Page 114 of Commander in Briefs

While I am analyzing the father and son behavior, I don’t notice that Thad has come up behind me until he places a hand on my shoulder. I turn to meet his gaze and he gives me a hesitant smile.

“It’s good to see you,” he whispers. “Thank you for bringing her. He’ll never admit it, but he needed her here. It was a rough couple of hours.”

I don’t ask him why it was rough. I know why. Being put to sleep can be a scary thing. Theo doesn’t suffer from nightmares as I do but he hates being forced asleep. Anniston said it was something about him not being able to control waking up that feeds his anxiety.

Either way, I nod at Thad because, what can I say? That I wasn’t thinking about Theo’s feelings in the moment? That the only reason I brought Anniston was because she was a mess, broken down in front of me? That I don’t care one bit if Theo suffers? That her shaking and crying caused bile to rise in my throat until nothing but making her stop was on my mind?

No, I think I’ll hold on to my decency and keep my mouth shut and let Thad think I am a better man.

Thad moves to Theo after one more appreciative clap to my back and gives him their signature fist bump, promising to bring breakfast and coffee in the morning. They all exit the room, leaving the three of us alone to sort out our shit.

“Hi,” Anniston whispers softly, approaching Theo’s bedside.

He extends his hand to her and she immediately takes it and climbs in bed beside him. As soon as she is within reach, he buries his face in her neck and closes his eyes, inhaling deeply.

I know he is smelling the rosemary in her hair. The coconut on her skin. I know all the scents of Anniston. Everything about her is beautiful. Even now, as the tears slide down her face, they remind me of a cleansing rain after a brutal heatwave.

“You scared me, shithead,” she scolds, pushing back the sweaty strands of hair from Theo’s forehead.

Their conversation brings me out of my reverie. This is not my girl. She loves Theo, not me.

“Aw. Come on now. It’s just a little stomach ache. Everything is fine,” Theo teases her as he rubs soothing strokes up and down her arm. His eyes are red and swollen, his eyelids trying to close as he comforts her. There’s desperation on her face as she fusses with his gown, pulling the blankets over up to his chest. After years of friendship, he knows how bad this scared Anniston. And damned if he isn’t a considerate asshole by not allowing her to see how terrible he actually feels.

The nurse comes in with a syringe, explaining to Anniston it’s something for pain and will help Theo sleep. Theo shakes his head while Anniston nods in agreement with the nurse. He groans, allowing Anniston to have her way as the nurse injects the medicine into his IV.

“I want to go home,” he says sleepily, trying to sit up.

Anniston pushes him back down, snuggling in closer. “Tomorrow.”

I actually feel sorry for him. I wouldn’t want to stay here, either. The noise, the cold, clinical feel. I would want to go home, too.

His eyes start to flutter shut when Anniston addresses me for the first time since we arrived. “Cade. Can you get us a coffee?”

I nod, happy to get out of here. “Sure.”

She smiles, her eyes glassing over. “Thank you.” Thickly, she swallows, “For earlier—and for everything in between.”

“Always,” I promise, moving toward the door. When I pull the privacy curtain closed behind me, I hear, “Ans, rub one out for me?”

And the asshole is back. The last thing I hear before closing the door is Anniston’s bubbly laughter and the rustling of blankets.

---