A Different Reality (Lasting Love)

He's Sick

"Justin!?!  Are you okay?"  I walk into the house with the kids "We just got home!"

"Daddy!  We home!"  Ben yells, helping me look for him.

He called me earlier asking me to pick up the kids for him because he's sick, but there's no sign of him anywhere in the house.  Normally when he's sick everyone knows and it is not good.

"Guys, watch your sister for me please."  I stick the kids in the playroom with a movie so I can go look.  They're already too into the movie to even notice that I left. 

"Babe, where are you?"  I walk into our room looking around.  I can definitely tell he's been in here before, but I don't seem him anywhere now.

"I'm here."  He says from the bathroom as the toilet flushes.  I walk closer as the door opens to see a completely different Justin than what I expected.  Definitely not the one I'm used to.

"Go lay down, you look like shit."  I push him out of the bathroom "I'll get you some medicine."

"That's not gonna do anything.  It'll just come right out."  He walks towards the door "Where are the kids?  Are they eating?"

"They're in the playroom, but I don't want them getting sick so stay away."  I know he wants to see them, but it's not worth the chance that all 3 of them end up sick "I'll just tell them that you don't feel good.  Go back to bed.  I'll take care of them."

He just nods his head and walks over to the bed.  I wipe down the bathroom so that I hopefully don't get this, and then go to check on him.  He's half asleep, trying not to puke over the side of the bed.  I feel terrible for him.

"Well, you have a fever."  I check his temperature "It's probably just one of those 24 hour things."

He goes to say something, but instead hurls himself over the side of the bed, somehow making the bucket as he empties what seems like his entire stomach.  I stand there in disbelief that this much can come out of one person when they haven't had anything to eat all day.  It doesn't seem like this is the last time he's going to do it, either.

"Holy hell, Justin!" I quickly push the garbage can over and take the bucket into the bathroom "Were you this sick this morning too?"  He doesn't have energy to talk so he just nods his head.

"It started after I got home from dropping them off.  I forgot my phone here, and right before I left again to film, I felt sick.  I went back for about an hour before they told me to just go home."

I have him lay back down and go to the playroom so I can check on the kids.  They haven't left their spots since I left, and are not interested in me interrupting them at all.  They're too busy watching the same movie for the millionth time and acting out everything.

I go downstairs to start making dinner.  Since Justin is sick, I decide to just make some chicken noodle soup so he can eat it if he feels better.  I make sure to get the kids bowls out that they love so that they'll actually eat it and not decide that they hate it.

"Kids!  Dinner is ready!"  I yell upstairs.  I hear tiny footsteps running through the hall and down the steps, and a few seconds later all three of them are in the kitchen waiting to be fed.

"Where daddy?" Ben asks immediately "He hiding?"

"Is he scaring us again?" Kay asks.

"Daddy's sick.  His belly hurts so he's gonna stay in bed for a little until it gets better." I put their food in front of where they're sitting and sit with Lexie "He'll be better tomorrow so he can play with you guys again."

"We make daddy better."  They decide, looking to me for ideas.

"Well, I guess you guys can make him cards.  He'd like that." I suggest.  They finish their food quickly, even Lexie who doesn't understand what is happening, and want to start right away. 

I finish eating myself while they get started.  They get out all the paper we have throughout the house and spread it all over the table.  Kay gets all their crayons out as well, dumping the whole bucket because it's too much work for them to reach into it.  Ben draws random pictures and the few letters that he cares to know, while Kay tries her best to write full sentences. 

"Those are great, daddy is going to love them."  I encourage their excitement and creativity "I bet he'll feel better as soon as he sees them."

"Yeah, because we're magical." Kay says.  Ben quickly agrees.

"Dada!" Lexi yells pointing behind me.  I turn to see that Justin decided to come downstairs.  He still looks horrible and the kids can see it. 

"What are you doing down here?  You should be resting." I pull him into the corner "Are you okay?"

"I wanted to see my children.  I could hear them laughing and I missed them." He leans down to pick up Lexie, who ran over to him, "I washed my hands and changed my clothes.  I don't want to make them sick either."

"Okay, well they have something for you anyway.  They know you're sick."

I watch as he walks back to them, carrying Lexie who wants nothing more than to be wrapped up in her daddy's arms.  He looks weaker, but I know he's trying to hide the fact that he feels horrible from them.  He doesn't want them to be scared.

"Mommy look!"  Ben calls me into the room "Daddy all better."

"Yeah, you guys cured him with your cards!"  I sit down with them, "I guess they really were magical."

Justin quickly looks over at me, and I can tell that he is not cured.

"I think I'm gonna go back upstairs."