“Did they send you home with supplies, or do I need to call Michael?”
“Supplies?They gave me pills and there’s a paper somewhere with instructions on it.”JP was looking pale and clammy.“Jesus, remind me not to do that again.”
“Will do.”He grabbed his phone, calling Michael.
“Hey.”
“I need supplies.He’s bleeding.I don’t have anything to help or clean or anything.Help?”
“You got it.Don’t touch it.Keep him still.”
“Yeah.Thanks.”He hung up and went to peer out at the kids.
They were sitting in the middle of the sandbox, Victoria holding Peter and patting his back.She looked furious.
“They’re good kids.They just aren’t used to being quiet outside.I’ll find somewhere for us to stay while you’re feeling so bad.”
JP shook his head, and then stopped, looking like he might barf.“No.I’m not chasing you guys out of your home.I’ll know what’s what if it happens again.”
“They’re sweet.Well, Peter’s sweet.Tori is not sweet.She’s fierce.She’s not the good twin.”He was pacing, trying not to panic.“Are you thirsty?”
“I don’t know.Maybe?I’m just hurting.The docs said the pain would ease up pretty quick if I followed directions.”
“Then I’ll dig them out and give them to Michael.He knows how to do all that stuff.”So did Ian, honestly.
“‘K, Chou.‘M sorry being trouble.”The words were mumbled, JP looking like he was going to go back to sleep, or pass out maybe; Ian couldn’t be sure.
“You’ve always been trouble, love.”From the second they met.“Always.”
“You’ve got that right,” Mike told him.“Hey, bro.”
“Hey.Help?I’ve got to get the kids in and cleaned up.”He hugged his brother.“Thank you.You rock.”
Mike hugged him back hard.Then looked over his shoulder.“He looks like shit.I may have to wait until he’s feeling better to beat him to death.”
“Whatever you think is best, Uncle Mike-Mike.I trust you.”
And that was the truth.His brother had his back.
Now he needed to get his babies in the house.
ChapterThree
JP blinked a few times and tried to focus as he woke up.He could hear voices coming from another room.The kitchen?Maybe it was suppertime; it looked like the sun was heading down.He took a breath.Everything still hurt, but not as much as this morning.Maybe getting some sleep had made a difference.He didn’t know.
What he did know was that he had to pee.Badly.He hauled himself into a full sitting position, checking out the lay of the land.The wheelchair was a step or two to the right, his crutches on the ground next to them.He wasn’t sure which would be easier to use.It seemed like this huge quandary, too.He didn’t think it should be, but it was.
“I’m going to check on JP.I’ll be right back.”He knew that voice like he knew his own.Michael Silver.Ian’s brother.
The makeshift curtain door twitched, and Michael peeked in.“Hey, man.You doing okay?”
“Michael.Hey.”The man had been his best friend until he’d left for Florida, then he’d closed ranks with Ian.Which a brother should do, he supposed.“I need to pee,” he admitted.Mike was a nurse, so he didn’t figure this was an unusual ask for him.
“Good deal.Ian put rails around the toilet, so you’ll be able to hold yourself up.”Mike came over and helped him get into the wheelchair.
Thank God.He was pretty sure he wouldn’t have made it on his own.
“How is he?”JP asked.
