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It’s what my family does.
Once I have shoes on my feet, I take a long sip of water before slowly standing. Arran holds me when the world spins, and I breathe through it. I guess my brain thinks it’s feeling better than I actually am.
After the initial shock of being on my feet, I’m feeling better, despite my shaking hands. The finger twitches and hand weakness are a stress reaction from the migraine. It’s all fun and games until something like this knocks you on your ass to humble you.
I make it downstairs by butt scooting through the main staircase as Arran follows me with my bag with amusement. He glances at the security pad and then at me, and I bite my inner lip as he stews.
“Did you not set your security system today?” he asks.
“I did. My dad disabled it when I walked inside,” I reply. “I’ll set it from my phone in the car as we leave.”
“Fancy and really fucking smart.”
“We try.” I check the time to find that it’s going to be the kids’ bedtime soon and hustle out the door. Well, as fast as I can, anyway. My POTS is beginning to flare and I’m breathing heavily.
“They’re not going to start without us,” Arran says gently, locking the steel door, gate, and dropping the keys in my purse.
He walks me down the short set of stairs to his car, helps me in, and I arm the security system as promised. Theo set this up to make sense for my life.
Me
We’re on the way.
I give Arran the address and focus on breathing, closing my eyes because driving can make me nauseous after a migraine.
“I’d ask if you’re sure you’re up for this but that would be silly.”
“As long as I can get upright without puking, I’m good.”
“As I thought,” he murmurs, stopping at the large gate before Emil’s gate. He lives fifteen minutes from me and went a little heavier on security. “Okay then.”
“Just roll down the window,” I chuckle. “It’s fine.”
“It’s a fortress,” he mutters, hitting the button to drop the window.
The gates open without anyone saying a word and I roll my eyes, knowing my grandfather is being petty. God, the older he gets, the worse he is. I swear.
Jared meets us in the driveway, checking on me as he helps me out.
“Do you want anything to eat?” he asks, looping my purse over his arm.
“No, thanks. Nothing sounds good,” I confess. “I may get some fries and a coke on the way home.”
“Does any particular kind work best?” Arran asks shrewdly.
“McDonald’s,” Jared murmurs. “I don’t know what it is about that combination, but it’s a tiny miracle drug.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Arran says easily as we walk slowly.
I find myself leaning heavily against Jared, and no one mentions it, even though I can feel the tension in Arran’s body. If it was just us, I’d probably already be scooped up into his arms.
“Mommy!” I smile widely as Zayn comes flying at me and crashes into my body.
Arran hisses in concern, but Jared doesn’t blink an eye, sliding behind me to keep me upright.
“Hey, Little Beam,” I breathe, hugging him. “Did I make it back in time for cake?”
“Yes, but you have to come sit and relax,” my son says, his eyes serious as he looks up at me. It may look like he came barreling at me, but he pulled back from hurting me. On a normal day, I would have been good. “Has Arran been good to you?”
