Page 15 of Say You'll Stay

“Hey. How long have you been up?”

“Just long enough to find out that I’m married again and my baby makes toxic shits.”

There’s wry teasing in those words, and he can’t help but huff out an amused sound as he braces for that incoming look of revulsion. “About that…”

“You thought we’d be safer if someone new saw us as a family. If they assumed you’d fight for us.”

“Yes. I dunno how safe they think you are with me, though. I’ve been getting a lot of hard stares.”

“They think you’ve done this.” She gestures to the arm that still holds an IV right above those yellow fingerprints. “I’ll set them straight. I promise.”

There’s no trace of that disgust he expected. She’s not so turned off by him after all that she’d scowl at his attempt to help with a well-crafted lie. “That’ll be hard to do without admitting the truth.”

She nods with an agreeable sigh and scoots upright, only asking for the baby when Lucy starts to fuss. She was going to sit there and let him hold this kid all he wanted, like it was no big thing. Didn’t snatch her back the moment her eyesopened. That feels big to him, almost monumental.

“She likes you. Babies have good instincts about people.”

He wants to believe that, but instead of agreeing, he only blurts out what’s been bothering him since it happened. “You thought I’d leave you alone in an alley.”

“That’s got everything to do with me and nothing to do with anything you’ve done. I’m the one who’s broken when it comes to trusting, but I’m trying. I really am.”

She was delirious and almost unconscious. He doesn’t hold it against her, but it hurt all the same. Only now, her soft voice and those slow blinks hiding a regretful shine to her eyes are like a balm on the deepest part of him that never feels good enough.

“You know that‘trust no one’line from that TV show about aliens?” she continues.

He nods.

“Been my motto for a long time. Hard habit to break.”

I get that.

No worries.

I’m fucked in the head, so I’ll do worse than leave you, eventually.

All perfectly decent answers that never see the light of day.

“We ah…we’re good. It’s all good.” Is what he stutters out instead, wishing he could pry the foot from his mouth.

“You’re already the best husband I’ve ever had,” she says softly, with a glint of mischief.

He snorts with a duck of his head.

“So, what’s wrong with me? Did they tell you? Where are we?”

“You’re exhausted and you’ve overdone it. That’s what the nurse said.”

“There’s medical staff here? Is it a hospital? Someone hadto put the IV in.”

“Just the one. It’s a long-term care facility,” he tells her. “They’ve been protecting the residents.”

“Then why do you look so worried?”

“That trust no one thing isn’t only your motto, but they did us a favor when they didn’t have to. Maybe it’s alright and I’m worried for nothing.”

He doesn’t admit that his biggest concern is the lack of barriers between this place and the outside world, especially in the city.

She’ll probably want to stay. Hell, he does too at the moment. They have soft beds. Everything’s clean, with plenty of running water and even electricity from the generator. Supplies if they get sick. It’s a fucking oasis, and he’s grateful they found it when she needed it most, but she might not want to leave with him again when it’s time.

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