Chapter 2: A visit to the Doctor

 

 

 

The weekend had flown by too fast, and now Monday had arrived, and with it more rain. It wasn't quite time to be up for the day, so Rick and Evelyn were spending the wee hours of the morning snuggling together, and having a little fun.  She had woken up first to find that her husband was snoring, and held in her amusement.  Rick swore up and down that he didn't snore, but Evelyn knew better.  To wake him up, she gathered the blankets around herself and pulled them away, then lay very still knowing that in a moment his snores would stop, once he realized that he was uncovered.  That part didn't take long and she felt him move, then sigh.  Rick had been sound asleep when suddenly he felt the warm weight of the comforter pulled from him, and now he was awake looking at his wife in dismay.  He knew she was awake, and slid off the bed going to the bottom.  There he lifted the covers and moved up between she and the blankets getting a gasp or two from her.

 

"That was sneaky,"  she said rolling on her back too look up at her husband.  He smiled at her and lowered his head for a good moring kiss, and made contact with her hand.

 

"Hey,"  he said as she started to giggle.

 

"Oh I see,"  he said and sat up letting the covers fall away.  She had on a flannel night gown, always prepared if Alex needed them.

 

"Well if you won't let me kiss your lips I guess I'll have to find other places,"  he said and then her alarm went off, ringing loudly. 

 

"Saved,"  she said trying to roll away from him still being playful.

 

"Not so fast,"  he said and took both of her wrists in his hands pressing them  against the mattress above her head.

 

"Now I have...."  Before he could finish his sentence, both heard Alex start to cry for daddy, and Rick groaned.  As he started to move away, Evelyn wrapped her arms around his neck pressing her hand to the back of his head, and pulled him down to meet her mouth in a passionate kiss.  His lips moved against hers, and he was starting to forget why he couldn't continue when they heard Alex scream, which meant he wasn't going to wait for them any longer, and be happy about it.  He eased away from her then stood up going to his dresser where he pulled on his long pajama bottoms, then headed out of their room to get Alex's day started. 

 

 

 

 

 

When he arrived Alex was standing up in his crib resting his head against the bars, not very happy.

 

"Hey big guy,"  Rick said.

 

"Got et,"  he said looking at his father as he approached.

 

"You did well I think we can fix that,"  Rick said as he lowered the crib bar and lifted his son out.  Alex was indeed wet so Rick let him walk to the bathroom to get his morning bath.

 

"No unt wif mummy,"  he said.  Knowing that Evelyn wasn't in any big hurry Rick agreed that they could go ask, and while Alex went ahead, he got the outfit his son would wear for the day.  Alex made fast tracks to his parents room and went in to the bathroom as Evelyn was just stepping in.

 

"Mummy baf,"  Alex said.  She smiled at him.

 

"All right,"  she said and got back out of the tub.  He lifted his arms up and let her take off his shirt, and then she laid  a towel on the floor, and once he was lying down removed his pajama bottoms and his wet diaper.

 

"Did you sleep good?"  she asked as they settled in the bath.

 

"Et ucky,"  Alex informed as he started to splash the water.  She smiled and leaned down sniffing his hair.  It was dirty, so she cupped her hands and began to poor warm water over his head.  Once his hair was thoroughly soaked she poured out the mild shampoo and began to rub that into his hair.  Once she felt his hair was clean she poured more water over his head until all the soap was done, then got them both clean.  As she was getting out Rick came in but Alex wasn't ready to be out of the bath.  He loved his bath time, and getting him to come out of the water was a constant battle.

 

"Don't worry I'll just eat on the run.  Don't forget that we have an appointment for him to get his Smallpox vaccine," Evelyn reminded as she stepped out of the bathroom.  Rick had not forgotten that, but was not looking forward to it, for it was often times a painful traumatic experience.  He hoped since Alex was only 20 months old he wouldn't remember, but only time would tell.

 

"Done,"  Alex announced, and let his father lift him out of the bath.  As Rick was getting a towel Alex ran out laughing, right past his mother dripping wet.  Rick grumbled and ran after him, catching up to him at the stairs.

 

"I caught you,"  Rick said tossing him in the air getting more laughter.

 

"Dat gain,"  Alex said.  Rick tossed him up once more then wrapped a towel around him.

 

"Noooo down,"  he said struggling, but daddy didn't give, and eventually got Alex dressed in long pants and a warm shirt.

 

 

 

 

It was a little after lunch that Rick and Alex met Evelyn at Dr. Brigman's office.  Alex was asleep against his fathers shoulder as they walked in, as it was usually his nap time.  While Rick sat down and got his rain slicker off, Evelyn signed him in then came to sit beside her husband and sleeping son.  There were a few other children around a boy and girl sitting at a small table making something out of blocks, and not far from where they sat a woman sat with an older child reading to her.

 

"So how was your day?"  Rick asked as he settled back in the chair. 

 

"Slow which isn't all that unusual since its rainy and cold, and a school day for most children,"  Evelyn said then smiled.

 

"We got a new shipment in from Egypt, from a dig down in Thebes,"  and started to tell him all about that when a nurse came out and called for Alex.  They stood and followed her back to a small room.

 

"The Doctor will be in shortly,"  she said and left them to sit and wait  for him.  During the walk back to the room, Alex had woken up and in a moment he struggled to be let down.  Rick put him down and he walked over to the cabinet and went for the drawers which were locked.  Evelyn looked around and found a book, and settled in a chair.

 

"Alex look what Mummy found,"  she said.

 

"No book,"  he said trying to find something better to do.  When he didn't find anything better to do he went to his daddy and reached up for the satchel.

 

"Unt botts,"  he said to his daddy.  Rick pulled out his bottle, and handed it to him, then Alex went over to Evie and let her hold him while he drank his juice.  Just as he was starting to go back to sleep Dr. Brigman walked in, and Alex sat up just about dropping his bottle as he held on to his mummy.  Even though he was young, he still knew that this man was the one who poked him, and was not entirely fond of him.

 

"They learn fast,"  Dr. Brigman said as his nurse came in after him.  He got out a special puppet and tried to cheer Alex up with that, but Alex wasn't swayed.

 

"Evelyn I'll need you to take his shirt off of him,"  Dr. Brigman instructed as he got things ready.  Evie stood up and went over next to Rick and together they coaxed him into letting them get his shirt off .  Alex trembled holding on tight to his daddy's neck, his arm exposed which is what the Dr. needed.

 

"Rick if you will just hold him still this won't take but a few seconds.  Rick rubbed Alex's back and when the Dr. held his arm Alex struggled then started to cry.  They were not true cries, just ones of frustration.  The nurse got some cotton and cleaned his upper arm with rubbing alcohol, right below his shoulder. Then Dr. Brigman took a needle and poked it into Alex's skin which got genuine cries.  The shot wasn't like others and Dr. Brigman scraped an area on his skin the size of a nickel, while Alex screamed.

 

"MUMMY MUMMY,"  he yelled, then it was all over, and once the nurse put a sticking plaster on the sore, Rick let Evelyn take Alex, who was very upset.  She carried him over to the window and they looked out at the cars which got him calmed down and destracted.  While she took care of calming him down, the Doctor told Rick that Alex would likely get a low grade fever and perhaps a rash, but nothing too bad.  Once the Doctor had gone Evelyn got Alex back in his shirt mindful of his arm, then they went back out in the lobby. 

 

"All right love, Mummy has to go back to the museum."

 

"Noo wif ooo,"  Alex said starting to cry again.  Daddy was the enemy right now for letting the Doctor poke him, and Rick felt bad.

 

"Hey buddy do you want to go see the horses?"  Rick said.  Thankfully Alex agreed to that, and after giving mummy kisses, he let his father take him out to the car, and then they left for the house

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the day Alex was himself.  He and Rick went out to the barn and took a ride on Amunet.  Now they were in the woods walking by the stream.  Alex had on his boots  and found puddles to splash in left by the resent rains.

 

"All right big guy are you ready to head to the house and see if Mummy is home?" Rick asked, knowing that Evie would likely not be there, though before they had left the doctor, she had mentioned coming home a little early.

 

"No tay here,"  Alex said.  Rick sighed, but let Alex have his way.  Considering what he had been through at the Doctor, daddy was feeling a bit guilty.

 

"In water,"  Alex said looking at his daddy.

 

"It's pretty cold in there,"  Rick said

 

"And your boots won't keep your feet dry because its too deep."  Alex moved over to the stream, and Rick reached out and lifted him away.

 

"Nooo,"  Alex screamed.  He struggled to be put down, but Rick decided it was time for them to go in and have a rest.  Alex kept screaming, though once he figured his daddy wasn't going to put him down he gave up and rested his head against Rick's shoulder.  When they arrived home, Evelyn was just getting out of the car.

 

"Mummy,"  Alex said lifting his head.  Rick put him down and he ran to her, though when he hit the pavement he slid and fell down cracking his head on the concrete which didn't make anything better.  Evelyn dropped her satchel and ran to him as he started to scream, and lifted him into her arms noting the golfball sized bump on his head.  Rick arrived soon after, and they took him inside.

 

"Shhh, I know it hurt baby,"  she crooned as they entered the kitchen.  While she tried to sooth him, Rick got out some ice and wrapped it in a towel then brought it to them.  Evelyn had settled in one of the chairs and was rocking him as he began to calm down. She took the towel from Rick, and gently pressed it against the large knot.  As a testament to how tired he was, Alex didn't try to make her stop. 

 

"Do you want to go snuggle with mummy?"  Evelyn asked.

 

"Not seep,"  he said.  She stood up and carried him out of the kitchen, and down the hall to the stairs.  When they got to the master bedroom, Evelyn slipped off her shoes and settled in bed lying on her side as she placed Alex on his back.  Once he was asleep she took the ice pack away and kissed his head.  The bump had gone down considerably, but it still made her feel bad.  Rick came in a moment later and after she put the ice pack in their sink she willinging went into his arms.

 

"I'm glad to be home,"  she admitted.

 

"I'm glad to have you home,"  he told her.  That brought a smile to her face, and he grinned kissing her gently on her lips.

 

"Now lets go find something we can make for dinner,"  Rick said.  She took his hand and they left Alex to sleep until they could get dinner ready.

 

 

 

 

After dinner, Alex was not in a good mood, and while his parents tried to play a game of Poker, the safe version, Alex found things to get into.  Now he sat at the book case by the entry to the parlor debating on taking one of them out.  As his hand reached to do that he heard his mother call out.

"Alex no, those are mummy's books,"  Evelyn said.  Despite that he reached out and grabbed one, and Rick politely excused himself.  He went over to his son and took the book.

 

"Alex lets behave,"  he said as he put it back.

 

"No,"  he said and pulled out another book.  Rick sighed and picked him up carrying him over to his toys where he put him down.

 

"Pay daddy,"  he said wanting company.  Rick smiled and sat with his son, and the two of them made towers then knocked them down laughing about that.  After playing with his daddy Alex went to sleep relatively easy, and Rick and Evelyn decided to take a walk before going to bed, so they left Jonathan to listen for him.

 

 

 

The next few days Alex did have a low fever, and was fairly irritable, but by the third day he was feeling better, and back into anything and everything he could get his hands on.  For Rick and Evelyn it was one less worry about a disease that could cause their child harm and death, and so life moved on for them all