Page 13 of Where the River Meets the Skye

“Okay.”

“Okay,” she said, sounding appeased. “I’ll talk to you soon, kiddo. Say hi to Skye for me. Take care of yourself.”

“Bye, Aunt Jodi.” He hung up the phone for the second time as Skye walked in the door with bags labeled Walgreens.

“So I wasn’t sure what kind of ice packs to get you, so I kind of just went nuts and got a couple of each,” Skye said, giving him a dopey grin. “I figure you’ll be using them for a while with your ankle and your ribs. They’ll have to be in the freezer for a couple of hours before they are cold enough but I got a couple of the ones you can break and use instantly too. Want me to bring you one?”

“Can you bring two?” River asked, shifting himself on the couch slightly. He winced at the pain in his ribs. “And can you wrap them in towels?”

“Sure,” Skye said. A minute later he was at River’s side with the ice packs, pain meds, and a glass of water. River took the meds and chugged the water. Then he took the ice packs and attempted to reach down and rest one on his injured ankle. But when he cried out in pain and grabbed his side, Skye yanked the ice pack back and scowled at him. “Dumbass. I’m here to help you, Riv. You didn’t have to hurt yourself. Just communicate, okay?”

River returned his friend’s glare, then held the ice pack he still had against his ribs and rested back, frowning.

“Look, I know you don’t like being taken care of, okay?” Skye said, his green eyes narrowed at River and his golden hair falling into his eyes, “but suck it up, buttercup. This is the way it’s going to be for a while so you might as well get used to it. Now where do you want this?” He held up the ice pack he’d snatched from River.

“How about up your?—”

“Riv,” Skye cut him off. A small smile formed on his lips. “There’s only a handful of things I’m willing to stick up there and none of them are shaped like this. And you might want to be nice to me because I am in charge of your pain meds.” He smirked and River furrowed his eyebrows. “Now where do you want this? It’s freezing my hand off.”

“On my ankle,” River huffed.

“Yeah, I got that much, Einstein. Where?” Skye snarked back. He placed the ice pack over River’s ankle and looked back at him. “Communicate,” he said again.

River glared at him. “A little lower,” he mumbled, and Skye shifted the icepack a little.

“Better?”

“Yes.”

“Did you call Anna?”

River nodded. “She’s on her way with dinner.”

“Oh, cool.” Skye ran a hand through his waves and they flopped right back over his forehead and into his eyes. “You want a pillow for your ribs?” he asked. “For those breathing exercises they were talking about?”

“Yeah, I guess,” River said. “And because my hand is freezing holding on to this ice pack.”

Skye smiled at him, then left the room and returned a second later with a pillow, placing it on River’s lap.

“Thanks,” River said. He hated to admit it but it was definitely helping his fingers not go numb and the weight of it was perfect against his ribs. There was a moment of silence before he said, “Skye, my Aunt Jodi called, too. She wants to come help out.”

“That’s nice of her.” Skye slumped down on the other side of the couch, head resting back, eyes closed, and he yawned. “I gotta call Mr. Richards and let him know what’s going on and that I’ll be out for the next few days.” He pulled out his phone.

“Skye—”

“Shut up, Riv. I’m taking off work to take care of you, and that’s that.”

River sighed. He wanted to protest, but he knew he would lose and he felt too crappy to argue. He listened as Skye talked with his boss and then hung up the phone.

“Everything okay?” he asked, still feeling guilty that Skye was taking off work to look after him. With the pain he was in, though, he knew he needed help. He just didn’t want to need it.

“No, they fired me,” Skye said, looking down and frowning.

River gaped, his eyes wide, then glared the second he realized Skye was jerking his chain. “Dick.”

Skye laughed. “They’re giving me the rest of the week. Everything’s fine. I just have to get plans ready for a sub before tomorrow morning.” He rubbed his eyes with his hands and yawned again.

River frowned. Skye looked so exhausted and now he had more work to do thanks to him. “Skye, I’m sorry,” he apologized.

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