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I sat up immediately. “What’s wrong, honey?” I asked.
“I—”
His words were cut off as he bent at the waist, leaned over the floor, and emptied the contents of his stomach. I gasped and stood immediately, rubbing his back as he got it out of his system. I scanned the room and rushed across it, grabbing a small trash bin and offering it to Sean as we made our way to the bathroom.
“How long have you been sick?” I asked.
He shook his head, leaning over the toilet seat as I rubbed his back. The sharp tang of his vomit bit into my nostrils, and I took extra effort to breathe only through my mouth as I flushed the toilet for the third time.
“I puked in my room first,” he admitted. “But I made it to the trashcan. I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would get on the rug.”
“You never have to apologize for something like that,” I told him as another wave of nausea overtook him.
I didn’t expect Viktor to get out of bed. I didn’t even think he woke to the commotion, but when he strode down the hallway, carrying a furled-up rug, I gaped at the doorway, waiting for him to come back around.
When he did, he turned into the bathroom, shirtless and sleep still coating his expression.
“You can go back to bed,” I told him with a soft smile. “I can take care of this.”
He only shook his head and came to my side, grabbing me by the waist and lifting me. He settled in the place beside Sean, and I stared down at both of them. The resemblance was truly uncanny when they were so close. I thought he’d looked like me, but he had just as much a resemblance to his father.
“Go to bed. I’ll be in shortly.”
I stepped back, feeling guilty for leaving him to deal with this alone. “He needs a shower. I think he got some on his clothes.”
“I’ll take care of it,” he reminded me. The firm look in his eyes told me that he wasn’t just doing this for me. He wanted to be here—to be present. I nodded and left them in the bathroom as Sean continued heaving. I went to his room and cleaned out the can, right alongside the one from our room. I left them to soak in the sink, mentally noting to take care of them tomorrow as I went to our room.
The rug had already been gathered and taken somewhere, so I slid beneath the covers and listened to Viktor patiently caring for our son. It made me smile, and I imagined how much easier it would have been to have his help when Sean was still young.
I didn’t realize I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes after what felt like five minutes, yet the sun beat through the curtains, telling me that it had been hours. I sat up in bed, slightly disoriented as I rushed down the hallway and toward Sean’s room. The door was barely cracked open, and I peeked inside.
My chest swelled at the sight that greeted me.
Sean wasn’t alone in there. He lay curled on his bed, a trashcan at his side, and Viktor lay on the carpet beside him. He used a decorative pillow and a small fleece blanket to remain covered, but what drew my heartstrings most was the way Viktor’s hand rested on Sean’s bed, a mere inch from our son’s hand.
Viktor had been here all night while I’d slept in our room, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. My heart couldn’t have been fuller as I saw them together.
I backed slowly out of the room and closed the door again, moving down the hallway and toward the kitchen. I wasn’t sure if Viktor regularly had people cook him meals, but excitement sparked when I found nobody in the kitchen. I’d make them breakfast in bed, and we could eat as a family. After staying up with Sean all night, Viktor deserved it, and I imagined Sean needed something in his stomach after what he’d gone through.
I began rummaging through the cabinets, getting out pancake mix and fresh potatoes alongside eggs and frozen bacon. I got to work on concocting the perfect breakfast as I brewed hot coffee and put on coffeehouse music.
“Homemade hashbrowns?” Nadia asked, coming around the corner and into the room. “You know the way into Viktor’s heart.”
I laughed off the compliment, shrugging. “It’s Sean’s favorite, and there really isn’t anything better.”
Nadia surprised me when she came to the other side of the bar and settled in a seat there, leaning forward. “Can I help with anything?” she asked.
I considered, but there wasn’t much to do aside from scrambling a few eggs. “I think I have it handled, but thanks for the offer.”
She shrugged, her smile overly sweet. We hadn’t had a one-on-one conversation since I’d arrived, but Nadia had seemed nice from the informal encounters we’d had in passing. “So,” she started, reaching forward and grabbing a shredded piece of raw potato before putting it in her mouth. “How are you settling in here?” she asked.
I grimaced as I considered the salty flavor of the potato, but I didn’t say anything about it as I put a scoop of shredded potato in the hot oil and listened to it sizzle. “As good as can be expected,” I told her. “Everyone has been kind.”
“Everyone?” she asked, giving me a knowing look.
I exhaled a sigh. “Almost everyone,” I clarified.
