Fourth Down: Second Quarter - 4. Chapter 4

Waking up the next morning, saw us rushing an irritable little girl to get ready for her first day of shool. We were deliberately holding off on the ‘First Day of School’ photo, as we wanted to do that when both kids would be attending at the same time. Something we were thinking about, but ended up coming to a conclusion when Mia came to us that she wanted to wait for Ethan before they had their pictures taken.

“You have a good day, Babe,” I say as I give Dale a kiss on his way out the door.

“Bye Papa. I wove you,” Mia said from my arms, as she held on to Dale’s neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“See ya, Hunter. Bye my Darling, Papa loves you too.” Dale said, kissing me on the lips, and giving Mia a peck on her forehead. “Now both of you have a good first day back at school,” he said with a wink.

Once he was gone, Mia and I went through a checklist to make sure she had everything needed for her first day of elementary school. I was to drop her off, meet with her teacher, a young woman I believe, who is in her early to mid twenties. Then head over to the High School across the street where I would be teaching and take up the reins of trying to coach the school's football team ‘the Roosters’.

“Looks like everything is there. Come on, let's go,” I say, as I take her little hand to get in the SUV we had recently bought.

Once we are buckled in, it is a short, quiet, five minute drive to our destination.

“Everything okay back there?” I ask. Turning to look at her in the back seat, once I have parked in the staff parking of the High School.

Mia just looks at me and nods her head, smiling a smile that does not reach her eyes.

“Ethan is going to be fine,” I tell her as I release her from the confines of her seat belt. “Uncle Evan said so. Also, Auntie Belle will be looking after you tonight for a bit, while your Papa and I go visit Ethan.”

“Can I come?” She asks looking up at me with moist eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mia,” I said sadly to her as I knelt down in front of her. ”The nurses don’t allow other kids on the ward.” As I say this, she nods, and a single tear escapes, tracking down the curve of her little cheek. “How about we facetime, I am sure he is missing you too,” I suggest, as I take her in my arms, and pick her up. Her response was to silently nod in my neck.

Grabbing her bag, I let out a little sigh. Wishing Ethan was not in hospital, and that the twins were not missing each other. I then looked around the lot for the best way that will take me to Mia’s school. Navigating the few parked cars, then waiting to be allowed to cross the street thanks to the traffic warden, I take Mia into the halls of the Elementary School. We made a stop in the admin office where they directed us on where to go, and we were met with other parents, anxiously waiting to meet the teachers who will be spending most of the day with their kids.

We didn’t have to wait long as a young woman introduced herself to us as Miss Jennings, and that she would be looking after our little ones.

“Hi, I’m Hunter Peterson,” I smile at the young lady as I hold my free hand to shake her.

“Miss Jennings,” she smiles.

“I believe my twins will be in your class.”

“Ethan and Mia,” she says, looking at her sheet.

“That’s them,” I smile. “Well this little one is clearly Mia. she is just being shy,” I whisper. “She is also missing her brother who is currently in hospital,” I inform her.

Miss Jennings’ demeanor suddenly changed “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Is he ok?”

“His doctor seems to be happy with his recovery,. All we can do is trust what the doctors and nurses are doing for him.”

“This can’t be easy for you... How is your wife taking it?” She asks, having noticed my wedding ring.

“My husband’s handling it pretty well. Unfortunately, this is pretty common with Ethan, as he is asthamattic. sSo he is more susceptible, I guess.”

“Oh that is not a good, poor thing,” she says, carrying on the conversation, as though me being married to another man is completely normal. “Is there anything else I should be made aware of about Ethan’s health?” She asks, as she takes a seat at her desk, grabbing a notebook and a pen.

I then list off for her the known allergies that Ethan has, like dairy, nuts and eggs.

“So he’s lactose intolerant?”

“No, he is actually allergic. If he has just a small amount, he’ll break out in hives,” I tell her.

“Oh, wow,” She says take aback. “Well you and your husband have nothing to worry about, I’ll try and distract Mia as best I can, and when Ethan joins us, I’ll make sure he is okay.” She smiles at me.

“Thanks. Dale and I will be relieved to know our children will be looked after. Also, if either of us is needed, I am just across the road at the high school. I am one of the new teachers there.”

After kissing Mia goodbye, and her trying to hold me back, I head over to start my day first as one of the many teachers across the road. Once I enter the highschool, I head over to the admin to greet the girls there, and to pick up my attendance form and anything else I might need for the day. Once that is done, I make my way over to my classroom. As I enter, I notice Ethan’s family portrait still on the board. Grabbing a piece of chalk, I smile as I draw a box around the drawing, thinking of my young son in hospital. I then draw a box around it, with a simple message saying ‘do not erase’.

The bell soon rings signifying the start of the day, and in stream the freshmen who had me as their homeroom teacher. They soon choose where they want to sit while I was busying myself, making sure I had what I needed before the late bell rang. Once it did ring out, I went to close the door, the door, just as two students burst in..

“Ian, Clyde... I am going to let this slide for now, but in future I want you here before that bell rings out.”

“Sorry, Uncle Hunter,” they both huffed and puffed.

I just looked at them pointedly as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Uh… Mr Peterson, Sir.” They both corrected.

“Go take your seats,” I smirked, showing them that they were ok.

Ignoring the wandering stares from the other students in the classroom, I walked to the front of my desk, and just sat on the edge of it. “Good morning class,” I greet them, smiling. “Welcome to your first day of hell.” I joke, earning a jackal here and there from the kids in front of me. “I am, as you might have gathered by now thanks to Mr Jacobs and Mr Barker, Mr Peterson. Welcome to my homeroom. Now, before I take the roll, I want to lay down a few ground rules for this period with me. You may talk amongst yourselves quietly, or if you choose so, you can do any homework or reading you might need to catch up on. Now if you do choose to talk, please know that if you become too loud, and you do not quieten down after I ask you, you will be forced to do either homework or reading.” The kids just nod in response.

“Good. I will now take the roll,” I then begin listing all the students present, then allowing them to talk amongst themselves after letting them know that those who wanted to join the football team, that I would have a signup sheet on my desk.

Soon the period was over, and I would be weclong my first class for the day.

***

“Hey you,” Dale called, as we stepped into Ethan’s room.

The poor kid looked tired, but that smile on his face as soon as he saw us was everything. Vicky had been sitting on a chair pulled close to the bed reading his favorite Roald Dahl book; . One of my favorites growing up.

“How are you feeling?” I asked as I knelt down to give him a gentle hug. Dale kissed the top of his head.

“Mommy was weading me stowies,” he said with a happy smile.

“She has, has she?” Dale said, while he embraced Vicky in a welcoming hug.

“And how is Mommy?” He asked her directly.

“Mommy is good,” she smiled. “So how was the first day of school?” She then directed towards me.

“Good,” I inform them. “I have both Ian and Clyde for History as well as in homeroom. Mia seemed to have a good day considering.” I smile towards Ethan, who was now focused on the cartoons being displayed on the TV. “According to her teacher, Miss Jennings, it took quite a bit of effort on her part to get Mia to interact with the other students. And she was not allowing anyone to take the seat she reserved for her brother.”

“Well hopefully they’ll be back together by the end of the week,” Dale said,.hen looking toVicky, he asked “has Evan been in to look at him?”

Vicky nods, taking a sip of water that was on the side table. “He has, and he seems to be happy that this might just be a mild case. Ethan has also had some reflexology, which he seemed to enjoy.”

I just smiled at the memory of having to gently but firmly pat around his chest, to loosen up the mucus that gathered in there, all while Ethan make ‘aaahh’ noises with a big smile on his face,draped over my lap.

We then did as I had promised Mia, by facetiming Belle, so the twins could see each other. This led to us having to cut it short as Ethan got overly excited talking to his sister, and ended up in a coughing fit.

After putting the phone down, I gathered him in my arms as I gently patted and rubbed his back trying to soothe him.

“All gone,” I told him gently. “Wanna lie back down?” I ask him.

Ethan just shook his head and wrapped his little arms around my neck as I held him to me. Rubbing his back softly as I gently rocked him back and forth.

We hated seeing Ethan like this. He is only six years old for fuck’s sake! He should be out there running around in the sunshine, playing with his sister, making friends at school. Not locked up here in this room, under this plastic tent, that was pumped full of oxygen. All to make sure he survived his battle with this… this thing that seems to be holding him hostage. And there was nothing… Nothing I could do to take away this pneumonia, or his asthma. Dale didn’t even know that he had that in his family, until shortly after Ethan was born and had developed his breathing issues. I am just grateful he didn’t get eczema as well, as that is sometimes a packaged deal.

Then there is the long list of allergies that had sent us to the ER a number of times. He had to have his vaccinations near a crash cart because they were worried he might have a reaction. Thankfully they did have it ready, as he had a particularly nasty reaction to one of them. Sometimes it just feels too much, but looking into my boy's happy face makes this whole ordeal worth it.

As I held my now sleeping child, tears were streaming silently down my face, as I looked into his peaceful one. I felt a strong arm pull me to the side, as my head was then cradled in a neck that smelled of home. My Dale, comforting me. I felt another hand gently rub my back, as Vicky tried to soothe away my sorrow.

“Hey, he’s getting better,” Dale tried to tell me, even though it was clear in his voice that he, too, was worried.

“He’ll be fine,” Vicky tried to assure us both. “Why don’t you guys head home, and get some rest.”

“I can’t-”

“He’ll be fine, and I am spending the night again. You also have a daughter that needs her fathers just as much” Vicky told us.

“Thanks, Vicky,” Dale said, giving his friend a kiss on her cheek.

I gave Ethan one last kiss on his forehead, I whispered goodbye, and that I would see him again tomorrow, before I stepped aside allowing Dale to say his goodbyes. Then with a sad look back into the room, after bidding Vicky farewell, we were on our way home. The drive was silent as we held hands, our thoughts on both our children, and how this was affecting the both of them.