Page 86 of The Refiner

“We’ll get creative,” he returns, his voice leaving no room for negotiation—not that he would get any from me.

“Look, Vance,” he says, addressing his brother louder than he did me. “I know you’re still anxious about surgery, but I’m fine.”

Finally, I poke my head out of Astor’s shoulder, and see Vance’s elbows on his knees, his jaw ticking as he stares angrily at Astor. “Were you fine when you reacted to the sedation?”

“Tsk, tsk, brother. You know better than to violate patient confidentiality.”

“Astor! You scared the hell out of her!”

And apparently, he scared Vance too. I never thought when I called him that he would act this way.

Astor flashes me an annoyed look and I bury my face again, mumbling that I’m sorry. “I’d never reacted to a medicine before, you know that. There’s no way either of us could have known. Besides,” he holds up his hand with the IV, “it’s nothing a little antihistamine can’t fix.”

“Never again, Astor. Promise me.”

I don’t quite know why Vance is so worried about this, but I don’t blame him. You can’t help getting defensive when it comes to the lives of your siblings.

“I promise,” he finally says after a moment of tense silence. “Now, can you please go find Dr. Teller and make him discharge me.”

I hear something like a grumble then a “fuck you” before the door closes, leaving Astor and me alone.

“Are you mad?”

I feel him lean over and place a kiss to my head. “I’m not mad. Vance would have eventually found out.”

“I shouldn’t have called him.”

He grunts out his agreement. “I shouldn’t have let you come. I should have known it was too soon for you to be here.”

I don’t want him feeling guilty when I basically forced myself into being here. “I was fine with the kids on Halloween,” I argue.

“It was the Children’s Hospital, not the same hospital as—”

I cut him off, turning over, so I can look at him. “I was triggered because I was scared something happened to you.”

His tired eyes stare right down into my soul. “Is that your way of admitting you like me?”

For the first time in hours, I chuckle. “Yeah, Grandpa. That’s my way of admitting I don’t want to kill you anymore.”

“You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”

At least Astor has the decency to look away when he lies. “I am.”

“Just because you have on your sweats and are home, doesn’t mean you’re resting.” I snatch the diaper out of his hands, noticing a fine sheen of sweat dotting his forehead. “When was the last time you took something for the pain?”

The constant ache in my chest flairs when he breathes through his nose while his eyes pinch shut. “I don’t need anything.”

“Oh, good. For a minute there I thought you had some sense. Good to know I was wrong.” I nod to the sofa. “Go sit down. I’ll deal with your lies in a minute. I assume Tater Bug is wet.”

He nods tightly.

The fact that he’s not arguing shows that this stubborn man is in a lot of pain. The doctor said he’d be sore, but staying on top of the pain with pain relievers would keep it under control. I should have known Astor would be a hard ass about it.

Grabbing the wipes, I walk backward toward Tatum’s room and point with the diaper. “Sofa. Now. Don’t make me push you.”

I don’t wait and see if he follows directions. My guess is he doesn’t, but I’ll deal with that later. A little girl needs a diaper change, and like her auntie, she’s not known for her stellar patience.

I make quick work of Tatum’s bottom, getting her settled and in the swing, so she can have a little fun while I argue with her daddy, who I find miraculously on the sofa, folded over his knees, pulling in laborious breaths.

---