Caring for a Sick Brat
Benji dragged himself through the front door and dropped his bookbag on the floor. He stumbled over to the sofa and flopped down on his stomach facing the television. The TV clicked on and the channels whizzed by as Benji started channel surfing.
He felt like crap. He had begun to cough some at school and now felt achy all over, probably due to a fever. He picked up the phone and called Vic's office, craving some attention and pampering.
"Tanner, Bradford, and Reeves," the receptionist answered.
"Hi, Katie. It's Ben."
"Benji, how are you? I guess you want to talk to Vic?"
"Yeah."
"He's in a meeting with a client right now. Would you like me to give him a message?"
"No," Ben answered. Then he had another idea. "Can you just put me through to his voicemail?"
"Sure, Benji. Hold on."
Ben listened as his lover's recorded voice apologized for being unavailable, then asked him to please leave a message.
"Vic, it's me. I don't feeelll goood," Ben whined into the machine. "I'm at home. I just want you to come home, too. Call me."
Ben hated to be alone when he was sick. He took easily to the attention Vic showered on him when he wasn't well and he took comfort in knowing Vic would take care of him.
About an hour later, Vic emerged from his office shaking hands with his client. Katie caught his attention as the client left, waving to him.
"Vic, Ben called. I put him through to your voicemail."
"Thanks, Katie."
Vic returned to his office and picked up the phone after taking a seat at his desk. He punched in the necessary codes to retrieve his messages and went through two others before he got to Benji's. A frown crossed his features as he listened to the pitiful message left by his partner. He deleted the message and dialed their home number.
"Vic?" Ben said when he picked up the phone on the first ring.
"Try saying 'hello' first, Benji."
"Vic! I need you here," Ben whined into the phone.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked gently.
"I don't feel good," Ben said, starting to cough again.
"Tell me what's the matter; what hurts?"
"My whole body hurts; I keep coughing, and I just feel bad."
"Do you have a fever?"
"I don't know. I haven't checked."
"Well, check it and take some Tylenol. I'll see if I can get home early. Have you eaten anything?"
"No, I'm not hungry."
That wasn't a wellness indicator coming from Ben. Vic was pretty sure the only reason he ate was to keep him off his back.
"Vic, I want you to come home! Please?"
"I'm going to try, Benji. Do I need to get you in to see Nelson?"
"NO!"
Ben hated going to the doctor, even if it was someone he knew. Doctors liked to poke and prod, neither of which were attractive to Ben.
"Are you sure?" Vic pressed.
"YES, I'm sure."
Vic wasn't nearly as sure as Ben. He decided to wait until he knew what he was dealing with before getting Nelson involved. Ben could be quite pitiful when he was sick and Vic didn't know how much of it was drama and how much was for real. He supposed he could always call Nelson later if it was needed.
Ben started to cough again. Vic's brow furrowed and he thought again briefly of calling Nelson. The rattle he heard in the cough couldn't be faked or exaggerated.
"Benji, there's cough syrup in the cabinet. Take some of that when you get the Tylenol. I'll be home as soon as I can."
"Hurry up, okay?"
Vic smiled at the receiver, "I'll try, sweetheart. Call me if you need me, all right?"
"Okay."
"Bye," Vic said and disconnected the call.
He checked his schedule and thought he could leave within the hour. It would be tight but it could be done.
Back at home, the phone rang again and Ben snatched it up without looking at the Caller ID. It was a telemarketer. He listened to hear the beginnings of a spiel and he was instantly angry that it wasn't his lover.
"NO, I don't want any of whatever the fuck it is you're selling. Quit calling here!" Ben growled into the phone.
His temper was kept on a short leash as it was and being sick merely shortened it some more. He picked up the remote and flipped through channels trying to find something interesting on television. He watched a Magnum, P.I. rerun to pass the time.
The phone rang yet again. This time he checked the Caller ID before answering in case it was someone trying to sell him something. It was Zach.
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Like shit," Ben complained.
"Vic's gonna make you go see Nelson."
"No he isn't. He already asked if I needed to see him and I said I didn't. He didn't push."
"Has he been home yet?"
"No."
Zach started grinning, "That's why he hasn't pushed about seeing Nelson. He doesn't know how sick you really are yet."
Zach loved to tease Ben, or any other easy target for that matter. He knew Ben hated to go to the doctor, so he had to have some fun, didn't he?
"Just wait until Vic comes home. He'll insist on taking you to see Nelson. Don't worry. It won't be so bad. He can maybe give you a shot or something to make you feel better."
"Shut UP, Zach. I'm not seeing Nelson. I'm not that sick."
"Wanna bet Vic disagrees when he gets home?" Zach kept on, knowing he was getting under Benji's skin.
"Go jump, Zach. I don't feel like talking," Ben said, coughing with the effort to talk.
"See? You DO need to see a doctor. You're too weak to talk," Zach said, laughing into the phone.
Ben responded by hanging up. Zach was nearly doubled over laughing when he heard the disconnection.
Not long after he hung up, Ben heard the garage door opening and knew Vic was home.
He listened for the familiar sound of him walking through the kitchen. He heard Vic's footsteps as they neared the sofa and saw him stop in front of him, seating himself on the coffee table. He raised pitiful eyes to Vic letting them communicate how horrible he felt. Vic's fingers fed tenderly through Ben's hair then he felt his forehead.
"Hey, sweetheart. How's my sick brat?"
"I feel like crap."
"What was your temperature?" he asked, wincing at the heat on Ben's forehead.
"I didn't take it."
Vic straightened up on the coffee table and crossed his arms across his chest.
"I told you to take your temperature and to take some Tylenol, young man. Did you at least take the Tylenol?"
Ben shook his head, "I didn't FEEL like it."
"I ought to spank your bottom. Don't complain about feeling bad when you won't do anything about it."
"Viiiccc," Ben whined. "I didn't feel like getting up and I wanted to wait for you!"
"I don't care, Ben," Vic said as he got up and walked back toward the kitchen. "You need to do what I tell you, especially when you're sick."
He returned shortly with the thermometer, a glass of water and two Tylenol.
"Open up," he said then he slipped the thermometer under Ben's tongue.
He read it four minutes later and saw that Ben had a fever of 101.6. He sighed and handed Ben the Tylenol then the glass.
"Okay, sweetie. Up to bed. You need to get some rest."
"Why can't I lie here?"
"Don't argue with me, Benji. Up to bed, right now."
"But this TV is bigger. I like it down here better."
"Benjamin, I'm not telling you again. Move it."
Ben let his lip slip out into a pout and turned his weakened eyes to his partner. Vic smiled at the attempt to get his way.
"THAT is one of the most impressive pouts I've ever seen you pull. It isn't going to work, though. Upstairs. Now."
Vic pulled at Ben's arm then swatted him softly toward the stairs. Ben shuffled up the steps and into their bedroom. He pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and grabbed the remote before crawling into his side of the bed.
Nothing was on TV except more reruns and talk shows. He decided to check the pay per view movies to see if anything decent was playing.
Junk, junk and more junk. Just as Ben was getting ready to give up he saw Ghost Ship was playing. He loved horror movies but Vic didn't let him watch them much. Just because he got a little jumpy afterwards was no reason to treat him like a baby.
He pressed the "purchase" button and settled back to wait for the movie to start. He heard Vic coming down the hall and hoped he didn't notice what he was watching if he came in. He turned the volume down to keep from bringing attention to the movie. Vic walked in the door and glanced at the TV, but didn't comment about the show.
"Turn off the TV, Benji. I want you to take a nap," Vic said as he started to change out of his work clothes.
"I don't want to take a nap," Ben complained, not making a move to turn off the television.
"I don't remember asking you what you wanted," Vic said sternly, taking the remote and flicking off the TV.
Ben bolted up in the bed and grunted loudly. "I was watching that!" Ben snapped.
Vic looked at him with raised brows that begged the question, "What did you say to me?"
"Come on, Vic," Ben said with less determination. "I've been lying down all afternoon."
"Would you like to lose your TV privileges for the rest of the night?"
Ben began to cough which made it difficult to maintain a decent pout. Vic waited patiently for the coughing to stop so he could get an answer to his question. Ben finally stopped.
"Would you?"
"No, sir," Ben said, settling a pout back on his lips.
"Then take a nap," he said, planting a kiss on Benji's cheek.
"All right, but I'm NOT sleepy."
Ben turned over in the bed, back to Vic. Vic grinned at the body language and shook his head. His brat could be difficult when he was well but an illness stepped things up a notch.
Vic finished changing his clothes and was headed out the door when Ben called out.
"I'm not asleep yet."
"Thanks for the update. Go to sleep."
Vic knew he had a rough few days ahead. Everything was magnified when Ben was sick. He whined more, complained more, and worst of all, he pushed the limits more. It had starting already.
As soon as Vic was out of earshot, Ben grabbed the remote control and flicked the TV back on, turning the volume way down. He could barely hear the movie, but he didn't dare turn it up any louder. He had to be able to hear if Vic came back down the hall.
About a half-hour into the movie, the fever and illness overtook Ben and he drifted off to sleep, remote in hand. Vic came in to check on him, finding him doing the very thing he was just told not to do less than an hour before.
He slipped the remote out of Ben's hand and pointed it at the TV. It was then that he noticed what Ben had been watching. He shook his head and turned the TV off again. He covered Ben up and watched him snuggle down into the sheets without waking up. Vic took the remote with him when he left that time.
About an hour later, the phone rang and Vic answered it quickly so it wouldn't wake Benji.
"Hello?"
"Vic? Where's the remote?" Ben asked from his cell phone, voice audibly scratchy now.
Vic was surprised to hear Ben on the other end. "Benjamin, are you calling from your cell?"
"I had to. I don't have enough voice to call you any other way and you won't let me come downstairs."
His voice had gotten decidedly rougher as the day wore on.
"I'll be up in a minute. I was waiting for you to wake up so I could bring you some dinner."
Vic heated up some Campbell's Chicken and Stars and made Ben a PB & J. He poured a glass of milk to go with the soup and sandwich, and placed everything on a tray. He carried it upstairs to the bedroom, bumping the door open with his foot.
"I'm not hungry," Ben started complaining before Vic got in the door.
"You're going to eat something. Don't give me a hard time, Ben."
"But I'm NOT hungry," he said, pouting.
"Really? Just like you weren't sleepy? You slept an hour and a half."
"And, I missed my movie. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome," Vic said sitting on the side of the bed and placing the tray in front of Ben. He shook down the thermometer and stuck it in Ben's mouth to get a reading before he ate.
"Where's the remote?" Ben asked around the thermometer.
"Keep your mouth closed. No remote tonight. I told you no TV and I came in to find you asleep with it on. Not only that, you were watching a horror movie you bought on pay per view. You clearly disobeyed me, so no TV until tomorrow."
Ben started coughing and had to wait until it passed to continue the conversation. Vic had pulled the thermometer from his mouth when the coughing started and stuck it back under Ben's tongue when it was over.
Ben plucked the thermometer from his lips and said through an increasingly scratchy throat, "But, Vic! I'll be so bored. There's nothing to do but watch TV!"
Vic took the thermometer from his hands and asked, "Would you rather I spank you?"
"But, I'm sick!"
"Quit arguing with me," Vic said, slipping the thermometer back into place. "If you're well enough to disobey and argue, you're well enough to handle a spanking. Now, don't push it. I said no TV and I meant it."
Ben managed a frown around the thermometer in response to Vic's mini-lecture. After four minutes passed, Vic pulled the thermometer from Ben's lips and frowned when he saw his temperature was virtually unchanged from earlier.
"What will I do all night?" Ben coughed and pouted, arms folded.
Vic ignored the question shaking out two more Tylenol and laying them on Ben's tray for dessert.
"I don't want any," Ben pointed out again.
"Dinner or Tylenol?"
"Neither one."
"You're having both. Quit being difficult."
Vic began the task of trying to get Ben to eat, and Ben was clearly not interested.
"Benjamin, eat!" Vic said, growing more and more frustrated. And it was just day one.
Benji was only interested in getting back his TV privileges. "Vic, please let me watch TV. I'll be so bored. There's nothing to do!"
"You could eat, for starters. After that, you can read or play video games. I don't really care as long as it doesn't involve watching television. Benjamin David! Open your mouth and eat!"
"I don't want any!" Ben backed away and turned his head away from the spoon Vic had in front of his face.
Having had enough, Vic picked up the tray and moved it out of the way. He pulled Ben out of the bed and had him across his knees before Ben knew what was happening.
He screeched and tried to stop Vic from what he knew was about to happen. He didn't have enough voice left and trying to talk just made him cough.
Vic pulled his pants down and landed about twelve strong swats to Ben's behind. Just as quickly as he found himself across Vic's knees he was righted and sitting on his lap, pants still down and bottom stinging.
"Is that enough to get your attention or do you need more?"
Ben was crying a little from the short spanking. He couldn't answer between the tears and the coughing so he just shook his head "no".
"No, that's not enough or no, you don't need more?"
Ben coughed out a "no more" and Vic helped him back into bed after pulling up his pants. He put the tray back across Ben's lap and Ben tried eating between the coughs and tears, not wanting a repeat - and more lengthy - performance.
"I'm going to get you some cough syrup from downstairs. I want to see a good bit of that soup gone when I get back."
Ben was still sniffling and pouting. After Vic left the room, Ben slipped into the bathroom and dumped the soup into the toilet and flushed. If Vic wanted a bit of it gone, Ben was willing to help. He didn't specifically say it had to be eaten, just gone.
Satisfied, he crawled back into bed and Vic returned shortly bearing a bottle of cough syrup and a spoon. He looked suspiciously at the empty bowl as he approached the bed.
He looked from the bowl to Ben, "There is no way you ate that as fast as you want me to believe."
Ben blushed with guilt and looked away, further increasing Vic's suspicions.
"What did you do with it, Benji?"
Ben responded with another coughing fit. Vic shoved a spoonful of cough syrup into his mouth. He went into the bathroom to rinse the spoon and saw a few stray stars in the toilet that managed to escape the cascading waters from the earlier flush.
"I thought you said I spanked you enough just a few minutes ago," he said returning from the bathroom, hands on his hips.
Ben was still coughing but managed to nod his head.
"Then why did you flush your soup, young man?"
Ben had gotten the coughing under control and took a sip of his drink.
"I TOLD you I wasn't HUNGRY."
"I'm going back downstairs to make you some more and I will sit here and watch you eat it."
"I don't WANT it, I told you!"
"Benjamin David Monroe, you'd better straighten up before I really spank you."
Vic glared at him making him shrink against the pillow. He grabbed at the PB & J in response and took a bite to appease Vic before he got his butt torn up again.
When Vic returned, he had another bowl of soup and sat it down on the tray. He handed the spoon to Ben and folded his arms in a posture that clearly indicated he expected no arguments the second time. Ben took the spoon and began to eat.
He ate nearly all of the soup, which made Vic happy. He only ate half of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but Vic was okay with that. He picked up the tray then tossed Ben a book before he left.
"If I find the television on again tonight, I'll move it out of this room and spank you. Clear?"
"Yes (cough) sir."
Vic checked on Ben frequently, each time getting a dissertation on why television was necessary for a brat to pass the time so he could rest better and heal properly during an illness. Vic patiently warded off every complaint, not relenting. It was hard to stick to his decision knowing Ben was sick, but at the same time, he couldn't let him by with disobedience just because he didn't feel well.
He came upstairs around 10:00 and gave Ben two more Tylenol and another dose of cough syrup. Ben continued to argue the loss of TV and the fact that he had to take more medicine. Vic made him take the Tylenol and cough syrup against Ben's protests before getting ready for bed.
"I hate that stuff," he said with a grimace. "It tastes nasty."
"It should help your cough so you can sleep."
Vic slipped the spoon into Ben's mouth and a scowl crossed his face with the taste of the cough syrup.
"Are you going to leave me for work tomorrow?"
"I'm planning to stay home with you, pumpkin."
Vic felt Ben's head again and shook his head at the warmth he felt there. Ben continued to cough. He made a decision he knew would not sit well with Ben.
"I'm calling Nelson in the morning. I don't like the fact you can't quit coughing and that you're running a fever."
"NO! Don't call him, Vic. I don't want to go to the doctor."
"It's just Nelson, Benji and I'd feel better if you did."
"I don't want to!" Ben said.
He barely had a voice any more and he had less of one when he tried to talk loudly.
"Let's worry about it tomorrow, all right?" Vic said, trying to sidestep another argument.
He still intended to call Nelson, he just didn't want to argue with Ben about it at 10:00 at night. He pulled the covers over Ben and kissed his head.
"Turn over and go to sleep. I'm going to get ready for bed and I'll be back in a sec."
"Hurry up," Ben whined.
"I will."
Vic changed for bed and brushed his teeth then slipped between the covers beside Ben. His lover backed up to him and Vic could feel his warmth.
Vic wrapped his arms around Ben and tried to get some sleep. Neither he nor Ben slept well with all the coughing. Vic propped Ben up at one point during the night so he could breathe a little better but he woke up coughing about every two hours.
Vic dragged himself out of the bed around 5:00 not able to sleep. Ben was coughing again and Vic gave him some more cough syrup amid sleepy protests.
Vic put coffee on and sat at the table rubbing his face. He planned to call Nelson first thing in the morning at his office and try to get Ben in to see him. He knew there would be a fight because of how much Ben hated to go to the doctor, but it needed to be done.
Vic went into the living room and turned on the TV to catch the news. He could hear Ben coughing in the bedroom. The persistent cough and fever were troubling to Vic. He was beginning to worry about pneumonia since the congestion was clearly in Ben's chest.
Around 8:00, he went through the usual song and dance of trying to get Ben to eat. He was a picky eater on the best of days, and wanted nothing to do with food when he was sick.
"Vic, don't make me eat. I'm not hungry," Ben complained pushing Vic away.
"Benjamin, I'm not going through this with you for every meal. It's only toast and fruit. I think you can manage."
"NO! I don't want any."
Vic swatted the bare leg Ben had pushed out from under the covers.
"Do NOT tell me 'no', Benjamin. Sick or not, I'll put you over my knee if I hear it again. Do you understand?"
Ben rubbed at his leg and nodded his head, coughing again. Vic pushed the toast toward him and Ben took it this time. Once Ben had eaten, Vic went downstairs to call Nelson. He called on Nelson's cell to avoid going through the receptionist.
Nelson was just on his way to see his first patient when the cell rang. He answered it seeing it was Vic.
"I wondered if I might hear from you today. Zach told me Ben was sick," Nelson spoke into the phone.
"I was trying to wait to see if it was bad enough to call you. I didn't want to bother you for a simple cold, but this doesn't appear to be anything like that."
"Don't wait next time. I don't mind, really. I'll come by at lunch."
"You don't want me to bring him in?"
"No, that's all right. I'll swing by. I'm sure he doesn't feel like getting dressed and coming in."
"Thanks a lot, Nelson. I'll feed you lunch while you're here."
Vic spent the morning trying to calm Ben's cough. He was coughing so much, Vic couldn't take his temperature but he could feel Ben was still hot. At one point, Ben coughed to the point he threw up.
Vic was immediately subjected to a rant from Ben that essentially consisted of how eating breakfast obviously led to the episode and how if Vic had JUST left him alone, he wouldn't have thrown up.
"I told you I wasn't hungry anyway," Ben complained while he let Vic wash his face.
Vic ignored the complaints knowing the coughing caused it and that it would have been worse if Ben's stomach had been empty. Vic quickly changed the bed and got Benji tucked back into it.
The doorbell rang around 11:30 announcing Nelson's arrival. Vic went to open the door and was relieved he was there.
"Hey, Nelson. I'm glad you're here. Thanks again for stopping by."
"No problem. Why don't you give me a little history of what you have going on here."
Vic began explaining the symptoms in detail. He finished with the fact that Ben just coughed until he threw up.
"Hmm. We need to get that cough under control. You said his fever was 101 yesterday. What about today and when did you last take it?"
"I haven't taken it since yesterday. I've tried but he's coughing too much. He still feels hot."
"You were taking it orally?"
Vic nodded. His concern for Ben overrode his reaction to the question and it totally went over his head. It didn't occur to him that Nelson might expect him to take it any other way.
"Why don't we go upstairs and let me check him out?" Nelson suggested.
They could hear Ben coughing long before they entered the room. Ben looked up when Nelson entered and pulled the covers up to his neck.
"Go away, Nelson. I'm fine," he croaked.
"Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do," Nelson said smiling. "Now, why wouldn't you want to see me?"
Nelson walked around to the bed and patted the side of Ben's leg coaxing him away from the edge.
"Scoot over, sweetie," he said.
"I don't want to!" Ben griped.
"Benjamin! Move over and quit being rude," Vic demanded.
Ben looked from Nelson to Vic, took in the look on Vic's face and inched over giving Nelson just enough room to sit on the bed.
"Thank you," Nelson responded to the move. "Now, why don't you tell me how you're feeling? I can hear you don't have much of a voice. Does your throat hurt?"
"No, not really."
"How about your chest?"
"It just feels tight and it hurts from coughing," Ben said around another round of coughs. Whenever he spoke it seemed to aggravate the coughing.
"Does anything else in particular hurt?"
"No, I just ache all over."
"That's probably the fever," Nelson responded, placing his hand to Ben's forehead.
Feeling the heat in Benji's forehead, he took his hand gently in his own. Nelson knew full well what he had to do next was not going to go over well.
"Ben, you aren't going to like me much for the next few minutes but I need to take your temperature. I'm going to have to take it in your bottom so I want you to roll over on your stomach for me."
Ben yelled "no" as best he could around the coughing and without a voice. He yanked his hand away from Nelson and scooched up against the headboard, gripping the sheets even more tightly against him. He pulled his knees up trying to get himself as far away from Nelson as possible.
Vic was standing beside the bed on the opposite side and his own eyes registered surprise. Nelson looked to him for help.
"Vic, I need to do this. He's coughing far too much to take it orally. This way will be easier and more accurate."
Vic absorbed what was said and knew he hadn't been able to get Ben's temperature that day for all the coughing. Trusting Nelson, he moved into action slipping onto the bed beside Ben whose eyes remained wide and on Nelson.
"Come on, Benji. Let's get this done, okay?" Vic said gently taking Ben's arm on the opposite side so he could turn him over.
"NOT OKAY! I don't want this! Vic, please don't let him!" he screeched pulling away from Vic.
Ben felt surrounded with no escape. He had a top on either side of him and he felt like crap. He started to cry with frustration as Vic continued to pull at his arm, moving him ever closer into a position that would make him vulnerable to Nelson's intentions.
Vic was much stronger and before he knew it, he was face down across the bed with his head in Vic's lap. It was easier to get him into that position than to simply roll him over given the way Ben had been sitting. He still gripped the sheets so they landed under him, no longer providing a protective covering.
Ben didn't have much fight in him and he continued to cry, defeated. Vic put a hand to his back and stroked him gently, talking soothingly.
"It's going to be all right, sweetie. It won't take long," Vic said gently.
Vic looked at Nelson and raised his eyebrows for confirmation.
"No, it won't take long and it won't hurt," Nelson confirmed as he gently slipped down Ben's shorts and underwear.
Ben tensed and cried harder when he felt the cool air on his exposed bottom. Nelson pulled the rectal thermometer from his bag and wiped it with an alcohol swab before generously lubing the tip.
"You'll be okay. Just relax," Nelson said, getting ready to begin.
He parted the tense cheeks before him and slipped the thermometer into place.
Ben cried harder and winced when he felt the cold instrument slide inside. The crying caused him to cough more. Every time he coughed, he got a reminder that the glass rod was up his ass as the movement from the coughing made him feel it more.
Nelson's hand was across his bottom holding it in place. He could feel Nelson pat his butt every once in a while in an attempt to calm him.
"You're doing fine, sweetie," Nelson said to Ben, then turned his attention to Vic.
"You need to be doing this every few hours, Vic. Did you see what I did?"
Oh yeah, he saw. He nodded his head. Ben groaned and coughed out a "no" into Vic's lap. He did NOT want it to happen EVER again, much less, "every few hours".
"Do you think you can manage?" Nelson asked, ignoring Ben's protests.
"I can do it," he responded, not at all sure he wanted to.
But if Nelson said it was necessary, he would do what he had to do to take care of Ben. They continued to make plans in spite of Ben's continued protests.
"Do you have a rectal thermometer?" Nelson asked.
Ben was miserable with a thermometer up his rear and having to listen to Nelson and Vic making plans to do it again. He wished they would shut up about it or talk about it after they left the room if they absolutely had to.
"No," Vic answered.
"I'll leave this one for you. I can get another one at the office."
They finally quit talking about it and Ben thought the clock must have stopped. Surely it had been long enough, but Nelson's hand stayed where it was and so did the little intruding rod.
Ben tried to demand around the coughing, "Get it out!"
"It needs to stay four minutes, sweetheart. You have about one to go," Nelson answered, glancing at his watch.
It had to be the longest four minutes of his life. Ben continued to cry softly, thoroughly embarrassed and frustrated.
After a lifetime, Ben felt Nelson's hand move and the thermometer slip from between his cheeks. Ben grabbed at his shorts and underwear pulling them into place. He crawled back under the safety of the covers and protectively gripped them to him again, although they had offered no protection against Vic and Nelson earlier.
Nelson wiped the thermometer off with another alcohol swab to remove the lubricant.
"I'll leave you several of these, too," he said to Vic, indicating the swabs.
Nelson was tilting the rod back and forth to find the mercury. "It's 102.2. That's impressive, young man," Nelson said to Benji. Turning to Vic he said, “Let's switch him to Motrin every two hours for the fever. It will work faster than Tylenol."
Nelson returned the thermometer to its case and handed it to Vic.
"Sit up for me, babe," Nelson instructed, pulling his stethoscope from the bag.
Ben didn't drop the sheet until he saw Nelson only meant to listen to his chest. Nelson rubbed the stethoscope against his palm trying to warm it before slipping it under Ben's shirt.
"Deep breaths for me."
He moved the stethoscope all over Ben's chest then his back, listening intently. The deep breaths caused more coughing.
Nelson pulled a tongue depressor from his bag. "Open up for me."
Nelson checked out Ben's throat. It looked irritated but not too bad. It was probably sore from the coughing. He manipulated Ben's neck, feeling around his throat.
"Okay, Benji. I'm done. Lie back and rest," Nelson said, patting Benji's leg.
Ben lay back, relieved that the exam was over. Nelson got up and motioned for Vic to follow him to the door. The two exited the room and Nelson pulled a fistful of pills covered in little plastic and aluminum wrappers from his bag.
"I figured you would be needing these. They are antibiotic samples. This is five days’ worth and will save you some money. One in the morning and one in the evening for the next five days. Continue them even if he seems better."
Vic took the pills in his hand, following Nelson downstairs. He put the pills on the counter when they entered the kitchen then he busied himself fixing lunch while he and Nelson talked.
"I'm going to call some cough syrup in to the pharmacy so you don't have to wait so long. It should be ready when you get there. It has codeine in it so it will help him sleep. All the congestion is in his upper chest so I think he has bronchitis. I don't believe it's pneumonia but it could easily go into that without treatment."
"Thanks, Nelson," Vic said, pulling sandwich fixings from the fridge to go with the soup heating on the stove.
Nelson propped himself against the counter and crossed his arms, "I take it from your expression in there that you've never taken his temp rectally?"
"You noticed that, huh?" Vic answered, grimacing. "No, I haven't."
"Are you okay with that? It would be difficult to get it orally with all the coughing and we really need to keep an eye on it."
Vic took a deep breath, looked at his friend and said, "I guess so."
Nelson smiled at Vic's apparent discomfort and at his bravado in agreeing to follow through. He asked, "Any questions? It's really simple. You saw what I did, right?"
Vic nodded, "I think I can handle it. I've just never done it before."
"Just lube up the thermometer, part his cheeks and slip it in. Leave it for four minutes, then you're done."
"Okay."
Nelson chuckled as he sat down. "I don't envy you. I have a fight on my hands every time with Zachary and he should be used to it. If he fights you too much, you may want to put him across your lap since you'll be fighting him by yourself."
Vic considered the comment regarding Zach fighting and asked, "Do you always take Zach's temperature that way?"
"Yeah. Medically, it's more accurate. More importantly, it reinforces to him that I'm in control of things and will take care of him, which I think is essential when he's sick and feeling vulnerable."
"I've never thought about it."
Nelson smiled easily and said, "You'll be fine. Are you sure you don't have any questions?"
"I don't think so," Vic answered.
"You'll be an old pro by the time he's over this. You need to check his temperature about every two to three hours until we see that fever come down."
Vic and Nelson ate lunch and Vic dipped up more soup for Benji.
"I'd better get going," Nelson said, standing up from the table.
"Thanks again for coming by," Vic said, walking Nelson to the door.
"No problem. Thanks for the lunch. Call if the fever goes up any higher or if he seems worse in any way."
Vic went back to the kitchen and picked up the tray of lunch he had fixed for Ben. He didn't relish going upstairs because he knew Ben wouldn't want to eat and he'd have to fight him again.
He was right. Ben fought him on every mouthful and Vic was only able to get him to eat after threatening him sternly.
"Vic, please, I don't want any more," Ben said.
Vic noticed he had eaten about half the bowl of soup. "One more spoonful and I'll leave you alone; deal?"
"All right!" Ben complained but opened his mouth obediently.
"Thank you."
Vic moved the tray out of the way and tucked Ben back under the covers, feeling his hot forehead. He leaned over and kissed his head and ran his fingers through Ben's hair.
"I need to run out to the pharmacy and get your cough medicine. I shouldn't be gone more than half an hour."
"Noooooo, don't leave me," Ben whined, coughing with the effort.
"Benji, I need to go. I'll be right back. I have my cell if you need me."
"I don't WANT you to goooo," Ben said.
"I know, but I have to. Do you want me to pick up some movies for you while I'm out?"
Ben thought that might be worth the sacrifice because there was absolutely NOTHING on television. His TV restriction was over but he might as well not be able to watch it with nothing decent on the tube.
"Would you? Something scary."
"Not something scary. You know I don't let you watch scary movies. You already went behind my back and ordered one yesterday. When they don't bother you any more, we'll see."
"How will you know they don't bother me if you never let me watch one?!"
"Let me worry about that. I'll find something."
Vic kissed him again, picked up the lunch tray and left for the pharmacy.
He picked up the cough syrup and headed over to the video store. Vic tried to pick out some movies that Ben would enjoy then headed back home.
He glanced at the clock when he got into the house and saw that it was time to check Ben's temperature again. He was looking forward to it about as much as Ben. He mustered up his nerve and gathered the supplies Nelson left him as well as the cough syrup and rented DVDs.
Vic walked through the bedroom door just as Ben was coming out of the connecting bathroom in their room. Ben saw the thermometer and Vaseline among the other things Vic carried.
"NO!" he shrieked backing up toward the bathroom door.
"Benji, don't give me a hard time on this."
How many times had he made that statement in the last 24 hours? That would be every time he tried to get him to eat, sleep or take his medicine. The number was nearing double digits.
"NO way, not again!" he turned quickly and ran into the bathroom, firmly shutting the door and locking it behind him.
Vic laid everything down on the nightstand and went over to the door. He might not have been looking forward to taking Ben's temperature, but he would not have Ben locking himself in the bathroom to get away from him. He stormed over to the closed door.
"Benjamin! You open the door right this instant!" Vic demanded, rapping hard on the door.
"NO!"
"Benjamin David, if I have to find a key and open this door, believe me you will be very sorry."
"I'm not coming out!" Ben's voice cracked and he coughed trying not to cry.
"Benjamin, open the door. I mean it. This is your last chance, young man."
The only sound was Ben's coughing on the other side of the door as he made no movement to unlock it. He started looking around to see if there was another way out. Maybe he could climb out the window.
"One," Vic began from the other side of the door.
Shit! He had to go somewhere. He peered out the window and noticed it was a rather long drop from the second floor.
"Two."
There was no way he could get out that way. But there was equally no way he would open the door.
"Three."
Oh, no. Vic had never made it to three before. But the consequences, whatever they might be, couldn't be as bad as the alternative. Ben was willing to take the chance.
Vic ran his hand across the doorframe and was relieved when his fingers found the key. He stuck it in the keyhole and shimmied it around, unlocking the door. Ben's eyes were full of tears on the other side as he waited for Vic to open the door. In seconds, Vic was inside.
Ben backed up as far as the bathroom wall would allow. Vic strode across the bathroom and grabbed Ben's hand marching him back into the bedroom. He seated himself on the edge of the bed and put a struggling Ben across his lap. He pushed Ben's pajamas down and began to spank him.
"Don't you EVER run from me again, do you understand me? And, what have I said about telling me 'no'? You don't tell me 'no' when I tell you to do something, young man."
Vic's lecture was being steadily reinforced by his hand, spanking in a familiar rhythm.
Ben cried more from defeat than the spanking. Vic wanted to make an impression but didn't want to be too harsh, remembering Ben was sick. He only brought his hand down about 20 times during his lecture before he stopped. It was enough to get a nice fire burning on Ben's behind.
Ben was crying and coughing. While he had Ben in the right position, he leaned over and grabbed the thermometer and Vaseline off the bedside table. Ben felt Vic shift over to the table and knew what was coming.
His hand flew back to his bottom trying to protect it from further invasion. Vic didn't say anything at first since he had to prepare the thermometer. He concentrated on getting it lubricated well before addressing the fact that Ben covered his butt.
Once ready, he said gently but firmly, "Benji, move your hand."
Ben didn't say "no" this time, but he didn't move his hand either. Vic needed both hands to do what he needed to do, so he couldn't easily hold Ben's hand out of the way.
"Benji, if I have to put this down to move your hand, I'm going to spank you some more. Do you want that?"
"No, but I don't want what you're going to do either."
"If you don't let me do this, I'll have to call Nelson. If it takes both of us, it will just have to be that way."
Ben didn't move at first, thinking about it.
"It's up to you, Benji. This is going to happen. It will either be me or Nelson. Your choice."
Ben began to cry harder and gave up, moving his hand out of the way. It was bad enough having Vic take his temperature that way, but worse for Nelson to do it.
With all the excitement, Vic was over feeling uneasy and went through the process as though he had done it a thousand times before.
Ben clenched his pink cheeks when he felt the thermometer slip in for the second time that day. He whimpered a little, not at all liking what was happening. The coughing continued around his tears.
Now, he not only had something jammed up his butt, but his ass was stinging from the short spanking Vic had given him. It was not a good day, not good at all. Plus, he still felt like shit.
"Hurry up!" Ben demanded after some time had passed.
"I can't hurry time, Benji. You're doing fine. Only two more minutes. You're halfway there."
"Halfway?! Are you sure? Check the clock again!"
"Positive, babe. It will be over in no time."
It felt like forever but it was finally done and Vic slid the thermometer out. Ben pushed himself off Vic's lap and pulled up his pants. The fever was coming down and the thermometer read 101.4.
"I HATE that! Can't you do it the other way?" Ben asked, still coughing as he crawled back into bed.
"Not yet, sweetheart. Maybe once we get that cough under control. Speaking of which," Vic picked up the prescription cough syrup and screwed off the cap, "I need to give you your cough medicine."
Vic poured the correct dosage into the spoon and brought it to Ben's lips, which he found to be pursed together, accompanied by a scowl on Ben's face. Why did everything have to be a fight when he was sick?
"Benjamin! Do I need to put you back across my lap?"
Ben turned his head and said, "I don't want any!"
"Do you want another spanking? A longer one?"
"No," Ben answered but kept his head turned to the side.
"One," Vic went immediately into the count, patience long since gone.
‘Fuck! Here we go again,’ thought Ben. He didn't want any cough syrup. He knew it would taste nasty.
"Two."
The fresh sting in his bottom carried more weight than Ben's disgust at the taste of the syrup Vic was waving in front of his lips so he opened his mouth just before Vic made it to the dreaded "three".
Vic slipped the spoon between Ben's lips and tilted it so the syrup would pour into his mouth. Ben grimaced and grabbed for his drink to wash the nasty flavor away. The prescription cough syrup was much stronger tasting than the over-the-counter medicine he had been taking.
Vic put on a movie for Benji then turned from the doorway, "Call me if you need anything. I'll be back to check on you."
He closed the door then rubbed his forehead. His patience was wearing thin. He hoped the antibiotics would kick in and get it over with soon.
*****
Later that afternoon, Nelson called Zach to check in.
"So, how was Benji?" Zach asked.
"He has bronchitis. If he takes the antibiotics I gave him, he should be feeling better in a couple of days."
"Did you take his temperature? The uh, the 'baby' way?"
"Zachary, how do you think that's any of your business?"
Zach blushed with the reprimand and changed the subject, "I just wondered. I think I'll go by and see how he's doing."
"You will not. You don't need to go by. He needs to rest right now. You can go see him when he's feeling better."
"But I'll only stay a little while."
"I said 'no', Zachary. Stay away from there until I tell you it's okay. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where are you now?" Nelson asked.
"On my way home."
"I'll see you this evening. Love you."
"Love you, too. Bye."
In spite of what Nelson just said, Zach turned the car around and headed toward Vic and Ben's house. Nelson wouldn't have to know and he wouldn't stay long. It was his friend who was sick. It would be rude not to visit, wouldn't it?
He decided he'd better do a little covering of his ass, just in case Vic mentioned the visit to Nelson. He picked up his cell and called Ben's number. Vic answered the phone.
"Hey, Vic. I was just checking on Benji."
"He's feeling pretty rough. He's crabby and not at all happy. He was watching a movie when I left him a few minutes ago."
"Can I talk to him?" Zach asked.
He knew he could get an invitation out of Ben if Vic let him talk to him. Ben would be bored out of his mind by now. He was sure Vic had kept him in bed all day since he was sick.
"Just for a minute. He needs to rest."
Vic went upstairs to be sure Ben was still awake. His eyes were heavy but he was hanging in there.
"Do you feel like talking to Zach?"
Ben nodded and held his hand out for the phone. Vic gave it to him with firm instructions to keep it short. He stood by the bed to monitor the length of the conversation to be sure he was obeyed.
"Hi, Zach," Ben croaked.
"Hey, buddy. How are you?"
"Not too good."
"Are you totally bored? Daytime television sucks ass."
"Tell me about it. Vic got me some DVDs today."
"You sound like shit. Would you like some company? Just for a little while?"
Ben's eyes flicked to Vic's. "Yeah, that'd be great."
"You think Vic will let me up?"
"You can try," Ben answered, tailoring his responses in an effort not to let on to Vic.
He was sure if Vic knew Zach planned to come over, he would be told "no" with absolutely no room for argument. Maybe if Zach just showed up, Vic would allow him to visit.
"I'll be there in five."
"Later."
Vic took the phone satisfied that the conversation was short per his instructions. Ben's coughing was much better since he took the cough syrup. He was feeling really tired, though, also thanks to the syrup.
Vic headed back downstairs after making sure Ben didn't need anything. He had taken in the tired eyes and recommended a nap before leaving the room. Ben protested but turned over when Vic snapped off the television. He was quickly asleep.
Zachary pulled into the driveway and walked up to the door, ringing the bell. He heard Vic approach from the other side of the door.
"Zachary, what are you doing here?" Vic asked.
"I thought I'd come by and cheer Ben up. He said he'd like some company."
"I don't think so. He needs to rest, not fool around, right now. He looked like he could hardly hold his eyes open a minute ago."
"Just for a little while?"
"I said 'no', Zachary."
"Please?"
Why was it the two brats could not understand the simple word "no"? It wasn't a difficult concept and meant the same thing in several languages.
"I said 'no', young man. You're welcome to visit with me if you want," Vic offered, "but you are NOT going upstairs."
Zach frowned, "All right, I'm leaving."
"I'm hurt. You don't want my company?" Vic teased.
"No offense, Vic," Zach said smiling. "Nelson's the only old guy I hang out with."
"Is that a fact?" Vic smiled, mildly swatting Zach's rear end as he turned to head back to the car. "I'll tell Ben you came by."
Zach left their house having been cut off at the pass by Vic. He would have to try again later.
*****
Benji was still asleep when it was time to take his temperature again. Vic didn't wake him but waited until he had awakened on his own to check his fever. Ben put up less resistance that time having resigned himself to it and not feeling up to the fight.
Vic put Ben in the bathtub and helped him change into clean bedclothes. Just as he was tucking Ben back into bed, the phone rang. He grabbed the phone off the bedside table and saw that it was Nelson from the Caller ID. He took the phone out into the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind him.
"Hi, Nelson."
"Hi there. How's my patient?"
"The cough syrup is helping. He seems to be coughing less. Fever's still over 101."
"You may find it goes up at night. It usually does. Just don't let it get too high."
"I'll let you know. Did Zachary tell you I wouldn't let him visit with Ben today?"
"He came over there today?" Nelson asked.
"He came by this afternoon and wanted to see Ben for a little while. I just told him I'd rather he wait until Ben was feeling better."
"Funny, I told him the same thing this afternoon."
"Oh, I didn't know," Vic said, grimacing. He had unknowingly just gotten Zach's butt in trouble, he was sure.
"Well, Zach knew. I guess we're going to have to have another discussion on what 'no' means."
Vic laughed, "I was just thinking today that he and Ben don't seem to know what that means, no matter how much we explain it. He kept trying to get me to let him go up after I told him he couldn't."
"Sorry about that, Vic. I distinctly told him he couldn't see Ben today. I told him this afternoon and he never mentioned having gone to your house. I can only assume he went after I told him not to."
"Sounds like you're going to be busy tonight."
"It won't be as bad as taking care of a sick brat. Don't they try you when they're sick?"
"That's putting it mildly," Vic responded.
Ben was calling from the bedroom.
"I need to go," Vic said. "My sick one is paging me. Don't kill Zach."
"He'll survive. He may not feel like it, but he will."
Nelson hung up the phone and found Zach working on homework in the kitchen.
"How much do you have left?" Nelson asked looking over Zach's shoulder.
"I'm just finishing up."
Zach shut the book that was open on the kitchen table and straightened up the strewn papers.
Nelson waited for him to finish cleaning up and moved in front of the bar, arms crossed. Zach glanced up as he was finishing and noticed the look for the first time since Nelson came into the kitchen.
"What's wrong?" he asked cautiously, not sure he wanted to know.
"I just spoke to Vic."
There went Zach's stomach. It clenched with anticipation.
"Oh? Did he say how Ben was doing?" Zach asked casually, trying to deflect the issue away from his unauthorized visit. His flushed face gave away his guilt, as if Nelson was unaware already.
"Yes, he did. He also mentioned that you stopped by there this afternoon."
Uh, oh. He was sunk. Zach didn't respond. His eyes wandered around the kitchen trying not to look at Nelson. He was standing in front of Nelson, books in hand, nervously fingering the edge of his papers.
"Have a seat."
Zach's stomach started flip-flopping like a fish out of water. He pulled a chair out and sat where he had just vacated. Nelson waited for him to get seated then continued.
"Didn't I tell you NOT to go to Ben's house this afternoon?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then would you like to explain how you happened to end up right where I told you not to go?"
No, he wouldn't LIKE to explain. He figured he didn't have a choice, but that didn't mean he had to LIKE it. It was time for some fancy footwork. Nelson was no dummy and wouldn't fall for many - if any - of Zach's excuses.
Zach swallowed hard and began, "When you said I couldn't go I decided to call Ben. He was feeling bad and was really bored. He begged me to come over," Zach said, stretching the truth a little.
Nelson's eyes narrowed as he listened to the fine tale.
"HONEST, Nelson. He wanted company. I told him I could only come for a minute, not long at all."
Zach shifted nervously in his chair.
"And what did I tell you?"
"Not to."
"Not to what?"
"Not to go to Ben's."
"Did I say it was okay to go if Ben asked you to and was bored?"
"No, sir."
"Did I say it was okay to go under any circumstance?"
Things were looking bad, Zach thought.
"No, sir."
"But you went anyway, disobeying me."
Zach flushed crimson at hearing Nelson's analysis of the situation and he looked at the table.
"Didn't you, Zachary?" Nelson pressed.
"Yes, sir," Zach answered quietly.
"What happens when you disobey me, Zach?"
"I get a spanking," Zach said, voice barely audible.
"Then you know what to expect, don't you?"
"Yes, sir."
Nelson pulled out a chair and moved it away from the table, seating himself.
"Come over here, Zachary."
Zach got up from his chair laying his books back on the table and dragged his feet over to where Nelson waited. His eyes were starting to sting and he wiped at them to keep the tears from falling.
As soon as he was within reach, Nelson took his wrist and pulled him forward. Zach felt Nelson's hands at his waist and then his pants being pushed down to his knees just before Nelson pulled him across his lap.
"How many times do we need to discuss what 'no' means, Zachary?"
"Not any more. I swear. Please, don't spank me. I won't do anything else you tell me not to do. Ever!"
"That's good for the future, but I'm spanking you for what you did this afternoon."
Nelson raised his hand and brought it down against the white cheeks across his lap. He concentrated his efforts on giving equal attention to all of Zach's behind, which was now squirming on his lap.
Zach tried to move his bottom out of range but it wasn't working at all. Nelson's hand continued to fall relentlessly. As the heat began to build, Zach tried to keep his hands out of the way, but finally broke down, his right hand flying back to protect his bottom.
"MOVE your hand, Zachary," Nelson snapped.
Zach was crying and couldn't get much out other than "I'm sorry" and "please stop". Nelson only recognized the phrases from past experience. They always became less and less intelligible as the spanking continued. They hadn't gotten to the point yet when Zach stopped begging.
"I said move your hand!"
Zach's hand stayed where it was. Nelson brought his hand down hard on Zach's unprotected left butt cheek over and over making sure it landed in the same spot each time.
That one spot felt totally isolated and Zach couldn't stand it any more. He reluctantly moved his hand out of the way and Nelson continued to work over the rest of Zach's reddening behind.
Zach cried, clutching at the rungs on the bottom of the kitchen chair to keep himself from reaching back again. He tried to pull himself forward to get away from the stinging slaps but Nelson had a firm grip on him. Zach got to the point that he was no longer begging but just crying without words.
Nelson stopped spanking the crimson bottom positioned over his lap. He helped Zachary up and then shuffled him over to the corner in the kitchen. Zach bent over for his underwear and jeans.
"No, huh uh. Not yet. I want you thinking about nothing but your backside and what you did wrong today that landed you in this position. You'll think better with your pants down."
Zach cried harder, hating to stand in the corner with his butt shining. Nelson hadn't even hugged him and that hurt his feelings. He put his hands on his bottom and tried to gently rub the sting away.
Why had he disobeyed Nelson? He had known Vic might tell on him, but he went anyway, knowing he would probably end up right where he was. Nelson would have told on Ben had the situation been reversed.
He suddenly realized Nelson was right - he was thinking only of what he had done to deserve the spanking, and his throbbing bottom. There wasn’t much else to think about when his pants were around his ankles and he was facing the wall.
He cried some more, feeling sorry for himself and for disappointing Nelson. His tears began to subside after a while and he was left hiccuping and sniffling in the corner.
About thirty minutes later, Nelson came back into the kitchen. He walked over to his lover in the corner and spoke to his back.
"Do you have any idea what 'no' means now?" Nelson asked Zach.
"Yes, sir?"
"Are you sure? Because if you go back over there before I tell you to and we repeat this discussion, it will involve the paddle."
Zach didn't want the paddle so he tried really hard to get what "no" meant.
"Yes, sir. It won't happen again, I promise."
"What should you have told Ben when he asked you to come over?"
"That you said I couldn't," Zach said to the wall.
"And, what should you have done?"
"Not gone."
Satisfied that his message had been well received, Nelson bent over to pull Zach's pants into place. After covering his still-red bottom, he put his hands on Zach's shoulders and kissed the top of his head.
"Good answer," Nelson said, turning Zach to him.
Nelson's arms wrapped around Zach and Zach hugged him back fiercely.
"I'm sorry I disobeyed you today. I just wanted to see my friend."
"I know you did, but I told you 'no' and I had a reason for that. Even if I didn't have a reason, you should do as I tell you. You know what happens when you don't."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, it's dealt with now."
Zach enjoyed the warmth of the embrace. Nelson's hands continued to work their way up and down Zach's back.
"Why don't you get ready for bed and get more comfortable? You can come back down and we'll watch some TV together."
Zach didn't think he'd be comfortable any time soon, but he liked the plan. He nodded against Nelson and Nelson took his hand, leading him into the hall. He kissed Zach once more before gently pushing him toward the stairs.
*****
Zach didn't go back to visit Benji until Nelson gave the okay. Ben was much improved by the third day and Nelson planned to go by to check on him.
"I'm going to see Ben today. Would you like to go with me? Vic says he's doing much better but I want to listen to his breathing."
Zach's face lit up.
"Yeah I want to go! What time?"
"We've been invited over for dinner. I'll pick you up around 5:30."
"Can I just go over after school?"
"No, you come home and get your homework done. We'll be over there during your usual homework time and I don't want you up until midnight getting it done. Try to finish it before we leave, okay?"
"Yes, sir."
At the end of the day, Nelson and Zach arrived at Vic and Ben's house. Zach took off down the hall to find Ben and found him curled up in a pair of sweats watching television in the den. Vic had allowed him out of the bed that day since his fever and cough were better.
"How is he?" Nelson asked.
"MUCH better. Both his mood and his illness, I'm happy to say. I was about ready to choke him."
"How's the fever?"
"It's just slightly over normal. The coughing is a lot better except at night. He wakes up coughing but I keep the cough syrup on the nightstand to handle that."
"Good to hear," Nelson said following Vic into the den.
They entered the room and found the younger guys chatting excitedly, trying to catch up on lost time. Nelson laid his hands on Zach's shoulders from behind the sofa then guided him off the couch so he could sit beside Ben.
"Well, well, Benjamin. You're looking much better than the last time I saw you. Are you happier to see me today than you were the other day?"
Ben curled up in the sofa, trying to get away from Nelson. "I'm not sure. What are you going to do to me?"
Nelson laughed and ran his hand through Ben's hair.
"Not to worry, Benji. I'm just going to listen to your chest."
He pulled out his stethoscope and slipped it under Ben's sweatshirt. Zach was still chattering and Nelson shushed him so he could hear. He moved the stethoscope all around and asked Ben to breathe deeply several times. He pulled the stethoscope from his ears and patted Ben's shoulder.
"It sounds MUCH better today, sweetie. Much better."
Nelson stood up to follow Vic to the kitchen and Zach dropped back down on the sofa. Ben didn't relax until Nelson left the room.
"What's wrong with you? You act like you're scared of Nelson or something," Zach teased.
"I just don't want him..." Ben paused searching for the right words, "...poking around or anything.
Zach knew how Nelson "poked around" and moved in for the kill.
"I take it you don't like having your temperature taken in your butt, huh?" Zach was grinning.
Ben's face went crimson, "Shut up, Zach! I see you're still an asshole after three days."
"Asshole? Nice choice for name-calling. It fits the subject well. It's still on your mind I guess," Zach said, grin still plastered to his face.
"Who could forget it? It's awful. Nelson shouldn't have told you."
"He didn't, I just guessed."
Now with confirmation of what happened, Zach started to laugh. He couldn't stop. The more he tried, the funnier it got.
"I wish I could have seen your face!" Zach held his stomach and fell back on the sofa laughing.
Even though Zach was making fun of him, his laugh was infectious and Ben started to chuckle himself. He had missed seeing Zach during the week.
"Shut up, Zach," Ben said, laughing a little and giving his friend a mild shove.
In the kitchen, Nelson and Vic were working on dinner.
"I can't thank you enough for helping us this week," Vic said, handing the lettuce over to Nelson.
"You know I don't mind at all. I'm glad I could help."
"I don't think either of us would have survived if he was sick any longer. I know getting those meds so quickly shortened the time considerably."
"Definitely. We got him started on the antibiotics early so that helped."
"The only thing I'd ask is that next time, you give me something, too."
"What do you mean?" Nelson asked, puzzled.
"Something for nerves."
Nelson laughed heartily, knowing exactly how Vic felt having had to deal with a sick brat on more than one occasion himself.
"Maybe we could write a guidebook for tops. We could call it How to Care for a Sick Brat and Maintain Your Sanity," Nelson suggested.
"If I knew enough to write THAT book, I wouldn't need the nerve pills."
"You did fine. Ben seems to be in one piece. I didn't check his bottom but he seems to be sitting comfortably."
"Unbelievable. If you put together all the warning swats and mini-spankings he's gotten this week, you'd have one class A spanking."
Vic pulled a couple of beers from the fridge and handed one to Nelson. They twisted the tops off of their bottles and Nelson raised his.
"To tops everywhere who've had to deal with a sick brat."
Vic laughed and raised his own, "Here, here."
The end.
