Page 29 of Buddy System

“Well, it’s rough, but…”

“No! Not rough. It’s expressive and bold. It’s fantastic.” My beloved Levi has a faraway look on his face and seems to be standing at attention. He’s shirtless, wearing camo pants and dog tags. He’s obviously a soldier, but also strong and committed to a cause. You can read it in his eyes. I finally tear my attention away from this beautiful piece and go to Skyler, who has now sat up on the edge of the cot and is wearing gym shorts. I sit down next to him and notice he has paint all over himself. His chest is a colorful mess of acrylic splatters, but there’s a beauty to it.

“What a wonderful tribute to our man, Skyler. Thank you for painting it. How did you know you could do this? You were so worried before.”

Skyler blushes and looks down. “I’ve thought a lot about the stories you hear of amputees relearning to do things with their mouths or their feet because they’re so committed to making art, and I figured all I had to deal with was some lack of coordinationand potential aches and pains. I still have both hands, so I was beginning to feel like a big baby about it.”

“Oh, Skyler…”

He raises his gaze and looks directly into my eyes. “That’s not all. Last night, what we experienced was beautiful. And perfect. And even if we never do it again, I’ll always cherish the memory. I felt in some ways like I was creating something with my hands and my body that was like the feeling I get when I paint. It was liberating and exhilarating. I don’t know if this makes any sense at all to anyone else. I woke up and realized that even if I can’t control the brush exactly like I used to, I can still use my hands to make something beautiful—the same way I made you and Levi beautiful in your ecstasy. I just knew I could do this, and the image of Levi looking like he was willing to sacrifice everything to save the people he loves was stuck in my head. I was so full of ideas, I couldn’t hold still, so I had to come up here. Stepping into the studio again was like coming home after being held captive. I let my fears fall away and just let myself go. I painted for hours until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. This bed is up here because I’ve always gotten lost in painting, and sometimes I forget to sleep and eat.”

I take his hand, not caring that it’s covered in dried splatters. “Are you ready to come downstairs and have some breakfast? Levi and I were worried when I couldn’t find you anywhere. He sent me upstairs to investigate because I’d already exhausted everywhere else I could think of. I’m so relieved to have found you, but we’re keeping Levi in suspense down there, and I don’t want him to worry. Come have something to eat, and you can get back to your work after that. And Skyler? I am so proud of you. This is perfect. You’re perfect.” I lean over and kiss him. The kiss feels pretty perfect too, and I’m a little curious about why I feel not one single shred of guilt about doing it without Levi around.I pull back and say, “Come on. Let’s tell our man what you’ve been up to.”

“I like that, Brooke.”

“What?”

“‘Our man.’ Like you’ll share him with me, and he’s mine too.”

I smile at him. He has a sweet, vulnerable look on his face, so I say, “There was never a doubt. I know you love each other. Come on. You must be starving. It’s almost noon.” We stand and I take his hand again, saying, “Oh, and he also refers to you as ‘our man.’”

We head down the two sets of stairs, and as we hit the ground floor, something occurs to me. “How does your shoulder feel after all of that work you did?”

He rolls it carefully and admits, “It hurts like a sonofabitch. I don’t care though! I’ll grab something for the pain after I eat breakfast.”

We walk into the kitchen to a delighted Levi who lights up like a Christmas tree. “There you are! Where did you take off to?”

I can’t help gushing, so I butt in before Skyler can get all modest. “Levi, you should see the studio Skyler has in the attic! It’s wonderful, and he’s been painting! His artwork is amazing.” I don’t want to tell him yet what Skyler is working on in case he wants to reveal it himself, but I also can’t resist putting my arm around Skyler’s waist and giving him a squeeze.

“That’s fantastic! What are you painting?”

“Oh, I’m just playing around with…uh…technique so far. It’s kind of a study. I’ll show you after it’s all finished. Right now, it’s a rough work in progress.”

Apparently, I was right not to spill the beans. He might be ready to paint, but not ready to talk about it much or show it off. I look him in the eye and give him a smile. He gives me a nearly imperceptible nod as if to say he’s thankful. “Do you guys needmore coffee?” I ask so I can give myself something to do. I grab the pot and start filling mugs. “Looks like we’ll need some more.” I understand the creative mind even though I wasn’t particularly blessed with one. Levi is also quite protective of his music until he’s absolutely ready to share it.

Skyler nukes himself a couple of muffins and sits down next to Levi saying, “I’m going to call my physical therapist in a little while. I think I did a bit too much and need some relief. Would you like me to make you an appointment with him? He’s a veteran, and he’s terrific. The practice is right here in town next to the hospital.”

“Oh, uh…sure, I guess. Can’t hurt, right?”

Skyler chuckles. “Yeah, right. Sometimes it hurts plenty, but he never goes too far.”

I grin at Levi and ask, “Now that Skyler is making beautiful art again, do you think you’re ready to make some music? Apparently, you and I have been quite the inspiration. I can just imagine the kinds of songs you could write about us.”

The guys give each other cheesy, lascivious looks and then crack up.

“Those potential songs may not be for everyone,” Levi says with a snort. “But the idea is tempting. How do you like the name ‘Bi-Bi, Baby?’ Spelled with anI, of course. Or another possible hit…‘Butt, I Love You.’”

“Uh…sure, honey.” I hope he’s joking.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Skyler

After scarfing down a muffin,I look down at myself and realize what a mess I am. I’m also still exhausted, and I’m starting to get a headache. I didn’t want to complain to Brooke, but I’d only been asleep for about an hour when she came in and woke me up.

“I’m going to go shower off my Technicolor body paint and crash for a few hours. If anyone would like to take a nap with me, the door is open, but I’m completely beat.”

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