Chapter 79

"BIANNA! COME QUICK! I'N SICK!"

The sound of vomiting punctuated his point.

Quick as a flash, Brianna was up and off the bed. She pulled on the demure nightgown she'd brought out to the guest house with her and her robe and shoes and was out the door before Jon had managed to do more than pull up and fasten his jeans.  Gathering up the wine, glasses and monitor, he followed.

Stephanie was standing at the top of the stairs when he entered the house. Noting the bottle and glasses in his hands, her brows rose. "Where were you guys?"

Jon's mind raced for a plausible answer. "Out in the Inn."

"With Bri in her nightgown?" She didn't buy it.

He was about to tell her it was none of her business, when Brianna appeared and spoke before he could. "I'd gone to bed but couldn't sleep." She explained. She'd been on her way to the bathroom for cleaning supplies and had overheard their conversation. "Your dad was still up and we decided to have a game of pool."

"Uh huh. Pool. Sure." Stephanie's skepticism was obvious.

Jon frowned, but again Brianna beat him to the punch. "Do you really want to know? You can't have it both ways."

Stephanie considered for a moment, realized what her father and his girlfriend had probably been up to and grimaced. "No. Spare me the details, please!"

"Wasn't going to tell you anyway." Jon assured her. He turned to Brianna. "What's up with Jake?"

"He's got a slight fever to go with the upset stomach."

"He puked all over his bed and the floor." Stephanie added helpfully.

"You'd better brace yourself." Brianna warned him.

"Why?"

"Because if it's the flu everyone in this house will likely get it."

"Great. Locked in a house with a bunch of miserable sickies. Maybe I'll stay in the guest house." Jon grumbled.

"That might be best for all of us." Stephanie agreed. Ignoring his scowl, she responded to Brianna's shocked look. "If he gets sick, miserable won't begin to describe it. Mom and Grandma always said they had a hard time deciding whether to help him or finish him off."

Jon scowled. "Shouldn't you be in bed? What are you doing up anyway?"

"I heard Jake yell for Bri and I got up to help."

Struggling to hide her smile, Brianna winked at the teenager. "And I appreciate it."

"I can help her now, so you can go back to bed." He watched his daughter head back to her room and sighed. "She's going to be the death of me."

Brianna wisely remained silent. Smirking, she continued on to the bathroom.

Jon headed to the kitchen to drop off the wine bottle and glasses. Muttering to himself about females being a pain in his ass, he returned to climb the stairs and see how bad the damage was.

He arrived at Jake's room in time to see Brianna, kneeling on the hardwood floor by the bed, toss a rag in the bucket beside her and stand up. Jake was sitting in the rocking chair in the corner, his sheets were in a pile near the door.

"How you feeling buddy?" He put his hand on his son's forehead.

"My head hurts an my tummy hurts."

"The Tylenol should kick in soon to help."  Brianna assured him as she shook out clean sheets. "Jon help me make his bed please."

"Sure." He moved to the other side of the bed and reached for the corner of the sheet.

They quickly finished the task and settled Jake back into bed.

"Feel any better?" Brianna tucked the blankets in around him.

"Uh huh." Jake nodded sleepily.

"Get some sleep." She kissed his forehead and stepped back.

Jon stroked his son's head. "Feel better buddy."

On their way out of the room, Brianna picked up the pile of sheets and the bucket. Jon turned off the light. They'd just passed Romeo's room when they heard him cry.

"BINA!"

"Uh oh." She set down the sheets and bucket and retraced her steps.  Entering Romeo's room, she picked him up out of his crib, sat in a chair near his bed and stroked his hair. "What's wrong little man?"

He whimpered, leaned towards her.......and threw up in her lap.

"Ew. Gross." Jon grimaced.

Romeo looked up at Brianna and burst into tears. 

She hugged him. "Shhh sweetie. It's okay." She glanced at Jon. "Can you grab me something to wear please?"

"Sure."

While she waited, she worked to calm Romeo down, rubbing his back and cuddling him close - carefully. "Ssshhhh little man. Does your head hurt?"

He nodded against her shoulder.

"Does your tummy still hurt?"

He nodded again. 

"As soon as Daddy comes back I'll get you some medicine to make you feel better."

When Jon returned and handed her a handful of clothing, she sorted through it and smiled. He'd brought a pair of her yoga pants.....and one of his sweatshirts.

He shrugged at her look. "I couldn't find another nightgown in your bag and all you had were sweaters that are too nice to get puked on."

"Ah. Thanks." She handed Romeo over to his father and began the tricky task of removing her soiled robe and nightgown without getting vomit everywhere. Successful, she pulled on the clothes he'd brought and added the dirty ones to the pile of sheets outside the door. "I'll get the Tylenol."

Romeo whimpered, and Jon sat down beside him and felt his forehead. "Don't feel good huh?"

Romeo shook his head. "Where Bina?"

"She'll be right back, she gone to get you some medicine." Maybe he should have felt irritated that his sons wanted someone other than him, but he didn't. He was no healer, and while he tried to comfort, he knew he wasn't that good at it. He didn't know if it was specifically Brianna that they wanted, or if it was simply because she was the only adult female in the house, and he wasn't sure he cared. As long as his children had what they needed. He was proud of the fact that he'd found someone that cared so much about his family.....and they cared about her.

Dorothea would be pleased. He could almost hear her I told you so echoing in his head.

"Here you go little man, this will help you feel better." Brianna reappeared with the pain reliever, looking so cuddly in his sweatshirt, Jon wanted to pull her into his lap and hug her.

They got Romeo settled and tucked in again, but when Brianna started to leave, he held out his hands. "No! Bina! No go!"

"Shh. It's okay." She reassured him, walking back over to rub his back. "I'll be just down the hall. I'll hear you if you need me."

"BIANNA!"

"Coming Jake." Brianna stifled a sigh as she hurried from the room. It was going to be a long night.

Standing under the stream of hot water in the shower, Brianna tried to wash away her tiredness. The boys had woken up several times to be sick, resulting in her only getting a few hours sleep. After the second go round she'd convinced Jon to go to bed. There was no point in both of them being sleep deprived and since the boys wanted her, she told him she'd take the night shift and he could take over in the morning. She sent up a silent prayer of gratitude that no one else had gotten sick.

Clean and dry, she studied the contents of her suitcase. She shivered as she pulled on a pair of jeans, still cold even after the hot shower - more from being over tired than from the temperature in the room. After a moment's consideration, she slipped across the hall and pilfered another sweatshirt from Jon's drawer.

She checked on the still sleeping boys, before heading downstairs. Entering the kitchen, she found a bare chested Jon manning the stove, which helped warm her considerably, even though she didn't have the energy to do anything about it. Even the desire that always lay just below the surface when he was near was more coals than flame at the moment. 

The sizzle and scent of bacon filled the air. Her stomach growled. Walking up behind him, she slid her arms around his waist and leaned her forehead against his back. "Please tell me there's coffee."

He laid down the fork in his hand and turned to wrap his arms around her. When she raised her head to look at him, he kissed her. "Hey there. Yeah, there's coffee. You feeling okay?"

She yawned and nodded. "Just tired." She rested her head on his chest.

Jon rubbed his hands up and down her back. "The boys still asleep?"

"Uh huh."

He smiled. "Let's get you fed, then you go have a nap. I'll take over."

"Breakfast ready yet? Oh." Jesse froze in the doorway for a moment, then continued on to the fridge and took out the orange juice. "You okay Brianna?"

Lifting her head, she sighed. "Yeah, just tired."

"She was up all night with the squirts I bet." Stephanie speculated as she joined them. Glancing at the frying pan full of eggs, she pulled out the bread and moved towards the toaster. "How are they?"

"What's the matter with the squirts?" Jesse asked.

His sister stared at him. "Didn't you hear them crying and puking last night? It went on for hours."

Jesse shrugged. "I didn't hear anything."

Stephanie caught Brianna's gaze and rolled her eyes. "Boys!"

Brianna grinned. "The little ones are sleeping - finally. It's been a couple hours since they've thrown up, so I'm hoping the worst is over. You two feeling okay?" Please say yes, I can't deal with all four of them sick!

"Yeah."

"Good. Maybe we'll get lucky and no one else will get sick."

Jon squeezed her. "Sit down sugar, food's almost ready."

"I'll set the table." She was afraid if she sat down she'd fall asleep.

Stephanie handed her a cup of coffee. "Here. You look like you need this. I'll set the table."

"Thanks."

Breakfast finished and the kitchen cleaned, they wandered into the living room. After a look at the snow still swirling outside the window, Jesse settled into a chair with a hand held video game. Stephanie took a book and curled up on the love seat. Brianna glanced down the hallway towards the office, but decided she needed to rest a few minutes before making the trek and sank down on the couch, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

The cushion beside her dipped as Jon joined her. "Why don't you go upstairs and lie down?"

"I should at least check the email. I'll be alright in a few minutes. Just need to get my second wind."

Jon smirked, but didn't argue, just picked up the TV remote and surfed until he found ESPN. When her head touched his shoulder a few minutes later, he shifted into the corner of the couch and drew her into his arms, holding her securely while she slept.

A couple hours later, Jake walked into the living room and stared at the occupants of the couch. "Daddy, why you holding Bianna? She seeping. She not going to fall off."

"Because she's my girlfriend, and I like to cuddle with her." He waited to see the reaction.

Jake frowned. "What's a girlfriend?"

"Well, it means that she's a girl that I like a lot and I want to spend lots of time with her and do things with her and only her." He wished Brianna would wake up and help with the explanation.

"What kind of things?"

"Oh lots of things. Like going out for dinner and to movies."

"And holding hands and hugging and kissing and cuddling." Stephanie added, trying to help.

Jake frowned in thought. "Like you and Mommy did?"

"Yes." Jon eyed his son carefully.

"Oh. Okay."

Figuring he should quit while he was ahead, Jon changed the subject. "You feeling better buddy?"

"Yeah. I'n hungry."