Peter crawled down and went to Ian, climbing to snuggle him.“Poor, poor Daddy.”
Oh they were a fine pair, weren’t they, little Peter having to give them both snuggles and hugs.
“Mmhmm…poor, poor Daddy’s head.My good boy.”Ian patted him carefully.
He watched for a long moment, admiring Ian before turning his attention back to Tori and the house she was building.
Tori sang as she built, then she knocked the house down, and built again.It was kind of fascinating.
It was also mesmerizing and he just stared, kind of zoning out.
He had to admit, it felt good to be out here, out of the little makeshift room, with his family.
And he also had to admit that he could get used to this.He really could.
ChapterTen
By the time Ian’s head was better, the kids had decided on a slumber party in JP’s room.They had their sleeping bags and their stuffies, and everyone was settled — the kids on the floor between them.
“Thank you for letting them do this,” Ian murmured.“They’re so proud.”
“They’re great kids; why wouldn’t I let them do this?”
He shrugged.“I know you need your rest and peace.”
“I’m not sick like that, Chou.I just need to be careful of my leg.The kids make me happy.”
“They love you too, you know?”He guessed it had been inevitable.
“I like to think so.I hope so.”JP smiled at him from his hospital bed, those blue eyes staring right at him.
“They do.”He settled in the chair, putting his feet up.“Holler if you need anything.”
“That would wake up the kids,” JP noted dryly.
“Ha ha.Whisper then.Or text.Sign language.I’m easy.”And amused.
JP raised his hands and made gestures in the air.Gestures that looked an awful lot like they were sign language.
“Are you calling fouls on me, JP?”He couldn’t stop laughing.
“I’m signing to you!”
Jesus, JP still tickled the hell out of him.
“I taught myself how sometime last year.”
“Wow.That’s amazing.You’ll have to share with us.”
“Sure.”JP signed something as he said it.“That was ‘ok’.You want to know your name in sign?”
“I do.”His amazing husband.God, Ian still loved him.
“So unless you have a name like Rock or Forrest, you usually spell it out.So you would be… I… A… N.”JP moved his fingers in different combinations for each letter.“Tada.”
He held up his hand and copied the motions.“Like this?”
“Yeah, that’s it – you’ve got it.”JP grinned at him.“Yours is easy because it’s only three letters.Mine is just two, so it’s even easier.”JP signed two letters this time.
