Four Brothers

Chapter 2

"Good morning Princess" Angel grinned as Bobby helped me sit up before standing up and stretching, Mark quickly taking his place and curling into my side with a box of Kleenex in his lap. "Good morning, morning little brother" I smiled softly kissing the younger boy on the forehead as he flipped through channels looking for cartoons. "Good morning Lex, do you feel better?" he asked settling on an episode of Spongebob Squarepants. "I'm feeling alright, you sound a little stuffy this morning" I commented lifting my arm to feel his forehead a soft hiss escaping as it slightly aggravated my stomach. "I have a cold, Evie already gave me some cold syrup and told me to rest with you today." He answered messing around with the pile of blankets until he was also under them and tucked in beside me. "Alexis, we'll check your wound and see about getting you in a shower when Bobby and Jack get back from the store with more gauze "Evie commented moving to sit in her rocker and begin her knitting. "Evie, what are we going to do for clothes?" I asked quietly, we couldn't live in the boys' borrowed clothes for forever. "Jeremiah and Angel are going to take Sofi and Camille to the mall and pick out clothes for you two" she answered a smile on her lips as Mark and I both tried to tell her not to spend money on us but she wasn't hearing it. "I won't have you living here and not have some of your own things, and going to get things from your house is out of the question right now" she stated in a tone letting us know that the conversation was over. We all went quiet and watched the cartoons that played on the television. 

"Ma, Jackie and I are back" Bobby's voice called as they both walked into the living room with several bags each and Evie stood to help them put the things away before they came to sit. "Alexis, would you like to shower now or wait until Angel and Jeremiah get back?" Evie asked kindly as Bobby sat on my right since Mark was curled into my left side. "I'll wait until they get back, then Jack and Angel can have their clothes back" I smiled at her before she walked back into the kitchen and Mark started looking for something new to watch. "Have you napped yet?" Bobby asked throwing his arm across the back of the couch and ruffling Mark's hair. "Nope, I've only been awake for a little over 2 hours Bobby" I informed and he only shrugged like that was irrelevant. "So? Have you eaten yet?" he asked next both Mark and I chiming in with a no as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. He reappeared about 20 minutes later with two bowls of soup, he handed them off to Mark and I before returning to the kitchen coming back with another two bowls for himself and Jack. "Thanks Bobby" Jack grinned taking the bowl from his oldest brother and beginning to eat it. "Angel and Jeremiah are home Alexis, I'll let you finish your soup and then we'll take a look at your stomach and get you in the shower" Evelyn called from upstairs as Jerry and Angel walked through the door each carrying several bags. We greeted them as they walked through the house and upstairs to drop the bags before they returned back downstairs. "Soup on the stove" Bobby said shortly between bites letting them both know there was food prepared for them. I finished my soup shortly before Bobby and Jack taking Mark's bowl when he finished also. "Here Lex, I can take them so you can go upstairs" Jack offered giving me a sweet smile before grabbing the dishes from my hand before Bobby helped me up. 

"You're strong" I commented quietly as he easily lifted me into his arms barely jostling me as he walked. "You're light" he denied my statement even though I could easily feel the muscles in his arms and stomach through the thin long sleeve shirt he was wearing. "Ma, I'm bringing Lex to the bathroom for you" he called as we passed Evelyn in the spare room. "Thank you Bobby, now you get down stairs, I'll call one of you back when she's done" she said shooing him away before closing the door behind her setting clothes on the counter for me. "Let's take a look" she sighed as I removed all of the borrowed shirts and stood before her in my sports bra shivering at the temperature difference as she began unwrapping the gauze. I whimpered slightly as she got to the last layer and it pulled at the skin that was already irritated from the wound. "Well, it doesn't look too bad, I'm going to have you shower and then we are going to put some cream on it and rewrap to try and avoid any infection" she smiled softly patting my leg before standing up and walking out leaving me to shower. I started the shower before I finished stripping out of the borrowed clothes and stepped under the water whimpering as it came into initial contact with the wound but it slowly faded as I began washing my hair and body being very careful not to scrub too hard around the wound or get soap in it. The last thing I wanted was it to get infected and then have to explain to a doctor that I had gotten shot and tried to fix it myself. When the water started to get cold I shut it off and climbed out carefully, drying myself before slipping into my new clothes. It was another sports bra, underwear, sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt. Simple but exactly what I needed, I pretty much lived in sweatpants and t-shirts so I'm really happy they didn't get extravagant with the choices. 

 As soon as I was dressed I carefully opened the door and started to waddle to the room Evie had cleaned for me to start a dirty laundry pile. Just as I tossed the clothes into the corner and went to leave Angel was by my side and picking me up to return me to the couch downstairs. "Thanks Angel Face" I sighed leaning my head onto his shoulder as he carefully walked down the stairs. "No problem Princess" he grinned kissing my forehead after he sat me on Bobby's lap since he was too engrossed in the movie on screen to move. "Hey Baby" he commented as I wiggled around until I was comfortable enough. "Where's Mark?" I asked looking at Evie who was in her chair knitting again. "Upstairs, Jack is teaching him how to play guitar" she laughed as some off sounding notes floated down the stairs. I simply nodded and curled in Bobby pulling the blanket up to my chin and closing my eyes, it didn't take me long to fall asleep to his heartbeat. When I woke up again I was alone on the couch and it had to be early morning since Evie was the only one walking around. "Good morning Alexis, how do you feel about banana bread and some fruit for breakfast?" Evie asked exiting the room and appearing shortly with a plate of bread, strawberries and orange slices. "Thanks Evie" I smiled digging into the food happily, having slept through dinner the night before. "Hey Ma" Bobby called walking down the stairs and into the kitchen where Evie was baking. "The boys and I are thinking of heading to the rink is it okay if Mark comes with?" he asked and my eyes dropped playing with the edge of the blanket trying to blend into the couch. "Just be sure he doesn't play if you start a game, you boys get too rough and he's still got a cold" she returned softly as Mark and Jack cheered from the top of the stairs. "Hey Baby Girl, don't look so down" Bobby sighed jumping the back of the couch to sit by me his arm around my shoulder as he waited for the other boys to get ready.

I mustered up the best smile I could for him before turning back to the TV where the same episode of Days Of Our Lives was playing for the third time in two days. "How about this, when me and the boys get back I'll help you decide what you wanna do with your room" he offered, I knew he was just trying to make up for the fact that I was stuck in the house again while they got to come and go as they pleased. "Thanks Bobby" I muttered accepting his hug and watching with sad eyes as he and the boys walked out the front door and got in his car driving away. I laid down and pulled the blankets over my head letting sleep take over since I had nothing else to do, I was either banished to the couch or my room and since the boys had left I was stuck on the couch plagued with soap opera re-runs.