Page 19 of Two Hearts' Christmas Homecoming

Deciding not to leave Caleb alone for too long, he grabbed a pair of clean shorts before making his way from the bedroom. Lex only soaked about five minutes since the bathroom he was using was on the vacant floor below to prevent any spread of his STD.

When Lex returned to the bedroom wearing his clean pair of shorts, Caleb was starting to stir.

“Your hair’s all wet,” Caleb observed, sleepily rubbing his eyes.

When Caleb wrapped his arms around the stuffed bear he’d been sleeping with, it tugged at Lex’s heart.

“That’s because I took a bath. Why don’t we get you into the shower and then we can go downstairs for breakfast. I can smell everything cooking from all the way up here.”

“Okay,” Caleb said, scrambling from the bed with his bear.

“Have you got a name for him yet?” Lex asked Caleb gruffly as he gently rested the bear in a small rocking chair that Amy insisted Caleb have.

“Amy said his name is Yogi.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” Lex replied, giving Caleb a grin. “Why don’t you head into the bathroom and take off your pjs while I grab some clean clothes for you to wear.”

Caleb rubbed at the fabric of his fleece pjs, patterned with fish. Lex could tell that he really didn’t want to take them off.

“I promise I’ll get them washed today so that you can wear them again tonight,” Lex said gently.

“They’re my faverts,” Caleb admitted.

“I know. Now, scram,” Lex said, heading to the closet where all the new clothes had been stashed. Maybe he’d take some time to sort them and put them in the dresser drawers later today.

Caleb scrambled into the bathroom while Lex quickly pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt before reaching for some shorts, underwear and a t-shirt for Caleb.

Caleb had stripped and was waiting for Lex when he came in to start the shower and supervise his scrubbing.

Another fifteen minutes later, Lex walked into the solarium downstairs with Caleb, who was still rubbing his eyes from sleep.

“All showered?” Izzy asked, smiling at Lex first and then at Caleb.

“Lex took a bath,” Caleb said, apparently not realizing that adults sometimes took baths too.

“I woke up when the security guys came to update our cameras,” Izzy admitted.

“Time for a big Sunday breakfast everyone,” Lucy said, sweeping into the room with two trays, resting them both on the table. “Caleb? You’d better sit next to Amy. She’s been wanting to sneak upstairs and bring you downstairs ever since she woke up. I never realized how bored she’s been as the youngest.”

Amy giggled, watching as Caleb sat beside her.

Lucy continued, “Izzy. You forgot to set the table.”

“Oops,”Izzy squeaked, rushing to do what her mom said. “I guess I was too busy admiring Zane’s new guitar.”

“Whoa,”Lex huffed out, just noticing the brand-new electric guitar propped up against the wall, a pair of small speakers resting beside it.

Grabbing clean dishes from inside the large floor to ceiling china cabinet to set the table, Izzy laughed. “That’s exactly what Zane said.”

* * *

Gabe got the call from Dr. Donnelly later that day.

“Would you like to take it in my office, Lex?” Gabe asked.

Worried, Lex replied, “I’d like for you and Zane to be there, it that’s alright?”

“Of course,” Gabe answered gruffly, motioning for Zane to come along.

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