Joshua nodded. “We do. But you don’t know what I was going to say.” He snuck a peek at Colin’s face, then scowled in defeat, kneeling on the floor at Colin’s feet.
“When are you going togetit, Josh?” Colin asked. He leaned forward and grasped Joshua’s shoulders, then drew him forward until his body was captured between Colin’s knees. “I knoweverything.”
Joshua grunted out an unintelligible sound. He wrapped his arms around Colin’s body and pressed his face against his husband’s chest.
Colin’s cupped Joshua’s chin, lifting it until their eyes met and locked. “When are you going tounderstandhow much you mean to me?” He kissed Joshua’s upturned mouth, then slid his tongue across each lip in turn, his touch delicate, barely skimming the surface of Joshua’s wide, full mouth. Both hands lifted to cradle Joshua’s face between his palms.
“You think my job means more to me than you do? Well, it doesn’t.” He kissed Joshua again. “If you were all there was, Joshua, if you were all I had…” He pressed another soft kiss to Joshua’s lips. “You would beenough. You willalwaysbe enough.”
* * *
Esther agreedto give Colin the time off he needed to take Joshua to Glencoe. “I know how his mama feels,” she told Colin. “She needs to see her baby. To see with her own eyes that he’s going to be all right.” She waved Colin out of her office. “But I expect you back bright and early Tuesday morning!”
On Wednesday evening, they pulled their rental car onto the long driveway leading to the Abrams family mansion. Colin turned off the engine then shot a glance at Joshua who sat without moving, staring down at the floor.
“What’s wrong, bud?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just that…oh, you knowMom. She’s going to…” He husked out a sigh and opened the car door.
The misshapen swelling that had distorted Joshua’s face when he was first injured was much less prominent. Several dark bruises remained, but for the most part his facial injuries were healing. The surgery on his knee was scheduled to take place two days after they returned from Glencoe, so when he emerged from the car to greet his mother, he still had a slight limp and was leaning on Colin’s cane.
“Oh my god, Joshua!” she cried out as she embraced her son, and he could feel her crying as she hugged him tight.
“Mom, I’m OK,” he reassured her. “Honest I am! Look at me!” He grabbed her shoulders and leaned away so she could examine him. “I’mfine,” he said.
His mother’s fingers reached to touch the side of his jaw, then caressed the area around both eyes, which still carried the bruises inflicted by Page’s fists. “You’re still bruised,” she said, her voice choked with tears.
“They’re fading,” Joshua said, hugging her tight. “They’ll all be gone in a week or so.” He kissed his mother’s cheek. “I promise you, Mom. I’m really OK.”
She swiped at her tear-streaked face, then turned as Colin approached them, a suitcase in each hand.
“I’m just the bellhop here, ma’am,” he teased, then bowed in Joshua’s direction. “If the young master would tell me where he’d like his luggage taken, I’d bebeyondoverjoyed to lug it there.”
Colin lowered the cases to the ground as Bracha reached to cup his face between her palms. “Andyou!” she said, once again choked with tears. “How on earth do I thankyoufor saving my son’s life?” She hugged Colin tight. “You are truly a blessing.”
“Bracha, I was one guy,” he said, returning her embrace. “There were thirty cops involved in that rescue operation.”
“Did everything just get all weepy out here?” a strident voice inquired, but before Joshua could answer, he was captured around the waist and spun in a circle by his younger brother.
“Hey, bro,” Abel whispered, and kissed Joshua’s cheek. “Scare the fuck out of us, why don’t you!”
“Abel Abrams,language!” Bracha snapped, her arm linked with Colin’s.
Abel turned to Colin, and for a long time the two men stared into each other’s eyes. Then Abel extended his hand, and Colin shook it. “Thank you,” Abel murmured.
Scowling, Colin hugged him, then took a step back. “OK,” he said, bending to grab the suitcases. “I’ve had enough of thisDays of Our Livesshit! Josh is fine. I’mnota damned hero. And I want to relax for a while then have dinner.”
Abel laughed and took the luggage from Colin’s hand. “And I’m sure Jess will be happy to serve it.” He nudged his brother with an elbow. “You might want to chat her up,” Abel said. “She was really upset when Colin called us about how badly you were injured.”
Joshua nodded and wrapped an arm around Abel’s shoulders as they strode toward the house. “I’ll go talk to her.”
Abel insisted on taking both suitcases up to their room while Bracha, Colin, and Joshua moved into the living room.
Joshua lowered himself to the ottoman at the foot of his mother’s chair, while Colin sprawled on the couch. “I’m sorry you were worried,” Joshua told her.
“Colin spared us the worst of it by not calling until you were rescued and in the hospital.”
“I hope you’re not pissed at me for that, Bracha,” Colin said.
