Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Mia was having a tough time holding her son, so she quickly scooped up some water with a spoon, trying to calm him down. "Here, drink some water, sweetheart. Don't cry, okay?"

But once Henry realized he was being coaxed, he refused the third spoonful of water, no matter how they tried. Andre took a turn, but it was no use. The sight of the spoon set Henry off, making him cry and flail his arms, pushing it away. The third dose of medicine wasn't happening, nor was the dissolved tablet. Even dinner was a no-go. The moment Henry saw the spoon, his stubborn mood took over, and he refused to eat.

Over at the Maplewood Estates that evening, the lights were bright, and the sound of a toddler's cries echoed through the living room.

They tried swapping the spoon for a fork, but Henry still wouldn't budge. "Hey, let's just make him a bottle of formula for now," suggested Mia.

Once they switched to a sippy cup, Henry took a few sips, then curled up in his mom's arms, crying himself to sleep.

As is often the case with sick kiddos, the moment he was laid in bed, he started crying, reaching out to be in his mom's embrace.

After a quick freshen-up, Mia snuggled into bed with her son. "Honey, if you're planning to shower, use the guest bathroom, and don't stay up too late, okay?"

Andre nodded, took off his jacket, and sat on the bed's edge, looking at the little guy in the middle. He gently ruffled Henry's hair and then headed to the guest bathroom for a shower.noveldrama

Late that night, the wind was howling, and the sky was completely starless with clouds hiding the moon.

While everyone else was fast asleep, Mia suddenly felt a tightening in her chest and woke up with a start.

Her husband was sleeping beside her, making sure their son, nestled between them, wouldn't catch a chill from any drafts. He'd positioned himself to block the breeze, keeping the blanket snug around them, even if it meant his own shoulder was exposed. Henry, nestled in his mom's arms, was breathing unevenly, making little noises now and then.

Mia touched Henry's forehead and found it burning hot.

Panicking, she quickly unbuttoned his pajamas and felt his back, which was dry but hot like a little furnace.

"Wake up, honey," she nudged Andre urgently. "I think Henry's got a fever."

Andre was wide awake in a heartbeat, sitting up and processing what Mia just said.

"Our boy feels really hot. Can you grab the thermometer?" she asked.

Andre tossed the blanket aside and rushed downstairs.

With Henry sleeping in the middle, Mia had covered him with an extra light blanket to fend off any cold, just to be safe. She held Henry close, wrapped in the thin blanket.

Andre quickly returned, and Mia used a digital thermometer, announcing, "38.6 degrees Celsius."

Looking at his son, who was restless and crying with his eyes shut, Andre calmly said, "We need to get to the hospital."

Mia threw a coat over her pajamas, and Andre, in his rush, didn't even bother with socks, slipping on his leather shoes. Together, they bundled Henry up tightly and headed to the car. en

On the way to the hospital, Mia used a mercury thermometer for another reading, Honey, I just put it under his arm, and in less than two minutes, it's already showing 38.4 degrees."

Andre handed his phone to Mia. "Call Dr. Hester. I spoke with him earlier tonight. He's the hospital director. Have him get everything ready."

Mia dialed the number, and within seconds, the call connected.

"Hey, Andre, what's up? It's pretty late," came Dr. Hester's voice, already suspecting it might be about Henry.

"Hi, Dr. Hester, this is Mia. Our son has a fever..." she started.

Andre motioned for Mia to put the

call on speaker. "Dr. Hester, we're on our way to the hospital now. We should be there in about ten

minutes," he added.