Page 86 of Dirty Shots

“And neither would I,” said Anya. “I love you more than anything. I thought you knew that.”

He hung his head in shame. “Then what do you need to tell me?”

Logan stepped forward. “That you’re sick again, Eric. Anya told me about your recent behavior. You know you’re cycling with your moods again. You need to up your meds before you end up hitting the wall, and you find you can’t get out of bed for a month.”

He closed his eyes briefly before answering. “I already know. I realized when I looked around and noticed Anya gone, and saw the mess I’d made. I’m so sorry, Anya.”

“It’s okay,” she said, softly. “I just wish you had told me.”

“I didn’t want you to think badly of me.”

“I would never have thought badly of you. You must think more of me than that.”

He frowned slightly and shook his head. “I didn’t mean it like that. It wasn’t about you, or your reaction. I just didn’t want you to see me as anything less than the photographer you’d looked up to, or the man you’d gotten to know.”

She stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and reached out and took his hands in hers. Her eyes met his. “I wouldn’t have, but if we’re to have a life together, I need to know about things like that. If you’d told me sooner, I could have spotted what was happening before it got too far. I would have made sure you got your sleep, and not tried to tempt you away from your gym sessions.”

“I don’t want you to mother me, Anya. That’s exactly what I was frightened of.”

“It’s not mothering. It’s taking care of someone I love.”

Logan joined in. “Same goes for me. We love you and we want to see you well. Your health is far more important than anything else.” He paused and then added, “We can always cancel the exhibition.”

But Eric shook his head. “The work is done. I want people to see it.” He caught Anya’s eye again. “As long as that’s okay with both of you.”

Anya smiled and his heart lifted. “Of course it’s okay with me. But you must promise to get help.”

“I’ll book an appointment with my doctor for first thing tomorrow.”

Her arms wrapped around his waist and he pulled her in, hugging her hard and kissing the top of her head. The adrenaline from his mania still caused his muscles to tense, his blood racing through his veins, but he felt better just by having Anya in his arms.

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” said Logan. He pointed a finger at Eric. “Take your meds.”

Eric nodded. “I will.”

Anya peeled herself from him. “Thanks, Logan.”

“Anytime.”

Logan left the apartment and closed the door behind him.

“Go and take your medication, Eric,” she said.

He nodded. “I’m doing it now.”

He left her and went to the bathroom and took a double dose of the mood stabilizer which helped to bring down his manic phases. He knew it would take a few days before he truly felt like himself again, but at least he was on the right track.

He walked back into the apartment to find Anya wearing one of his t-shirts and her panties. She put out her hand to him. “Come on, Eric. Let’s go to bed.”

It wasn’t about sex this time. They just curled up together, holding each other.

“What are you going to do tomorrow?” he asked her. “I have to make an appointment with my doctor, but it’s something I feel like I have to do alone.”

Anya smiled. “No mothering, right?”

“Right.”

She gave a small laugh. “Don’t worry. I have a certain someone I have to deal with.”

He frowned and looked down at her. “Promise me you won’t get into any trouble.”

“I’ll be fine, Eric. But I can’t let him get away with what he did. Gavin Hollis has to realize he can’t go around treating people like shit and getting away with it.”

Eric gave a laugh and pulled her closer. “I don’t know what you’ve got planned, but I’d be scared if I was him.”

She smiled. “So he should be.”

And Eric closed his eyes, and in Anya’s arms, he finally slept.

---