heard crying from upstairs. I looked at mom.

"Told you he wasn't going to come down by himself," I said, getting up.

I ran upstairs to Riker and Rocky's room. When Riker saw me, he started calming down. He still had tears in his eyes though.

"It's ok, Riker. Rocky is playing hockey today. So I'm going to take care of you, alright?"

"Rydelly?"

I laughed.

"Sure, you can call me that! Do you want to go get some breakfast?"

"Rydelly!"

"Alright, let's go."

I held his hand while we walked to the kitchen.

"He knows my name now. Sort of," I said, sitting down in a chair.

Riker sat down in the chair next to me.

"Sort of?" Mom asked.

"Rydelly!" Riker said.

Mom put a plate of already cut up pancakes in front of Riker.

"Try to get him to use his fork. He's going to be a sticky mess if he tries eating this with his hands," mom said.

I took his fork and tried to make him eat with it. But he kept trying to grab the pieces of pancake with his hands. I wouldn't let him though.

"No, Riker. You need to use the fork," I said, handing it to him again.

He started whining, and he crossed his arms.

"You can either eat with the fork or go hungry," mom said, trying to be firm with him.

Riker refused to eat.

"Ok. You're going in timeout then," mom said, taking his arm.

She brought him to the corner of the living room and made him sit down, facing the wall.

"You stay there until I say so. Or you'll be in more trouble," mom said.

"Do you think he understands that he's in trouble?" I asked mom.

"I think he does."

I finished my own breakfast and then got ready for the day. Riker was still in the corner.

"How long are you going to make him sit there?" I asked mom.

"He can be done. You can get him out of the corner if you want."

"Ok. Do you want me to get him ready for the day?"

"Yeah."

"Ok."

I went over to Riker.

"Hey, Rik. Timeout is over," I said, patting his back lightly.

He looked up at me, unsure.

"Come on. You're not in trouble anymore."

I took his hand and brought him upstairs. I got him ready for the day and then waited to see if maybe he wanted to go somewhere or do something. But he didn't and he just looked up at me, as if he was waiting for me to do something.

"Do you want to go downstairs?" I asked.

Riker smiled a little, so I'm taking that as a yes.

I held his hand as we went downstairs. Riker went to the living room, so I decided we should just watch a movie.

Later...

Rocky POV

When I got home from hockey, I was curious to see how Riker was doing.

I followed my brothers inside and I could immediately smell dinner.

I found Riker and Rydel on the couch in the living room, watching a movie.

"Rocky!" Riker said, jumping up and hugging me.

"Hey, Rik."

I hugged him back tightly.

"How has he been today?" I asked Rydel.

"Pretty good. This morning he wouldn't eat, so mom put him in time out, but other than that, he's been good."

I still had Riker in my arms. He had his face buried in my chest. He's always been sensitive and cuddly, so I'm not surprised he's acting like this.

"Do you know if dinner is almost ready?" I asked.

"Yeah, mom said it should be ready in like 15 minutes," Rydel said.

"Sounds good."

I sat down on the couch with Riker on my lap until dinner was ready. And then we sat down next to each other at the table.

"If he won't use his fork, he goes in timeout," mom said.

"Did he eat with it for lunch?" I asked.

"He had a sandwich for lunch," mom said.

We were having pasta for dinner. I put some on Riker's plate and handed him his fork.

"Did you hear mom? You need to use the fork or you go in timeout," I told Riker.

He took the fork and stabbed some pasta.

"Good, Riker," I said, proud of him.

Later...

Rocky POV

Before bed, I wanted to talk to Rydel. So I went to her bedroom.

"Hey, Rydel?"

"What's up?"

"I know Riker only knows a few words so far. But even though he doesn't really know how to talk, do you think he understands us?"

"I think so. I mean, think about dinner. We told him he'd go in timeout if he didn't eat with his fork, and he obeyed. So I think he understands us. I think he just doesn't remember how to talk so well yet."

"Ok. That's what I was thinking too. Does mom still want him to rest, or can we start trying to teach him how to do more things yet?"

"I don't know. He's been resting for a few days now. Maybe if we start slow that'd be ok."

"Ok, sounds good. Will you help me reteach him everything?"

"Of course I will. I think we'll all help him."

"Where do we start though?"

"Well... Maybe talking would be a good place to start. Once we teach him to talk more, he can communicate with us, and then we can move from there."

"Ok, sounds like a plan. Night, Rydel."

"Night, Rocky."

I went back to mine and Riker's room. He was in my bed, waiting for me with a smile on his face.

"Hey, Rik. Just so you know, me and Rydel are going to try to teach you some new things tomorrow, ok?"

He held his hands out for me, so I got into bed beside him. He just wanted to cuddle.

I shut off the light and laid down with him.

"Goodnight, Riker."