Theo And Reed's Family Secrets

Chapter Four

Theo had not slept much last night. He was so glad it was Sunday. Sunday meant the day off. Him from his classes of perpetually smirking know it all students at the Academy. For Reed a day off from the National Zoo where he worked as an animal caretaker. Sunday meant waking up late and lounging in bed cuddling each other. At least until the kids pulled them back to reality although it would most likely be Baylee. Benji had just turned twelve and his new hobby was pretending they didn't exist. Benji's Sunday would consist of texting his friends Livvie, Sam and Chandra while playing video games and eating them out of house and home.

Theo rested his head on Reed's shoulder and was lost once again in the thoughts that had kept him up most of the previous night. Like Charles. Like where the hell Charles was while Lane was at home worrying about him. Like why the man had lied to Theo when he could clearly see the studio was dark and without any signs of life. Theo didn't want to think Charles was cheating on Lane but it could be a possiblity. Maybe the relationship Charles wanted was feeling like a trap to the former playboy. It would be a shame if Charles screwed this up. Lane was good for him. He actually made Charles just a little bit human. Almost like a real boy.

And both he and Reed were worried about Saint. When Reed had came back home he'd told Theo everything. Saint was , like Matt said, unable to physically stand up. He was complaining of pain in his back and legs. He was practically leaning on his husband for support and Matt had been struggling. And the usually soft spoken pleasant Saint was very rude and snappish even to Matt. He had actually yelled at Matt , saying that " he was a doctor and knew his body and there was nothing wrong with him". Reed agreed with Matt. There was something wrong with Saint. He had tried to get Saint to go to the ER but the mayor said it wasn't necessary. Because he was fine. The most Reed could do was help Matt get him in bed with a heating pad and a couple of aspirin. Then he seemed to be in better spirits or at least not in as much pain. Matt , on the other hand, was more worried than ever. That made Theo worried about the St. Austins. Life in their house had been stressful lately. Their daughter Livvie was ten going on sixteen and their foster son Kyle Hamilton was not adjusting well to their home on the backend of losing his senator mother to murder. Kyle had also been tested and diagnosed with a reading disability thanks to his shrewd teacher Lane and the school was working with him on a specialized individual basis. He wasn't taking the diagnosis well and was taking that out on Matt and Saint as well. Theo and Matt occasionally bonded over the fact that their sons seemed to hate them. Of course Matt and Saint had gotten Kyle into therapy. The therapist said they just needed to take it slow with him. Apparently the boy had mass trust issues. Sometimes Theo wished they could send Benji to therapy but he was pretty sure the boy would run away instead.

" You think Saint's issues are from stress ? ," Theo asked softly as he tossed his short slim legs over Reed's more muscled ones.

Reed sighed. " Don't know. Maybe. All my medical expertise applies to four legged animals. He needs to see a doctor. And not himself. I can't believe how he acted last night. He really didn't seem like himself last night. You should have seen him, darling. He was almost disoriented. Confused. Pain can do that I guess. "

That didn't sound good to Theo. He had even less medical expertise than his husband though. Beyond putting Disney Princess bandaids on Baylee's boo boos when she fell down. He was starting to worry more about Saint. And Matt. The couple was even more inseparable than him and Reed. If something happened to Saint what would that do to Matt ?

But they couldn't dwell too much longer on their friends' problems because they heard Benji bellowing from downstairs.

" Papa , Dad ! Visitor ! "

They looked at each other in identical confusion. They weren't expecting anyone. At least not this early.

Then their bedroom door opened wide and in marched a tall athletic looking young Black woman with flyaway jet black curly hair and snapping brown eyes. She wore a long flowing red and green dress and brown combat boots.

" Rise and shine, boys ! ," Natalie Fisher said in a voice that was way too perky and chirpy. She even out perked Matt. " Time enough to sleep when you are dead ! "