***All persons depicted in sexual situations are above the age of 18***
Mid-February
Year 4 of Us
Valentine's Day
"Mr. Roy? Mr. Roy?" The voice was pleasant but whoever was shaking my shoulder wasn't. "Mr. Roy? Are you ready to go home?"
Home. That word cut through the fog in my mind, and I opened my eyes. The face was familiar but not hers. I swallowed and when my eyes locked on to the nurse's face, she smiled.
"Mr. Roy?"
I nodded.
"Okay, good. You're waking up."
"I... I'm up." I grunted. "Okay. Not up, but awake. What's going on?"
"It looks like the antibiotics over night have started to work." I know that voice. The doctor, Doctor Shafter. "You started a fever yesterday around noon, so we kept you for an extra night. We're going to get you disconnected from everything, then as soon as your ride gets here, you can go home."
The nurse raised the bed, letting me see around the room. "Lacey?"
He shrugged slightly. "I guess. She's your wife, right?"
"Sort of. Very significant other, certainly."
"She left late last night, Mr. Roy," the nurse said. Another person came into the room and whispered to the nurse. "Your ride is here, Mr. Roy." She smiled at me. "They'll be up in a couple of minutes."
They? That sounded odd. "How did everything go, Dr. Shafter?"
"Everything went well except for the fever. You're looking at a few weeks of rehab, but from what I've read in your charts, you were diligent a few years ago with that."
I nodded as I tried to ignore what the two nurses were doing, disconnecting or removing various lines and cords. I yawned, then grinned.
"We've got you a pair of crutches to use for a few days," the first nurse. "We'll help you get dressed and you can try them out."
"I'll leave you in their very capable hands, Mr. Roy, and I'll see you in a month," the doctor said before he left.
Getting dressed was an adventure, but once my shoes were on, one of the nurses asked. "Want to try standing up?"
"Of course!" These were those crutches that used your forearms for bracing, instead of your underarms, so they were odd at first. As I completed a second lap of the hallway, I saw Erica and Travis looking at me, smiling.
"Way to go!" Travis said. Erica waited for me to stop in front of her and then she wrapped me in a big hug.
"Where's Lacey? Is she in the room?"
Erica shook her head, and I felt my emotions just collapse. "She wants us to bring you home."
I just stood there, my emotions spinning out of control. "Why?"
"She didn't say, really." She helped me sit on the bed as the nurse came in.
"Here's his paperwork, including the exercises he needs to do. This bag," she lifted paper lunch bag, "has all his medications, except for this." She held out one of those little cups with two pills in it. "Your dose of pain meds. Take them now, please."
She watched as I swallowed them. "We'll have a wheelchair in here in a minute or two, and then we'll wheel you out."
"I can..."
"No, you can't. It's hospital policy, and the walk down to the front is far longer than two laps around these halls."
When the wheelchair was delivered, I got into it and Travis picked up my stuff. I felt weird, without Lacey near, and for some reason it felt like Erica and Travis were a bit distant, although our conversation was pleasant. Once in their car, the conversation died away and I began to sink even further within myself.
"We're almost there, Wyatt," Travis said.
I broke out of my slump enough to look up as we neared the turn through the trees. I found myself dreading what I would see.
It was shocking. A huge banner was draped across the front portico, and I tried to read it through damp eyes.
WELCOME HOME!, it read, with hearts on either side of the words. My heart leapt, because under the portico, I saw everyone. Lacey in the center, flanked by the twins, with Cathy and Jean on one side, and Mir on the other. Roni and Tina were next to Cathy, holding hands.
Everyone was smiling, and I sobbed as Travis got out of the driver's side. Erica had gotten out of the back and opened my door, helping me get my legs out. I heard Travis speak but couldn't hear the words.
Suddenly, my beloved was there, her hands reaching for me. Erica backed away and then Lacey was in my arms as I pulled her to me. I held her tightly and simply sobbed. She was speaking, but I heard no words. Just the sound of her voice, calming, soothing. I buried my face in her neck and started babbling.
She held me for a bit, allowing me to run down, then she asked, lightly, "Wyatt, can we go inside? It's starting to rain and they're having trouble keeping the twins on the porch." I nodded and lifted my head from her neck. She looked at me, giving me a small smile before gently kissing me.
She moved back and I started to get out of the car. I grimaced before someone handed me one of the crutches. Once on both feet, using the crutches, I made it to the porch, Lacey beside me every slow step of the way. Sam was dancing around until she saw the crutches.
"Dada hurt?" her face was screwed up, like she was scared.
"I'm hurting a bit, princess, but I'll get better every day." I moved further up onto the porch and then I saw Duncan standing beside his sister.
Before I could say anything else, Lacey announced, "Let's get inside and get this party started." She gently tugged on my arm, getting me moving towards the door.
The great room was decorated, too. There were lots of balloons and streamers everywhere, and Sam laughed as she picked up a balloon, carrying it away from the door.
"Okay, let's get Wyatt into *his* spot and then we can give him hugs and kisses!"
"Well, I, for one, am *not* going to be hugging or kissing him," Travis reassured me.
"He's not my type."
"What is your type, Travis?" asked Miriam.
"You are. So is Erica. And Lacey. Cathy. Roni. Tina would be, but she's more of a sister than anything else." He laughed, then exhaled.
"I reckon Erica just poked him in the ribs," I said as I eased myself onto the couch.
"How'd you know that?" Tina leaned over the couch and looked at me.
"I recognize the sound." She giggled and disappeared.
Cathy came around the end of the couch, our daughter in her arms. She gracefully sat next to me. "We missed you, Wyatt," came the soft words as she leaned her forehead against my shoulder.
"I was gone only two nights." I could feel the tension leaving.
"I know. I was worried, though."
"Why?" I could hear how stuffed-up I sounded from the crying.
"I just was." She lifted her face and looked at me, a slight smile on her face. "You sound clogged."
"I am. Crying does that to me." I smiled back at her.
Mir joined us by sitting on the hassock. "You want your feet up?" Those grey eyes were looking at me intently.
I felt hands on my shoulders. "How does he look?" Lacey's voice was gentle.
"Moderately awful," Mir smiled. "Boyfriend, you do not cry pretty. Your eyes are red, and your skin is nearly gray."
