"Dad. Dad, hey." Liam heard a soft voice calling to him. He opened his eyes and saw his youngest daughter Ava standing beside his bed. He sat up slowly to look at her.
"Ava? What's wrong darling?" Liam asked rubbing his eyes. Liam was on his own in the house with the two younger children while you were off visiting your oldest daughter Emma at college.
"I think something is wrong with Ashton," she explained.
"Ashton? What's going on?" he asked still not fulling awake.
"I could hear him in his room, he sounded like he was crying. I went in to see if he was ok. He said his stomach hurt and that he wanted you."
"Alright, ok thanks baby. I'll go check on him," Liam yawned getting up out of bed. He walked beside his daughter up the stairs to check on the baby of the family. All the children were teenagers at this point Emma being out of the house and in college was 20. Ava was the next oldest being 17 almost 18 and Ashton the youngest of 16. Ava sleepily walked back into her room. "Thanks Ava," Liam called after her. He walked into Ashton room quietly. The room was dark and quiet but Liam could hear the faint sounds of his son sniffling in his bed. He walked in the door towards Ashton's bed and his son looked up at him.
"Dad," he whispered sadly.
"Hey buddy, what's going on?" Liam asked kneeling down beside the bed.
"I don't feel good," he whimpered.
"What doesn't feel good pal?" Liam asked softly. Liam knew that his son was the worst of his three children when he was sick. Ashton didn't deal with pain very well. He hated throwing up and he would fight it as long as he could. Liam knew he needed to be calm and patient with him.
"I'm really sick to my stomach," Ashton explained letting tears slip down his face. Liam put his hand on Ashton's head feeling for a fever.
"You feel a bit warm buddy. Why don't we go downstairs? I'll take you temperature and you can lay down in my bed for a while." Ashton nodded and slowly got out of bed. They walked downstairs and into you and Liam's shared bedroom. Ashton sat down on the bed while Liam went in to the en suite bathroom and grabbed the thermometer out of the cabinet and went back into the bedroom. "Here bud," Liam said softly. He put the thermometer in his son's mouth and sat down beside him. Ashton was shaking from the fever and Liam sighed knowing he more than likely had the flu. The thermometer beeped and Liam took it out of his mouth and read the number 102.2. "I think you've got the flu pal," Liam whispered. "Lay down, I'll be back." Liam got up and put the thermometer away and grabbed something for Ashton's stomach. He walked back in the bedroom and grabbed the trash can in the corner and put it beside the bed and gave Ashton the medicine which he took happily.
"I'm sorry dad," Ashton said sadly.
"Don't be sorry buddy, I'm sorry you don't feel well." Liam got back into bed and closed his eyes. "Wake me up if you need anything else buddy."
"Thank you," Ashton whispered. They both fell asleep quickly but they didn't stay asleep for long. Ashton was asleep for a few hours before his stomach woke him up once again. He whimpered and rubbed his stomach trying to calm it down but nothing was helping. He felt his stomach slosh around and he feared the worst. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed the trash can sitting next to the bed and held it tightly. "Dad," he called over his shoulder. He gagged a little feeling his stomach trying to send up what was inside. "Dad!" he said louder. Liam opened his eyes and sat up right away.
"You alright Ash?" He ask moving over to sit next to him.
"I don't..." he was cut off by another gag as his stomach attempted again to send up what was inside. He shut his mouth tightly stopping any of his stomach contents from escaping and swallowed hard. Liam put his hand on his son's back.
"Don't fight it, you'll feel a lot better once it's out of your system," Liam encouraged him softly. Ashton shook his head. "I'm right here you'll be alright," Liam whispered. Before Ashton could say anything his stomach tried one last time to send up what was in it and this time succeeded. Ashton buried his head in the trash as he retched violently into it. "That's it buddy. You're alright," Liam whispered to him. Ashton's body shook with every painful retch so Liam held the front of the bin still for his sick son.
"I want to stop," Ashton cried before retching again.
"You're doing fine buddy. Just relax. It's alright," Liam encouraged him. After about five minutes of Ashton retching his stomach relaxed and allowed him to catch his breath. "All done buddy?" Liam asked pushing back the hair that had fallen over his face.
"I think so," Ashton replied hoarsely. Liam took the trash from his hands and placed it on the ground.
"Feel any better?"
"Yeah actually, I feel a little bit better," Ashton admitted. Liam smiled and stood up taking the trash to clean it out. When he came back into the bedroom Ashton was already fast asleep. Liam smiled to himself and leaned down and kissed his son's head.
"Love you Ash," he was whispered. He got back into bed and closed his eyes. Before he feel asleep he heard his son whisper,
"Love you too dad."
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