ODDS OF LOVE

Episode Fourteen

DuBuis felt grungy as hell.  After Spencer's surgery he was moved to ICU and Faith had gotten DuBuis some clean clothes and body care products from his and Spencer's house so he wasn't necessarily sitting around the hospital dirty. Still. He wasn't as fresh as he usually was on any given day. Spencer often teased him that he was forever taking showers and wasting water. Where Spencer took two showers a day , one in the morning and one at night , DuBuis took three. DuBuis also owned enough cologne and hair care products to probably stock a decent boutique. Maybe two. It was expected for him to feel grungy. He could not do more in the hospital than the quickest of sponge baths , what they used to call a " whore's bath " , in his husband's hospital room bathroom. He would quickly splash his face with water , wash under his arms and brush his teeth in a hurry. He could not afford to be away from Spencer for long. Not with Spencer being still in a deep coma. It was now July. He had been in a coma for a month. 

What if he woke up scared ?

What if he had a medical crisis ?

It was that fear that made him not want to be far from his bedside. He was always there to bathe him and dress him in his favorite X-Men adult sized   pajamas. He was there to comb and brush his hair. He was there to empty his catheter bag and change his diaper. He was there to read him the newspaper and the Grim fairy tales Spencer loved but had never indulged in as a child. He was there to delicately massage Spencer's legs and feet which were always so cold. He had Faith bring in three warm blankets from home and lovingly covered him with them. He was there to play Spencer's favorite classical music CDs for him.  He talked to him about their college days , their wedding , their marriage , the future he hoped to spend with him when he woke up again. 

The doctor didn't know when Spencer would wake up. Nobody knew. Everyone was praying for his recovery especially DuBuis's mother in Florida who sent DuBuis regular emails of comforting support and whatever funny cartoon she could find to cheer him up. Nessa had not only her new church in Florida praying but their old one in DC. The pastor at DuBuis's UUC church , Zelda Kane ,  had stopped by several times to pray and offer comfort / support / laughs. 

DuBuis  missed him more than was humanly possible. He missed the man like he would a severed leg or arm. Only more. The pain was far worse. 

When he wasn't busy taking care of his husband he devoted himself to texting daily progress reports to his family and friends as well as Spencer's tax lawyer brother Richard in Virginia. Faith and Susan came by each day to bring him food and coffee. Mark came on Sundays and they watched the sports  games in Spencer's room. Scout stopped by once to ask if he wanted any weed or edibles to relax. DuBuis usually didn't indulge but he did take half a brownie from him. It helped. A lot. His Uncle Panther even texted him once to say that he had his boys looking for the bastards who shot Spencer. 

DuBuis texted back , " Unk , I don't want nothing bad done in my husband's name or mine. Enough violence. "

Panther responded back in text , " You take care of your man and let me handle business. Nobody fucks with family. "