Chapter 12
"Nick! Nick, please stop running away! It's freezing out and you have to come back inside!" Yelled Brian and AJ as Nick continued to run through the snowy woods, bunny in hand. Nick turned.
"I'M NOT STOPPING! KEVIN'S GONNA COOK PATCHES! I HATE HIM!" He yelled, unaware that he was approaching a tree root that stuck out of the snow. "Nick! Look out!!" Yelled AJ. Nick turned back around to find himself in mid air. Cutching the bunny, he closed his eyes as he landed in a snowy bank. Brian and AJ hurried over.
"Nick! Nick, can you hear me? Are you hurt?" asked a panicked Brian. AJ held out his hand. "Rok, he's fine, he landed in the snow, aren't ya Nicky?" Nick opened his eyes.
"Patches? Is Patches okay?" He asked frantically. AJ laughed. "She's still in your hands kid. She's fine." Nick sighed in relief, falling back onto the snow.
"Nick, lets go, it's freezing outside and you don't have on a jacket, not to mention you are sick with fever!" Brian exclaimed, pulling Nick up off the cold ground. Nick pulled away from Brian's hold and started to run again only to be caught by AJ. "Hey there buddy, where ya goin' the cabin's the other way." He said pointedly. Nick looked at the ground.
"I don't want Kevin to cook Patches." He wailed. AJ started to laugh, but Brian slapped the smile off his face.
"Look Nick, Kevin's just upset because of his um...accident. you can keep the bunny, okay? I promise. Now just come back inside, it's freezing out here and neither one of us are fit to be out with chicken pox!" AJ backed away. "You have it too!?" Brian nodded. "Shit, I hope I don't get it, that's all we need is three of us down with this damn disease." They started walking back towards the cabin. Nick put out his lower lip. "I hope Kevin gets it, I hope he gets it where he hurt himself!" Brian turned to his young friend. "Nick, you shouldn't wish sickness on anyone." AJ laughed. "Brian, this isn't just anyone, this is Kevin." Brian couldn't stop the smile on his lips from imagining Kevin with chicken pox all over his body. He allowed himself to laugh. "Okay, it is pretty funny, but I ain't takin' care of him if he gets it!" The boys walked through the door. Kevin was laying on the couch with his ice pack and Howie was in the kitchen, as they smelled soup cooking for lunch. Kevin looked up angrily. "What is the matter with you three?! Brian and Nick are sick and Nick you don't even have a coat on! You shouldn't be outside at all! Go put on some dry clothes now and I want you all to drink some tea!" AJ made a face.
"I hate tea."
"I don't care, I don't want you coming down with it next!"
"Well, we wouldn't have had to go outside if you had just been nice to the cute animal! It's nicer than you are anyway!" AJ yelled.
"AJ I swear to God you better start running cause as soon as I can get up I'm gonna kick your ass from here to Florida!" Kevin screamed. AJ looked hurt.
"I helped you back here from your accident and all you do is yell at me! Nick likes the bunny. Now get rid of your attitude because I sure as hell ain't putting up with it much longer! You care about no one but yourself and it's really getting annoying!" And with that he slammed off to the bedroom to change. Howie, who had been watching the whole episode from the kitchen, shook his head. "Nice going Kev, now he's madder than before. I have to make lunch, take care of Nick and Brian, calm him down and put up with you. I don't know how much more I could take! The least you can do is help me out, I know your in pain, but I can't take care of the sickies by myself." Kevin put his nose in the air.
"I don't want the chicken pox Howie." Howie slammed his hand against the wall, causing Kevin to jump.
"Damnit Kevin you've been exposed by now! And who cares if you get it or not, you should want to take care of the other ones, they're like your family! I know you didn't want to come up here with us but it's no picnic for us either, now I suggest you take AJ's advice and lose the attitude." He walked back into the kitchen to continue cooking the soup. Nick emerged, dressed in a sweatshirt and flannel PJ pants, holding his furry pet in his arms. He looked warily at Kevin before sitting down on the floor and playing with his animal. Kevin took a deep breath. "Nick?" Nick ignored him. "Nicky c'mon, will you at least look at me?" Nick looked up at him, his eyes cold. "I'm sorry I said I wanted to cook your bunny, I was just mad at the fact that nothing's going right. If it makes you feel better, you can keep it for now, I know you're upset that you're sick and can't play outside. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Nick took in Kevin's words and grinned.
"It's okay Kevin." Kevin looked surprised.
"Really? Just like that, huh? How are you feeling anyway?" Nick shrugged.
"Pretty bad, I'm cold."
"Well, that's from running around outside in 20 degree weather in a T-shirt. Lets just hope you don't come down with pneumonia. Maybe you should take a nap. Brian too, I heard he's not doing too good. Go ahead and take a nap and I'll come in and check on you guys in a little bit." Nick stood and started towards the bedroom. He stopped suddenly.
"Kev, since you were so mean to Patches, I think you should give her a kiss to make up for it and show her that you like her." Kevin rolled his eyes.
"All right, a kiss on the head shouldn't hurt anything." Nick held out the furry animal to Kevin as he closed his eyes. At the last second he stuck the bunny's butt in his face.
"YUCK! NICK YOU'RE DEAD!"