DNA or Nurture

Two sick kids

The next day, it's Tuesday morning and Harper wakes up from a tickle in her throat and she starts coughing. Her throat feels all scratchy, she feels icky and her nose is really stuffy.

Harper is coughing non stop as she thinks, 'This isn't good. Mama will never let me go to school if I can't stop coughing. I sound horrible.'

Meanwhile in Addison's room, she just finished getting dressed after showering. Harvey is still sleeping peacefully on her bed, which she is gratefully about. After he had come in her room, he woke up about four times in the middle of the night. Not that she minding, but she knows that he needs his sleep, especially being sick right now. Addison is heading to Harper's room to wake her up for school when she hears Harper's coughing. Addison sighs softly as she walks into her daughter's room.

"Hey sweet girl" Addison greeted "I'd say good morning, but you don't sound too well. Or look well for that matter. I think you may have to miss school." She placed her hand on Harper's forehead as she felt for a fever. She knew that Harvey has one, and if Harper caught what he has that she might have one too.

When Harper finally stops coughing, she expressed herself and appeared a little upset, "But mama, I can't miss school. I don't like to miss school."

"I know, sweets, and I'm sorry but you're sick and your body needs to rest in order to get better." Addison explained. Then she inquired, "Plus you wouldn't like to get your classmates sick, now would you?"

Harper shook her head, "No, but..."

"No buts. You're staying home to rest and that's final." Addison warned as she stopped her daughter from finishing her sentence "Is that understood?"

Harper sighed and nodded, "Yes mama."

"Okay" Addison replied as she softened her tone "Now let's go downstairs, get you settled on the couch, and then I'll get you something small to eat so that you can take some Tylenol. Sound good?"

"Yeah. I guess." Harper stated with a shrug

Addison and Harper head downstairs where Harper gets all settled on the couch and turns on the TV to watch Full House.

"What would you like to drink, sweet girl?" Addison asked from the kitchen

"Um... could I have Ginger Ale, mama?" Harper requested

Addison hesitated for a moment, "Uh well we don't have Ginger Ale at the moment, but I'll get some later. How about some apple juice instead?"

"Sure." Harper replied a little disheartened. "Yeah that's fine."

Then as Addison is pouring her daughter a glass of apple juice, she hears her son calling her from upstairs.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" Harvey yells scared

"I'll be right there, baby." Addison yells back as she takes the juice to Harper. She kisses her daughter's head, "Here you go, honey. Now I'm going to go see what your brother needs."

Harper nods, "Okay mama."

Addison heads back upstairs and upon arriving in her room, she finds Harvey awake and sitting up in her bed.

"What's up, buddy? Do you need something? Is something wrong?" Addison inquired worriedly

"Mama, my body hurts." Harvey whined

Addison looked concerned, "Like a painful hurting or like an achy hurt?"

"Achy. I think." Harvey replied uncertain "What does achy mean, mama?"

"Um..." Addison started and then stopped to think about how to explain it in a way a kid would understand "Okay. Achy is a word used to describe something that feels like dull pain and soreness."

Harvey nodded, "Okay well than yeah. My body feels achy."

"Okay well do you think you are okay to walk downstairs?" Addison asked

"I think so, mama." Harvey stated in the affirmative but also sounding unsure.

Addison let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding in, "Alright well then why don't you join your sister downstairs. I'll be down in a minute to make breakfast."

"Okay mama." Harvey said before getting out of bed and starting to head downstairs slowly.

Addison stays upstairs and calls Harper and Harvey's school to let them know that Harper and Harvey are sick and they won't be at school today. The phone call only takes a couple of minutes, so after getting off the phone Addison walks downstairs to the kitchen and starts to prepare a small breakfast. She makes a fruit salad for her kids with oranges, apples, watermelon, and strawberries, which she takes to them before making her own breakfast. For herself, Addison cooks an omelet with goat cheese, tofu, mushrooms, and a smidgen of parsley.

After breakfast, Addison is washing the dishes while Harper and Harvey are peacefully sleeping on the couch. The flu bug that they caught is really draining their energy and making them exhausted. So anyways, while Addison is washing the dishes her phone rings. She looks at the caller ID and sees that it's Derek. She dries her hands and then answers her phone.

"Hey Derek, hold on a sec." Addison whispered as she walks out to the deck so that she doesn't wake the twins. Once she's out on the deck and the door is closed, she speaks up, "Sorry Harper and Harvey are sleeping and I didn't want to wake them."

"That makes sense." Derek replied "So how are you and my niece and nephew? Is Harvey any better?"

"I'm good. No, you know what I'm blessed and grateful." Addison told him "Harvey's not any better and on top of that Harper is sick too. She's upset that she's missing school."

Derek laughed, "Oh so Harper likes school?"

"Yeah she loves it." Addison responded "So how are you, Derek?"

"I'm good. I miss you like crazy, but I made all the arrangements and I bought a plane ticket. My flight is a red eye. I'm flying out of Seattle on Friday."

Addison smiled to herself, "I can't wait to see you."

"Me neither." Derek admitted