Chapter 16

“Hatchoo!”

Dustin heard Ethan sneezing tiredly in the kitchen early the next morning.  There was also the smell of coffee permeating the air.  

“Bless you.  Sounded like you got a few hours sleep.”   He said when he made his way out, catching a third sneeze from Ethan.

Ethan nodded.   He dropped around 3.   Started sleeping peacefully.   So I went to sleep around 4.   Got a break from between the sleepy sneezing and the morning sneezing.”

“How do you think I know you were asleep?” Dustin teased, grabbing a cup of coffee.    He hastily set the mug on the table, reaching for the tissues Ethan had haphazardly tossed there.    Failing to reach them in time, he pressed his wrist against his nose.  “HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-Kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo!”   He grabbed a tissue, coughed, dried off his wrist, and blew his nose.

“Bless you.  I’ll wake Tim when my sneezing is done.”

Dustin cleared his throat.   “I, uh, changed the sheets on my bed.   I think you should get some sleep first.   I peeked in on him; I think he can wait a few hours to be seen.”

“AhShoo!”  Ethan tried to protest.

“Look, I know it’s hard for you to sleep once this starts, but I’ve seen you do it.   And I’ll keep an eye on Tim.  Wake you if I need to.”

Ethan nodded, hesitantly.

“Now, go.”  He chased Ethan out of the kitchen to go get his pillow, then into the guest room.

Dustin took another sip of his coffee, then headed into the master bedroom, where Tim was resting quietly in Ethan’s bed.  He placed a hand on Tim’s arm and waited for him to wake up.   “Hey.”  He picked up the thermometer.   “101.7.  Much better.   Remember anything about last night.”  He took the chair Ethan had left in there.

“Trying not to sneeze on Ethan, you giving me something horrible to eat, said it was pills, trying to use my inhaler…

“It was ibuprofen and applesauce.”  Dustin laughed.  “Not the best combo, I know.  How are you feeling?”

“Tired.   Lungs are tight.”

“Can I listen again?”  Tim nodded, and Dustin pressed his stethoscope up against Tim’s back.   “Deep breath.” He coached, and Tim did his best to breathe deeply without coughing.   “They’re about the same as last night.   You need to go in, but it can wait a little bit.   I sent Ethan to get some sleep.”

“He was here a lot.  I remember him sneezing.”

“Til around 4.  He’ll sleep for a few hours, then take you to be seen.  You can get some good sleep too.”

Tim yawned.  “I am tired. Didn’t sleehhrrshhoo, hehhehherrshesshh!  Uhhhrrrruhhhhshuhhh, Rrruhhshooo!  Ughh.”

“Bless you. Get some sleep.  Got everything you need?”

Tim nodded.  “Yeah.  Thanks.”

Dustin went out, curled on the couch and switched on the TV, calling his wife before she went to work.   Neither had gotten sick, which was relieving; she was just ready for him to come home and give her a hand with the kid.   “Two more days,” he had reassured her, “then he’d be off the Tamiflu and considered ‘better.’”  He had punctuated this statement with a fit of seven sneezes, which did not reassure her.   She’d urged him to rest, so he’d curled up in front of the TV dozing.  

Ethan was back out a few hours later, waking him.   “I gotta get Tim seen.”  

Dustin nodded, knowing Ethan wouldn’t be able to rest until Tim was taken care of.  “Go.”   He checked his watch.  “On second thought, eat your snack.   I’ll make sure he doesn’t need help getting ready.   Don’t need you dropping there, too.”

Ethan glared, but went in to the kitchen for a snack while Dustin went into the master bedroom.    “Tim?”

Tim turned and looked at him.

“Ready to go get checked out?   Ethan’s raring to go.”

Tim chuckled at that, which quickly turned into a harsh coughing spell.  Dustin winced at the sound of the forced air movement.    “Need any help getting ready?”

Tim shook his head, standing up, then immediately sitting down.  “Maybe if you just want to hang out…”

“Just in case?  After last night, you might be pretty wiped out.   You were fighting off quite the fever.”  He handed Tim his t-shirt.

“Wobbly, again.”

Dustin nodded as Tim knocked the tissue box on the floor.   “Shit.”  He muttered, turning away towards the bed.   “HeyyYuucchhshoo,  yuuucckshoo….uhhhghhshoo, huhhruhhghhshoo!”  He sneezed into the t-shirt, sniffled, straightened up, sighed and looked at Dustin.

Dustin offered out the tissue box.  “Bless you.   Need a different shirt?”  He reached for it.

Tim inspected his t-shirt.  “Think it’s ok,” he said, hoarsely.   He finished dressing, finished getting ready under Dustin’s watchful eye.

“I think he’s almost ready.”  Dustin alerted Ethan while Tim was brushing his teeth.  

Ethan nodded, rubbing his nose.  

“It’s another day for allergies.  Supposed to drop tomorrow.”  Ethan nodded again, grabbing his things. “He’s a little weak. Think you’ll need help?”  

Ethan watched Tim carefully make his way back from the bathroom.   “I don’t know.”  To Tim, “how are you doing?”

“I’m ok.  Slow but ok.”

“Think it’s ok for just the two of use to go?  Do you want Dustin to at least help us to the car?”

“I think we’re ok.” Tim was hesitant.

“Why don’t you go get the car; I’ll walk him down in a minute.” Dustin suggested.

“Good idea.”  Ethan headed down followed a few minutes later by Dustin and Tim.   Dustin helped Tim get his lanky form into the car, then headed back upstairs.

Ethan pulled into the urgent care, who’s ER he had been at just a week prior, finding close parking.   Walking in the door, he handed Tim a mask, sliding one on himself.  Tim gave him a confused look, and Ethan  pointed to the sign.  “You likely have influenza.   You need a mask.”

Tim nodded, slipping it on.  “Don’t end up in here like this too often.   Last urgent care visit was a sprained knee.”

He checked in and took a seat next to Ethan, waiting for his name to be called.   After a few minutes, Ethan noticed him fidgeting with his mask and reminded him to leave it it in place.  

“Sneeze.”  Tim mumbled.

“Yeah…you leave the mask in place.  Just cover like normal and sneeze.   Don’t fight it though; you’ll sneeze three times as much.”

“I knohh..uhhShuhshh…uhhhShhhushhhooo!”  He gave a wet sniffle and looked at Ethan.   “Gross.  Can I blow my nose?”

Ethan nodded. 

“And then I put this back on?”  He made a face.

“Do you need a new one?”  Ethan bit back a laugh as Tim nodded.  “I’ll be right back.”  He returned with a stack of masks, handing Ethan a new one.   “Here you go.”

“Thanks.  Expecting this to happen again?”

“Better to be prepa…Atchoo! Prepared.”  Ethan muffled the sneeze in his wrist.

“It didn’t happen to you.” Tim pouted.

Again, Ethan tried not to laugh.   “I’m not as congested as you are.”  He pointed out as Tim’s name was called.  “I’ll wait here.”

“No.” Protested Tim.  “I don’t remember a lot of last night.   I’m sure you kept a logbook.”

Ethan laughed, following him into the exam room.

After an exam…steroids for Tim and a reminder to keep up on that inhaler, a trip to the pharmacy, and a stop for Chinese food, they were back at the apartment.

Tim set the Chinese on the table as Ethan reminded him to take his new pill.   Dustin poked his head in.  “How’d it go?  I see you stopped for Chinese.”  He watched as Tim opened a pill bottle. “Steroids?”

“Prednisone burst.”  Tim nodded, popping the pills into his mouth.  

“And he wanted wonton soup.”  Ethan laughed.  “For someone who was so sick of soup last night.  I got Kung pao chicken for you.”

“Sweet and sour chicken for you?”  To Tim, “He always gets that.”

“I know what I like.” Ethan was defensive.  “Besides, you’re 50-50 between Kung Pao and Mongolian beef.”

“Not true.  Sometimes I get beef and broccoli.”

“Just sit down and eat.  And he never does.”  Ethan whispered to Tim.  “He likes the spicy because it gets rid of the stuffiness from his allergies.”

“You would too if you’d try it.”  Dustin grabbed plates and silverware.

 “Don’t forget extra napkins.”

Dustin shot him a look, then grabbed the tissue box from the living room.  Sitting down, he began dishing out his food as Ethan and Tim followed suit.  Turning to Tim, he offered over his chicken.

“Thanks.”  Tim took a few pieces, and the trio began eating.

Dustin tried to start conversation, but it was clear Tim and Ethan were just too tired to carry on their ends.    Besides, after a few minutes of eating, he was too busy with his nose running, and simply gave up.

“Naps after lunch.”  Ethan ordered with a yawn.   Tim did not protest.

Dustin sighed.  He wasn’t tired, was tired of being told to nap all the time, and really had nothing to do.  He’d brought a book and some things to study with him, but those had outlived their entertainment usefulness.  He doubled over with his first set of sneezes from the spicy chicken.   “HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-Kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo!”

“Bless you.” Ethan sighed.  He looked at Tim.  “He’ll be going for awhile now.”

“But I’ll be able to breathe.”  Dustin pointed out. 

“AhhhIhhtzzhoo, jjiihhttzshoo!”  Tim interjected into their potential squabble.  He took the tissue box from Dustin and carefully tended to his sore nose.

“I suppose you’re gonna start now, too.”

“Did I ever stop?”  Tim had sneezed through the urgent care visit, the pharmacy, and the wait in the care while Ethan got the Chinese food.  

Ethan laughed.  “You have a valid point.”

They finished the meal in silence, punctuated by sneezes.

After lunch, Ethan got Tim settled in bed, then prepared to settle himself in his chair.   Dustin remained on the couch.  “Dustin, naps.” He reminded.

“I’m not tired.  Just let me watch TV.  I doubt it will keep you awake.”

Ethan gave him a long suffering look.   “Borrow a book.”

“We don’t like the same books.”

Ethan sighed.  “How do I get you to go and let me sleep?”  He paused.  “HatShoo!”

“Bless you.  Can I get my school work?  Can Beth bring it over?”

“You still have to stay away from her.”

“I know, but you can get it from her.”

Ethan nodded.  Dustin must be at the part of the illness where he was going stir crazy.  “Call her.”

Instead of picking up his phone, Dustin instead reached for the tissues, wrapping one around his nose.  “HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo!  Thanks.”  Blowing his nose, he called his wife, requesting a stack of textbooks and notebooks.

“She’ll be here in an hour.”  He sniffled.  “I’ll go sneeze in the bedroom.  I think that chicken really got things going.”

“Always does.”  Ethan rolled his eyes, hearing Tim sneeze half a dozen times from the bedroom.  “You’ve got him going too.”

“He needs it. You know, you probably wouldn’t get sinus infections if you’d try it.”

Ethan looked at him, wearily.  “Dustin…”

“Ok, ok, not the time; you’re –“

“HahShoo.”

“Too tired.” Dustin finished.  “Thank you for getting stuff from Beth for me.”  With that, he slipped off to the guest room.

Ethan dozed on the couch, waiting for Beth.  Just over an hour later, she was standing in the foyer, holding a tote bag with Dustin’s books in one hand and AdaLyn in the other arm. 

“How is he?” She asked.

“He’s better, from the influenza, at least.  Allergies have been getting to him the last few days.”

“You sure it’s allergies?” she questioned.

Ethan nodded.  “Mine have been bad.  According to the allergy tracker, ragweed’s high, and you know how that can do him in.”  He waved at AdaLyn.  “Hi Ada, I liked the card, and thanks for sending a Steve.   I’ll wash him and send him back with your daddy, ok.”

She nodded.  “Are you better, Uncle Ethan?  Hugs?”

He shook his head.  “I feel better, but no hugs yet.  I might have what your daddy has.”  He said, unable to figure out how to explain possibly being a carrier of germs to a 3 year old.  Her face fell into a pout, so he blew her a kiss instead, bringing back her smile.  He turned to Beth.

“H-How…HahChoo!  Sorry.  I’m really tired; up most of the night with Tim.” He explained.  “How are you doing?”

“I could use him back.  My parents helped as much as they could, but they left for Arizona this morning.”

He gave her a small smile.  “If I could help, I would.” He sighed.

“You are.” She reassured him.  “Imagine if I had to take care of both of them, keep them separate, try not to get it myself…”

He smiled.  “Two more days.” 

“You doing ok?”

“Yeah.  He’s at the point where he’s helping out.  I’ve had a helper through most of this.” He laughed.

She laughed.  “As sick as you were, you’re lucky.   I’m struggling with her, with both of us healthy.”

“Well, Dustin is a little bit better at doing what he’s told than a toddler.”

“But she’s typically in a better mood than I’m sure he has been.”

Ethan shrugged.  “Used to dealing with thatAthshoo!”

“Bless you.  You do look like you need some rest.”

“I think my nose is trying to send that message as well.  This has been going in little spurts all day.”

“Get some rest.  Hopefully this will keep Dustin occupied.”  She handed over the bag.  

“Thanks Beth.  I’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks for everything, Ethan.”

Ethan delivered the bag to Dustin (I can’t believe I want to study, he had muttered,) and flopped down on the couch.  After burying another sneeze in the couch cushions, he was asleep.