At Aileen’s house,Joshua made Colin lie down on the couch. He grabbed an aspirin and then wandered into the kitchen where David and Nate were helping the two aunts prepare the next day’s feast.
“Ahn-tee, would you make Colin a cup of your wonderful Irish tea? He’s feeling a bit ill, and the tea will help him.”
“Of course, Joshua! The water’s already hot.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Collie’sill?”
“His ears won’t stop ringing. It’s given him a headache and a touchy stomach. Worries me. And he told David he’s feeling a bit dizzy.”
“He’s felt ill since it happened,” Nate told Joshua. “He didn’t want me to tell you.”
David frowned. “The loud noise of that gun going off probably affected his inner ear. That would account for the nausea and the dizziness. I know my ears were ringing for quite a while, and I wasn’t nearly as close to that gun as Colin. It went off right next to his head.”
“Well, I know what’ll fixthatright off,” Aileen said. She handed the filled mug to Joshua. “Here’s his tea. I’ll be right back with something for his ears.”
Joshua returned to Colin and knelt beside the couch. “Baby? Here’s some tea, and I want you to take this aspirin.”
Colin set up and took the medication from Joshua’s hand. “So, I get Doctor Josh this evening?”
“You do.” He watched Colin swallow the aspirin and then looked up as Aileen approached.
“Collie, take this wee bit of cotton and put it into your ears. It has a drop of warm olive oil on it.”
Colin eased cotton into each ear. “Thanks, Ahn-tee.”
“Is there anything else you need, son?”
“I’m OK, Ahn-tee,” Colin told her. He lifted the tea mug in salute. “This is perfect.” He sipped the tea, then smiled at Nate, who plopped down on the arm of the couch. “Hey, rabble-rouser.”
“I snitched you out to your husband.”
“I’ll pay you back later,” Colin told him, then ruffled his hair. “It’s OK, buddy.”
Colin’s aunt Nora approached the couch and handed Joshua a warm, damp towel. “Put this warm towel on the back of his neck,” she instructed. “It’ll ease that headache.”
“It’ll get the couch wet,” Colin protested.
“Who cares?” Aileen asked. “It’s just water.”
Colin looked around him. “I’ve got everyone except the professor.”
“He’s minding the stove,” Nora told him. “We’ve got food for an army cooking in there. Someone had to keep stirring.”
Joshua pressed him back until he was lying on the couch, the damp towel against his neck. “You lay there and rest. Let these cures work on you a bit.”
“Long as you stay with me.”
“Count on it.”
“Are you still having trouble hearing?”
“Yeah,” Colin murmured. “A little. Everything sounds a bit tinny and clogged.” He glanced at Joshua. “You know how it feels when your ear is plugged up? Well, right now, both of mine feel that way.”
“God, Colin,” Joshua moaned. He pressed his forehead against Colin’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. This was all me.”
“Yeah. This was you. Being a hero.Again.”
Colin’s face twisted in a look of disgust. “Believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
