“that’s awesome.He’s been with you a long time, eh?”
“My best fren gave him to me.Daddy said.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.“That’s enough, guys.Watch the movie.”
JP looked over at him, that stupid eyebrow raised up at him.“Best friend?”JP mouthed.
He shrugged.JP had been his best friend once upon a time.
JP stared for a moment longer before focusing on the movie, both kids curled up happily with him.
“I’m going to get some housework done.I’ll leave the curtain open so I can keep an eye on them”
“I’ve got my eye on them’”
Like JP wasn’t going to be asleep in ten minutes.
“Mmhmm.You two be good for your dad, okay?”
Tori was already asleep, and Peter was on the way.
“We’re good,” JP told him.“You should nap, too – you look tired.”
“Yeah.”He was.Bone deep.He needed a good hard cry, too.
“So nap.We’re good.You’re good.We can all just sleep for however long the movie is.”
“Yeah.Maybe.”He sat there, trying to force himself to get up, but his eyelids wouldn’t stay open.
At all.
ChapterFive
JP was going crazy.He’d been to see the doctor.They were happy with his progress, and he had a few exercises to do to keep his muscles moving, to keep things from becoming stiff.He had to use the walker to walk around the ground floor for ten minutes twice a day, and he had a couple of gentle exercises with the elastic band.But it all hurt, leaving him grumpy when he was done.He kept telling himself that was what happened when one of his legs was made of a little bit of bone and a lot of metal and pins, but it wasn’t much comfort.
He was basically stuck in bed.He did have the kids for company for at least a couple hours most days, and Mike showed up every day to help him out some, but he was used to being on the ice every day, to working out, running, keeping fit and physically busy.He felt useless as a result.And he could see Ian was working his ass off looking after the house, the kids, and him.He didn’t ever not look tired.
One of those at least he could do something about.“Hey, can I talk to you?”he called out as Ian got the kids playing outside in the little backyard sandbox.
“Of course.What do you need?”Ian had dark bruises under his eyes.
“I’m getting a house cleaner in.Do you want her two or three times a week?”
“I—I’m sorry?”Ian looked utterly confused.“Am I doing a bad job?”
“Not at all, but you’re running yourself ragged trying to keep up with everything.I’m extra work and not any help, so the least I can do is pay someone to come in and lighten your load some.”It wasn’t like he didn’t have the money.He’d hardly spent any of what he didn’t put into Ian’s account over the years, so he had a decent nest egg, and his agent swore he was going to get a big payday soon because of what had happened.
“Oh.I—that’s so kind.Really.”Ian stared at him, wide-eyed.
He looked just like Peter.
“I know it’s a lot of extra work, having me here.And I can’t do dick all to actually help at the moment.So how many days do you want someone in for?”
“Just a couple.Just so we can get to the rink and the pool and the gym.They’re go babies.”
“You sure that’s enough?”He didn’t want cleaning to be on Ian’s plate at all.It would make his life easier and hopefully he’d stop looking like the walking dead.“And what about meals?We could get one of those chefs who do home prep for a few suppers every week.Not that there’s anything wrong with your food – I’m impressed every day.But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a break.”
“No.No…honestly.”Ian shook his head.“I’d rather order a pizza every now and again.Or a curry.”
