A Very Sprouse Summer

The Pain (Chapter 17)

Mom goes rushing over to Cole, "Cole! Hunny, are you ok?"

He gets up slowly and immediately lies back down on his back. I take a closer look and notice that the lid of his eye and beneath it are all a dark red-bluish-purple color.

"Oh man, I am so sorry!" KJ begins apologizing all over the place.

Noticing his eye, KJ freaks out, "Oh gosh! I gave him a black eye!" he exclaims walking away and beginning to pace back and forth.

"You didn't mean to, it was an accident" Barbara walks over and hugs her son.

After hearing about his eye, Cole goes to touch it and winces.

"Don't touch your eye." mom says, "here, take some water"

Still not speaking, he is probably in shock, Cole slowly takes the bottled water mom brought with a shaky hand.

"No need to worry ma'm. I'll take a look!" Tim announces sitting down on the ground where Cole is still lying down.

"Are you able to get up for me, boy?" Tim asks Cole.

Without speaking and somewhat staring into space , Cole manages to sit himself up with Tim's help. We're all just watching this scene in silence.

"Now, do you remember what happened to you?" Tim asks with all seriousness.

Coughing before being able to talk, Cole responds, "Uhmm, yeah."

"What do you remember?"

"I'm ok... I know who everyone is and where I am, we really don't need to go through all this." Cole responds to Tim.

"Cole, answer Tim. He is trying to help you" dad says.

"Dad, I fell backwards and apparently have a black eye. I still have my memory" Cole responds with a touch of annoyance.

Dad just glares at him in response, causing Cole to apologize.

"Ok, let's try this again" Tim smiles, "What happened to you?"

"I fell backwards and was punched in the eye" Cole answers back closing his eyes. I can't tell if he is annoyed with the questions or is in pain.

"Good. Very good, that did happen to you. Let's get you some ice now. Are you able to get up?" Tim calmly asks.

Cole get's up but seems to lose a lot of color in his face and finally mutters, "I really don't feel well".

"Ahh, there we go! There is the truth." Ariel teases.

"Not now Ariel." Barbara sternly replies.

Tim, Dad, and David help walk Cole into the air conditioned waiting room where Tim puts ice on Cole's eye and a pillow between Cole's back and the couch.

"Just rest now." Tim orders Cole and then looks at mom and dad, " I wouldn't suggest your son do any more of the adventure activities today. But you are all still welcome to stay."

"No, it's ok. Thank you so much for all of your help Tim. I think we'll all just wait for Cole to feel better and then relax at the beach nearby"

----------------------------------------------------

Jess and Ariel were really interested in the rest of the activities, so they stayed behind at the park, no hard feelings; we told them it's really ok. After apologizing all over the place, KJ finally went with his family to venture through the rest of the adventure park.

After throwing up a couple of times, Cole and dad walk back to the couch that me, mom, and Riley have been sitting on.

"How do you feel sweetie?' mom asks while putting the back of her hand on Cole's forehead.