The lost triplets

chapter 78

Alex woke up feeling lighter. He and Lorenzo had , had their share of deep conversations recently,  but something about last night had left him feeling lighter, more free. Perhaps it was his confession, he wanted to be a child .
He noticed he was curled up into Lorenzo. He didn't feel awkward or out of place . He didn't feel fear or worried about what lorenzo would do if he suddenly woke up.

He noted the time, they had school today so he quietly made his way out of the room not wanting to disturb Lorenzo.

Of course Lorenzo woke the moment Alex got up , but he chose to pretend he was still sleeping in order to make Alex feel better.

He was grateful the triplets and his younger brothers had school today. He knew it was going to drag.  He would need to get a grip on the situation with their mother. He couldn't allow her to remain in town.

At the other side of the house, James woke up feeling rough. The room felt colder than it should have, and as he sat up, a wave of dizziness knocked him. His head was throbbing. He didn't understand why he was feeling so run down fear crept up on him, he couldn't afford to miss a day if school. The feat of being punished for being sick, for missing a test, for not attending school. It was too much for him. So he chose not to acknowledge it. He got up and got ready for the day pretending everything was okay.

At breakfast,  he noticed Alex seemed lighter. He didn't seem as tense, less worried. He liked that. He didn't want Alex or Skye to worry so he didn't bother telling them.

Of course, Alex and Skye were observant and noticed their brother wasn't 100%.

James stirred his spoon in circles, head heavy but determined. His skin was pale, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. He caught Alex’s watchful gaze and shook his head just enough to say dont.

They had not been living here for long and the triplets had learned quickly that everyone worried too much already. The last thing James wanted was to add another reason for their new life to tilt. He wasn’t going to be the weak one, not today.

“Ready for school?” lorenzos' voice carried from the doorway, steady and warm. James saw that Lorenzo was hiding his feelings. He saw Lorenzo was focusing on them so he didn't have to face their mother.

James forced a grin. He ignored the looks of concerns from Alex and Skye.  “Yeah” His throat burned when he spoke, but he covered it with a cough and pushed back his chair.

"Great. I'll drop you three on my way to work" Lorenzo said.

By second period, the determination was unraveling. The classroom lights seemed too bright, the words on the board sliding in and out of focus. Alex, seated two rows away, kept shooting him glances. Skye tapped her pencil nervously, biting her lip.

James clenched his fists beneath the desk. He wouldn’t give in. He wouldn’t ruin this. He didn't want to be the weak one.

The numbers on the board blurred, his pen slipping in his damp palm. The teacher’s voice droned somewhere far away, and his body felt like it was sinking into quicksand. He bit the inside of his cheek hard, fighting to stay upright.

“James?” The girl at the desk beside him whispered. “You okay?”

He nodded sharply, though his stomach turned. His skin was hot and clammy, but the chill beneath it made his hands tremble.

The teacher spoke. "James can you tell me the answer"

Of course he couldn't.  And the teacher knew this.
"I'm sorry please can you repeat the question " James asked but tte teacher merely looked at him with dissapointment "I'm dissapointed in you James.  I suggest you start paying attention.  Can anyone else provide me with the answer"

Alex and Skye glared at the teacher for making James feel small. He clearly wasn't well.

By lunch, his hands were trembling. The ache in his chest made breathing a task, and when he tried to stand, the room swayed.

Alex refused to stand by any longer so he and Skye practically dragged James to the nurses office.

The nurse’s office smelled faintly of antiseptic and laundry detergent. James sat on the narrow bed, hoodie pulled tight around him, while the nurse dialed the number for Rafael.

Alex and Skye were sat with James, trying to reassure him.

"It seems your father isn't picking up, do you have another relative "  thr nurse asked.

"I can go back to class" James offered.

"Our eldest brother, Lorenzo.  " Alex informed the nurse before providing a phone number.

The nurse nodded and went away to make the call.

"You should have said this morning " Alex fussed .

Alex became the protector again as he made sure James was not in any pain and wasn't going to pass out.

"It's a weakness" James mumbled.

"You almost passed out" Skye exclaimed.

"But I didn't.  I'm okay "  James comforted her.

"You're not okay James. And that's okay" Alex said quietly.  He knew the nurses office wasn't a good place for this sort of conversation so he kept it brief.

"Are you okay Alex , you seem different " James asked.

Alex simply nodded "yes. I think I am" he didn't need to say anything else. James and Skye understood what he meant and left it at that.

The nurse entered and explained lorenzo was on his way. She then did her best to make sure James was okay.

Fifteen minutes later, Lorenzo walked in, concern etched deep into his face. He knelt in front of James, lowering his voice. “Why didn’t you say anything this morning?”

James swallowed hard. The words wouldn’t come. Instead, he shrugged, blinking fast to keep his eyes dry. He wouldn't show weakness.

Lorenzo sighed, brushing damp hair from James’s forehead. “You don’t have to prove anything. Not to me, not to anyone. Okay?”

For the first time that day, James let himself be vulnerable as he leaned into Lorenzo’s touch. He didn’t answer, but Lorenzo seemed to understand anyway.

Lorenzo stood back up, he looked at Alex and Skye, quickly assessing them, they seemed okay.

"Alexander? Skye? Are you both feeling okay" he asked.
They both said they were okay.

"Very well.  Both of you go back to class, I will be taking James with me okay. So don't worry . He's going to be okay, he's completely safe" he told them both wanting to reassure them.

He was pleasantly suprised at how well they both took it. Alex said a few quiet words to James who nodded in response.  Skye chose to hug James.

Lorenzo knew it was a big deal for the triplets to separate themselves like this. So he allowed them to tale their time saying goodbye to each other. He got started with the discussion on James health with the nurse.

And once they left, leaving James and Lorenzo alone. Lorenzo gently spoke.

"You're sick James, you should have said something this morning.g. I have some important meetings I can't miss, so we are going to go to my place of work. You can wait in my office whilst I do these meetings" Lorenzo explained.

"I'm sorry" James whispered.

"No do not apologise.  You can't help being sick. Being sick is not a weakness"

James didn't fully believe that but he chose not to question Lorenzo.  He had already taken time out of his day for him, he did not want Lorenzo to get annoyed.

Lorenzo led James away from school, James felt on edge, he was completely alone with his eldest brother. And he didn't know how to feel about it.