“Yeah, buddy,” he says, lifting his head from my lap. “I’m right here.”
He’s on his feet in a second, hand wrapping gently around Alex’s uninjured one. “It’s okay. It’s okay, Alex. I’m right here. I’m gonna let anything happen to you again, okay? You’re safe.”
The tension in Alex’s body loosens, shoulders sagging against the pillow, Nate’s words settling him enough to go back to sleep.
He’sfinallysafe.
It’s been two days since Alex woke up, and he’s doing better, physically. They have him on strong medicine for the pain, so he doesn’t wince every time he moves.
Emotionally, it’s another story.
Every time he wakes up, he wants Nate, the only comfort he has. He flinches anytime the nurses try to touch him. Whatever happened to him must have been…
I shudder even thinking about it.
Nate hasn’t left the hospital room since we got here. He’s been camped out in the same chair, body curled forward, elbows on his knees, never far from Alex. His hair’s a mess, and stubble is rough along his jaw.
I’ve brought him snacks and coffee, but most of it goes untouched. He only looks at me when I ask him to eat, and even then, I’m not sure the words get through to him.
Ben’s here now too, sitting on the side of Alex’s bed, quietlytalking to him about a show they used to watch. While they’re occupied, I put my hands on Nate’s hunched shoulders and lean down to his ear. “You need to go home. Shower, change your clothes, get some sleep.”
He shakes his head, even as he’s trying to blink away the exhaustion. “I can’t leave him, Iris.”
“Nate—”
“I can’t.” His bloodshot eyes meet mine for the first time in a long time. “What if he needs me and I’m not here?”
“He won’t be alone. Ben is here. Liz texted that she’s coming by with Calvin and Maisie. They won’t leave him alone for a second.”
Alex shifts then, tuning into our conversation, his voice comes out quiet and cracked. “Nate?”
Nate takes his hand immediately, squeezing it. “Yeah, buddy? I’m here.”
Alex’s good eye glistens with tears. “Don’t go.”
The words gut me as Nate’s hand shakes, resting gently on Alex’s cheek.
“Hey,” Nate says in that gentle tone. “I don’t wanna go, buddy. But I gotta run home, get cleaned up so I’m not stinking up the room, scaring your nurses off.” He tries to joke, but it sounds too sad. “I’ll be right back. I swear.”
Alex’s face twists in panic, shaking his head. “You can’t leave,” he whispers, a tear slipping down the side of his bruised nose.
“I’m coming right back, okay? Just a couple of hours.”
He looks up at us, swallowing roughly, “You’re coming back?”
I nod, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Ben’s going to stay here. Try to get some sleep, and if you wake up, call us, andwe’ll come right back.”
Alex looks between us, searching for something with his lips pressed together. His shoulders shake with a silent sob, but after a moment, he nods once. “You do stink.”
Nate pulls back enough to look at him, chuckling wetly.
He looks at Ben, who nods silently, hand resting steady on Alex’s leg. “Go. I’ve got him.” Nate nods, standing up, and bending down to press a kiss to Alex’s hair before we go.
As soon as we’re in the hallway, he scrubs a shaking hand over his face, dropping the mask that says he’s even a little bit okay.
“Let’s go home,” I whisper. “You have to take care of yourself to take care of him, Nate.”
He nods, swallowing hard. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”
