Loose Ends

Chapter 50

That hour came and went before she knew it and at 6:30 Amy's alarm clock went off. She shut it off and got up to pull on her robe. She checked John's temperature once more and was glad to see that it was 99, which made sense since the poor baby had a slight case of the runs. Tucking him back in, Amy made her way downstairs, knowing her mom would be up getting started on breakfast. Anne looked up from the stove when she heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Morning, sweetheart. How's John doing?"

"Okay. His fever finally broke but now he's got the runs a little."

"Poor baby," Anne said, sympathy filling her eyes as she turned back towards the stove to add cream of wheat to the pot of boiling water.

"I already called the nursery and told them John and I wouldn't be in today but I need you or dad to call the school." Anne nodded to let Amy know she'd heard her. "I'll ask Ricky if he wouldn't mind giving Ash a ride home from school again today."

"Okay. If he can't just let us know and your dad or I will pick her up."

"'Kay." Amy turned to head back upstairs and Anne called out to her.

"I'll fix you and John a plate if you wanna head back to bed. I know you were up late with him." Amy gave her mother a grateful smile and headed back upstairs. She grabbed her phone as she sat down on her bed and sent out a couple of texts. The first one she sent to Ricky: John's still sick. Can u give Ash a ride home today again? If not my parents can get her. She then sent a text to Madison and Lauren: John's still sick. Can u guys get my assignments again today please? Only Ricky was awake yet, used to being up this early on weekends when he had John, and sent her a reply right away: No prob. On my way over. Amy was momentarily confused about why he'd be coming over but then she realized Ricky was probably coming over to offer Ash a ride to school too. She was about to text him that that wasn't necessary when John stirred next to her. He rubbed his left eye with his left fist and lifted his head to look around. Seeing Amy he sat up and looked at her, still rubbing his eye.

"Mommy hungwee." Amy set her phone down and picked John up.

"Let's go see what grandma's got cooking downstairs, 'kay?" John nodded and laid his head on her shoulder. She stood up and John saw his sippie cup on the nightstand.

"Sippie," he said while reaching out for his cup, causing Amy to stop and head back to her nightstand to retrieve it. She handed it to John and he began to drink from it as she headed towards the stairs. When he came up for air, Amy asked him a question.

"What do you say, John?" she reminded him.

"Tank you mommy," he answered, laying his head back on her shoulder. Amy rubbed his back as they entered the kitchen. Anne smiled when she saw him.

"Look who's up!"

"Someone said they were hungry," Amy told her as she buckled John into his highchair.

"At least he's got his appetite back." She turned the burners down to simmer and wiped her hands on a dish towel. "Everything's ready so go ahead and eat," she informed Amy as she headed upstairs to wake Robbie up and get him ready. John noticed Ricky walking up to the back door before he knocked and pointed at him.

"Daddy here," he informed Amy. She turned in the direction she saw him pointing and smiled when she noticed Ricky; she opened the door before he could knock, startling him slightly.

"John spotted you first," she explained, stepping aside so he could enter. He gave her forehead a kiss and then headed over to John, who was once again drinking from his sippie cup.

"How's he doing?" Ricky asked, bending to kiss John's forehead.

"His fever broke early this morning but he's got the runs a little," she answered, fixing John a small bowl of cream of wheat and adding a little sugar and milk to it to both sweeten and cool it down a little.

"Should he be drinking juice?" he asked worriedly.

"It's Pedialyte," she told him, placing the bowl and John's toddler spoon on his tray.

"So did Ash need a ride to school this morning too?" Amy turned to face him.

"No. I was about to text you that she had a ride to school this morning when John woke up and said he was hungry." Ricky shrugged.

"I don't mind. Plus I was gonna stop by anyway to check on you two." Amy smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"We're good," she assured him as Ashley came into the kitchen.

"Morning, John," she said with a small smile, making a beeline to him and ignoring her sister and Ricky. Ashley kissed his forehead too. "You feeling better today squirt?" she asked him. John just looked at her and continued eating his cream of wheat. "I'll take that as a yes."

"He doesn't have a fever anymore but he's still a little sick so I'm keeping him home today," Amy informed her, fixing her own bowl of cream of wheat. Ashley nodded in understanding.

"I'll give you a ride to school and back today," Ricky told her before turning to look at Amy. "Did you want me to drop off your homework for you?" Amy paused for a moment, realizing she hadn't thought about how to turn in the homework she'd done last night and gave Ricky a grateful smile.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Are the wonder twins picking up your homework again?" Ashley asked as she grabbed a piece of toast from a platter on the counter and began spreading strawberry jam on it."

"I sent them a text and asked them to, but I don't think they're awake yet," she stated as she placed her bowl on the table and then headed to the counter to open the jar of grape jam so she could spread some on a piece of toast.

"Between the four of us, we've got you covered," Ricky assured her. Anne and George came down the stairs a moment later, a grumpy Robbie in George's arms. Ashley sniggered at her little brother's grumpy face.

"Good morning Sir Grumpsalot," Ashley greeted him, causing Anne to slightly scowl at her.

"Don't tease your brother," she scolded as she began fixing Robbie his breakfast. "And good morning, Ricky. Help yourself," she said, her back towards Ricky as she put a sausage patty on Robbie's small plate.

"No thank you."

"And eat quickly, Ash. Your dad's dropping you off this morning since Amy's staying home with John."

"There's no need," Ricky informed her and George. "I can give her a ride to school and back, since I'm stopping by after school anyway."

"Thank you, Ricky," Anne told him with a smile as she set Robbie's small bowl of cream of wheat and his little plate containing a sausage patty and half a piece of toast on his tray.

"Mommy more peas," John said, holding up his empty bowl. Amy took it from him and placed his own small plate with a sausage patty on it.

"Let's try a little protein first." John quickly speared the patty with his little fork and then lifted his fork and began eating his patty like it was on a toothpick.

As Ashley, George and Amy finished fixing their plates, Anne headed to the phone to call the school and excuse Amy for the day. Once she completed her call, she joined her family in eating their breakfast and chatting about their plans for the day, everyone checking on John occasionally to make sure he kept his food down. Once everyone was finished eating and the leftovers were put away, everyone headed out, leaving Amy, John and Moose behind. She turned and looked between them both with a small smile.

"Well boys. It's just us now. So how should we spend our sick day?"