Chapter 404 Behave Better from Now On
"Mommy, I remember now." Chicago tugged on Fiona's hand.
Fiona squatted under her umbrella. "What is it?"
"I met Great-Grandma before—at Thalassa's grandmother's hospital. She was sunbathing alone, and my brother and I told her stories. A super mean caretaker almost bullied me, right Auntie Thalassa?"
Thalassa had nearly forgotten that incident. "That's right! It did happen."
"I remembered correctly," Chicago said earnestly.
Fiona glanced at Grandma Solomon, then back to Chicago. "Hmm, mommy knows."
As she spoke, her eyes shifted to Darwin. Darwin's face was pale, but an irresistible hint of red at the corner of his eyes tugged at the heartstrings. He crouched down beside Chicago and gently wrapped his arms around her. When Chicago didn't resist, Darwin held tighter and said gratefully, "Chicago, thank you."
"Why are you thanking me?" Chicago was perplexed and could sense his father's distress, too startled to move.
"Dad always felt guilty that great-grandma didn't get to see you and your brother before she passed..." Darwin's voice choked up. "Great-grandma always hoped dad would be better than mom, and I let her worry until the end."
Chicago lowered his eyelids, hesitated for a moment, and then also hugged Darwin. She patted his back gently like she would comfort his mother. “Just be a little better from now on, and be good to Mom, that's all."
"Okay."
Darwin responded, holding onto Chicago tightly. Chicago, still confused, looked at Fiona. Fiona, with tears in her eyes, managed a reassuring smile.
Before the rain intensified, Darwin and the others concluded the ceremony and left the cemetery for the hotel they had booked earlier.
"We're soaked through," Fiona remarked as they arrived at the hotel, rushing off to run a hot bath.
"Darwin, take Charles for a shower first; we can't risk him catching a cold."
Charles's immunity was worryingly weak. He'd gotten quite wet, even with a little raincoat at the cemetery. Darwin took Charles for a bath, wrapped him up warmly, and quickly dried his hair. Chicago had taken his bath at Thalassa's.
After their showers, both little ones took some cold medicine. Fiona watched over Charles's condition for over two hours until she was sure everything was normal, and finally, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't worry so much," Charles said, patting her hand. "Where's Sis?"
"She was tired, so she slept at her godmother's," Fiona replied.
Charles furrowed his brows. "I'm fine with him here; you go check on her."
He meant Darwin, of course.
"How did I get such a wonderful son like you, Charles?" Fiona touched Charles's nose playfully, then turned to Darwin. "I'm leaving Charles in your care."
"Okay," Darwin nodded, the picture of obedience.
Thalassa hurried out when Fiona left and was about to knock on the opposite door.
"What's wrong?" Fiona asked.
"Chicago's burning up!" Thalassa blurted out, her voice laced with urgency. "The fever medicine is in your suitcase; quick, get it for me!"
Fiona was stunned.
It was rare, so rare, for Chicago to fall ill.
After the rain had everyone worried sick about Charles, it never crossed anyone's mind that Chicago had gotten soaked even more than Charles had.
"It's my fault; I should never have taken her puddle jumping!" Thalassa was riddled with guilt all the way home.
Who would've thought that Chicago, who was still so full of life after her bath, tumbling and cartwheeling across the bed, even doing the splits as a show for her, would fall ill so suddenly?
Fiona fetched the fever medicine and gently woke Chicago.
"Mama?" Always so clingy, Chicago snuggled into Fiona's embrace. "Where's brother?"
"Brother's alright," Fiona replied, her voice breaking, tears threatening to spill. "Chicago, you've got a fever."
"Huh?" Confusion clouded Chicago's face as she slumped in Fiona's arms. "No wonder my eyelids are so heavy."
"Don't worry, we'll take the medicine, and you'll feel better soon."
Chicago wasn't the kind to fuss over medicine; she knew it would help her get better. She obediently let Fiona administer it.
After the medicine, Fiona applied a cool fever patch on Chicago's forehead and held her in her arms.
Darwin walked in just in time to catch Fiona stealthily wiping away her tears.
His heart ached for her. He took the thermometer and rechecked Chicago's temperature.
The fever had subsided a little after the medicine.
"Where's Charles?" Fiona turned her head away, not wanting Darwin to see her cry.
"He's playing chess with Kenny. I haven't told him his little sister is sick."
"Good, don't tell him; it would only worry him," Fiona murmured.
"Let me hold her," Darwin whispered gently.
Fiona hesitated.
But Darwin had already reached out and carefully taken Chicago into his arms.
Fiona had been worried Chicago might protest, but she only half-opened her eyes, glanced at Darwin, and then closed them again without any sign of objection.
She slept in Darwin's arms for over an hour, waking up looking more wilted than usual.
Seated in her chair, Darwin retook her temperature, but it hadn't changed much since before.
"Mama!" Chicago suddenly turned to Fiona, a spark of energy in her voice, "Back on the island, when the brother had a fever, the doctor gave him ice cream. Can Chicago have ice cream, too, now that I have a fever?"
Fiona paused, then let out a wordless chuckle. "Sure, we'll have Dad pick some up."
Darwin was puzzled.
"Can she have it?" He asked Fiona, unsure.
Fiona nodded with a smile. "Yes, she can."
"I'm with him!"
Chicago was thrilled; she quickly got up to find her jacket.
Seeing some color return to her cheeks, Fiona didn't stop her.
"Keep a close eye on her," Fiona instructed Darwin.
The prospect of heading out solo with Chicago made Darwin quite happy.
Chicago still felt a bit dizzy.
After getting dressed, she followed Darwin to the door, paused, and looked up at him. "I'm sick; aren't you gonna carry me?"
Darwin paused, then hurriedly opened his arms and lifted Chicago. "Sorry, sweetheart. Daddy wasn't thinking."
Chicago didn't say much.
She was already contemplating what flavor of ice cream to get.
By that time, the rain had stopped, and the sun appeared.
Darwin found a nearby convenience store and set Chicago by the door, expecting her to march straight in.
But before stepping forward, she reached out and held onto his finger.
It felt like a kitten's soft paw had gently pressed a mark into Darwin's heart.
Soon, the duo reached the ice cream freezer.
Overwhelmed by the myriad choices before them, they both seemed lost.
"Which one do you like, Chicago?" Darwin asked.
She looked at Darwin. "I haven't tried any of them; it's tough to choose. What about you? Which one do you think is good?"
Darwin hesitated, admitting, "Daddy hasn't tried them either."
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