ward (completed)

28

June noticed that the towel on Nic's forehead was too wet. In fact, her pillow was wet as well. When she looked at the floor, she saw a trail of water leading to the bathroom. She then heard a sound from inside the bathroom which was slightly ajar.

June walked into the bathroom and saw Richard walking gingerly from the bathroom toward the walk-in closet area which would lead him to the room.

"Richard?" June said.

Richard looked up. He was concentrating on the cup of water he was holding. It was filled to the brim and some water was spilling over as he walked. He held the cup with one hand while his other hand held on to his pajamas and visibly heavy diaper.

"Niii!" Richard said. "Niii...ick!"

June immediately took the cup from Richard. "Ah, oo. May fever sya?"

"Niii..ick! Chaaa...hep!" ("Nagising kasi ako kanina kasi parang naririnig ko si NIc na umuubo. Ayun, inaapoy ng lagnat tapos inuubo pa.") Richard had regained some speech although he spoke like a toddler and could barely be understood.

"Salamat. O wait, paltan muna natin tong diaper mo..." June led Richard to the changing table. "O, sit ka lang dyan sandali ha. Bihisan ko lang si Nic." June said as she let Richard sit at Nic's reading corner in her room. Richard quietly flipped through a book while June tended to Nic.

"Niii...ick...burrr..."

"Andito ka lang pala!" Hanz said as he entered Nic's room and saw Richard at the book corner. Hanz had gone back to the small house and saw Richard on Nic's monitor.

"Siguro pumasok sya dito nung madaling araw at inasikaso si Nic. Inaapoy ng lagnat e." June said as she was wiping Nic's arms and legs.

"Richard, halika na. Maligo na tayo at hinahanap ka na ni Miss Ruth."

"Niii...ick!"

"Oo, may sakit si Nic kaya wag na nating istorbohin para makapagpahinga sya. Dalawin mo nalang mamaya ulit" Hanz said as he led Richard out of Nic's room.

"Kapapalit ko lang ng diaper nyan..." June said as Hanz and Richard went out the door.

"Hmm...mukhang may regalo na ulit..." Hanz replied.

Nic had a fever and so she was 'confined' to her bed the rest of the day. By afternoon, though, Richard became listless. He just sat down at Mommy Ching's store but was not his usual, noisy, happy self.

"Okay ka lang, anak?" Mommy Ching asked as she approached Richard. She was going to give him some juice and the bread that she promised.

Richard coughed, whined, and suddenly vomited! "Ang sakit ng ulo ko!"