Chapter Sixteen #2
She had Alannah braced on her hip. The identical blond heads and bright green eyes of Brandon and Michael looked at Niall with expectation. Unlike most kids their age, they sat silently in their fathers’ laps.
“He’s going to be fine.”
Seven chests let out a collective sigh.
Logan stood and came over to them. “Tell it to me straight.”
Niall took Matt and Logan’s hands. He walked over to the group and stood as they opened the circle.
“He has moderate hypothermia, and they’ve got him on warm IV fluids and oxygen.
At first they were worried about frostbite on his feet, but they seem to have responded to hot water treatment.
The abrasions on his wrists and ankles are painful but superficial.
Trevor had an allergic reaction to whatever Hampton used to bind him, and they’re treating him with a cocktail of steroids and asthma medication. ”
Matt wrapped his arm around Niall’s waist. “They expect him to be ready for release in two to three days.”
Conor closed his eyes and whispered, “ Gabhaigí buíochas le dia na bhflaitheas, óir maireann a bhuanghrá go brách . Gie thanks ter de god in 'eaven for 'is mercy endurs forever.”
Niall closed his eyes. “Amen.”
Hearing Conor speak Irish, reminded him of his grandmother and grandfather. They’d always supported the decision to raise Niall as part of the Mohegan tribe, but Niall knew that their heritage flowed richly through his veins. Maybe it was time to honor that part of him more.
Brandon tugged on his father’s pants leg. “Da?”
“Aye?”
“Are any more of your friends going to get hurt?”
“I pray not, mo grian.”
“ Me too, we’ve been here way too much.”
Snickers filled the air, and Niall kneeled in front of both Brandon and Michael. “The two of you have been such good friends to Trevor. I know that when he gets better, he’ll want to thank you. How does a trip to the Children’s Museum sound?”
Michael put his fists on his hips. “Why do everybody bribe us? We’re five now and don’t fall for that nomore.”
Niall heard Matt laughing behind him and tried very hard to keep a straight face. “It’s not a bribe, Michael. It’s a reward. We can go have a day of fun. Even five year olds like to go out and have fun, right?”
Twin heads bobbed
“All right ye gasurs. Stir yer stumps. We need ta gi’ yer sister ‘ome te bed.”
Niall stood and watched as Conor, Rick and Calleigh gathered the kids’ bags. He walked with them toward the exit. Before the doors slid open, he placed a hand on Alannah’s head, sleeping on Calleigh’s shoulder. “Your husband bestowed his prayer on my family, and I ask to do the same for yours.”
Calleigh smiled, “We would be honored, Niall.”
Niall lifted his hand, “ Manto k?kci wuy?tam kucáhsháyuw?k wici mutáhash wimmonáyu táká wik?tamuw?k . Great Spirit, bless your family with true hearts and happiness.”
Calleigh’s free arm came around Niall’s waist, four little arms squeezed his legs and four large hands touched the back of his head and back.
“Thank you. That’s a beautiful language. Almost as lyrical as Conor’s,” Rick said.
Niall nodded. “I’ve learned bits and pieces over the years.” He looked over at Conor. “Ireland is as much a part of me as the Mohegan tribe. If you’d be willing to teach me some Irish, I’d like learn.”
“Aye. I’d be ‘appy te teach ye.”
“Many thanks. Now, you need to get home, and I need to go find Matt so we can be there when Trevor wakes up.”
Niall stood by the door until the family disappeared into the night. At least it had stopped snowing. A pair of arms came around his waist, and Niall leaned back into Matt’s embrace.
“You okay?”
“Yes, I was saying goodbye. Are the others ready to leave as well?”
“Yeah, Logan and Clay asked to see Trevor before they go, but Ethan and Ryan said they’d wait until tomorrow.”
“Then let’s go. I need to see him again, to prove to myself that our heart has been returned.”
They found the other couple, then followed the maze of corridors until the four of them made it back to the Trevor’s private room.
They'd moved him out of the ICU a couple of hours ago. Niall and Matt let Logan and Clay go in first since only two people were allowed in Trevor’s room at a time.
Niall leaned his butt against the nurses’ station and his shoulder against Matt.
“So what now?” he asked.
“Now I sell my condo, we get Trevor’s apartment cleaned up and the three of us get on with our lives.”
“I’m worried about him, Matt. Hampton had him for two days. We have no idea what he’s been through. Cataloging his injuries doesn’t tell us his state of mind.”
“I know, caro , believe me I know. We’ll take his recovery one day at a time. If we need to get him some help, we will. I can’t do it. I won’t do it, but I have a network of people I trust and will get a referral if needed.”
“What about the case? Will Trevor have to sit through a trial?”
“I don’t know. That’s a question Clay could answer for us. I was so focused on getting Trevor out of there, I never asked what happened to Hampton.”
Clay came out of the hospital room, holding Logan’s hand.
“The uniforms arrested him. Apparently, when Trevor escaped, he locked Hampton in the same basement that had held him. The authorities will charge him with assault and battery, kidnaping, stalking, and whatever else the district attorney pins on him. It’ll go to trial under Massachusetts law. ”
Both Clay and Logan’s eyes were shiny. Niall knew it must have been hard for them to see Trevor lying in that bed, but it was so much better than any other outcome.
“So he’ll have to testify and everything?” Matt asked.
“Most likely, unless some kind of plea bargain is struck.”
“Damn. I was hoping he could avoid that kind of stress.”
Niall rubbed Matt’s back. They’d be there for Trevor. Hold his hand and provide whatever support their lover needed to get through the ordeal. And if all Trevor needed was for Niall and Matt to get him out of his head for a little while, well, they were good at that too.
“I know that ‘thanks’ doesn’t even begin to express how much Matt and I appreciate everything the two of you have done, but I’m saying it all the same.”
Logan stepped forward and gave Niall a hug. “It was all of us. If any of us hadn’t done our part, this whole situation may have turned out differently. That would have been unacceptable, so while your gratitude is hardly necessary, it is accepted with warm hearts.”
Clay hugged both Matt and Niall. “We’ll see the two of you tomorrow. Go sit with your man. Before you know it, he’ll be up on his feet driving us all crazy.”
Niall let out a deep breath and clasped Matt’s hand. When they entered Trevor’s room, the lights were off and Trevor was sleeping. He looked quite small and alone in the bed. Niall wished they were at home where he and Matt could surround Trevor with love and warmth.
Trevor’s eyes fluttered opened. His eyes scanned the room rapidly, and Niall gently placed his hand on Trevor’s forehead. “It’s okay, honey, you’re safe now.”
“Niall? Matt?”
Matt’s hand rested on Trevor’s chest on top of the blankets. “Right here, bello .”
“Can I go home?”
“In a couple of days. The doctors want to make sure you get warmed up enough and have no nasty side effects.”
Trevor’s lips quivered, and moisture glistened in his eyes. “But you can’t hold me here.”
Matt cursed under his breath. “To hell with that.”
Niall took down the rail on the side of Trevor’s bed, and Matt did the same on the opposite side.
Matt lifted Trevor out of the bed mindful of the IV and oxygen tubes.
Niall climbed onto the bed and adjusted the back to a slight incline, then Matt placed Trevor on the mattress between Niall's legs. Trevor’s back rested on Niall's chest, and it was the best thing he’d felt in days.
Judging by Trevor’s sigh, his honey agreed.
There was no room for Matt, but their lover sat in the chair beside the bed after tucking the blankets tight around Trevor’s body, mummy style.
Matt’s hand rested on the lump of Trevor’s legs.
“Is this better, honey?”
“Yeah, thanks. I think I’ll take a little nap.”
Matt’s hand smoothed Trevor’s hair away from his eyes. “You do that. We’ll be right here.”
Trevor’s nurse walked in and glared at them. “Gentlemen, I can’t possibly allow you—”
Trevor’s eyes popped back open. “I asked them to. Please, for a little while? You keep telling me to rest, but I can’t sleep unless they’re beside me. So really, it’s in the best interest, the patient. The sooner I get better, the quicker I get out of your hair.”
The nurse rolled her eyes, but Niall saw a little smile tweak at the corner of her lips.
“The doctor is doing rounds in twenty minutes. You better be alone in that bed when he does or my ass is grass, you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Niall leaned down and placed his lips near Trevor’s ear. “You little charmer. You’ll have her wrapped around your finger by the end of her shift.”
Matt’s head lowered. His lips hovered over Trevor’s for a few seconds, then settled in for a long kiss.
Niall’s hand rested on the back of Matt’s neck.
His fingers played with the short dark strands.
As Matt’s head lifted, Niall shifted Trevor’s body enough that he could claim his own kiss.
Trevor’s taste was both familiar and fresh.
His heart skipped a beat at the thought that he might never have gotten the chance to kiss Trevor again.
Trevor’s head settled against Niall’s chest, and his breathing slowed.
Niall’s hand slowly rubbed Trevor’s abdomen. “Love you, honey,” he whispered. Niall glanced over at Matt. “Love you.”
Matt’s hand linked with Niall’s over Trevor, the weight of his forehead as it rested against Niall’s was a comforting balm.
“I love you too, caro . Thank you for finding me. Thank you for believing Trevor was out there waiting for us. Thank you for making my life complete.”
When Niall had woken from that dream all those months ago, he couldn’t have conceived what Manto had in store for him and his soulmates.
His people believed each person walked a trail of life.
His, Matt’s and Trevor’s trails had converged, and their individual spirits bound into one.
Now it was up to them to use the wisdom of their past, the experiences of the present, and their hope for the future to forge a new trail together.