"You've never seen The Lion King?" Serena stared in disbelief.
"I didn't grow up in the U.S. so I didn't really watch cartoons." Clay reached for his water bottle.
Serena turned to Trent in the kitchen. "We are having a movie night. Right now. Can you make popcorn?" She turned back toward Clay with a fake smile on her face as her heart broke thinking of a child not having a childhood. "Lion King to start and then we'll figure out what's next."
Trent stood holding unpopped microwaveable popcorn watching as Serena brought all the pillows and blankets from his bed and the guest bed out into the living room. "Rena, whatcha doing?"
"Movie night." Serena tossed the blankets into the middle of the living room floor before going back into the bedroom.
"Trent, you think she realizes it's not even dinner time?" Clay shifted on the couch.
"I don't really think she cares." Trent moved to the microwave to make the requested popcorn.
Serena returned a few minutes later in a pair of Trent's sweatpants rolled at the waist to fit better and his Bakersfield sweatshirt. "We ready?" She shut the blinds and turned the light off before fixing the multiple blankets and pillows into a bed in the floor.
"We are ready." Trent walked into the room carrying a six pack of rootbeer and a big bowl of popcorn. "Only beer either of you can have on your current meds." He settled on the floor beside her.
"Come down here Clay. Movies are better when you watch them from the floor." Serena looked up at him on the couch.
"Okay." Clay laughed a little as he lowered himself to the floor and she hit play on the cartoon.
By the time Simba was running to the jungle alone and afraid Trent was softly snoring curled on his side facing away from Serena and Clay. "He never makes it to the end of movies, no matter what time I start movie night." Serena pulled the throw blanket higher on Trent's shoulder.
"This is a kid's movie? Shit it's sad." Clay tried not to show his emotions over a cartoon. "Sadder than not watching cartoons as a kid."
"I don't know about that. So where'd you grow up anyway?" Serena turned toward Clay.
"Liberia." Clay's eyes stayed on the screen.
They lapsed back into silence as they movie continued. As Nala jumped out at Pumba Clay jumped slightly as well, shifting to cover his embarrassment. Serena stifled a laugh by filling her mouth with popcorn.
"Why do you think movies are better from the floor?" Clay rolled onto his back stretching out.
"When I was a kid I moved around a lot. There was one family I lived with and the woman Kat, well Katherine but we all called her Kat, she would bring all our blankets out and we would all have movie night and sleep in the living room on Fridays." She shifted and her voice cracked slightly as she continued. "The caseworkers did a random weekend check-in and removed all four of us. Kat was the best place I ever lived though." Serena spoke softly not to wake Trent.
"Why'd they remove you?" Clay sat up on his elbows.
"Foster kids of opposite genders can't share a sleeping space... even if it's once a week for movie night." Serena met his eyes.
"I'm sorry. Kat was right though movies on the floor are better." Clay exhaled slowly. "My grandparents were missionaries, my parents wouldn't or couldn't be parents so I ended up in Africa." Clay smiled sadly.
"People really suck sometimes." She shifted to look at Trent. "But I guess in a way we're both pretty lucky we found a place, a family."
"We are." Clay looked back to the TV. "Like Simba finding Timon and Pumba."
"Does that make Sonny Pumba?" Serena laughed louder than she meant to and Trent groaned putting his arm over his eyes.
"It does!" Clay whispered.
When the movie ended Clay sat up and turned to speak only to realize that Serena was now sleeping curled against Trent's back. Laying back against the pile of pillows he closed his eyes and listened to the music as the credits rolled. Yawning he allowed himself to sleep.
Trent woke suddenly at the sound of keys in the front door. He sat up looking around in confusion before remembering movie night on the floor. He relaxed slightly as he looked to his left at Serena curled against his side and just beyond her Clay sleeping soundly. As the door opened he put his finger to his lips.
Sonny stepped into the living room trying to be quiet and not laugh loudly at the sight of the blanket bed and the three of them laying in the floor. Metal almost ran into his back as they entered and he saw Trent signal for silence while detangling himself from both Serena and the blankets. Trent slowly rose and headed for the kitchen indicating they should follow.
"What's that about?" Metal looked at Trent while pointing over his shoulder to the two sleeping.
"Movie night." Trent poured a cup of coffee from the cold pot and stuck it in the microwave. Wiping sleep from his face he turned toward their confused faces. "It's something she did as a kid, she wanted to do it for Clay."
"Cause he grew up in a hut?" Sonny nodded.
"Basically."
"What did you watch?" Metal dumped the cold coffee and started brewing fresh.
"They watched The Lion King. I napped." Trent sipped stale coffee.
"Good. You needed it, you've looked lile shit for days." Metal smiled.
"Thanks."
"Man's not wrong." Sonny sat at the counter seat. "So you married her."
"Wait what?" Metal turned to Trent. "You're married?"
"Yeah. We got married five days ago right before you got spun up with Alpha. Just a quick trip to the courthouse." Trent added more sugar to his coffee attempting to cut the bitterness.
"Trent that's sort of a big deal... bigger that just a quick trip." Sonny leaned on his elbows.
Trent turned to him. "Sonny, I know it seems fast and stupid and maybe not very rational. I know. But I'm telling you I've never been more sure. My last wedding wad planned for eighteen months... twelve of which I was deployed and the entire day I was popping tums and trying not to vomit. So yeah it's a big deal but it doesn't feel like it. It just feels right."
"All that matters brother." Sonny locked eyes with Trent and nodded.
"Sonny's right. And you know I hate admitting that." Metal smiled. "You guys had movie night? It's early still."
"Yeah, she insisted." Trent dumped the old coffee and reached for the still brewing pot.
"Ko si duro, Mo bẹru." Clay's voice got louder as the words tumbled from his mouth. The three men in the kitchen were immediately moving to the living room where he was yelling the last of the words.
"Hey, Blondie wake up."
"Clay, it's time to get up."
"Spenser. Bravo 6 wake up!"
Serena was now awake and very aware of her proximity to the man who had unintentionally broken her wrist days before. Clay was laying beside her. Moving his head side to side as he mumbled in languages no one else in the room spoke.
"Rena, I want you to slowly move away from him. You're okay just come here." Trent calmed his voice as his heart beat wildly.
"I can't." Serena slowly sat up. "He's holding my shirt." She reached down and covered Clay's hand with her own gently pulling the shirt away as he mumbled.
As she moved back Sonny stepped forward. "Hey Little Buddy. Rise and Shine."
"You good?" Trent looked at her.
"Uh yeah I think so." Serena wrapped her arms around herself.
Trent nodded as he moved toward Clay. Kneeling by Clay's feet he reached out and grabbed his ankle shaking it. "Hey wake up!"
"Hmm why?" Clay's voice was gravel filled as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Nightmare." Trent moved to his waist and grabbed his wrist taking his pulse.
"Trent, I'm good." As he tried to pull away Trent swatted at his hand. "Ouch. I'm good."
"Just let him, Blondezilla."
"Yeah okay. Hey Metal. Been a minute. How you been?" Clay looked for distraction as Trent took his pulse and checked his shoulder wound before grabbing the thermometer.
"Good. I see I can't leave the lot of you even in Germany you guys find or cause trouble. But it's been dealt with." Mental glanced to Serena.
"Alright you're good." Trent stood satified and walked back to Serena. "Coffee?"
"No I think I might sleep a bit more before everyone gets here for dinner. I assume everyone is coming?" Serena walked toward the bed on the floor.
"Ray isn't. The science fair is tonight. But yeah the other's are coming." Trent moved into the room. "Why don't we put our bed back together. You'd be more comfortable there."
"I'm good out here." Serena turned to see the look from Trent that said he wasn't okay with her continuing to nap in the living room. "But maybe you are right."
Trent watched her as she grabbed a pillow and blanket and walked into the bedroom shutting the door behind herself. Clay was now sitting up watching the exchange. Rising to sit on the couch he sank into the cushions. "You don't feel safe with her near me?" He stared at his hands.
"What? No, I just thought she'd be more comfortable in a bed." Trent sat beside him doing his best to continue a lie she had created. "She's still healing too."
"Yeah." Clay looked up. "You know you're a terrible liar right?"
"She's been through hell." Trent placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's not about you, Clay."
"Did I break her wrist?" Clay continued to stare at Trent.
"She told me she tripped getting my med bag from under the bed. She landed with her wrist between the bed and the nightstand." Trent shifted slightly watching to see if he was believed although he had not actually lied as that was what Serena had initially told him.
"Okay." Clay nodded. "Was I talking in my sleep?"
"Yeah but not in English." Sonny sat down in the recliner.
"I'll put the blankets back in the guest room if you tell me which go in there." Metal picked up some of the blankets.
"Will you go make sure she's okay? I didn't mean to scare her." Clay turned back to Trent sadly.
"Yeah, brother. I'm sure she's fine though." Trent smiled tightly. "She's pretty tough."
"Check anyway." Clay stared at the opposite wall.
Trent stood and walked to the bedroom door, glancing back to see Sonny nod that he had Clay while Metal rearranged the blankets.