Page 108 of Single Teddy
As soon as I did, I smiled. I turned on my side and put my arm around…nothing. The bed was empty.
“Teddy?” I called out, but no answer came.
He was probably in the bathroom. I put my glasses on and waited, watching the door, but Teddy didn’t show up.
I had no idea how long I’d waited, but when I got up, I was worried something bad had happened, so I put on my pants and T-shirt and went looking for him.
I reached the bathroom door, and just when I was about to knock, I noticed the light in the living room.
Teddy was sitting on the floor with a laptop on the coffee table illuminating his face.
“Teddy? What are you doing?” I approached him and whispered, making him jump. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
I reached the sofa and saw the yarn by his side and the crochet needle in his hand with a chunk of fabric on his lap. One of the kitties was playing with the yarn as it moved, but as soon as it spotted me, it dashed under the couch, never to be seen again.
“Oh hey. Did I wake you?” he asked. He put the needle down on the other side and started getting up, but I stopped him and sat on the sofa next to him.
“No. I just woke up and you weren’t there.”
“Sorry,” he said, all sheepish. “I couldn’t sleep, so I came out here to do some more research. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Research on what?” I asked and put my hand on his shoulder to soothe him.
“Social media. I’ve been posting on Duke’s pages, but we haven’t been getting a lot of engagement, so I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong.”
My heart thumped, and I put my arms around him to give him a hug.
“That’s so sweet that you care so much,” I said.
“Of course I care. He trusted me with an important job. I don’t want to let him down. He relies on online engagement for donations.”
The harsh light from the laptop shone in his eyes and made him look smaller, vulnerable, and cuter.
“Have I told you how much I admire you?” I asked him and ran my fingers through his soft hair.
“Me? Why?” He chuckled and looked away from me.
“Because…you’re sweet and dedicated and determined. You’ve given up your whole life to look after Bear, you give up your free time to help your friends, and to support your family. You work so hard, yet you’ve never, not once, complained or said a bad word about anyone. You’re one of a kind, Teddy Olson.”
He blinked, but he didn’t respond. And it was okay. I didn’t want him to respond. I just wanted him to know what a wonderful human being he was. And how my heart beat faster whenever I was with him. Even if I wasn’t ready to share the last part just yet.
“I’m doing what anyone in my place would do,” he said after a long moment of gazing into each other’s eyes.
“Perhaps,” I said. “But you’ve seen Barnes. He doesn’t even do the bare minimum. So, not everyone would do what you do.”
He shrugged, picked up the needle, and continued to crochet with the pink yarn.
“You’re getting really good at this,” I said and picked up the fabric with care and attention.
“Thanks,” he said with a shy smile.
He’d only started crocheting a week or so ago, and he had already completed a sleeveless sweater that was more his size, although I wouldn’t lie. I was a fan of the tight fit of the old lady’s sweaters he’d been wearing.
“What are you making?” I asked.
“Sleeves for the sweater I finished. I figured I’d need something heavier for the winter.”
I smiled and cupped his face with tender fingers.
