Jim was sick very rarely, but when he got sick, he got sick… and he turned into a total baby, Pam had learned. Now that the kids had started daycare, they were constantly bringing home germs and viruses, and being sick seemed like a daily occurrence.

            Pam had decided that when you get pregnant, your immune system instantly gets stronger. That was the only reason she could think of that Ben, Sophie, and Jim could all be felled by a simple cold, while she was still healthy.

            Ben and Sophie were basically healthy, and were running around, arguing, just like normal. But Jim, the latest casualty, was stuck up in bed, dizzy, lightheaded, and coughing up a storm. Pam dosed him up on medicine as much as she could, and just tried to keep him comfortable, but with the kids underfoot, he was the least of her worries.

            “Hey, guys…” Pam called out into the backyard. “How about we do something special for daddy?”

            Hours later, when Sophie was taking a nap, Pam snuck into the bedroom, thankful that Jim seemed to be asleep also. On their nightstand, she laid out the presents – a macaroni necklace from Sophie, a get well card from Ben, and a box Kleenex – encased in green jello.