“Oh, and just so you don’t worry about our twins, my mom is taking care of them and is very happy to help out. Now, relax, my pet.”
Cody closed his eyes, exhaled, and finally finding peace, drifted off to sleep.
Dylon watched his mate until Cody was asleep before slipping quietly out of the room. Now it was time to sort out the mess out with the boys.
~/~/~/~/~
Colton headed to the kitchen, hoping to find Theodore there. He was greeted by Dakota and his new intern, both kneading bread dough on the marble topped island.
“Like this, Theo,” said Dakota, “grasp the dough opposite to where you are standing and fold it over itself. Yeah, like that. Then using the heel of both of your hands, push the dough away from you. Very good. Keep doing that.” Glancing up, Dakota saw Colton. “What’s up?”
“Jackson asked me to round up Theodore and Kieran. He wants to speak to them.”
“Why? I was just with Jackson. Did something happen? Is Norman all right?” Theodore asked as he dusted the flour off his hands.
“Nothing happened, well, not physical at least. Listen, Jackson will explain everything. Will you please go to Kieran’s room and wait for everyone?” asked Colton.
“Go, Theo,” said Dakota. “Everything will be all right, I promise. When you’re finished there come back and we’ll finish making bread.” Seeing the worry on Theo’s face, he gently pushed him toward the door saying “Shoo! Norman needs you as well as Kieran. This needs to be sorted out now before it festers more.”
Alarm crossed Theodore’s face, but he nodded and left the kitchen without another word.
As Dakota continued kneading Theo’s dough, he said, “Bro, stop kicking yourself. Let Jackson handle it.”
“Maybe, but what about Cody? I’m worried. I don’t know what happened, but it was bad. Dylon rushed him off and wouldn’t even let Ian look at him. Fuck!”
Dakota brushed off his hands and then walked over to Colton and hugged him. “Dylon will take good care of Cody. When the time is right, I know they’ll tell you everything.”
“Hey, how do you know what’s going on with Cody?”
“Listen, you better go and find Kieran. I think he’s downstairs with Zane.”
“Oh, fuck…right. Talk to you later,” Colton said before leaving the kitchen and heading downstairs. He turned at the bottom of the stairs and walked towards Zane’s computer room. He was sorry he offended Kieran but that wasn’t what worried him now—no, it was Cody and his reaction. Colton had never seen his older triplet react that way to a tease that bombed. Something was wrong with his brother, and Jackson knew what it was.So why am I being kept in the dark? Or for that matter, why is Ian? Shit!
He rapped on Zane’s door before entering and was promptly ignored by his brother and Kieran who were looking at something on one of the computer screens. When neither turned around to greet him, Colton cleared his throat and then said, “Hi Kieran, Jackson would like you to join him in your bedroom as soon as possible.”
Zane turned and studied his brother, finally saying, “Thanks, please tell him Kieran will be there shortly.”
Colton’s jaw dropped. What the fuck? He was read the riot act for not talking to Kieran directly and now Zane was speaking for Kieran.I don’t understand any of this. What did I do that was so wrong?
Zane turned back to his computer, then added, “Is there anything else you want to say? Like to fucking apologize to Kieran for your superior attitude, brother of mine?”
“Look, I said I was sorry and I am, Kieran. I was just teasing you. I promise I won’t do it again,” Colton said.
Zane and Kieran exchanged glances before Kieran sighed. Turning to face Colton he said, “Thank you, I accept your apology. But you still need to adjust your attitude and until you understand that, your apology is not worth much.” Then Kieran turned to Zane. “After I see what Jackson wants, can I come back here?”
“Absolutely dude, anytime. See you later,” Zane said.
Kieran brushed past Colton as he left the room without saying anything. Shutting the door behind him, he walked silently down the hall while wondering what Jackson wanted to see him about.Oh shit, I bet Lizzie can’t go with us. Well too bad, I need to be in Scotland, so Jackson…and Cody for that matter…will just have to accept it.
Colton was dumbfounded!My attitude? What the fuck is wrong with my attitude? I have a great attitude! I’m caring and gentle with patients. I’m always helping…I don’t get it.
Zane saw the puzzlement on Colton’s face and knew his brother didn’t understand what Kieran was saying. “Colton, do you mind if I give you some advice?”
“Sure. What am I missing here?”
“Bro, you care about everyone. Doesn’t matter how sick they are, you give your all taking care of them. But sometimes, you are so dense when it comes to dealing with a non-sick person. Kieran told me what you did, and I wasn’t surprised he was upset. Bro, that dude isamazing! You need to look beyond his size and his youth. Those ‘boys’ as everyone calls them, went through so much that it is fucking amazing they came out of it on the other side. Give him some respect! He was impressed with how beautiful the hospital rooms were done and when he found out you did them, he wanted to tell you that. Instead, you thought he was being a smartass and you put him down.
“Kieran, Theo and Norman walk around here like they never spent years being tortured. But they were. Have you taken the time to talk to them? I have, and let me tell you, I’m fucking impressed with them. No, not impressed…I’m fucking in awe of them. I understand Ian is pregnant and you are worried about him and the pup, but you still have responsibilities outside of your mate. Isn’t Kieran, Theo, and Norman’s mental health just as important as their physical health? Isn’t talking to a patient just as important as treating them? If you’d taken the time to sit and talk to them, you’d have learned so much…like how Kieran starved himself, so he could give extra food to the other prisoners, or the number of times Kieran stepped in to take a beating for an older and weaker prisoner. But you didn’t bother.
