“I love you very much, too.What’s going on?”He shrugged, and she went back into his room to find out what had made him seem so sad all of a sudden.“Is something going on at school that you need to talk about?”
“No.The teacher took Toby’s stuff out of his desk today.It hurt my heart.She said that he’d not be back this school term and that we needed to move on.I don’t want to move on without him.”Davyburst into tears, and she held him.“He’s going to be a grade behind me now, and we’ll never have class together again.Why did that Tommy person have to hurt him?It’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not, and he might not be behind you, honey.His mom will work with him when he’s better, and he’ll be able to catch up.”The teacher apparently told them that he’d be in first grade again next year.“She shouldn’t have said that to you guys.I know you were looking forward to having him in your class again.I’m sorry that she hurt your feelings.”
“I want him to be better.Tommy is better because he beat up my friend.I want him to be better so I can have him over to the house for a pool party, too.”She said that they could still do that.When he was better.“I hope he gets better soon.I really want to go and see him.”
“I’ll call his mom again tomorrow.I’ve been meaning to go and see her anyway.Maybe I need to just go and see how he’s doing in person.”He asked if she’d really do that.“I will.Not tomorrow, but the next day if the weather is better.I’ll go and talk to her about things that she might not know.I’ll tell Toby too, that you’re worried about him.”
“Tell him that I love him too.I want him to know that we’re still best friends.”She said she’d tell him that for him.“Thanks, Mom.You’re the best there is.”
After getting him settled in his room so that he could relax enough to be asleep by nine, she read him more of the book they’d been reading.It was the second book in a series, and she was enjoying it as much as he was and would sometimes read a bit of it during the day when she had time.
Going up to bed later that night, she was happy to have Brenin waiting for her when she got to their room.He told her that he was feeling better all the time and wanted to make love to her again.She was actually nervous about that.Seeing how close he’d been to death had scared her to no end.She didn’t want him to be that exhausted again.
Putting him off in favor of being tired herself, she went to bed and snuggled up with him.His body was stronger than it had been before, and she was glad for that.Sometimes when she closed her eyes, she could still see him, pale as a ghost and thinner than she’d ever remembered him being.His breathing had been slower too, and hearing his heart beating so slowly had her thinking again that he was going to die.Pulling him closer to her, she held him tightly, telling him how much she loved him.
“I’m all right.”She said she knew that in her head but not in her heart.“I’m sorry I got sick.I never dreamed nor knew that I could get sick from having a cup of tea every morning.I’m more careful now with everything that I drink and eat.I might do that for the rest of my life.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”As she closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, she remembered that she’d forgotten to set her alarm again.It was a habit that she was getting into, sleeping late, and she needed to get over that.She missed the boys in her family too much to let herself lounge in bed for half the morning.
