PREATH- Full Circle

Ch. 28

It has been two years since the twins were born, and Christen has been retired for that long. After much debate and deliberation, she realized that both her and Tobin could not travel for work all the time, and has decided devote her time to the family.

"I'll be back soon. I love you guys." Tobin told us as she left for a national team camp.
"Bye Mama. See you soon!" Caden said as he walked out from the kitchen table where he was doing his first grade homework.
"Bye Mama." Emersyn called from her spot at the table where she ate her grapes. Grayson came out from the back room to give Tobin a hug. Those two were like two birds of a feather.
"Bye bye mama. I love you."
"Bye Gray. I love you too." She told him before turning to me.
"I love you CP."
"I love you too Toby. Have fun and tell the girls I said 'hi'."
"Will do." She smirked. I wrapped her into a kiss, and she left.

"Caden! Come on it's time for soccer practice! Please go get your shin guards and ball."
"Kay Mommy!" Caden came bounding out of the room, shin guards and ball in tow. We all piled into the car, including Emersyn and Grayson, who could now buckle their own seat belts. We arrived at the field, and Caden took off running to his team. Emmie was walking beside me, and I was carrying Grayson, who was complaining of his hip hurting him. While Caden was practicing, Emmie was running around, playing with the little sister of another kid on Caden's team.
"Why don't you go play with Emmie, Graykey?" I asked the kid that was laying on my lap.
"I don't wanna. My leg hurts." He whined.
"Okay kiddo. Look there's Caden! Say, 'Go Cadey!'"
He just giggled, then buried himself into my shirt.
"Hey Graykey, what's the matter?"
"I don't feel good, Mommy."
"What doesn't feel good?"
"My head. My hip. My back. My everything."
"Okay buddy. We'll get you home as soon as Caden is done, okay?"
"Kay." He shivered, so I unzipped my jacket and wrapped it around him.

Once Caden's practice was done, he held Emmie's hand in the parking lot while I carried Grayson to the car. I drove home as fast as I could so I could get Grayson inside. I carried him inside and laid him on the couch while Caden went upstairs to shower.
"Hey baby. Here's some medicine." I whispered. Grayson sat up, and swallowed the sticky orange fluid. "Come on, let's get to your room, okay?"
"Mmkay." He rasped and leaned forward for me to carry him. I scooped up his frail body, and I carried him to bed, and tucked him in. "Call me if you need me, Graykey." I said and kissed his forehead before moving out to the living room with the other two. I found them both sitting peacefully, watching Sofia the First.
"Hey guys." I said.
"Hi mommy! Where Grakyers?" Em asked me.
"He doesn't feel too good so he's in his bedroom."
"Oh." She said sadly and turned back to her TV show.
"Mommy. Can we go outside?" Caden asked.
"Yes but please stay in the backyard where I can see you. I need to stay inside in case Grayson needs me."
"Okay. Come on Emmers."
"Cay! Can we play soccer?" Em asked as they walked out the back door and down the porch steps. I smiled as I watched my oldest try to teach my girl how to dribble. I watched as she stumbled and fell over the ball. I stood up to run and help her, but she got right back up. Just like Tobin. I thought. I flipped through the channels for awhile, before I heard a yelp coming from down the hall. I looked down and I found Lobo scratching at Grayson's door and crying to get in. Figuring he'd just wake him up, I tried to shoo him away, but he was adamant. After a minute, I went into the room. What I found was Grayson, under his sheets, shivering but soaked to the bone with sweat, letting out shaky breaths.

"Graykey. Wake up buddy." I shook him awake.
"Mommy." His little voice quivered. "I hurt."
"I know buddy. I know." I said, and sprinted to get the thermometer. I placed it under his tongue, and gasped when I saw what it read. 104.7.
"Okay Graykey. I need you to sit up for me."
"Mommy my back really hurts." He sobbed.
"Alright buddy. I'll carry you." I said and scooped him up. I looked into his eyes, and they had none of the depth they had before, none of the mystery. They just looked like I was gazing into a cloud. A loss of all of that vibrant blue color caused them to look misty gray, like all life had been drawn from them. I brought him to the couch where I laid him down, then went to call Caden and Emersyn inside. "Caden! Emersyn! Come inside please." I called as calmly as possible, as Grayson had begun to cough violently behind me. Em and Caden came bounding up the steps, and they ran past me, but skidded to a stop when they saw their brother shaking on the couch. They slowly began to back away, and Em began to cry.
"Mommy? What's wrong with Grayson?" Caden asked hesitantly.
"I'm not too sure buddy." I answered truthfully. I just knew I needed to get him to the hospital. And fast. But nobody could watch the other two.
"Caden. Come here."
"Y-yeah?"
"Do you think you and Emersyn can be good at the hospital, because I think I need to bring Grayson."
"W-why?"
"Because I think he's really sick, and he needs special doctors." I explained.
"What about Logan's mom?" He suggested. I totally forgot about her.
"Oh right. I'll call her."

"Hello?"
"Hi Marissa. I hate to ask this, but Grayson is really sick and I need to get him to the hospital, and Tobin is away with the team, and I have nobody to watch Caden and Emersyn. I just really need to get Gray to the hospital." I rambled before she cut me off.
"Christen I'll be there in five minutes."
"Thank you." I said and hung up the phone. I ran into the living room where Grayson was shaking and coughing violently, causing breathing to become difficult. I sat him up, in an attempt to open his airways, which seemed to work. It was then that I decided to call the ambulance.

The ambulance and Marissa arrived at the same time, so I said goodbye to Emersyn and Caden before following the paramedics out of the house with Grayson. We arrived at the hospital, and they were able to regulate Grayson's vitals, before running tests on him. I sat in the room with him, as he was all drugged up, and watched the TV that was in the corner. The doctor came in soon thereafter.
"Christen?"
"Yeah that's me."
"Hi! Doctor Smith. Nice to meet you."
"You too doctor. Do we have any news?"
"Yes. We do." He said and his face fell.
"And?"
"I am afraid that Grayson has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia."
"Cancer?" I choked.
"Yes. Cancer."

AN: ummm so... hi! Yeah... so... sorry..? um yeah bye...