Fifty Reasons to Stay (Book Three)

Chapter Forty One- Together

(Donnie's POV)

The next few weeks passed with little happening in our lives. We stayed with Raph and helped out with Sophie. None of us heard from Mikey, but Raph said he wasn't worried because Mikey had left for two weeks before, only to come back with no explanation at all and just acted as if everything was normal.

Well, it'd been about six weeks. And still.. nothing.

But hey! I wasn't going to focus on that. I had something super important to deal with. It was one day before Leo's birthday and for once, I wanted him to have a good one, because he never seemed to with me around.

On his twenty-ninth birthday, he was stuck in the office, thirtieth birthday, he got a kidney stone and spent the day in agony. Thirty-first was when someone stole his car (and his wallet, for the matter). Thirty-second he had the flu, thirty-third Andrew had to go to the hospital because he needed stitches in his foot, on his thirty-fourth I sprained my ankle, thirty-fifth he had a stomach bug and I wasn't even with him on his thirty-sixth birthday. So I felt... really obligated to make sure he had the best birthday ever. Or at least a decent one.

The evening before his birthday was spent like any other warm summer night; out on the balcony in the pool. I get so paranoid with children near the water, but luckily Sophie and Teresa were inside with Raph, and Andrew can swim, so.. I really had nothing to worry about.

"So.. what do you want to do tomorrow?" I held onto the side of the pool and kept my eyes on Andrew in case he decided to drown. No more bad luck.

Leo stretched and yawned softly. "Probably nothing. Why, is it something special? Shoot... I know it's not our anniversary.. and your birthday isn't until September.. I'm stumped. What is it?"

"Your birthday..." I put a hand on his arm. Had he really forgotten or stopped caring about his own birthday? He always made such a big deal about mine and bought me the nicest things every year... and I could never do that for him. Is that why he forgot?

"Oh... it is? Wow.. uh, in that case, it doesn't matter. I don't need anything special." He almost sounded bashful. Oh my god.

"You deserve something special."

"No, Donnie, I really don't. I don't like receiving gifts all that much.. and I don't deserve it either." Leo climbed out of the pool, grabbing a towel off of one of the bright colored chairs on the deck.

"Then... what am I supposed to do with the gift I bought you?" Okay, I was lying. But he didn't need to know that.
"I– I didn't know you got me anything..." Leo's cheeks turned pink before he quickly faced the other way. "Y-you shouldn't have.."

"Well I have wanted to for eight years, so.. I'm trying." I tried to climb out of the pool, but with my week limbs it became a problem, so I just swam to the ladder instead. "Andy, come on, it's nearly bedtime."
"I'm coming, I'm coming. But I hate my room. It's too cold. And creepy. And.. just terrible overall." Andrew complained as he swam over to the wall. "Can I sleep in your room tonight? Please? I promise I won't take up too much room or listen in on your talks."

I couldn't help but smile a little bit. This wasn't the first time his room was just too "uncomfortable" to sleep in. Raph's penthouse had 9 bedrooms, and only four were being used currently. He could've easily gone to another one, but apparently only me and Leo's room was cozy enough.

He needed security, that's all. And that's okay.
"Alright, buddy. But go right to sleep."
~~
An hour later, Andrew was sound asleep under the covers between me and Leo, and just as he promised, he'd been quiet and gone right to bed without any complaints.
After he'd started to doze off, I picked up the book my doctor assigned me to read. Reading was the hardest of all for me. I knew how... to some extent. It's just... it's embarrassing to admit to people I'm only on a third grade reading level and haven't moved past that in weeks. This week, I was reading a shorter and briefed version of Robinson Crusoe and only struggled a little bit with the words. I was about halfway through the book.