Page 86 of Loving Kai

Chapter twenty-one

“Everybody loves Mr. B.”

Allie tried unsuccessfully to give Kai the fever reducer, then set the cup on the counter and tried to comfort Kai. “We need the eyedropper.”

“Eyedropper? Oh, right, the eyedropper.”

“It was with the thermometer and the Tylenol.”

“I’ll go get it.”

Abe headed down the hallway, which seemed darker and narrower than he remembered. He was slightly disoriented, and he bumped into the door frame as he entered the bathroom.

“Dammit.” He dug through the bag again and pulled out the eyedropper. It, too, was sealed in plastic, and he glared at it. “Really? It’s a friggin’ eyedropper.” He cut the package open, ran the dropper under hot water, then returned to the kitchen.

He filled it with the medicine, then went to Allie and Kai. “So, what now?”

“Squirt it into the corner of his mouth. I’ll keep it closed so he can’t spit it back out.”

“That seems kind of mean.”

“It’s not mean. He needs the medicine.”

He did as he was told, and Kai swallowed it, then coughed before resuming crying. When he held his arms out, Abe took him from Allie. “I got you, buddy.”

When Kai suddenly stopped crying, then a moment later started seizing, Abe stopped breathing and turned to Allie.

She rubbed Kai’s back. “He’s okay. Just hold on to him until it passes.”

When the seizure stopped, Abe handed Kai back to Allie and took several steps back. “What the hell was that? What’s wrong with him?”

“It was a febrile seizure.”

“Shit.”

“It’s from the fever. It’s not dangerous, and it doesn’t do any damage.”

“How is that not dangerous?” He moved further away and leaned on the counter.

“Both Wes and Luke had a few as young children. Micah, too. It's something he’ll grow out of.” She looked at him for a moment. “Sit down, honey. I don’t need to be taking care of you too.”

Abe walked unsteadily to the table and sat down. “Did I do this? Did I make him sick?”

“Of course not. Babies get sick.”

“But I took him to the river. The water was cold. Maybe—”

“Abraham, you didn’t cause this.”

“I can’t do this. I can’t…I don’t know how to take care of him. Damn. Why did I think I could do this?”

Kai was quiet since the seizure and was nodding off. “Go take a walk, Abe.”

“A walk? You want me to leave?”

“I want you to go get some air. Take a walk. Take a drive. Get out of the house for a little while. Kai is going to sleep now. The seizure wiped him out.”

“We have to watch him.”