“Dada! Nin!” Madi called from her crib.

“Oh man...” Lyndsey got up, throwing on clothes. Nick was still asleep. “What pumpkin?” She made her way to the next room.

“Up.”

She picked Madi up, feeling her forehead. “Not as warm.

“Dada.”

“Daddy’s sleeping.”

“No seep.”

“You don’t have to sleep. I said Daddy’s sleeping. We can play.”

“No Daddy seep.”

“Yes, Daddy has to sleep. He needs to get better just like you. I need to take something before we can play though sweetie.” she said, making her way to the bathroom. She grabbed the thermometer out of the cupboard. “Turn your head for Lyn?”

Madi answered by shaking her head rapidly.

“OK, Let’s go back to your room for just a minute and get Pooh.”

“No Pooh.”

“Yup. Lyn misses Pooh!”

“No!” “OK, no Pooh.” She walked to the living room and sat down with Madi on her lap. She held her head and quickly took her temperature. “OK Mads, all done, good girl to sit for Lyn.”

“Goo girl.”

“Yup, good girl.” she laughed. “99.7. Better, not great. Want some orange juice?”

“O duce!”

“OK, sit here and I’ll go get some.”

“O duce!” she screamed.

“Shhh Madi.” She put medicine in her orange juice.

Nick woke up, startled by Madi’s screaming. He realized he was alone and fell back to sleep.

“Here’s your juice.” She handed Madi her cup and sat down next to her on the floor.

“Dada up.”

“Not yet.”

Madi ignored her and ran to the bedroom to see Nick.

“Madi!” Lyndsey laughed, chasing her.

“Dada.”

Lyndsey caught her and picked her up, kissing her cheek. “Let’s play the quiet game.”

“Dada up!” Madi whispered.

“Daddy will be up in a while, he’s very tired.”

“No pay.”

“Want to make a picture for Daddy? We can give it to him when he wakes up.”

“Wif Dada.”

“You want to sleep with Daddy?”

Madi flashed her a huge smile.

“Did you drink your juice?”

“Gone.”

“Good girl. Let’s change your pee pee diaper before we see Daddy, OK?”

“Ock.”

“What’s ock sweetie? You’re diaper?”

“Ock.” She crinkled her nose.

“Did you poopie?”

“Ock.”

Lyndsey laid her down on the changing table and took her diaper off. “Ooh, yup. Ock.” She wiped her bum and put powder and a new diaper on her. “Want to leave your clothes off?”

“Off.”

“OK, I have to ask Daddy a question before we can sleep with him, OK?”

“No.”

Lyndsey carried her down the hall and stuck her head in the bedroom door. “Yes Madi.”

“No Nin.”

“Nick...Nick, wake up for a second sweetie.”

“Hmm.” he said without opening his eyes.

“Madi wants to sleep with us. Do you want to put clothes on or is it OK?”

“I’m not moving.”

“OK.”

Lyndsey opened the door the rest of the way and put Madi on the bed, laying down next to her.

“Daddy seep?” Madi whispered.

“Yes, Daddy sleep. Lyn and Madi sleep too.”

“Ny ny.” She rolled over and snuggled between Nick and Lyndsey.

“Night night baby.” Lyndsey smiled.

“You guys comfortable now?” Nick asked, rolling over.

“Yup. Sorry Daddy.”

“It’s OK.” He smiled, running his fingers though Madi’s hair. “I need to get better.”

“Want some juice or something?”

“How about that soup I never got to eat?”

“Want Madi to eat some too? Or is she asleep?”

“I think she’s out, but if she wakes up I’ll share.”

“Don’t you fall asleep on me!” she laughed, going to warm up the soup.

“I’ll try not to.”

“Dada?” Madi said sleepily, opening her eyes.

“Hey sweetie.” he said as she sat up.

“Dada.” she smiled.

“I’m right here.”

“Ug Dada.” She stood up to give him a hug.

“Give me a hug.” he said, sitting up and letting Madi wrap her arms around his neck.

“Nin?” Madi laughed, pulling away from Nick, sitting down.

“Lyn is making some soup.”

“Oop! No seep?”

“Nope. Madi sleep.” He patted the bed.

She threw him a confused look. “Seep?”

“Sleep.” Nick layed down.

Madi layed down next to him and cuddled up to him, putting her hand on his arm. “Ny ny.”

“Sleep tight baby girl.”

“Soup’s ready.” Lyndsey opened the door and walked in quietly.

“Ooh, thanks hun.” he said, sitting up and eating the soup slowly.

“Eat?” Madi sat up.

“You want some soup baby?”

Madi smiled at him.

“Come here. Sit on Daddy’s lap.” He pulled her onto his lap and gave her the rest of his soup. “Good?”

“Goo!”

“You guys feeling a little better?”

“I am. She’s still...kind of out of it.”

“You are? I’m glad.” she smiled. “Now about her...she’s not going tomorrow is she?”

Nick looked down at Madi. She was making a strange face, crinkling her nose.

“What the heck is that face?” he asked seconds before she puked all over him and herself. “Aww!” he slumped back. “Just what I need. A bath in puke.”

Madi leaned her head back and started crying. “Mama.”

“She’s not going tomorrow if she’s throwing up.” Nick said.

“Aww, Madi. Let me clean the bed, you should take a shower.”

“This is so gross. Come here Lyn, let me give you a hug.”

“Ooh...not thanks.” she said picking Madi up as Nick climbed out of bed. “Want her to take one with you, or do you just want me to wash her?”

“We’ll see what she does. I’m not going to force her.” he said, walking into the bathroom.

Lyndsey set Madi on the floor and stripped the bed. She heard Nick turn the water on.

“Nin?”

“What honey?”

She turned to Madi and saw her rubbing her stomach. “Bewwy.”

“You feel sick, huh? Let’s go get you washed off.” She picked Madi up and went to the bathroom, grabbing a face cloth. Nick coughed from behind the curtain. “I’m sticking this in here to get it wet OK sweetie?” she warned him as she stuck the cloth in the shower with him.

“OK.”

“Let’s get you cleaned off and smelling pretty.” She washed Madi’s tiny body off. “Ugh, it’s so much. Madi, do you want to take a shower with Daddy?”

“Dada?” She looked at Lyn, confused.

“Yeah, Daddy’s in there...say ‘hi’ Nick.”

“Hi.”

“See, he’s in there. Want to get in and get clean with him?”

Nick poked his head around the curtain. “BOO!” he got out before coughing again.

Madi laughed and held her hands out to him.

“Did the Doctor say you’d start coughing like that hun?”

“No, but if it’s strep, I’m sure it’s expected.”

“So Madi...in?”

“In wif Dada!”

“Thank God, let me get your diaper off.” Lyndsey took her diaper off and dropped it in the trash. Nick reached his arms out and took Madi behind the curtain with him.

“Let’s clean you off.” He held her under the warm water.

Lyndsey walked back into the bedroom and finished stripping the bed, throwing it in the washer.

“Oh no! Wet baby! Ahh!” Nick laughed.

“Aby!” Madi giggled, putting her hands up.

“Wet baby!”

“Et Dada!”

“Yeah, Daddy’s wet too.” He turned her around to rinse her front.

“Ahhh!” she yelled, trying to splash in the water.

“I need to scrub myself, then I’ll scrub you, OK?” He set her down then soaped up a washcloth and scrubbed himself all over.

Madi watched him, standing up shakily in the water. She walked slowly toward him.

“Careful.”

“Dada?” She looked up at him.

“Yes?”

“Us at?”

“What’s what?” he asked, bending down to scrub her.

She reached up and lightly put her hand on Nick’s penis. “Us at?”

“A no no sweetie.” he said, pulling her hand away.

“No no?”

“No no.”

“Up!” She put her hands up for him to take her.

“Hold on a second. Almost done.” He washed her hair, then picked her up to rinse it out under the water, her screaming and laughing the entire time.

“Wawa!”

“Is that funny?”

“Eth.” she smiled.

“All done.”

“Gone?”

“Lyn, can you get us a couple towels?!” he yelled. “Give Daddy a kiss Madi.”

Madi leaned her head to Nick and kissed him on the lips, her mouth gaping open.

“Thank you!”

“La u.”

“I love you too baby girl. Lyn!”

“Coming!” She ran into the bathroom. “I was putting the stuff in the washer and cleaning the bed.”

“Sorry, we need towels and I didn’t want to slip on the tile floor.”

“It’s OK. Feeling better Mads?” She grabbed two towels. “Here ya go, let me dry her off.”

He handed Madi to Lyndsey, before drying his hair and wrapping the towel around his waist. “I feel better now that that puke is off me.”

“You look better. I’ll have that hug now.” she smiled.

“What if I don’t want to give you one now?”

“I see how you are! Madi, can Lyn have a hug?” She carried her across the hall to get her dressed as Nick put a pair of basketball shorts on.

“All dressed big girl!” she said when she was done. She carried Madi back into the bedroom, hearing Nick let out a huge groan. “Are you up for awhile?”

“Yeah.”

“Ray wants you to call her tonight.”

“Alright I’ll call her.”

“Sweetie?”

“Yeah?”

“Do me a favor.” she smiled.

“What’s that?”

“Take your medicine.”

“Where did you put it?”

“It’s on the kitchen table.”

“Alright.” He went to the kitchen and took his medicine, Lyndsey and Madi close behind.

Lyndsey took a seat on the couch with Madi on her lap and started softly reading her a book. Nick sat on the recliner and dialed Rayanne’s number.