“You’re welcome, but I can’t imagine not being here for something like this. For you, for Mackey.” Hudson rested against him, warm, skin still tacky with sweat.
“Yeah. Love you.” He closed his eyes. Mackey was awake. He could take Hudson home soon.
26
“Well, that’s the end.” Hudson set the remote down on the coffee table. He and Mackey had watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in a day while Sid was sleeping and Jack was dealing with horses and working on the barn. Who knew sitting on your butt all day was so exhausting? “Pee break?”
“Yeah.” Mackey scooted up to the edge of the sofa, the huge halo collar terrifying. It was screwed into Mackey’s fucking skull, for heaven’s sake. “Okay. I’m going to try this on my own.”
“Uh-huh. And I’m going to come not help you.” He got up first in case Mackey didn’t quite make it. It had been over three weeks since they’d dropped everything and flown to Connecticut. It was good to be home, but Mackey still had a long way to go.
The physical therapist was going to be coming daily starting tomorrow, and he dreaded how hard it was going to be in the evenings.
Hudson stood by Mackey’s elbow, ready to help steady him if he lost his balance. Mackey had done this halo thing a couple of times before, so it might go just fine, or Mackey might be a little overconfident. Either way, Hudson didn’t plan on making a thing of it.
Mackey made it to the powder room, but he was breathing hard, and just about the color of milk.
“Sid will have my balls if I let you fall.” Hudson stopped right behind Mackey. “And then Jack will have my dick.”
“I need to sit, I think. Can you help?”
“Yep.” He let Mackey get his sweats low, then helped him down onto the toilet. “You good? I’ll give you some privacy, but don’t try to get up without me.” He stepped outside, but he didn’t close the door all the way. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Mackey to ask for help. It was just… well, yeah it was. He didn’t trust Mackey to ask for help at all.
His phone rang, Jack’s face popping up. Oh, that was the voice he needed to hear.
“Hey, baby. Are you all dirty and smelly?”
“Yep. You killed Mackey yet?” Jack asked.
“Not yet. He’s in the bathroom. I have an ear out. What’s the dinner plan? Sid did some work this morning and he’s asleep right now, so I don’t think he’s got a plan himself.”
“How about I run and pick up a bunch of tacos from that little hole-in-the-wall place?”
“Oh, that’s perfect. You can’t go wrong with tacos.” And beer. Tacos and beer. “We’re not in a hurry. Get a shower and come over when you’re ready. I’ll knock on Sid’s door in a bit.”
“Okay, darlin’. I’ll bring enough for a working.”
Jack could call himdarlin’all day long and he’d just listen. “Can’t wait. Love you.”
“Love you.” The phone went dead, and he heard Mackey call for him.
“Hud, man? I can’t get myself up.”
“I got you.” Hudson ducked back into the bathroom. “So how does your head feel now? Better than this morning, or…?” Talking about anything other than not being able to get off the toilet made this all feel more normal.
“Don’t make me try to nod, man.” Mackey winked at him. “I appreciate you giving Sid a break. Jack says y’all will stay over here when he’s working for the next couple weekends.”
“We’ll both stay until the events shift back out this way. Then you’ll be stuck with me if you’re not ready to travel.” They’d all agreed, no nurses or anything like that. If Hudson had to be gone as well, they’d get another friend to come. Mackey had many.
“Oh, I’ll bet by then I’ll have some of the guys staying. You and Jacky need time together. Hell, I’ll come to the finals, just to watch.”
“Totally possible, but we’ve worked it out just in case.” He and Jack would meet up during the week and Sid would fly home. “Ready for some dinner? Jack’s bringing tacos. I thought I’d see if Sid was ready to get up.”
“Tacos sound great, and yeah. Otherwise, he won’t sleep tonight.”
Hudson helped Mackey back out to the chair in the living room where he felt most comfortable. It was slow going, but they made it. “Finals should be quite the show this year, huh?”
“It’ll be something else, but you know, it always is. Always.” Mackey sighed softly. “This will be your first in the family section, won’t it?”