Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 222

It was nearing midnight, and the entire house was silent, except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the occasional rustle of blankets. However, in Carter's room, all was far from peaceful. The little boy had been sick for days, and tonight was the worst so far.

The Start of the Long Night

Carter had gone to bed earlier than usual, snuggling under his dinosaur blanket with his bottle of milk. Malia had tucked him in, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Goodnight, my sweet boy." At the time, his fever had seemed to settle, and he'd fallen asleep without much protest.

But by 11:30 PM, his cries pierced the quiet house. Malia was the first to hear it, rushing down the hall to his room. When she opened the door, she found Carter sitting up in his crib, his cheeks flushed, tears streaming down his face, and his tiny body shivering despite the warmth of the room.

"Mommy..." he whimpered, reaching out for her.

"Oh, sweetheart," Malia cooed, scooping him up. She felt his forehead—burning hot. His fever had spiked again.

Colby, who had been working late in his office, heard the commotion and quickly joined them. "How's he doing?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"His fever's up, and he's miserable," Malia replied, rocking Carter gently.

The Fever Flares

As Colby fetched the thermometer and medicine, Carter began crying harder, writhing in Malia's arms. "No! No medicine!" he screamed, his little fists weakly pushing at her.

"Carter, honey, it'll make you feel better," Malia said, trying to soothe him. But Carter, overtired and sick, was inconsolable.

Colby returned with a cool washcloth and tried to help. "Carter, look at Daddy," he said softly, crouching to meet his son's tear-filled eyes. "You're so brave. Just a little bit of medicine, and then we can cuddle, okay?"

Though still sobbing, Carter reluctantly let them give him the medicine. He clung to Colby afterward, his cries quieter but still filled with discomfort.

Everyone Joins In

By now, Carter's cries had woken the entire house. Colleen and Caitlyn appeared at the doorway, rubbing their eyes. "Is Carter okay?" Colleen asked, worry in her voice.

"He's just not feeling well," Malia explained, glancing at the girls. "Go back to bed, sweethearts."

But the girls were persistent. "Can we help?" Caitlyn asked.

Meanwhile, Liam stumbled out of his room, groggy but curious. "Why is Carter crying so much?" he mumbled.

"Because he's sick, Liam," Colby said firmly. "Go back to bed, buddy."

Of course, Liam didn't listen and instead sat on the floor, watching the scene unfold.

Hours of Restlessness

The night dragged on with Carter unable to settle. Colby and Malia took turns holding him, walking around the room, and singing softly. Each time Carter seemed to calm down, he'd start coughing, which would set him off crying again.

Malia tried giving him a warm bottle of milk, but he only took a few sips before pushing it away. "Don't want it," he muttered, burying his face in Colby's chest.

Colby tried everything—reading his favorite dinosaur book, turning on soothing music, even sitting in the rocking chair with Carter in his arms. Nothing seemed to work for more than a few minutes.

The Breakthrough

By 3 AM, Malia and Colby were both exhausted, but they refused to let Carter see their fatigue. Finally, Malia had an idea. She grabbed Carter's favorite stuffed dinosaur and his softest blanket and set up a little bed on the couch in the living room.

"Carter, do you want to sleep in the big room with Mommy and Daddy?" she asked gently.

Carter sniffled, his tiny hand clutching Colby's shirt. "Yeah," he mumbled.

Colby carried Carter to the couch, where they laid him down with his blanket and stuffed dinosaur. They turned on a low, calming cartoon and dimmed the lights.

To their relief, Carter's cries began to fade. He nestled into the blanket, his breathing uneven but calmer. Malia sat beside him, stroking his hair, while Colby stayed nearby, ready to help if needed.

Morning Comes

By the time the first rays of sunlight peeked through the windows, Carter had finally drifted into a deep sleep. Malia and Colby, though completely drained, felt a sense of relief seeing him resting peacefully.

The girls tiptoed into the living room, peeking over the couch to check on their brother. Liam, surprisingly quiet, brought over one of Carter's favorite toys and placed it beside him.

"That was a rough night," Malia whispered to Colby.

"Yeah, but we got through it," Colby replied, wrapping an arm around her.

As the rest of the house began to wake up, Carter stirred slightly, opening his eyes just enough to see his family surrounding him. "Mommy... Daddy..." he murmured before drifting back to sleep.

Though the night had been long and challenging, their love for Carter made every sleepless moment worth it.