Page 88 of A Case of You
Jeff managed a weak smile for him. “Meanie.”
Brandon brushed the hair from Jeff’s forehead. “How you feeling?”
“Like I died and forgot to stop breathing.” The pain had hit thick and hard late the night before, leaving him in tears that even Brandon’s hardest cane strokes usually couldn’t draw out of him.
“I talked to the nurse before I came in. The first round of blood work came back and you’re flaring again.”
“I know.” He barely lifted a bandaged hand and waved it vaguely in the direction of his PICC line. “I have new hardware. No hot tub for me for a while.”
“Sorry, buddy.”
“It’s okay.” He closed his eyes against a dizzying wave of nausea. “Talk to the cops?”
“Yeah, I called the detective in charge before I left home. The plan is no bond, since he’s a flight risk. Stuart called his parents last night. Shelly called Stu back soon after and apologized for not warning us. She said he was making crazy threats to her. He basically lost his flipping mind. They’re thinking, based on some other stuff, that it might be related to his alcoholism, and possibly even an undiagnosed mental disorder. They’ll have to evaluate him. Shelly admitted the drinking was the main reason she left him. He’s apparently been deteriorating for the past year and she was too scared of him to say anything. The boys have been wanting her to leave him.”
“Well.” Anything else he wanted to say got lost in a wave of pain flooding his system. “Sorry you yakked,” he finally managed.
“Thank god it’s tile.” He smiled. “So the girls were good, huh?”
“Yeah. Fantastic.” He forced a smile. “I think we should probably lift their restrictions, Bran. They’re almost seventeen. Don’t ask, don’t tell, huh? You know they’re going to make it for the long-haul. They almost committed murder together to save me. They’re like the Joker and Harley Quinn, only…cuter.”
“I think you mean Harley and Poison Ivy.”
“Maybe.”
Brandon stared at him for a long, quiet minute. “Theydidsave your life,” he finally said, tears welling up in his eyes. “The deputies said he might have killed you, the way he was ranting.”
“Why didn’t you guys tell me about the calls and voice mail?”
“Because you were in pain and I didn’t want to put something else on you. And then I forgot.”
“Well, I guess I was stupid to open the damn door.”
“This is not your fault.” He leaned in, his forehead gently touching Jeff’s. “I cannotlose you. Either of you. I love you.”
“You’renotlosing me, Master. Unless the doctors told you something they haven’t told me yet.”
Brandon managed a snort. “No. You’re stuck with us for life.”
“Good. I kind of like it here. Crazy, psychopathic teenagers or not, it’s a fun family.” He smiled.
“I think only Grace is psychopathic. Emma’s her handler. Your parents are coming in today to sit with you, by the way. They should be here soon. Let them help you, you fucking stubborn guy.”
“No arguments from me today. I promise. How long am I stuck here?” Actually, between the pain meds and the bed, he wasn’t very inclined to move.
“They’re going to evaluate you later this morning. You should be able to come home tonight.”
“Okay.” Jeff made fish lips at Brandon, finally getting a shnurfly smile out of him before he kissed Jeff. “You need to get to work, Master. Don’t get in trouble because of me.”
“I’m the boss. I got this.” He sat back. “Oh. The Sarasota TV station wants to talk to you and Grace and Emma. They want the story.”
“Oh, jeez.”
“I told them once you were home.”
“I guess we might as well. Maybe they can add it to their college applications or something.”
Brandon laughed.
