Mute

Chapter 31 : Sick

Chapter 31

The next day...    

Riker POV

I forgot about school again. Everyone left for school. Rocky said he would stay home with me if I needed him to, but I didn't want him to fall behind because of me, so I told him to go.

Mark wasn't at breakfast. He went to the police station to give them a statement about me and my parents. And I think maybe then he was going to talk to the foster center and sign another contract.

So I spent the morning with Stormie. She spent probably an hour looking at all of the bruises I had. She also put some cream on my hands and arms, which were probably burnt the worst. I was actually feeling a lot better today from being burned in the shower, but my hands and arms were still a bit red.

She gave me some pain medicine and an ice pack, which I held to my cheek. And then she let me just watch movies with her under a bunch of blankets. 

And then Mark got home. He seemed annoyed and stressed and I was just hoping it wasn't because of me.

"How did it go?" Stormie asked.

"I don't know. There's still a lot of unanswered questions. His parents are in jail. But they don't know if they're going to get another chance to get Riker back again. And if they do, we need to do something, because I'm not letting this happen again. I wasn't even supposed to pick Riker up last night and bring him here. That's not protocol for the foster center, but it was late at night, and he doesn't talk, and there was no one else to take him. So it was ok. But things are just messy right now."

Mark sat down beside me. I turned so I could cuddle into his side. He put his arm around me.

"Did you talk to the foster center?"

"Yes. Normally we would have to sign another contract before taking Riker back in, but since we don't know what's happening with his parents, it's kind of hard to make a contract without knowing. They don't want to take Riker out of here just because we haven't signed a contract because clearly he's very happy to be here. So they said to just give it a few days to figure out what's happening and what we should do."

"Ok. I think that's a good plan. I have some errands I need to run. Will you be home so you can stay with Riker?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. Give him some more Tylenol in 2 hours."

"Ok."

Stormie left. I climbed onto Marks lap and clung onto him tight, burying my face in his shoulder.

"How are you doing, Riker? Are you ok?" He asked.

I nodded into his shoulder. 

"Good."

"I want you to be my daddy," I said, quietly.

Mark held me tighter.

"Riker, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure your parents are not going to hurt you ever again."

"I just want parents who don't want to hurt me all the time," I said, quietly.

"You shouldn't have parents who want to hurt you ever."

"Will you be my daddy for now?"

"Yes, of course I will, Riker."

I sighed, feeling a bit better. I'm really happy that Mark and Stormie took me back in. And that Mark is fighting for me. 

"Riker, you let me know if you need anything, ok?"

"Ok..."

Later...

Riker POV

Mark made me some lunch and gave me more pain medicine. I thought I was feeling better earlier, but now I sort of feel like I'm getting sick.

My throat was starting to hurt a bit and I was coughing a little. So Mark found some cold medicine in the bathroom closet for me to take. And it kind of just knocked me out for the rest of the afternoon. I was so sleepy. And I was also getting a bit of a headache too.

But Mark was taking good care of me. He kept feeling my forehead though and it seemed like he was getting concerned.

He put his hand on my forehead again and brushed my bangs away from my face.

"Riker, I think you're getting a fever."

I sighed. That's not good.

I'd told him about everything that happened and getting thrown in the pool and burned in the shower again. He thought I might be getting sick from being out in the cold. 

He seemed really happy that I talked a little. 

Stormie got back with groceries. She put them in the kitchen and then came in the living room, probably to check on me.

"How's he doing?" Stormie asked.

"Not good," Mark said.

"Why? Did you remember to give him Tylenol?"

"Yes. But he's getting sick. I think he's getting a fever," he said, putting his hand on my forehead again.

Stormie put her hand on my forehead too.

"Yeah, he feels warm."

Stormie left and came back after a few minutes with a thermometer and an ice pack. She gave me the thermometer, so I put it in my mouth. After about a minute, it beeped and Stormie took it.

"100.2. He has a fever."

"I gave him some cold medicine, so I'm not sure he can take anything else right now."

"Ok. We'll just keep an eye on him. Did he have any lunch?"

"Yeah, I made him a bagel."

"Ok. Riker, are you hungry right now?"

I shook my head no.

"Ok. Just rest."

She gave me the ice pack, so I held it up to my cheek, which is probably what felt the most sore.

And then everyone got home from school and it got loud.

I covered my ears with my hands and closed my eyes tight. I hate it.

"Kids. Riker's sick and he needs to rest. Please stop being so loud," Stormie said.

It got a lot quieter, so I opened my eyes again and saw Rocky standing right beside me.

"Hey. How are you feeling? You're sick?" He asked.

"He has a fever," Mark said.

"That sucks... Do you need anything?"

I shook my head no.

"Ok. Just let me know if you do."

I grabbed his hand.

"You want me to stay?"

I nodded.

"Sure."

He sat down on my other side and started doing his homework. I was so glad he was staying. Rocky and Mark just make me feel so safe.