friday knights

59 ... chr!stmas

friday
knights
59

☊ | track forty-six—reality

"SWEETHEART?" Carter whispered and drummed his fingers up and down her hip. Without a word, Amira shifted closer to hold onto him tight leaving him back to square one of trying to get out of bed. She had him pinned down the entire night so he wouldn't attempt to escape in the middle of the night to do things on his own. Ever since being released from the hospital, everyone has treated him with a caution sign. His parents checked up on him almost every hour when Amira or Cato wasn't around to do so. He loved his siblings but he noticed how they all practically moved into his room during the day. Every day since coming home, they'd keep him company in bed all day.

He couldn't complain. It was nice to spend more time with them. It had been a rough couple of weeks since the incident with the overbearing pain that just comes and goes that made him feel like he was reliving that hellscape of a night all over again. Most nights he could barely sleep because constantly laying flat without being able to toss and turn was extremely uncomfortable. But things could been worse.

He could be dead.

So maybe condoning a little pain wasn't as bad.

"Sweetheart," He tried again. His fingers crawled up her hip and underneath the large t-shirt she had on, up her ribcage, and almost across her stomach but in one quick grab of his wrist she stopped him. Carter chuckled because of all things, this was the move that got her to wake up. Truthfully she'd already been awake for a minute but kept her eyes closed to fall back asleep but it was impossible with Carter trying to escape to do God knows what at eight in the morning.

"Now you're awake?" He peeked down at her. "Mm, why do you want to get up so early? Not even the kids are up and it's Christmas," She whined, moving her head to his arm to look up at him. Carter smiled as she rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Because I have to pee and you're pinning down my bladder like I'm resisting and arrest," She untangled herself and sat up. "Oh...I'm sorry."

She stood up and rounded the other side of the bed. "I'll help you," Her arms wrapped around his chest and without too much struggle, helped him stand and out of bed.

"Thank you, baby," He groaned in pain and kissed her cheek in appreciation. Just as they headed to the door, it slammed open revealing Lola holding Sasha by the hand sucking on a candy cane. "Lola I know Sasha can walk now but she can't just roam the halls because she'll attempt to go down the stairs." Lola looked down at her baby sister and then up.

"Mommy said to see if she was awake but when I did, she was climbing out of bed," She shrugged. Amira smiled at Sasha as she wobbled toward them. "And where did the candy cane come from this early in the morning?" She picked her up just for her to reach out to Carter. He smiled and kissed her cheeks, blowing raspberries under her neck making her toss her head back in fits of giggles.

"I dunno," Lola shrugged again then walked up to her brother. "Are you better now?" Her eyes looked up with hope that soon disappeared when Carter shook his head. "I'm afraid not Lolz. But I'll get better eventually. Healing takes a while." Sasha leaped into his arms unexpectedly. He caught and lifted her securely with one arm on his good side.

She snuggled into him, melting his heart and figuratively healing his pain. "I love you too buzzy bee." He smiled.

"He'll get better soon, Lola I promise." Amira squatted down in front of her. "Did the bad man who hurt him go away?" She whispered. "He did. They got him just before he left town and ran away forever, he won't try to hurt anyone else anymore," She reassured her with a comforting hug. This brought Lola's spirits back up. "I thought you weren't supposed to pick up anything heavy?" Cato could be heard from a distance as he approached from around the hall.