Dad and Papa both shrugged.
“There was a small fire in the electrical room last night and it seems that the fire department discovered potential asbestos when they tore out some of the drywall to put it out,” Papa said.
“They aren’t sure how much of the building is contaminated. They have to evacuate all the units until they’re inspected and the building is cleared to be reoccupied,” Dad added.
“Why didn’t they call me?”
Papa quirked a brow at me. “They tried. Maybe you forgot to give them your new number when you changed phone carriers last year? When they couldn’t reach you, they called us as your emergency contacts.”
Crap. Yep, that tracked.
“Ug. What now?”
“They were letting residents in during a two-hour period this morning to get their things, so we swung by and packed up a few suitcases with clothes and other things we thought you might need,” Dad assured me. “And they’re saying that they don’t think it’s going to take more than a couple of weeks to clear the building, so we assumed that you’d come home until you can get back in?”
I love my dads, I do. They have been amazing parents from the time they took me in when my mom was diagnosed with cancer but. Just..but. Swallowing a sigh, I turned to Otto.
“I guess I had enough time to think,” I said sourly.
“Are you sure?” Otto asked. “You know I want you there but not if it’s only because you feel forced.”
“Forced? What are you talking about?” Papa interjected, looking from me to Otto and back.
“I asked Dex to come and stay with me at the house,” Otto responded quietly. “He said he needed time to think about it.”
Papa shrugged. “So, you come home for a bit,” he said. “You know we’d love to have you.”
Time for the big reveal, I guessed.
“I didn’t want to tell you like this, but Otto is the baby’s sire.” I winced a little as I shook my head. “I’m, um, having flash heats when I’m away from Otto too long, so it could get awkward pretty fast,” I admitted. “I’m probably better going with him when he’s released, at least for now.”
Papa frowned but didn’t react to what I thought would be a bombshell. “Okay, son, but you’re free to change your mind and come home any time, day or night, okay?”
“I know.” I stood and walked to where they were standing by the bed and kissed both of their cheeks. “I will.”
The conversation quickly turned to the state of the house.
“The house should be fine,” Otto assured them, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. “Myke said the cleaners went through while I was still unconscious. They, um, even had the carpets cleaned so it should be in good shape.”
Thankfully neither of my parents felt the need to dwell on what had caused the carpets to need cleaned and instead ask when Otto was going to be discharged.
“I’m hoping this afternoon,” he said quickly, “but there’s no reason that Dex can’t take his stuff over and get settled now while he has help, if that’s more convenient? I can text him the door code.”
If my dads were confused by that it didn’t show and less than an hour later we were unpacking the last of my clothes into the empty dresser drawers in the guest room.
“There we go,” Papa said, grinning as he slid the last drawer closed with a thump. “Now, you need anything at all, you call, right?”
“Right,” I agreed, snuggling into my Dad’s arms as he hugged me. “Let me walk you out.”
Then I was left all alone in the big, empty house with some memories I really could have done without. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I sighed. Otto would have just started his memory therapy, leaving me with two hours to kill before it made sense to go back to the hospital. Giving in to the exhaustion, I stripped out of my clothes, set an alarm on my phone, and curled up on the bed to try and sleep.
~*~
Otto
At the end of my memory therapy appointment the doctor cheerfully informed me that I’d shown significant improvement and he was signing off on my release. That left only the medical release approval from the medical doctor and I could be home before dinner.
Amped as I was to be heading home, I frowned when I returned to my hospital room and found it empty. Hours had passed since Dex left with his dads to drop his belongings at my house and Dex still wasn't back.
