In Sickness and In Health

I am learning my capacity for loving someone is limitless.

Last night Kelly and I lay in bed in the darkness. His body was spooning mine, our warm skin all over each other. The rhythmic sound of his steady breathing was lulling me into sleep when I heard the cries.

"Daddy!!!!" his little voice rang out over the two stories separating us. Kelly's four year old son wailed and Kelly jumped out of bed.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked confused by what was happening. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to adjust to the light that invaded our night.

"I don't know. He probably wet the bed," Kelly said as he rushed down the stairs towards Keaton's cries.

I pulled myself out of bed to follow him.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs outside Keaton's room I could see he hadn't wet the bed. It was worse. He'd thrown up. He stood in the middle of the room, tears streaming down his face, vomit all over his puppy dog jammies.

"I frew up," he whimpered and my heart broke right apart. Kelly gathered up the comforter covered in lasagna laden puke and turned to me.

"What do you think I should do with it? Sink?" He asked with a look of uncertainty on his face.

"Um..." I said trying to figure out what my mom would do. "Shower! Put it in the shower to rinse the chunks off. Then we can wash it," I directed as I began unbuttoning Keaton's jammies. Bits of pasta and sauce got on my hands as I stripped off his clothes. I hardly noticed.

As I took off his pajamas I whispered, "It's okay sweetie. It's okay. Don't cry. We'll make it all right. Let's get these yucky clothes off my love and then we'll get back into bed." His little body shivered in the cool night air.

I took him to the bathroom and washed his face and body with a washcloth. He was a little baby in my arms at that moment.

"Meghan, my tummy was hurting and I was sleeping and I sat up and frow up just came out and all over my Batman covers," he said, the words rushing out of his mouth. Kelly was dashing back and forth between the bed, the shower and the laundry room.

"I know sweet pea. I know. I'm so sorry you're sick. It's going to be okay," I reassured him.

I joined Kelly at the bed and we stripped off layers of sheets covered in vomit. I used towels to wipe the mess off the floor. The smell made me gag and I moved quickly to finish the job.

As we were rinsing the last of the sheets Riley came into the bathroom. "Guys the light is waking me up," she informed us, rubbing her eyes.

"Sweets, your brother is sick. Go to bed. It's almost over," I told her and she turned to go back to her room.

We laid fresh sheets down and I ran to get a bucket to put beside his bed. Kelly got a little cup of Gatorade while I tucked him in. His hair was wet against his forehead and I brushed it away letting my fingers linger to search for a fever. He closed his eyes. I kissed his flushed cheek.

I went upstairs to our room while Kelly said good night. I washed my hands for a long time and then crawled under the covers. Kelly came in and got into bed next to me.

"Thank you. So much. You didn't have to do that. Thank you," he said. His eyes said much more.

I smiled a tired, weary smile.

A few months ago I would have stayed in bed while Kelly took care of this. Keaton had wet the bed before and I hadn't helped clean up. I didn't mean to be selfish. I just figured Daddy could handle it alone. But tonight when I heard him cry out, I wanted to go with Kelly. I wanted to make sure the little man was okay. I was prepared to help out in any way I could.

I am loving those kids more and more every day. Loving them like family.