Chapter 16
Kevin walked around outside the small cabin trying to cool his temper. Damn those bandmates of his! Why oh why had he agreed to this trip? Oh that's right, he didn't agree, he was forced! He vowed as soon as they became successful enough they would leave their current management team. There was nothing worse then being stuck in a cabin with four annoying boys, three of who had chicken pox! Well, he could be stuck in a cabin with Lou Pearlman. Kevin shuddered at the thought. As much as he didn't want to go back inside, he had to, his crotch was hurting again. Heaving a huge sigh, he walked back inside. Howie was awake now and he seemed to be consoling AJ about his discovery on where the chicken pox were, Brian was sitting on an arm chair dozing, and Nick was presumably asleep. Good, thought Kevin, now he can't spit anything else on me! Howie looked up.
"Oh there you are Kevin, I was just gonna come look for you, but AJ's a little upset right now" AJ moaned.
"I don't wanna be all deformed and not be able to make little AJ's!" Howie turned back.
"Jay, you'll be fine, it's just the chicken pox, it's not the end of the world."
"You say that when you got pox all over your-"
"All right AJ enough!" Interrupted Kevin. "Put some cream on it if it bothers you that much!" Brian opened his eyes and pulled out a package of oatmeal from his pocket. He winked at AJ.
"Try this, it works for me!" AJ gave Brian a strange look.
"Bri, why is there oatmeal in your pants?" Brian looked appalled.
"AJ, I AM the Oatmeal Man." AJ's eyes widened.
"Uh, Bri, maybe you should lay down or something." Brian ignored him and leaned back into his chair. AJ ventured off into the bathroom to try Brian's remedy for his pox. Howie stood. "Well, I gotta go wake Nick and get him to eat something, can I have the medicine for his mouth? Maybe that will help." Kevin put his hand to his head, rubbing his temples.
"What medicine?"
"The medicine I told you to pick up for Nicky's pox when you went to the store." Howie replied.
"You didn't say that."
"Yes, I did."
"Did not!"
"Yes, I did, tell me you forgot! No wonder the poor kid can't eat! Now go out and buy it for him!"
"I'm not going out in that weather again, it's snowing hard!"
"You forgot it, you go get it!" Kevin sighed.
"Try to get him to eat some dinner first and then if it's not better, I'll go out AGAIN!" Howie stomped off to the kitchen.
"GOOD PUMPKIN!"
"SHUT UP!!!"
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"Nick please try some?" Howie begged holding the spoon of chicken noodle soup to Nick's lips once again. It was the only thing he thought he could take with the pain. Nick shook his head. Brian looked up from his bed, where he was stretched out. "Want me to make you some oatmeal Nick?" Nick made a face. Howie dropped the spoon.
"You know what will happen if you don't eat? We'll have to take you to the hospital and they'll feed you though a tube! Is that what you want? Huh?"
Brian interrupted. "Can you eat oatmeal through a tube?"
"Brian shut up about the oatmeal already!" Howie yelled.
AJ smiled from where he was trying to stop his intense itching of his, um, privates. "This is so cool! First Brian flipped out and started yelling and now Sweet D's doing it! Mark this date down in history!" Howie pointed to the door. "Out!" AJ pouted.
"Fine but you're gonna miss me!" Howie shoved AJ through the door.
"I couldn't if I tried!" He turned back to Nick. "Please Nicky, you have to eat, your body won't get better if you don't feed it."
"It hurts too much Howie, I'm sorry, I can't." Howie stuck a thermometer under Nick's tongue and one under Brian's. "All right Nick, we'll make it better, I promise." He removed the objects. "101 and 100.7 Great guys, you have fever, take some Tylenol and get to bed, you need rest. Wake Kevin if you need someone." Brian frowned.
"Bed? It's only 8:30!"
"I don't care, you're sick with fever and you need sleep."
"Oatmeal Man never sleeps."
"Goodnight Brian."
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"Let's go AJ! Open your mouth so I can take your temperature!" Howie begged the rebel who had his head under the pillows on the bed.
"I ain't got no fever and I don't like thermometers!"
"AJ, c'mon, stop acting like a toddler!"
"You're not putting it in my mouth!" Howie fumed.
"If you don't let me put it there I'll call Kevin in and you don't wanna know where he'll stick it!" AJ grabbed the thermometer and popped it into his mouth.
"Don't you ever threaten me like that again D. I'll have nightmares!" Howie rolled his eyes and red AJ's temp. "That's great AJ, it's 102 and you say you don't have fever? Take the Tylenol now and go to sleep, I'll be right back, I need to check on Nicky and B-Rok." Howie walked into the dark room to find Brian playing Nick's gameboy and Nick moaning. He grabbed the gameboy away from Brian and stared at the spotted teens. "No video games! I told you to sleep." Brian stuck out his tongue at Howie.
"I can't with his whining."
"I don't whiiiiiiiine." Nick protested. Howie sighed. "Nick what's the problem."
"My stomach hurts."
"you're hungry kiddo, but if you don't eat, I can't help it."
"I'd eat if I could! Now I won't be able to sleep all niiiiight!" Howie took a deep breath and yelled.
"KEVIN! GET TO THE STORE NOW! AND DON'T COME BACK WITHOUT SOMETHING TO MAKE THIS KID BETTER!" He yelled. Brian chimed in.
"And get some more oatmeal too!"