Page 63 of Where the River Meets the Skye

River knew this was coming. It wasn’t fair to his clients or his coworkers to keep him on, he knew that. He really wasn’t doing well, and he didn’t have any business being there. His boss didn’t seem upset with him, just concerned. But River still felt sick to his stomach when he finished up for the day and thought about how he would tell Skye that he was no longer employed.

How would they afford their home on just Skye’s salary? How would they pay for all of the medical bills they had piling up?

He kept himself together during the drive back to their condo. Skye kept glancing at him and River was fully aware that Skye knew something was wrong and was waiting for him to talk, but he didn’t.

He couldn’t. Not yet.

When they got inside Skye kissed his temple. “I’m gonna make dinner,” he said, then walked into the kitchen. River was grateful that Skye wasn’t pushing him.

He nodded and went to the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he began to cry.

Skye

“Hey, Riv,” Skye said, poking his head into the room a half an hour later. He moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed next to his husband. “Dinner’s ready. You wanna talk first or eat first?”

River sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I’m not very hungry.”

“I made you a smoothie,” Skye replied, hoping he could get River to consume something, especially if it was already made. They’d had to buy him all new clothes in the past couple of months because of all the weight he’d lost, and the arms and chest that once felt so firm and strong against him were so thin and frail.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Skye asked, resting a hand on River’s hip.

“I’ve lost everything, Skye,” he cried. He closed his eyes tightly as the tears slid down his cheeks and his shoulders shook with sobs.

Skye reached up and stroked his fingers through River’s hair. “What do you mean?”

“My independence, my freedom, my health, and now my…” River’s breath hitched as he tried to choke out the words. “They….they let me go, Skye. I don’t have a job anymore.”

Skye’s heart was hammering in his chest. He couldn’t deny the panic that was filling his mind, but he had to do everything he could to keep River from seeing it. Right now his husband needed his support and comfort. He’d find time later to freak out about their financial situation.

“I’m so sorry, Skye,” River said, wiping tears from his eyes. “I know this puts us in a horrible situation. I don’t know how we’re going to manage?—”

“Shhh,” Skye interrupted, moving his fingers to stroke River’s cheek. “Not right now, angel,” he said. “We’ll worry about that later. This isn’t your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for. I can’t imagine how hard this is for you. I know how hard you worked to get your degree, and how much you love your job. I’m so sorry, baby.”

River looked him in the eyes for the first time since he’d sat down. “Will you hold me?” he asked.

Skye leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and then crawled around and laid behind him and scooped River into his arms.

“You haven’t lost me,” he whispered, and he felt River pressing even closer to him, and held him even tighter.

River

River awoke that night feeling unusually cold, and when he reached behind him, he realized why. Skye wasn’t in the bed. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, noticing that the bedroom door was closed and there was a light on on the other side. He picked up his phone and squinted at it.

Two-thirty am.

What was Skye doing up at this hour?

River slid his glasses on before slowly sitting up, then standing. His vision started to blur and he swayed, but gripped the dresser for a moment, before his vision cleared again and he felt well enough to walk.

He pulled his robe on before opening the door and shuffling out to find his husband sitting at the dining room table with the laptop open.

“Skye?” he said groggily. He wrapped his arms around himself and squinted at his husband.

Skye’s head jerked up at the sound of River’s voice and he had a look on his face like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar as he bit his lip.

“Hey, Riv,” he said, closing the lid to the laptop and running his hand over his thigh. “What are you doing up?”

“I was gonna ask you the same question,” River said, stepping closer to Skye and running his fingers through his hair. “I woke up ‘cause I was cold and you were gone.”

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