Page 58 of Manny Included
Bay got them there in record time, though he hadn’t run any lights, thank goodness.Pete hadn’t been sure with the first one if Bay was going to stop or not, but he had.
Bay came around and let him out of the back seat.
“I’ll get him checked in.You park.”He grabbed the wailing baby and ran.
ChapterThirteen
Bay was exhausted.What had started with a fever and an ear infection with Flynn had turned into all four kids with a terrible bout of the flu.Four whole days of fevers, puking, and crying.He felt like he’d gone to war, and he wasn’t sure he’d won.
Tonight was the first night the kids had all gone down easily and—so far—stayed down.He sat in front of the TV, just staring at it.It wasn’t even on, but he couldn’t bring himself to gather the energy to find the remote.
Pete brought him a beer, touched his forehead as if to make sure he didn’t have a fever.
“Thanks.”He shook his head.“I don’t feel sick.Just… shattered.”The worry, the lack of sleep, the having to deal with four miserable and cranky kids.
“Yeah.Have the beer.I ordered a pizza.I’m too tired to cook.”Pete wandered around the living room, picking up.
“Stop that.Just come and sit.It’ll all still be there in the morning.And pizza sounds really good.You get a meatlovers?”He’d discovered that he really liked a meatlovers.
“I did.With extra sausage.”Pete plopped down next to him and cuddled right in.“Hey.”
He put his arm around Pete’s shoulders.“Hey yourself.Is it always like this when they’re sick?”And how did they make sure the kids were never sick again?Because he would pay good money not to have to go through the last four days ever again.
“This one was pretty bad, but yeah, if they all get it, it sucks.Wait until they’re sick, and you get it first.That’ssomuch fun.”
“I can’t believe neither of us has gotten it,” he admitted.They’d had slobber, snot, and tears all over them.
“Who knows, we might wait for two weeks and get it then.I have no way of knowing.”Pete winked at him.“There was a lot of Lysol involved.”
“God yes, my hands are raw from all the damn washing.”He sighed, leaned his head back.“I think we should turn on the TV or I’m going to be asleep before the pizza shows up.”
“Find something fun.”Pete rolled his eyes and grinned.
“I don’t have the remote,” he complained.
Pete laughed at that, stretched to grab it off the coffee table, and offered it to him.
“Ah, thank you.”He turned the TV on and started scrolling.
Pete was warm and solid as a rock against him, a soft hum filling the air.
He rested his head on Pete’s.It was cozy and comfortable and far, far better than running from room to room, dealing with sick kids.
That was awful, and he didn’t want to ponder how many times it might happen.
No, they were having a bit of a break now, and he was going to enjoy the quiet and Pete being close.He pressed a kiss to the top of Pete’s head, before turning his attention back to the television.He finally settled on a show about ugly houses.
Pete got the pizza when it showed up, refusing to allow anyone to ring the bell.Good man.
“Goodness, I’m actually drooling.”They hadn’t had anything substantial to eat in four days, just grabbing bits and pieces as they could.Lots of soups, cereal, and the odd sandwich.
Pete didn’t even bother with plates—just paper towels and the box—and they dug in.
He was three pieces in before he came up for air.The grease and meat and cheese and bread just perfect.He sighed happily as he ate the last bite and pondered a fourth piece.
“Right?So good.I just wanted something lazy and greasy and yummy.”Pete grinned at him and rolled his eyes a little bit.“I swear.I don’t think a pizza’s ever tasted this good.”
“Yeah.I guess it’s the circumstances more than anything else, but I’m going to have that extra piece, and if I burst open from it, then I burst open from it.I apologize in advance for the mess you’ll have to clean up if that happens.”God, he was punch drunk or something.His own weird silliness did not stop him from grabbing and eating that fourth piece of pizza though.