Fourteen
GRACE
Warmth washed over me.
I heard voices.
They sounded different than before. Closer and calmer.
I tried to move, but my body was tucked in tight. I was in a bed. The strong antiseptic smell made my nose itch, but my arms were too heavy to lift them to scratch.
“When is she going to wake up?” Cason’s sweet little voice caused my insides to flutter.
He didn’t sound scared. Maybe I was okay.
“She just needs to rest a little longer,” Mase said. “What do you want to do when she wakes up?”
“I wanted her to make me pancakes,” Cason sang. “She makes the best pancakes.”
“They are good.” Mase chuckled.
“You’ve had them before?” Cason asked.
“Yep. When we were kids. They were my favorite, too.”
The room was silent for a few minutes.
“Maybe we should wait until she gets better before we ask her to cook for us though.” Mase said.
My heart smiled.
My face did too. I felt the muscles on my cheeks pulling.
“We can have a movie day,” Cason said. “Then she wouldn’t have to do anything at all.”
“Movie day?”
“You never had a movie day?” Cason sounded astonished.
I tried to open an eye. It took a few tries before they cooperated. Mase had Cason on his lap and the two of them were huddled together, chatting like old friends.
Like father and son.
“Nope. I don’t think I’ve had a movie day.” Mase ruffled Cason’s hair.
“We all get to pick one movie.” Cason pointed at Mase. “Age appropri. Appro …” Cason sighed.
“Age appropriate?” Mase finished his sentence.
“Yeah, that.” Cason adjusted. “We watch them back to back to back and eat all the junk food in the world.”
“Sounds like fun.” Mase grinned.
“What do you want to do when she’s all better?” Cason leaned his head against Mase’s chest.
Mase held him close with his hand over his heart.
“Don’t answer that. He is way too young to hear that type of stuff.” My voice sounded weak, but I had spoken out loud.