Draft version - Russian Roulette - Family secrets

Ch. 157: At least I'm not in diapers

A nurse had brought the water and coffee, gently pointing out that Gareth should take it easy with the coffee on an empty stomach. They had removed the catheter when they had cleaned him before people had arrived, so he needed to be aware of his body when it had bathroom needs until he could control it again.

She had brought some yoghurt and a banana for him to start with.

Solid foods would be an adjustment too.

"Great, I'm being treated like a baby and have to eat like one too. You forgot the bottle of milk, though" Gareth grumbled, scrunching his nose with disgust at the food. "At least I'm not in diapers also."

The nurse had wisely withdrawn to let Jace handle that conversation. Gareth really did not need to know how they had kept him clean for months.

"When you're a little better, I'll take you to the finest steakhouse and we can drink whiskey and devour a whole cow and a potato field. Just you, me and the boys."

"I'll fucking hold you to that." Thinking a little, Gareth turned in the bed to face Jace fully. "I didn't see Cracker there? He didn't...? I mean, when you came to get us?"

Jace swallowed hard. He did not want to be in Gareth's shoes, having to absorb all the information being thrown at him.

"We haven't heard from Cracker in a long time."

"What?"

"He pulled it together after Alyssa's death to help get you and Mackenzie..."

"Alyssa's what?" he yelled angrily. Shocked horror filled Gareth. What the hell had he been missing while he had been taking a six-month nap?

Enlightenment.

They spent hours talking.

Jace explaining what had happened. From the day Mackenzie had sounded the alarm of Gareth's disappearance, up until Gareth had been out of surgery and Mackenzie had died. At least Jace's version of it. There were many blind angles where he did not know what had happened, he only knew what he had been told from the people there. If Gareth wanted first-hand tales, he would need to talk with them.

It felt like his brain was going to explode.

Gareth's mind worked overtime to register and compartmentalize all the information Jace gave him. All the friends who had volunteered to help. Friends he had never thought would drop everything, friends who he never thought would know about him and who he was, who had accepted it and done everything in their power to bring him back home.

Apparently none of them concerned with being associated with a mafia boss and doing illegal acts.

How Mackenzie had stepped up, just as he had known she would. The stand-off with his mother had made him laugh. Mackenzie had been a force to be reckoned with, Jace had said. Until the satellite photos she had been stronger than ever.

That had been a stroke of genius from the hackers, he had to remember to reward everybody later. Satellite imaging to pinpoint his location. Genius.

Alyssa's death.

He had to get in contact with Cracker to help him. That was something he and Cracker shared; Gareth understood Cracker's need for detachment from the group. He also knew he would need a friend's support.

Jace had gone on to tell about Mackenzie's kidnapping and the website.

Oh, dear fucking Lord, he felt sick about that. That she had not have to go through that was a blessing, he owed the guys a lot for getting there in time. He wondered how many times in the past she had had to, though.