#(ALSO AAA MA/RY POP/PINS SONG REFERENCE)

[enchantedchocolatebars]

A Spoonful Of Sugar (This fic is canon divergent)

Caleb enters his bedroom with a metal pail filled with water and a rag floating inside.

His mother was sitting on a small wooden stool, taking care of a sick Philip in bed.

Patience was doing everything she could to bring down her youngest son's viral fever.

"Here's the water you requested," Caleb informed Patience, putting the bucket down beside her.

Thanking her oldest, she reached inside for the wet rag and started wringing the water out.

After that, she folded the cloth before placing it on top of Philip's forehead.

This would help cool down his skin and temperature a bit, thus providing him with some relief from his fever.

"Mother, is Philip going to be okay?" Caleb asked in a timid voice, gazing at his mother with troubled eyes.

The small blonde was extremely worried about his baby brother.

He wanted him to recover from his sickness.

Caleb received a small nod from Patience followed by a soft smile. "He will. I'll make certain of it," She assured him as the blonde smiled hopefully at her before leaving.

Patience returns her attention to Philip.

"Philip, would you be willing to sit up for me? I have something I want you to take."

Despite his discomfort, Philip managed to sit up and saw his mother bring a tablespoon of black syrup to his lips.

"Open wide," She gently instructed.

After taking a small sniff of the strange, syrupy liquid, Philip immediately wanted to gag.

It smelt awful!

The fact that the liquid didn't look appetizing to have inside his mouth didn't help either.

Philip shook his head.

"Mm-mm!" The brunette uttered in a pouty voice, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Now Philip," Patience began, a hint of sternness in her sweet voice, "Your sickness requires the help of this medicine. My mother would always give it to me whenever I was ill."

"But mother," Philip complained in a whiny voice, "I don't want it! It looks and smells icky."

He wasn't entirely wrong, Patience thought.

Taking medicine as a child was not a pleasant experience for her either.

The scent and taste were not enjoyable.

"How about this? I'll make sure to bring you something sweet to soothe the bitter taste of your medicine if you take it," Patience promised with a smile. "How does that sound?"

For a moment, Philip contemplated the offer.

On a day like today, something sweet seemed promising.

"Okay then." He nods in agreement, opening his mouth as Patience inserts the spoon inside.

While taking out the spoon, Patience notices that Philip is still holding the medicine in his mouth and looks as though he wants to spit it out badly.

"I understand it's unpleasant, Philip, but please swallow it all," Patience advised.

After swallowing the medicine with a silent sigh, Philip immediately makes a face.

"Blech!" He said, sticking his tongue out.

"Thank you." Patience smiled as she stood up from her stool and walked to the door. "I'll be right back."

...

Patience had a hot cup of tea in her hand when she returned to the room, taking a seat back on her stool.

She begins to blow on some of the steam that is coming from the cup before giving it to Philip.

"Here, Philip, I added a spoonful of sugar to your tea. That should make the medicine go down," she stated as Philip took the cup to his lips and started to gulp down the tea.

"Little sips, Philip," Patience advised as Philip began to take his time sipping the warm liquid.

He lowered the cup. "Thank you, Mother!" He beamed, taking another sip of the warm drink.

He was happy to get rid of the unpleasant medicine taste.

"I love this tea! It's so sweet!"

"I know that you have an affinity for sugar," she giggled.

He obtains it from her. "When you've recovered, would you be interested in dessert?"

Philip's blue eyes lit up as he quickly nodded to the idea.

"YES, I WOULD! I WANT APPLE PIE! 🍎 🥧"

"Very well then."

"WITH ROSEWATER ICE CREAM!"

Patience playfully sighed at her son's second request, still smiling at him. "You and your sweet tooth... Fine. Apple pie and rosewater ice cream once you're well."

"Can you, me, and Caleb make the pie and ice cream together?"

"Of course."

As he brought the cup of tea to his lips for the second time, Philip smiled back at his mother.