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“After we had dinner with Morgan and Chase, I went down to the drugstore and picked up some things to help make the next few days a little easier,” Grandpa said and pointed to a plastic bag on the kitchen island. Dad picked up the bag and pulled out a toothbrush, a black comb, a pack of disposable razors, and box of bandages.
“Thank you,” Patrick said as he stood. “You guys have been so nice. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thank you.”
“Morgan and I set up one of the downstairs bedrooms—” Grandma began, but Grandpa jumped in.
“You know, perhaps Patrick would be better suited and more comfortable sleeping in Hollis’ room tonight.”
“Dad, Hollis just has the one bed. We got rid of the bunk beds a while ago,” Mom said.
“I can sleep on the floor.”
“Hollis, no, man. I’m not kicking you out of your bed.”
“It’s just a few nights until we get the other room set up,” I said. I turned to look at Mom. “He can take my bed. It’ll be more comfortable for him than the floor or the guest bed. And he won’t be alone.”
“That sounds like a good idea. You need to change your sheets for him,” Mom said.
“I can help,” Morgan offered. “I’ll grab a fresh set from the linen cabinet in the hall.” Morgan took off toward the stairs.
“The, um… the pain reliever they gave me is wearing off. How long before I can take the ibuprofen?” Patrick asked my parents.
My dad gestured him over, and they looked at the bag from the hospital together. I was about to join them, but Grandpa put his hand on my arm.
“Fair warning, Hollis, he could become suddenly emotional or talkative. If he wants to talk, just listen. Keep an eye on him.”
I nodded. I’d do all of that.
“I’ll take good care of him,” I promised.
“I know you will.”
I walked to Patrick and waited for him to get a glass of water to bring upstairs for the night in case he got thirsty. Mom poured the water into one of our plastic WWF collector cups. Before we headed upstairs, Mom said that she would come check on us before they went to bed. Typically, Mom and Dad stayed up for the news at eleven, and it was just a little after ten. I was so exhausted that I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t be awake for it.
As we had just reached the top of the stairs, Morgan was coming out of my room with his arms full of the sheets he’d taken off my bed.
“Thanks for changing those,” I said.
“Your sheets are gross,” Morgan said to me and then looked at Patrick. “Dude, I just saved you from sheet trauma,” he joked. He was able to get a laugh from Patrick.
“Thanks, Morgan.”
“They’re probably no more gross than your sheets,” I countered Morgan’s sheet comment.
“I at least sleep in underwear,” he commented over his shoulder as he headed down the hall toward the laundry room.
“Dude, do you sleep naked?” Patrick asked quietly as we walked toward my room.
“Honestly? Yeah, sometimes,” I answered and then shut the door to my room. “I found a porn channel.”
“Are you serious?” He sounded the most enthusiastic that I’d ever heard him.
“Yeah, it’s not the best, though, and it’s kind of fuzzy. But it’s usually enough to get off on. I love cable glitches.”
I opened some drawers to my dresser and pulled out some shorts and pajama pants for him to pick from. Even though spring was in full swing, I pulled the pants out because I remembered how cold he was in the car on the way home. I set out a white undershirt and glanced toward my closet.
“I have something long sleeved if you’d prefer.”
“No, the short sleeve will be fine.”
