A Sequel to 'Strong Enough' based on the alternate ending of that story

Chapter 11

"Are you worried?" She asked, they'd kept a very open dialogue with him, making sure he knew he could ask them anything no matter what.

Even if it made them uncomfortable or broke their hearts.

"No, just it stinks. I missed the entire hockey season, baseball season and now football too" he pushed the bowl away, "I hate being a sick kid"

"I know honey" she sat beside him, "it's not fair is it"

He shook his head in agreement, "Can we do something fun today?"

"Sure, we just have to meet Uncle Mouch and Aunt Trudy for lunch, then maybe we can hit up the aquarium"

Adam smiled, "Promise?"

"You bet!" She smiled as he took off down the hall, yelling for Dani.

Jay wiped his brow with the towel, Atwater had tossed him, "Hey, Sarge!" He called out to Trudy she'd never lose that moniker.

He could see the exasperation on her face, she blew out a breath and rolled her eyes as she finished talking to Adam's dad, "What now Detective Chuckles? Do I need to hold your hand?"

Jay ignored the childish nickname, "Is this where you want this table?" He had been told to move it three different times by three different people.

She checked her clipboard, the block had been closed to traffic. Everything was starting to come together.

"This the sign up table?" She questioned as she ran her pencil down the list.

"Far as I know" he told her pausing to take a sip of his water, they'd all been told that alcohol was off limits until set up was complete and the Ruzeks arrived.

She scanned the road, "Yea, that's fine." She spied the inflatables at the other end of the road, "want it far away from all the screaming children" she explained.

Everything had come together nicely, one end of the street the end furthest from Molly's was deemed 'Fun Central' complete with a bounce house, a massive inflatable slide, and an inflatable obstacle course.

Mixed in amongst the inflatables were different carnival games, a few craft tables, the CFD's fire safety team, along with CPD's own version of a community outreach team.

Every game played would result in a prize for the child.

A few food trucks lined the opposite side of the street.

She smiled as she watched the people filing in, they charged ten dollars a head, with a max of fifty dollars per family. Once inside everything was all inclusive aside from food and beverages those could be had by donation.

She pulled out the bullhorn "Alright, everyone one from 21 and 51' get your fat asses over here" she commanded them, she caught Mouch's glare from her peripheral vision, "what?" She asked her voice still booming through the bull horn in her hand.

Mouch reached up and pushed it down, "Sweetie, there are children here, let's not curse"

The groups arrived, Caleb sitting on Jay's shoulder, "Hey little Halstead!" Trudy smiled at him.

"Don't make eye contact son, look away" Jay teased.

"Jay!" Erin elbowed him in the side, "Caleb, tell Trudy hi"