I kept the welded rose and picture in my truck. As much hell as he's put me through I still love him, I just have to much on my plate to worry about if Buck is cheating again or if he really loves me. Hell with both of us working, me taking care of the boys, and him on the fire squad, we don't have time to go out together. The boys I need to worry about right now are Wilder and Phoenix, not to mention Mom still wants to hurt Griz.
Buck didn't flirt with me the rest of the week. He spoke to me but it was more just friendly conversation.
"Hey Ash, got plans for the weekend?" Buck asked in Cruz's class.
"Taking care of the boys," I'd reply.
"You really shouldn't have to do that you know." He always seemed sympathetic when it comes to the boys and to our situation, especially after the wreck.
"If I don't take care of them, no one will. Those boys deserve a fighting chance."
"You're the most caring person I've met," he smiled.
"Are you kidding? Ash can be a royal bitch," laughed Hunter Bentley, Buck's best friend. Bentley is a self centered sexist egotistical Jackass who I can't stand, and the hatred between us is mutual. When Mox and I were together I tolerated Bentley because I loved Mox.
"Oh I know. But when it comes to those babies, ain't no one better than Ashy," Buck defended me.
"I'm only a bitch when I gotta be," I glared at Hunter.
When I got home Friday, it was almost midnight and Wilder came running to the back door, "you need to be in bed baby," I said surprised.
"Baby brodder sick," he said worried.
I went into the bedroom to see vomit on the bed, but no Phoenix.
"Mom?" I yelled. I heard gagging sounds in hallway bathroom. Phoenix was in the bathtub covered in his own puke.
I felt of Phoenix's head, he was burning up.
"Mom," I yelled not taking my eyes off the baby as I took off his nasty clothes.
Wilder ran into the bathroom, "Jeeps gone."
"Of fuckin course," I grumbled. She was supposed to be home with the boys. She probably left as soon as they were asleep. "Wilder go lay down in the living room on the couch. Take Griz with you. I'll take you to bed when it's clean."
He walked into the living room and Griz followed him. I turned my attention back to poor little Phoenix. He began crying and honestly I didn't blame him. It was late, I was tired, and my little guy was sick.
I washed him and dressed him in new pajamas. I held him close to my chest as I rocked the child to sleep. I knew I couldn't let the boys sleep together because I didn't want Wilder to get sick as well.
Wilder was asleep with Griz on the couch. I placed Phoenix on the recliner and told him to stay put.
I went to my room and removed the bed sheets. I took them to the bathroom to wash them out in the tub, seeing as they were to much for our old washer and dryer to handle.
I scrubbed the sheets until I heard Phoenix crying again. The poor baby was clutching his stomach and screaming in pain. My poor baby boy was hurting and I didn't know what to do. I just held him to my chest and rocked him. In that moment I decided if by dawn his fever was still high, I would take him to the emergency room, whether mom was home or not.
Wilder was restless, listening to his baby brother cry. To ease the boys worry and distract from the hurt, I sang them a song that their father had sung for me when I was young and got sick. I couldn't remember the words but thankfully they were in a letter Clay had wrote me.
