A BRAND NEW LIFE (CHAPTER 12)

[brassebouillon]

Summary : What if Ryan had entered the Cohen’s life when he was five years old?
Beta : As usual, I want to thank the awesome Anne35 for the incredible work she did on this fanfiction.
Disclaimers : The characters and the universe were created and are still owned by Josh Schwartz. (*glare*)
All mistakes are my personal property.
No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
And I still don’t own Benjamin McKenzie (if I did, I swear, he wouldn' be hosting parties, but working on a soon to be released project) nor Adam Brody (if I did, he would have a haircut/shower right now!)

Chapter 12

It was the first day back at school after Christmas break, and Kirsten was busy preparing breakfast for the boys when Seth walked in and sat on his chair.
“Morning, sweetie.” She placed a glass of orange juice in front of him. “For the first day back to school,  I’m going to have to say you look rather chipper this morning.”
 “Chipper, Mom?” he shook his head. “The only reason I’m still not in bed hiding under the covers is because it’s Ryan’s first day back, too. Taylor and Marissa are pretty okay, and Leon is cool. And of course there’s Summer, my very reason for living, but nothing beats having your best friend around.”
 “Speak of the devil, or angel in this case,” Kirsten said and walked over to kiss the top of Ryan’s head. “Are you ready for your first day back, honey?”
Ryan didn’t answer. Instead, he sat down at the table with his head bowed. Kirsten handed him his glass of milk, but he shook his head and pushed it away.

“No thank you,” he whispered.
Kirsten sat down in the chair next to him.
 “Honey, you need to eat something. You haven’t been to school in a few weeks, and you need your energy. How about some cereal? We have your favorite.”
“My tummy hurts,” Ryan mumbled.
Kirsten put her hand on his forehead.
“You’re not warm.” She looked at him carefully and wondered if it wasn’t a simple case of nerves. “Ryan, are you worried about going back to school? I know it’s been a little while, but you liked it before. Besides, Seth will be right there with you, and Sandy and I are always just a phone call away.”
 “What are you gonna do when we’re at school?” asked Ryan with a shaky voice.
 “A bunch of boring grown-up stuff.” She smiled and stroked his hair. “First, I’ve got to read some files, and then I’m going to meet some architects and have lunch with them.  After lunch, I have to go back to the office and read some more boring files. And then finally, I get to the best part of the day...I get to leave work and pick up two handsome young men from school.
 “You won’t forget, will you?”
Kirsten frowned. After Christmas, it had appeared that Ryan was beginning to finally settle down and feel secure in their home. She had thought that he had finally let go of his fear of abandonment. His behavior this morning proved her wrong.
 “Now, how could I ever forget the two of you?” She tried to keep her tone light. “I watch the clock all day, just waiting until the time comes that I get to see my boys again. I’ll be in front of your school at three o’clock sharp. I’ve never been late before, have I?”
Ryan shook his head. He had never had to even wait a minute for Kirsten to pick him up.  She was always there waiting for him. She was nothing like his mother. Ryan couldn’t even count the times he and Trey had to walk home by themselves because their mother had forgotten about them.
 “Maybe your tummy hurts because you’re a little nervous and it’s empty. How about I just make you some plain toast?”
Ryan nodded, but still looked unsure.
“Good morning, family,” Sandy announced walking into the kitchen. He had been standing outside in the hallway, listening to Kirsten and Ryan’s conversation. He gently ruffled both boys’ hair. “Did I just hear my wife offer you toast? That’s a sin in this house. I’ll get you a bagel. I heard that you’re not feeling well, so just for today, I’ll hold the cream cheese. It’ll be hard, but don’t worry, tomorrow the King of Schmearing will return to his rightful duties.”
Kirsten smiled as she watched her husband get bagels for both of their sons. He had such a way with Ryan. After breakfast was over, Sandy announced that he would be the one taking the boys to school. He said it was only fair, since she was the one who got to pick them up in the afternoon. When Sandy and the boys had left, Kirsten picked up the phone and began to dial.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 “I’m starving,” whined Seth.
It was ten-thirty and they had just finished math class and were starting reading.
“Lunch is never going to get here. I won’t make it another hour. I’m weak. Don’t they have laws about starving kids?”
“Shhhh!” Summer punched him in the arm. “We’re starting Cinderella today and I don’t want to miss anything. I love this story, but I don’t get why she’s such a push-over. If my dad gets married again, I’m going to show her that I’m the boss. I won’t let any evil stepmother push me around like that.”
Marissa laughed at her best friend.
“Oh, please. We all know that you’ve got your dad wrapped around your finger. You won’t ever let him get married again. I’m not ever going to get divorced. When I get married it will be just like a fairy tale...perfect, just like my parents’ marriage.” As she spoke, Marissa kept glancing at Ryan, but he wasn’t looking at her. Ryan had his head bowed and his arms crossed over his stomach.
 “Fairy tales have their place,” said Taylor. “But I’m not sure they’re really very good for us. Mother says they give us a false sense of reality. Prince Charming doesn’t really exist and as girls we shouldn’t get our hopes up. Mother is adamant that I know what is real and what is not. She says it will save me from great disappointment later on in life.”
Summer rolled her eyes.
 “Your mom’s no fun, Taylor. I asked for a pony for my birthday, and my dad got me Princess Sparkle. You may not think she’s real, but I love her. I tell her everything. I’d go nuts if I ever lost her. Just because she made of plastic doesn’t mean she’s not real to me.”
“I love my care bear,” confirmed Marissa.
“And Captain Oats was my best friend before Ryan came to live with us,” added Seth.
 “Atwood, what’s your favorite toy?” asked Summer.
Ryan didn’t answered. While the others were talking, Ryan had started to feel worse. His head was resting on his desk and he was starting to shiver.
Seth remembered that Ryan didn’t eat much for breakfast. He had been like his mom, and thought Ryan had just been nervous about going back to school. But now, Seth was really worried about him.
“Ryan, what’s going on? Do you still feel sick?”
 “I don’t feel good. I want to go home.”
They could barely hear Ryan. His voice was weak and shaky.
 “Miss Applegate, I think Ryan’s sick.”
The teacher frowned at Summer. She had never had a child behave the way Ryan had before break, and it had scared her.
“You mean, he’s acting like the last time?”
 “No, it’s not like that at all. He’s acting normal sick this time. You know, his head’s down and he wants to go home.”
Miss Applegate nodded, relieved. She had received a note from the office earlier, saying that Mrs. Cohen had called to let them know that Ryan was nervous about returning to school.
She walked towards Ryan, and knelt down beside him.
 “Ryan? Can you look up please?”
Ryan bit his lip and looked at his teacher.
Miss Applegate felt his forehead. Ryan didn’t appear to have a fever, but she noticed how he was holding his stomach.
“Does your stomach hurt?”
He nodded.
“You know, it’s been a long time since you were here last. We all missed you, but I bet it was kind of scary for you to come back after such a long break. Your foster mom  called us and said you might be a little nervous.  Sometimes, when I get scared or nervous, my stomach really hurts, too.”
Ryan blinked. Kirsten had called the school because she was worried about him. She wasn’t going to forget him.
“I tell you what,” she continued. “How about we call her over your lunch break? That’s less than an hour away. Do you think you can wait that long? If not, I can take you to the nurse’s office right now.”
It was against school policy to allow a child to call home without actually being ill, but Miss Applegate had been given specific instructions concerning Ryan. She was not to take any chances with his physical or mental well-being.
Ryan felt better just thinking about being able to speak to Kirsten.
“No, I want stay here. I’ll be okay as long as I know I  can talk to Kirsten.”
Miss Applegate smiled and ran her hand over his hair.
“Good. I don’t like it when one of my students doesn’t feel well. We’ll go make the call as soon as lunch begins.”
She stood and turned to the class.
“All right boys and girls, lets all take out our readers and turn to page twenty. Summer, will you begin reading for us please?”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Kiki, we’ve got a meeting at three with the new contractor,” announced Caleb.
“No, Dad. I’ve already told you that I have to pick the boys up from school at that exact same time.
 “I understand that you need to take care of your children, but can’t your Sandy pick them up?”
 “No, he can’t. Ryan was very nervous about returning to school. So much so, that his teacher had me talk to him over his lunch hour. I made a promise to him that I would be the one picking him up and I intend to keep it.”
Caleb let her words sink in. He was used to Hailey rebelling against him, but not Kirsten. She had always been the one he could rely on to do as he wished. Well, besides marrying that liberal. Caleb still wasn’t sure how he’d let that happened.
Something about having this boy around was making Kirsten change. She was stronger than he gave her credit for. Caleb had never doubted her ability to run the company, but she had never come across so forcefully before. He had always thought she was a bit too much like her mother. But now, looking at her, he realized with pride, that she was indeed his daughter too. And a force to be reckoned with.
“Don’t be late tomorrow.”
Kirsten smiled at her father. “I never am.”
She arrived at the school ten minutes early, and waited patiently for the bell to ring to dismiss the students. Seth came out first. He was talking to Summer, Marissa and Taylor, but his attention was clearly on Summer. Kirsten was pleased to see that the Summer’s attention seemed to be solely on Seth as well.
Kirsten knew that they were only in the first grade, but she still didn’t relish the thought of Seth being so infatuated with only one girl. Still, it was nice to see him so relaxed around kids his own age. He seemed to have finally found his own circle of friends. He was a far cry from the shy pouting boy, who just a few months ago claimed that a plastic horse was his only companion.
After a moment, her eyes looked beyond Seth. She watched the building closely until she saw Ryan exit the doors. He looked anxiously around until he saw her smiling and waving at him. She knew that most boys that age would be mortified at having their mother make such a scene in front of school, but not Ryan. The expression of joy and relief that crossed his face almost broke her hear. He ran towards her and threw himself into her arms.
“What did I tell you? I could never forget my boys,” she said while returning his fierce hug.
Ryan only held on tighter.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dr. Folding observed Ryan from across his desk. The boy was slowly becoming more at ease around him, and he could tell that Ryan was beginning to trust him. It had been on today’s agenda to bring up his mother’s last boyfriend. The one who had hospitalized Ryan, and had been the cause of Child Services finally removing him from his mother.
However, just before meeting with Ryan, the Cohens had informed him that Ryan was still finding it hard to accept his place in the Cohens’ home. Mrs. Cohen had told him how anxious Ryan had become his first day back at school, and how he still thought he would be forgotten and abandoned.
As he always did, the doctor began the session by talking about soccer. It never failed to relax Ryan.
 “How was your soccer game yesterday? Did you get to play very much?”
“I played the whole game.” Ryan beamed with pride. “We won four to one. I scored two of the goals. Luke, he’s the kid I got into a fight with the first day of school, was really mad. Seth told me he used to be the best player until I joined the team. Anyway, Luke didn’t score any goals.  He said that the only reason I was any good was because I was a midget and was too short for the other team to see me.”
 “Did it make you sad or angry when he made fun of you and called you a name?”
 “No. I know he was just jealous. Besides, being a called a midget isn’t really that bad. My mom’s boyfriends called me a lot worse.”
“Like what?”
“You name it. I’m not supposed to say most of the words.”
“That’s okay, Ryan. You can say them in here.”
Ryan sighed. “Okay. They called me stuff like little shit, bastard, son of a bitch, and a bunch of other stuff. I can’t remember them all.”
“And how did that make you feel?”
“I don’t know.” Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “Bad, I guess. I mean I knew it wasn’t true. Trey always told me that they were the bastards not me.”
“Did your mother ever try and stop them from calling you and your brother names?”
“No, but she wanted to. She just couldn’t. They were all mean. If she’d tried to stop them, she would have gotten hurt. I could take it. Trey and me, we’re tough. I knew she loved me.”
Ryan’s voice began to shake.
“I mean loves me. She does, you know? Just because she isn’t here now doesn’t mean she still doesn’t love me.”
 “You’re right, Ryan. She loves you. That’s why she allowed the Cohens to take you in. Because she knew it was a chance for you to get a better life.”
Ryan wiped his eyes and looked away.
 “Kirsten told me that you had a stomach ache earlier this week. Do you feel better now?”
 “I guess so. It hasn’t hurt since Monday. Kirsten has a really important job. Sometimes it keeps her really busy. I was kind of scared that she might get too busy and forget about me.”
“And you’re not worried about that anymore?”
“No. I know she would never forget about me or Seth. She says we’re too important.”
 “Did your mom ever forget you?”
 “All the time. We couldn’t afford a babysitter, so a lot of times when she worked days, she would drop me off at the library. When she’d get off work, she’d forget that she had to pick me up. It wasn’t too bad. The librarian’s name was Miss Marple. She was really nice. She wouldn’t leave until mom came. She taught me how to read while we waited.”
“Is that the only times your mother forgot you.”
“No. Trey and mom fought a lot. Sometimes he took off and stayed with his friends for a while. If Trey was gone, she’d take me the bars with her at night. She told me to hide under the pool tables and not make a sound. She said that guys wouldn’t pay her any mind if she was dragging around some snot-nosed brat. Sometimes, she’d leave with one of the men at the bar. The owner or one of the workers would find me when they were cleaning up. If they were nice, they’d call around and try and find her. But a lot times, they just kicked me out and I had to walk home by myself in the dark.”
“That’s sound scary.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Yeah, it was. The worse thing was when I got home, and the house would be locked. I wasn’t supposed to wait for her on the front porch. Mom was afraid someone would see me and report her to the cops. I had to go in the backyard. There weren’t any street lights back there. A lot of times, I had to stay there until morning. It was really creepy. I used to imagine all sorts of things were going to get me. I told Mom that I didn’t like sleeping in the yard, but she said I should stop being a baby, and to suck it up and be a big boy. She said that the only thing that would get me are the cops and the social workers if I didn’t shut up, and they were worse than any stupid pretend monsters I made up.”
 “Are you still afraid of the dark?”
“Sometimes, but not as much as I used to be.”
“And why is that?”
“Sandy and Kirsten don’t ever leave me all alone. I know that they’re just downstairs in their bedroom. They even bought me a nightlight for my room.” He looked down for a moment. “They shouldn’t have had to do that. They already spend too much money on me.” He looked up again. “Do you think you could teach me how to be good?”
Dr. Folding was taken back by that question.
“Why do you think you need to be good?”
“So Sandy and Kirsten will keep me forever. I don’t want them to rid of me.”
“Why do you think that? Did they ever say that or maybe that Luke boy at school?”
“No, my mom told me. She said I had to be good or rich people like them wouldn’t want me around. She said she wasn’t going to take me back. If I’m bad and they kick me out, I won’t have anywhere to go.”
“Sandy and Kirsten love you unconditionally. That means no matter what.” Dr. Folding thought for a moment. “But I want to know,  do you think you’re bad?”
Ryan frowned.
“I don’t know. Mom always said I was the good one, but she was comparing me to Trey. Trey isn’t at the Cohens. Without him around, I might not look as good. Seth gets in trouble sometimes, but he’s their real kid, and he’s not as much trouble as me.”
“Trouble? What do you mean by that, Ryan?”
 “I have nightmares and sometimes they make me cry when I’m sleeping. It wakes up Sandy and Kirsten. Seth doesn’t cry in the middle of the night, like some big baby. I try to be good...I try to brave, but it’s really hard.”
“That’s why you’re here, talking to me. To make those bad dreams go away. Ryan, I know it’s going to be hard, but you’re a brave kid. I’d like you to tell me about your nightmares.”
“I’m not brave. When I’m scared, I hide in my closet,” murmured Ryan. “Do you think I’m a coward?” he asked anxiously.
 “No, Ryan. No one would ever think you’re a coward. After everything you’ve dealt with in your life, I think everyone would agree that you’re really a very brave little boy.”
Ryan sat there for moment in silence. Slowly, he began to speak.
“I had a nightmare last night. It was about my baby rabbit. I found him in the yard one day when I was playing. He was all alone. Mom said I could keep him as long as he didn’t cost anything and he didn’t make a mess.”
“Pets are wonderful.” The doctor turned the picture around on his desk. “This is me, my family, and our dog, Fetch. My three year old named him.”
Ryan reached out and touched the picture of the dog.
“I don’t have my rabbit anymore. That’s what my dream was about...the day he died. Trey was at school and Mom just had to work a short shift that day. I was home by myself, but she promised she would be home by lunch. I let my bunny out of his box and we were playing together. I heard the door open and I thought it was Mom. It wasn’t her. It was Jake.” Ryan’s voice broke and he began to shake.
Doctor Folding watched the child carefully. Ryan pulled his feet onto the armchair and wrapped his arms around his knees.
“Ryan, tell me what’s going on?” he asked softly.
“Please, can Kirsten come in here?”
Dr. Folding did not usually allow his patient’s parents in the room during a session. However, he had been at this job long enough to know that Ryan would not continue without his foster mother present. He knew it was more important to have Ryan open up, than to follow protocol.
 “Ryan, it’s okay. I’m going to ask Kirsten to come in.” He stood and went to the door. “Mrs. Cohen, can you come in here, please?”
Kirsten rushed into the room and went immediately to Ryan’s side.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m here now.” She stroked his hair.
Dr. Folding returned to his chair.
“Ryan, now that Kirsten is here, do you think you can finish?” The doctor looked at Kirsten. “Ryan was just telling me about his pet rabbit and how it died.”
She squeezed Ryan’s hand. “I’ll be right here.”
Ryan looked to Kirsten to the doctor and back to Kirsten.
“Okay,” he said and nodded shyly. He dropped his gaze and focussed on his hand in Kirsten’s. His voice was shaky as he started over.
“I was at home. It was just me and my rabbit. Jake had went out the night before, and I hadn’t seen him all morning. When he came in, he was really mad. He said it was my job to bring the mail in, and I forgot. He called me stupid and worthless. He said that if I couldn’t handle a simple job like bringing in the mail, I couldn’t handle taking care of a pet. I was holding my bunny as tight as I could. I tried to stop Jake from taking him, but he was so strong. He took him and he...and he...”
Ryan couldn’t finish. He broke down in soft sobs, that shook his body.
 “I’m sorry. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Please don’t make me.”
“That’s okay, Ryan.” Dr. Folding told him. “You did very well. I know it was hard for you to talk about that. Losing a pet is never easy. You were very brave.”
Ryan nodded and buried his face in Kirsten’s shoulder.
“Shhh, sweetie, it’s all right, now, “she whispered while rocking him in her arms.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandy glanced at his watch. It was almost time to call it a day. He had a relatively light case load, and he was looking forward to spending a relaxing evening at home with his family. He was almost out the door when his phone rang.
 “Is this Sandy Cohen?”
“It is, or I’ve been in wrong office for fifteen years,” Sandy replied amiably.
 “Hello, Mr. Cohen. I”m Patrick McNeil. You don’t know me, but I’m a friend of Ben Walsh from the D.A.’s office. We’ve been working together with Mexico’s police trying to get a handle on the drug trafficking problem we have. Anyway, a couple of days ago a Dawn Atwood was apprehended for using and dealing illegal substances. When we ran her through the computer, your named showed up. It says that you’re one of her children’s foster parent.”
“That’s right. Is Dawn okay?” Sandy asked. Truth be told, he didn’t care if she was all right or not, but it would crush Ryan if something happened to his mother.
“Well, it depends on what you consider to be all right. She was up on a slew of charges and looking at time some serious time behind bars. We offered her a deal if she testified against her boyfriend, Jake Springfield. We knew he was the one we really wanted. She took it, but someone screwed up. I don’t know how, but she was released before we were able to get her testimony. Not surprisingly, she took off. There’s no trace of her anywhere. However, this morning, we found Springfield unconscious in an alley. Somebody almost beat the man to death.”
“Is he going to make it?” Sandy was surprised at the coldness  his own voice. He had always prided himself on his compassion towards others. But after the way Jake had treated Ryan, Sandy couldn’t bring him self to feel one ounce of pity for the man.
“Yes. He’s in the hospital, and the doctors say he’ll be fine. I just thought you should know about your boy’s mother.”
“Thank you, Mr. McNeil. I appreciate you taking the time to call me.”
“No problem. Um, there’s just one more thing, that I think you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“They way Springfield was beaten, it wasn’t some random act of violence. It doesn’t even look like a drug deal gone bad. I’ve been around, Mr. Cohen, and if I had to guess, I’d say that whoever beat the hell out of the guy was a professional. Springfield’s managed to get himself one powerful enemy. I don’t know who he is, but you need to be aware of it. I can’t guarantee that’s why we can’t find Dawn. You never know, whoever has it in for Jake  may try to come after anyone connected to him, including the kids of his girlfriend. You can’t be too careful.”
“We’ll keep an eye on our son. Thanks again. Good-bye”
 He hung up the phone and sat down in his chair.  Sandy’s mind was going a mile a minute. He had the sinking feeling, he knew who had ordered the hit on Dawn’s boyfriend.
A half hour later, he was standing in front of the Newport Group building. He was glad that it was Kirsten’s turn to pick up the boys. He didn’t want to chance seeing her, and having to come up with a logical explanation for visiting her father.
Sandy threw open the door to Caleb’s office, without even waiting for the secretary to announce him.
“You’ve really sunk to a new low this time, Caleb.”
“Always good to see you too, Sanford,” he said and shut the door behind Sandy. “Have a seat.”
“I know it was you.”
 “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You can drop the act, Caleb. I’m not Kirsten, or the police, or whoever it is you’re trying to fool this time. I know you ordered one of your goons to go after Dawn Atwood’s boyfriend.”
Caleb looked at him and without a word poured a glass of whiskey for himself then put another in front of his son in law.
“You know, I’m not going to answer that, don’t you?”
 “It was wrong, Caleb; more than that, it was illegal. Trust me, I would love to get my hands on him, but there are channels you have to go through. We have laws to take care of men like Jake.”
“Really? And where were those laws when that bastard was beating the boy? No child should be hit. Especially, one that is now my grandson. I will not tolerate anyone hurting a member of my family.”
Sandy sighed.
“Caleb, I appreciate your concern for Ryan. Frankly, I’m shocked to see that you actually have a heart, but you can’t go around doing things like that. I can’t let you bring my family down into your world of underhanded business. It goes against everything I believe in, everything I stand for.”
“I understand your point, Sandy. However, I can’t promise to stand by and do nothing. That goes against everything I believe in. I will promise to be more careful. If I feel the situation needs special intervention again, the kind only my men can assist with, I’ll be sure they’re more discreet. You won’t know anything about it.”
Sandy knew there was no point in arguing. He shook his head in defeat.
“Just tell me that you didn’t do anything to his mother.”
“I swear, I had nothing to do with her disappearance. She was long gone before my men arrived. They tried finding her. You wouldn’t think that she was smart enough to not leave some kind of trail, but if my men couldn’t find it then there’s no one who can.”
He pushed the drink closer to Sandy.
“I do have one bit of information about the job that you may enjoy. Would you like to hear it.”
“No.”Sandy looked down. “Yes.”
Caleb grinned.
“My men said he cried like a little girl.”
Sandy took a long drink and tried to feel an ounce of shame for the rush of satisfaction that the news brought him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kirsten was waiting outside the school, like she did every day when it was her turn to pick up the boys. It had been two weeks since Christmas break had ended and everything seemed to be going smoothly. After the initial first day back, Ryan had experienced no more bouts with his stomach. He seemed to believe that Kirsten and Sandy would not forget him or leave him alone.
It surprised her to see Miss Applegate walk the boys out of the building. Usually, Seth came bounding out first with Ryan closely on his heels. Today, Seth looked his usually energetic self, but the teacher had her arm around Ryan. He seemed to almost need help walking.
Kirsten immediately became worried. She couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. It seemed every time she got her hopes up that Ryan was settling into their family, a new problem arose.
“Mrs. Cohen,” the teacher began. “I’m afraid Ryan isn’t feeling well. He’s always been such a quiet well-behaved student, I didn’t notice anything this morning. But this afternoon, he seemed rather lethargic and within the past hour he’s become flushed. I asked Seth and his other friends and they told me he didn’t eat any lunch.”
Kirsten tried to smile at the teacher, but she was too worried about Ryan.
“Thank you,” she said before turning attention towards the boy. Dark circles were beginning to form under his eyes. “Ryan, honey, how are you feeling?”
“A little tired. Can we go home?”
She put her hand on his back and opened the car door.
“Of course, sweetie. Seth hurry up and get in the car, please. I want to get Ryan home.”
As soon as they all got in the car, Ryan rested his head against the window and fell asleep. The entire drive home, Kirsten kept casting concerned glances in the rearview mirror. She didn’t hear one word of Seth’s animated tale of Summer, her lack of Superman knowledge, or how it was his destiny to educate her in the ways of comic books.
Once home, Kirsten turned around before getting out of the car.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” she said to Ryan. “We’re home.”
Although she had said it softly, Ryan still jerked awake, wincing at the fast movement. 
As they walked towards the door, Kirsten noticed how much paler he had become in the short drive home.
“Honey,” she began. But before she could say anymore, Ryan felt his stomach churn violently. He leaned over and threw up what little food he’d eaten that day.
Seth screwed up his face.
“Okay. I can see that you don’t need my help. I’m just going to get out of the way.”
He quickly hurried into the house.
Kirsten ignored her oldest son.
“Come on. Let’s get you in the house.” She rubbed Ryan’s back and began to lead him.
Ryan was shaking and tears were rolling down his cheeks.
“Kirsten, it hurts. Please, don’t let me be sick again,” he pleaded.
 “Oh, honey. If I could stop it I would. You know I would do anything to make you feel better.”
Sandy was waiting for them at the front door.
“Seth said that Ryan was sick. What’s the matter?”
 “My throat...it burns.” He held his throat and started to cry.
 “Let’s get you to bed, kid.”
Ryan started to follow Sandy, but he had to stop. The room was spinning too fast. He held his hand out to steady himself. If not for Sandy catching him, Ryan would have fallen to the floor.
Sandy scooped him up and cradled him in his arms.
Ryan felt Sandy’s rough hand on his forehead. It felt cool and dry and he buried his face in Sandy’s shoulder. He felt exhausted and sick, but safe in his foster dad’s arms.
“I don’t wanna go to the hospital,” Ryan pleaded.
Kirsten wished she could promise Ryan that he wouldn’t be going to the hospital. If it were Seth, she would chalk up the illness to a simple case of the flu, but with Ryan, nothing was ever simple.
“We’re going to call Dr. Greene. He’ll come over and take a look at you.”
She stroked away a sweaty strand of Ryan’s hair and looked at Sandy.
 “I’ll go call the doctor, while you’re putting him in bed.”
 “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you, kid.”
Sandy carefully carried Ryan up the steps and into his bedroom. Gently he laid the boy down on the bed, and began to take his shoes off. Ryan felt so sick, that he didn’t even protest when Sandy began removing the rest of his clothes and changed him into his pajamas.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered meekly.
“What on earth for?”
“For getting sick again, for always being so much trouble.”
Sandy placed a hand on the boys forehead, partly to comfort and partly to check Ryan’s temperature.
“ You don’t have anything to be sorry for. That’s what we’re here for.”
Kirsten entered the bedroom, and promptly put a thermometer in Ryan’s mouth.
“Dr. Greene is on his way,” she said to both Sandy and Ryan.
As soon as it began to beep, she took the thermometer and read it.
“104.1.” She frowned as she said the numbers out loud. “Sandy, I know kids can run a higher fever than adults, but this seems dangerous. I’m glad Dr. Greene is already on his way.”
Sandy was only half-listening to her. He was busy staring at Ryan’s throat.
“Honey, take a look at his neck. You can actually see the swelling.” He leaned down and touched the sides of Ryan’s neck. “Does it hurt when I touch you?”
Ryan winced and nodded.
 “I’ll be right back.”
Kirsten returned with a bottle of Children’s Tylenol and a glass of water. She leaned over Ryan.
“Sweetie, I want you to take these. It’s going to hurt a little when you swallow, so try and chew them up really good.”
Ryan did as he was told.
“Good, now swallow. Here’s some water.”
She held the glass for him.
When he swallowed the pills, Ryan moaned plaintively:
“Kirsten…that hurts…really bad.”
 “I know, but they’re going to help you feel better. I promise.”
She brushed his hair with her hand.
“That’s a good boy. Now lay down and try and get some rest. I’ll be right here.”
Ryan closed his eyes and sank into sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan awoke to voices in his bedroom. He opened his eyes and saw Dr. Greene leaning over him.
“Hello, Ryan. Long time no see.” He smiled. “I must say, we’ve got to stop meeting like this.”
Ryan knew the man was trying to make a joke. He attempted to smile, but even that hurt too much. 
The doctor turned to Sandy and Kirsten.
 “When did the symptoms start?”
 “Honestly, we’re not sure. Ryan isn’t one to complain. He looked fine this morning, but he may have been feeling bad and just not told us. Now that I think about it, he has looked a little pale the past couple of days. His teacher said he didn’t eat lunch and started to obviously get sick this afternoon. Ever since I picked him from school, he’s done nothing but get worse. What do you think it is?”
“It looks like a case of the mumps.”
 “But Ryan’s file says he was vaccinated. I know, because we had to have records of all of his immunizations before he started school.”
 “I’m just telling you what my first impression is. Let me take a look at Ryan, and I’ll be able to tell for sure.”
Doctor Greene took out a flashlight and looked into Ryan’s eyes and ears. He listened to his chest, front and back with a cold stethoscope and looked down Ryan’s throat. He pressed gently on Ryan’s throat.
Ryan whimpered and tried to move away. Kirsten sat down on the bed and put her arm around him.
 “I’m sorry, Ryan. But I had to check and make sure I was right. If I don’t know what’s  making you sick, I can’t help you get better.”  He stood and faced Sandy. “I’m afraid, I was correct. It’s definitely the mumps. The mumps have attacked groups of his salivary glands. I could see the swelling under his tongue and jaw. That’s why he’s in such pain. I’ll write you a prescription.”
As he wrote, Dr. Greene began to explain the care Ryan was going to need for the next several days.
 “He needs to stay in bed for at least four days. The swelling and the pain will decrease slowly. No school for at least two weeks. One of the most important things, is to make sure he doesn’t become dehydrated. He won’t want to drink, but you have to make him. I want as much fluid in him as you can get down him. You should stay away from acidic juices. They’ll only make the pain worse. His diet will have to contain bland foods that don’t require a lot of chewing. To help with the swelling, I recommend either warm or cold packs. Keep close track of his temperature. Ibuprofen should control the fever, and help with the pain and swelling. If it doesn’t, and his fever gets worse, call me or go to the emergency room immediately. I know Seth is vaccinated, but how about you two?”
Sandy and Kirsten both nodded.
“Good. You should all be safe. I know how hard it is to keep siblings away from one another at this age. There is no reason why the boys can’t play together, but I can pretty much guarantee that Ryan won’t do anything but sleep until the end of the week.”

When the doctor appeared to be done talking. Kirsten returned her focus to Ryan. She pulled his blanket closer around him. Despite the fact that he was covered in a think layer of sweat, his teeth were chattering. She rubbed his back, and he quickly fell fast asleep. She rose and motioned for them to leave the room.
One in the hallway, the doctor continued.
 “I’ve never seen anyone who was vaccinated get the mumps before. I won’t say it can’t happen, but it is extremely unusual. If you don’t mind, I’m going to ask some questions where Ryan received the shots.”
“Do you think there was a problem with Ryan’s inoculation?” asked Sandy.
 “That’s a possibility, or there could have been a mistake. Free clinics are very often understaffed. Perhaps, there was a mixup with the files. You’ve mentioned that Ryan has an older brother. Maybe he’s the one who was vaccinated and not Ryan.”
 “If that’s the case. Ryan may not have received any vaccinations.” The concern was evident in Kirsten’s voice.
Doctor Folding sighed.
“I’m afraid so. Is there any way you can contact his biological mother? If the files are incorrect, she would be the only one who would know for sure.”
Sandy thought back to what he so recently found out about Dawn. Between the information he had received from McNeil and Caleb, he knew there was no hope in finding the woman.
“No, there’s not,” he told the doctor. “She’s no longer in Ryan’s life. He’s all ours now.”