Laura
Laura scrambled out of her chair and sprinted across the room. She didn't even care that she knocked her chair over or that she was fairly sure her fork hit Ethan in the face. She had to get to Dallas in time. Time moved in slow motion as she reached for the Halloween bucket and managed to get it into Dallas' lap just in time.
She was about to sigh in relief, but Ivy started making the same gurgling noise. She turned, sure she wouldn't make it in time to find that Ethan already had the bucket under her and was holding back her long red hair.
Ethan cuddled Ivy close, unconcerned for his nice pants or shirt. His lovely green tie was thrown over his shoulder, reminding Laura of a cape. He was certainly Ivy's hero as he cuddled her close and comforted her.
It was so domestic and so laughable at the same time. She smiled at him, even though he was too busy to see it. If he wasn't here, she wasn't sure what she would have done. If nothing else, she would have had a mess to clean up. So far she'd managed to have them not both go at the same time, but that couldn't last forever.
“All done?” he asked Ivy, his voice quiet and gentle. She nodded weakly, as he wiped her face with a napkin from the table. He was far more prepared than Laura was. Ivy rested her head on his chest, her eyelids fluttering with exhaustion.
“There you go, Dallas,” Laura said gently, settling Dallas back onto the pillow. He looked pale, and his little cheeks were pink.
“She has a fever,” Ethan said softly, his hand cupping Ivy's small face. “I'll have Craig bring some medicine. Do you want a doctor to come take a look at them?”
“At eight at night on a Friday?” Laura asked. “The office isn't open. We'd have to go to Urgent Care, and I don't think they need it.”
“I can have someone come to your house,” he told her, his hand still on Ivy's face. She smiled and leaned into his touch. “I'll pay for it.”
“Thank you,” Laura replied. She didn't think doctors even made house calls anymore. It was a tempting offer. While it would make her feel more at ease, it wasn't necessary. It was overkill and Laura knew it.
“It isn't a problem, Laura,” Ethan said, waiting for her answer.
“They already saw the doctor, so I don't think another one will tell me anything new,” Laura replied. “I took them right after I picked them up from school not feeling well. Apparently, the whole kindergarten class came down with it this week. The doctor said to keep them hydrated and that a fever was probably coming. I have the instructions in the kitchen, but this is is what the doctor expected.”
Ethan nodded. “Offer still stands if you change your mind later.”
She felt calmer just knowing she had options. “Thank you, Ethan. I really do appreciate it.”
He smiled and smoothed Ivy's hair off her face. “Do you think they'll be more comfortable in bed?” he asked, noting the awkward angle of the couch. Dallas had his feet hanging off, and his head was precariously close to the edge.
“Yeah,” Laura agreed. “They'll definitely be more comfortable in their rooms.”
“I'll get Ivy,” he said, picking up the small girl. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and she mumbled something into his throat that made him smile.
“Her bedroom is on the left,” Laura told him, pointing down the small hallway. “I've got Dallas.”
She picked up her brother, wrapping his legs around her hips. He felt hot against her shoulder, but not overly so. The walk was short to his room. The house was small and cute. It was just the right size for three people, which was why Laura had moved her sister and brother in with her after their parents died.
She tucked Dallas in, making sure he had a clear path through his Legos to the bathroom. She turned on his rocket nightlight and gave him a kiss goodnight.
“I'll be right back with your bucket,” she whispered, but he was already fast asleep.
She went out to the kitchen, mentally preparing herself to clean out the buckets. It wasn't going to be a fun task, but it needed to be done.
Except, Ethan had already done it. He stood in the kitchen with his shirt sleeves rolled up, tie still tossed over his shoulder, with his hands in the sink full of soapy water. As she came close, he held up a sparkling clean pumpkin bucket.
“And here's Ivy's,” he said, handing her the second. “You go give them their buckets.”
“Thank you,” Laura replied. She felt like kissing him. Cleaning the buckets was a task she had not been looking forward to doing.
He just smiled and nudged the buckets toward her. She smiled and quickly went to each of their rooms. Dallas was snoring as she put the bucket under his hand. She smoothed his hair and then went to check on Ivy.
She placed Ivy's bucket on her small nightstand and checked her temperature. She seemed cooler now that she was comfortable. That made Laura feel better, even though she knew she was going to check on them at least fifty more times tonight.
She gave Ivy a kiss on the forehead and made sure her path to the bathroom was clear before heading back out to the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Laura said, stepping into the light of the kitchen only to stand in amazement. During the few short minutes she was gone, Ethan had cleaned up her kitchen. Granted, it was mostly just dirty dishes and random cups that needed to be stacked and put away, but he had done it without asking.