Marriage Of Growth

~30~ Inadequacy

This will be the last update for two weeks...I'm going on vacation and unplugging ❤️

I wake up in the middle of the night to Matthew flopping like a fish in bed.

"Matthew Olton you're going to wake up Jamie," I hiss, fully aware that if this child wakes up he will never fall back to sleep.

"I can't help it! My rear is itchin'!"

"What?" I whisper, still fuzzy from sleep.

He groans as he stands up, scratching at his rump in agony. "I think I'm still allergic," he grumbles.

It suddenly dawns on me, and the memory of what occurred between us makes my tummy feel warm. I stand up and make my way over to a kerosene lamp, lighting it and illuminating the little room.

I look at him and force a smile off of my face. "Drop 'em."

He rolls his eyes as he undresses, and I shine the light on him.

"Matthew!" I hiss in astonishment when I see what we're dealing with.

His entire backside, along with both of his thighs are already red and starting to blister.

"How bad?" He asks lowly.

"Not good."

He blows out a breath and puts his hands on his hips. "Sophie, what am I gonna do?"

"You're going to try and get some sleep. Let's get to bed and I'll see what Ruthie suggests in the morning."

He spins around quickly and pulls up his long-johns as he gives me a glare that makes me gulp.

"You ain't tellin' Ruthie NOTHIN'!"

"Matthew, I don't know the first thing about treating Poison Ivy. Ruthie knows more than me about most things...I need help with this."

He shakes his head angrily. "And when she asks where I got it, what will ya say?"

"The truth!"

"And when she asks how I got it where the sun ain't even touched? How ya gonna explain that?!"

"...I'll just tell her!"

"Did the poison seep to yur brain, woman?!?! Ya don't talk 'bout such shameful things!"

"It's just Ruthie!"

"I don't care who it is! I don't want her knowin' that my hindquarters have blisters. Keep yur mouth shut iffin ya know what's good for ya."

"Pa?" Jamie croaks as he sits up in bed and rubs the sleep from his eyes.

"Go back to sleep, James," I say sternly as I walk over to him and start to cover him up.

"...Actually, you need to sleep with your brother and sister," I say as I pull him from the bed and guide him to an already full one.

"Why?!?! There's no room!"

"Do as I say," I hiss as he plops down on Junior's stomach, making him groan in his sleep.

"Why ya doin' that?" Matthew asks as he absentmindedly scratches.

"Just in case, I don't want him catching it somehow."

"....That ain't how it works. He won't catch it just from layin' in bed with me."

"And if the oil is still on you?"

"Ya made me jump in the cotton-pickin' river!"

"Could you please just do what I say without arguing? You're being enough of a baby, I don't need the children getting this."