Rocketship

Chapter Eight: 4 sick Sixxes

Marci's POV:

A nasty flu was going around in Gunner's classroom, and he turned out to be case zero for the Sixx household. First Gunner, then Decker, then Storm; all sick.

All last week, I played nurse, trying to remember all the little remedies my mother did for me whenever I got sick — I made them soup and made sure they were hydrated. I gave them Tylenol around the clock, and held them when they cried. I also had them in little makeshift beds on the couches in the living room, so I could keep an eye on all of them at the same time.

I used to love getting sick when I was a kid (not the actual getting sick part, but the staying home part) because my mom would stay home with me and we'd watch movies all day. I found myself getting a little misty-eyed when I thought about it.

Fortunately, the kids were on the mend, and after three days of rest, Gunner was already back at school. Therefore, when I returned to the Sixx house after the weekend, I was surprised to find the newest victim of the epidemic, Nikki.

He was bedridden and looked sick as a dog. He was shivering and sweaty and pale. Poor thing. "How're you feeling?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"I've been better," he croaked with a weak smile. I felt his forehead with the back of my hand and tried my best to ignore his starry gaze. Just as I had suspected, he had a fever (obviously).

"I'll take care of everything today. Don't worry about anything. Just rest," I softly instructed.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Mar," he said weakly.

I didn't really know what to say, so I gave him a smile instead and pretended that his words didn't just make my heart skip a beat and my stomach flip. Oh god.

I gave Nikki Tylenol and a cold compress for his fever, then got Gunner ready for school.

Gunner and Storm followed me to the car like little ducklings, while Decker sat on my hip. I buckled them up, and then we were off.

Every time I drove the Lexus, I missed my car (Nikki had actually let me borrow it while my car was in the shop). It was an extremely generous gesture — I almost had a hard time accepting it — just take the damn car, he pleaded with me.

My car had been in the shop for almost two weeks, and naively, I was still hanging onto the hope that my baby station wagon would pull through, despite the prognosis that said otherwise — it's going to cost more to fix it than it's worth, said the mechanic, utterly confused as to why I'd want to save a "junker." All I said in return was, I don't care.

For the time being, the Lexus would just have to do.

It was a short 10 minute drive to Gunner's school; during the entire drive, Gunner went on and on about their new class pet (a hamster apparently named Wiggles), while Storm sang nonsense at the top of her lungs. Decker was just an innocent bystander that morning, trying his best to drown out his siblings and take a nap.

"You have the bestest day at school, Gunner," I told him as we pulled into the drop off bay at his school.

"I will!" he said with a great big smile (his top two front teeth were missing, which made him look even more precious).

I let Gunner out of the car, and he gave me a hug.

"Bye bye bubba!" Storm waved farewell, and Gunner waved back at her before running off.

"You're such a sweet little sister, Storm," I told her, and she let out a little giggle.

I hopped back into the car and just as I was about to pull out of the parking lot, a woman approached the car. Maybe I wasn't allowed to park here? I wondered, even though I dropped Gunner off every morning at that very spot. I rolled down my window.