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"Better. I'm restless and want to go home, but then I think about…" Trenton shook his head. "I just want out of here."
"Know when that's going to happen?"
"They say tomorrow. The team is trying to get me to go stay with them, but I just want my own apartment. I'm tired of everyone taking care of me."
"You able to walk?"
"I have to use that thing." He gestured to a small knee scooter beside his chair. "And I can't use my arm much for another two weeks, so there goes my racquetball game and morning jog."
Ben smiled as he set the lemonade beside Trenton, then took the seat across from him. "I think I've been doing enough jogging for both of us."
Trenton's gaze went serious. "Running from the demons?"
Ben nodded. "I'm not sure they'll ever go away."
"Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. I'm okay until I close my eyes." Trenton offered the cheese tray to Ben. "Want some?"
"Nah, thanks though. I bought me one when I got yours." He looked at Trenton's wounds. "I'm sorry I couldn't warn you what was happening. Even I didn't know until it was over with. I've spent the last few days with the D.A., filling out reports and answering questions. Just when I think I've told them everything, I remember something new."
"I'm glad things happened the way they did. It was safer."
"Says the man with two bullet wounds."
"I'll heal."
Ben wanted to ask how, but it didn't seem right. Trenton had been through so much more than he had, yet Ben wasn't sure he would ever heal from the things he'd seen. "Did you get your meatballs yet?"
"Tomorrow night. She's going to cook dinner for me tomorrow when I get home." Trenton glanced up at him. "You should come over and try them. Maybe she'll give you the recipe and I can buy it off you when she's not around."
Ben laughed. "I'd love to accept, but I think she might want it to be a special night for the two of you. What was her name again?"
"Faith, and while you are probably right, I could use the company. I'm afraid she'll want to talk about things I'm not ready to talk about yet. I also don't want her trying to play babysitter while I heal. If you're there, she wouldn't be as likely to try and push me to talk or mother me the way she would if I was alone."
"You sure? I wasn't convinced you'd ever want to even see me again after everything that happened. I thought I might remind you of all the bad stuff." Ben shrugged.
"You don't. I mean, that stuff is in my head anyway. You being around doesn't bring them forward in my head. The memories are already front and center. If anything, it's easier around you because you know already. You know what happened there. What they did… I don't want to talk to anyone about it, but even if I did, telling them isn't the same as having been there. Like you, I've been talking to the D.A. a lot the last few days as well, and I know now that you really were trapped there almost as much as I was. You were doing a job you thought would end with the criminals arrested, but find out the criminals are actually some of the men you were working for. You didn't know who to trust any more than I did, and, same as me, one wrong move could have cost you your life."
Ben sighed. "I hated what I did, what I saw, but it was nothing like what you—"
"Don't. Don't compare. It's done and we move on. It's all we can do now. As I was saying before, come eat dinner at my place tomorrow. You'll love Faith. She's a great cook, and you'll save me from too many pillows propped around me and having her worry over every little injury I have. She's pre-med and a pain in the ass when it comes to anything she might be able to fix."
Ben laughed. "Can I bring anything?"
"I'd love to say beer, but they have me on some heavy pain meds still. Besides, it was beer that got me into this in the first place. Maybe I should quit drinking." He stared off in space for a moment, then sighed. "I'm sure the guys have already restocked the place after my brother went back home, so unless there is something certain you want, you don't need to bring anything."
He didn't feel right just showing up empty-handed. He'd pick up dessert or something, but he got the feeling this was more about Trenton not being alone with people who might ask questions. "If you're serious, I'll be there. I just don't want to make you uncomfortable. I came here just to say thank you. I almost didn't come, but as I was about to turn around and leave, I ran into Xander outside and he convinced me you'd be okay if I dropped in."
"I asked about you several times. I worried you'd been there and hurt. I knew it was night and you should be home, but I didn't know if you'd come to help them or…" He shook his head. "You have nothing to thank me for. You're the one who took all the risks. Without you, I wouldn't have gotten out of there."
"It took both of us. You had to admit your connections for me to contact them. That put you at risk. All your friends at risk."
"You'll keep our secret, right?"
Ben smiled. "What secret? Of course, I will. I have questions, but I don't feel it's even proper to ask. It's better to forget what I know and go on."
"Forgetting would be good, but you don't forget something like that. Maybe someday you can ask, for now, it's best if we just let it go. Too many risk factors, especially now with the D.A. and his team involved with everything." Trenton took a piece of cheese. "Do you have a family?"
"No, I was an only child and my parents have both died. With the job I did, I didn't form close ties with people. I moved from one place to another and kept to myself. Now that I quit, I'm trying to decide if I should stay here or not. Noam offered me a job with him, which sounds great, but then I wonder, can I keep my cool after everything I've witnessed? Can I still play a role and not let my anger get in the way?"
