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“How are you feeling?” he asks Heath as we head back into the living room.
“I’m fine,” Heath says and it sounds so practiced that I wonder how many times he’s said it since the accident.
“Brennan has been learning to cook from Eli’s girlfriend, Hartley. She owns the new bakery in town and is amazing.”
“Her food is so good!” Brennan adds with an enthusiastic shake of his head.
“That sounds cool. What are you making?” Heath asks.
“Homemade macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese,” he says proudly.
“Oh, that sounds amazing!” I say and Brennan smiles at me shyly.
“Do you need a hand?” Patrick asks and Brennan nods.
“I can help him if you want to hang out,” I offer Patrick but he waves me off.
“No, I’ve got it. This will give you two some more time to bond,” he says.
He pats me on the shoulder as he follows Brennan into the kitchen and I turn to stare at Heath.
He’s back to staring at the TV even though it’s off and I take a deep breath as I make my way back over to the couch and sink down into the same spot as before.
Maybe I should have just let him get rid of me.
THREE
Heath
I feellike a dick with the way that I’m treating her. I can tell that Patrick and Brennan aren’t super thrilled with my attitude either, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
I don’t want to get close to anyone new. I just want to lick my wounds in peace for a bit.
She ended up leaving me alone on the couch to go to the kitchen to help them and I tried to tell myself that I was happier alone, but as I listen to the three of them laugh and talk, I know that it’s a lie.
“Hey, Heath! Dinner is ready!” Patrick calls to me.
I try to hide my pain as I grab my cane and stand. A fresh coat of sweat starts to bead on my forehead as I hold back the wince.
A lot of people think my injury isn’t that severe just because they can’t see it. The truth is that I have severe nerve damage. Every step is painful, every movement is painful.
But I feel like I can’t show any of that. I’m supposed to be tough. I was supposed to be a SEAL and SEALs don’t complain.
I shuffle into the kitchen, my cane awkwardly tapping against the ground as I go. Patrick and Brennan both stop to watch as I come into the room. They give me sympathetic looks, the same ones that I’ve been seeing on the faces of my former military friends and doctors.
I hate it.
Corrine is humming some off-key song under her breath and she doesn’t seem to notice as I take slow steps over to the kitchen table. I’m grateful that she at least doesn’t notice me, or if she does, she’s pretending like nothing is wrong with me.
“Smells good,” I tell Brennan as I all but collapse into a chair.
Patrick had the house furnished and I look around the kitchen. There’s a long trestle table on the far wall and that’s where we’re eating. It’s too big for just me, so I’m guessing that Patrick and Brennan are planning on eating over here with me often.
“Thanks,” Brennan says with a wide smile as he sets a platter of grilled cheese in front of me.
My heart pangs every time that I look at the kid. He’s like a miniature Caleb, and I can’t help but miss my brother.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my nephew and Patrick. I just miss Caleb too.
