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Back at the house, I quietly hung up my jacket and checked Adam’s room. It was empty, and the door to the bathroom was tightly closed. Hopefully, that meant the bath was helping. Rather than disturb Adam and Tor, I dug out an electric pressure cooker and set the partially thawed roast in it. Cooking in the bunker had taught me to lean on seasonings to change up the dishes. Thankfully, Tor had plenty of those. I seasoned the roast, set the pressure cooker, then went upstairs.
Since Tor and I hadn’t officially resolved the sleeping arrangement, I collected a pillow and some blankets from the master bedroom and created a blanket bed in the spare room. Just in case. Tor was sweet to give up his bed for me, but I didn’t want him forgoing sleep because of it. I only wished there was another mattress so one of us wouldn’t end up on the floor or couch.
A door opened on the first floor. I hurried downstairs and saw Tor carry Adam to the bedroom. Adam’s hair was still damp and his skin rosy as Tor helped him into bed. Except for Adam’s expression, he looked worlds better.
“Feel like a new person?” I asked.
“A completely different person. One that lost his independence.” Adam looked at Tor. “I really do appreciate the help.”
“Friends help each other,” Tor said simply.
“They do,” Adam agreed, closing his eyes. “It’s been a long day. I think I’ll take my next pill now and try to sleep.”
“Are you sure? I’m making a roast for dinner. It should be done in another hour.”
“I think you spend too much time in bed,” Tor said, backing me up. “Let me carry you to the couch. You will feel better.”
“Says the guy with two working legs,” Adam said with a hint of bitterness. “Fine. Carry me there.”
Tor flashed me a look before leaving the room with Adam. I was glad Tor had said something. A change in scenery was good. But I also worried that we were aggravating whatever was hurt on Adam by moving him around so much. Yet, wasn’t his mental health as important as his physical? I’d thought the move to Tolerance would help with that. Granted, it hadn’t even been a full day and the journey probably hurt him more than he’d let on. But still, this move had been his idea, and he didn’t seem any happier about it.
“I saw the cows when I was out,” I said, following them. “They’re grazing in an empty lot and seem really happy.”
Tor settled Adam on the couch and dragged over a chair to prop the leg that seemed to hurt the most.
“That’s good,” Adam said. “I’m glad we didn’t need to leave them behind.”
“They have babies inside of them,” Tor said.
“Yep,” Adam said. “I think a few of them might be ready to give birth in the next month. With the rest following a few weeks from then. My uncle liked to breed for the summer fairs. It was a good place to sell the cattle. He didn’t like the milking aspect, just the breeding. He’d always find the strongest bulls. Made better offspring.”
Adam’s breathing was getting shorter.
“How are your ribs?” I asked.
“Ribs are fine. It’s the leg.”
I grabbed a couch pillow and gently slid it under his knee.
“Better?”
“I’d be better if the two of you stopped staring and hovering.” He said it without anger, but that wasn’t enough to take the sting out of his words.
“We’re trying to help. We don’t like seeing you in pain.”
“Then close your eyes. This is my life now. Pain and dependency.”
“You know that’s not true,” I said. “It’s only been a week. You can open your eyes. You can eat without wincing. The bruising is starting to fade. Give yourself some more time to heal.”
“While you’re hoping time is the answer, I’m dealing with reality. Something’s seriously wrong with my leg. I can’t put any weight on it without shooting pain that makes me want to vomit.” Anger and bitterness started to give his words volume. “There’s no surgeon or physical therapist here. With time, I might be able to walk with a limp. I’ll never be able to run. I sure as hell won’t be able to go out for supplies. I don’t even have a vagina to be useful.”
He yelled the last bit, and I cringed, glancing at Tor. The fey did not look happy with Adam.
“I’m complete dead weight. Dead weight dies in this world.”
I didn’t know what to say or do to give him back the hope his injuries had stolen from him. No, not his injuries. The assholes from Tenacity.
“No yelling at June,” Tor said, his voice a low growl.
