Chapter 78

“Tyler, the water is bubbling!!” Jon yelled to the living room, feigning panic.

After he had left Melody’s bedroom he went around the house looking for children, he finally found them in the downstairs den and asked them what they wanted for supper. Ryan had told him it was Wednesday, which meant Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Jon couldn’t convince them to have pizza, especially when Faith asked him if he could please make the Mac & Cheese. He just melted away when she asked and told her he would try. Luckily Tyler had offered to help, like Melody had said.

So together with Tyler he went back to the kitchen, where Tyler took 4 boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese from a cupboard and placed them on the counter. Jon watched him get a big pot from a drawer under the stove and gave it to Jon to fill it with water.
“Not that much water.” Tyler had said when Jon returned with a full pot of water. He emptied some of the pot and put it on the stove and turned it on.

Then Tyler picked up one of the boxes and showed it to Jon and told him to read the instructions and do just as it said and nothing else.

Jon was left alone in the kitchen to wait for the water to start boiling.

“That means it boiling! Read the instructions!” Tyler yelled back from the living.
Jon rolled his eyes and smiled at himself. Of course he knew bubbling water meant it was boiling, he wasn’t completely stupid. “Oh my God! One of the bubbles popped and it hit me, it’s hot!” He yelled back to Tyler.

“Are you twelve?” Tyler asked as he walked into the kitchen.
“No, but I could be.” Jon said seriously. He could be a businessman and all serious but he could also be a complete tool when he felt like it and right now he felt like it. Tyler thought he couldn’t cook at all, so he made use of it.
Tyler stood next to Jon and observed the boiling water. “That’s boiling, alright.”

Jon chuckled. He liked Tyler, he was friendly, fun and kind of weird.
Tyler turned to Jon. “So, now what?”
Jon shrugged. “I dunno, read the instructions.” Kind of weird, that was it; Tyler had just told him to do that. Goofy kid. Jon thought.
Tyler picked up one of the boxes and passed it on to Jon, then picked another one to read the instructions himself. “Any twelve year old can do that.” He said when he finished reading it and put the box back down. “Good luck.” He told Jon and went back to the living room.

Jon shook his head and thought of how distractive Jesse could be too, probably a teenage boys thing. He emptied the boxes of macaroni into the pot of boiling water, put the lid back on it and waited.

“Shit.” He muttered to himself when the pot boiled over and the water ran out of the pot. He quickly grabbed the lid off the pot, forgetting it was hot and dropped it on the counter. “Fuck.” He swore louder this time, waving his hand, trying to cool it down. The water had gone back down and he looked around for a spoon to stir the macaroni.

Finally everything settled down again and Faith walked into the kitchen just as Jon was about to rinse the macaroni. “Can I help?” She asked.
Jon held the pot and the lid secure with oven mitts this time and let the water run out a small gap between the lid and the pot into the sink. “Yes.” He tried to remember what the instructions said to add. “I need butter, salt and milk.” He said.

Faith turned to the fridge and placed everything on the counter as Jon put the pot back on the stove. He told Faith how much to add of everything and let her stir it all with a big spoon to make it cheese-y and goo-y.

“Well done.” Jon congratulated her when she finished it. The Mac & Cheese looked goo-y, just like he remembered it used to be. Dorothea never made anything from a pack and he had ordered in food since she left, but he still remembered Kraft’s Mac & Cheese from years ago. “Get some bowls and spoons and we can eat.” He told Faith.

Faith eagerly went to get bowls and scooped the Mac & Cheese into them, bringing them to the living room, serving her brothers. “What about mum?” She asked when she came back to the kitchen. Jon wasn’t sure if Melody was still asleep or not or even wanted dinner.
“I’m not sure, you can check if she’s awake but you have to do it very quietly, so you don’t wake her up if she’s still sleeping.” Jon told her.
Faith nodded and walked to Melody’s room, carefully opening the door.

Melody woke up when the door opened. She smiled at Faith as she quietly walked over to her.
“Do you want supper?” Faith whispered. “I made macaroni and cheese.” She said proud.
Melody smiled again. “You did? Did Jon burn it all?” She asked, her voice hoarse again.
“No, he let me help.” Faith said, still in a whispery voice.

Melody was very proud of both of them to make dinner, without burning anything but she didn’t feel like eating but she also didn’t want to stay in her room by herself while everyone ate. She wanted to be with her boys and her little girl. She got up from the bed and asked Faith to get the cup of soup on the other side.

Jon watched Faith walk back into the kitchen, still trying to be very quiet, with the cup of soup he had bought earlier, followed by Melody. “You’re not allowed out of bed.” Jon said.
“Mum, wants the chicken soup instead.” Faith looked up at him, handing him the cup. Jon gave her her bowl of macaroni and Faith went to join her brothers.
“It’s just a cold; I can sit in the living room.” Melody told Jon as he put the cup in the microwave to heat it up again.

She didn’t wait for an answer from Jon and went to the living room to sit down again. A minute later Jon walked in and handed her the soup. He sat down next to her and ate his dinner. Pretty proud he had made it himself, with help from Faith.



After finishing the rest of her soup Melody gave the cup back to Jon, who put it on the coffee table with all the bowls. Melody cuddled up to him as he leaned back into the couch, her head resting on his shoulder.

They watched tv with the kids with the occasional sneeze, elephant trumpeting of blowing her nose and coughing fits.

Of course everyone thought of something to say while watching tv and they ended up talking about school and the weekend, which gave Melody no peace and quiet, but she wanted to be with her kids. Jon told them more than once to talk more quietly, telling them Melody had a headache but every time the whispery voices went back to normal.
Finally it was getting bed and Faith carefully gave her mum a hug and a kiss before turning to Jon and gave him a hug too. Which made Jon remember her birthday present. He told Faith to wait before going to sleep, that he had something for her.

Melody wondered what he could have for her and asked him when Faith had gone upstairs. Jon told her he brought along her birthday present and was going to give it to her. Melody sat up and lay down on the pillows on the other side of the couch so Jon could get up.

Jon went to his car to get his bag with clothes and the bag he got in the studio. He dropped his bag of clothes in Melody’s room first before going upstairs. He followed the light from a bedroom and found Faith in her bed with a book. “I got you your birthday present.” Jon said as he walked over to her and sat on the edge of her bed. He opened the plastic bag and gave her a piece of paper.

Faith looked at it and her eyes went big, her face turning to a big smile. She couldn’t believe it. “Thank you.” She said amazed and gave Jon another big hug.
“Maybe if you take it along to school tomorrow, your teacher might help you, if not, I’ll help you next week.” He said when Faith let him go.
“Very cool.” Faith said, still amazed, looking at the piece of paper.
Jon took the piece of paper back and placed it on the desk next to her bed. “But now you have to go to sleep.”

Before Jon could leave Faith had asked him to read some from her book and he just couldn’t say no, so sat back down on the bed and took the book from her.



20 minutes later he was back downstairs and took his earlier spot on the couch again. Melody moved back up. “What did you get her?” She asked when she laid her head back on his shoulder and Jon wrapped his arm around her.
“Sheet music from Keep the Faith. I’ve been told it’s her favourite song.” He smiled and pulled Melody a little bit closer. She looked exhausted already, Jon offered her to go to bed but Melody thought it was too early and didn’t move until all 3 boys had gone to bed.

“My head hurts.” Melody said when it was finally quiet. The pressure of her sinuses hurt and the talking of the kids all night, finally it was quiet.
“Let’s go to bed then.” Jon said, carefully getting up and letting Melody get up too. “Are you sure you don’t want any of those painkillers?” He asked when they reached her bedroom. “They help you sleep too.” He understood she didn’t want to take painkillers, he didn’t like taking them either, only when he really had to but he didn’t want her to feel miserable and she needed the sleep.
“Just one.” Melody said, she wanted the pressure gone so she could finally relax.

Melody got back to how they had stayed all afternoon, cuddled close, her head resting on his chest and his arms wrapped around her, stroking her back.
“That was very sweet of you to get for Faith.” Melody was surprised how hoarse and tired her voice sounded. “She’s been wanting that for years.”
Jon hugged her tighter. “She was very happy with it.”
“I love you.” Melody said, how couldn’t she, he had spent his whole day taking care of her and got her daughter the best present.
“I love you too, babe.” Jon whispered and kissed her hair, taking a deep breath, coconut.


Chapter 79