A/N - Thank you all for reading. And again, I love hearing your thoughts.
~Lies16 ~
Seth stood outside the door to her room, not wanting to interrupt the heated conversation going on inside, but also not able to walk away.
"I thought you had come to your senses and gotten rid of that loser. You're obviously just, like using him so you won't be alone, right? But God, Summer, the whole hospital is talking about you two. It's disgusting. I thought you were trying to save your reputation after your little fling with the geek."
"Listen up, you stuck-up whore. He's been with me since the accident because he wants to. He's been helping me because we're friends and he cares, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? I didn't have to screw Seth to get his attention, or blow him as a bribe to take me out in public. Ooooooh, THAT hit a nerve, didn't it? And how is Eric? The last time I saw him he looked exhausted. That's SO understandable, though, with his $1000 a week habit, and the ever growing list of cheerleaders that he's banged lately. Her voice lowered, still dripping with venom. "Go ahead, Holly. Tell me again who's with a loser?"
Seth's eyes lowered to the floor, a pleased smile on his face.
"You - you don't - "
"Get out of my room, slut. You give me a headache."
Seth backed up as Holly stormed through the door, red and white striped skirt swishing. He couldn't resist smirking at her.
"So, Summer. Catching up with old friends?"
She glanced up as he entered the room. "Hey! You're back."
He set the suitcase on the rack by the bathroom door. "What did you do to her? She almost melted my clothes off when she blew by me." It was not the best idea to let her know he'd just eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Holly? The twit was running her mouth about things WAY over her bleach- blonde bubblehead. I just gave her a new point of view." She tried to rub the back of her neck, wincing at lifting her arm.
He hesitated a moment. Yesterday he would have been too nervous, but after reading her true feelings in the book it didn't take much to talk himself into helping her.
"Here. Let me." Seth went to her side. "Can you lean up without it hurting?"
She glanced at him, surprised, then moved forward. "It's ok."
"Good." He slid her hair all over one shoulder and gently rubbed her neck. "Your hair's wet."
"Yeah, one of the nurses helped me take a shower. The hot water felt soooo good."
"You know, Summer, I am quite skilled at showering. I learned young and have years of experience. I could have helped you with that, maybe given you some tips. Next time?" He didn't need to see her face to know she was rolling her eyes.
"Cohen?"
"Yes, my pet?"
"Pretend like I just hit you really hard."
"Sure thing. OW! Not so hard! Masseuse abuse is a felony in California! Actually, it should be the masculine "masseur", well, because I'm masculine, but that doesn't rhyme with abuse and consequently isn't nearly as amusing." There was silence. "You're rolling your eyes again, aren't you?"
"So hard they're about to fall out of my head."
"I'll be on the lookout for that, then. Am I hurting you?" He moved down her shoulders, being careful on her damaged side.
"Oh God no. That feels wonderful. I'll be expecting this all the time when I get out of here, you know."
"Not happening. That's when it's my turn. You'll be paying me back by waiting on me hand and foot, feeding me grapes and rubbing my shoulders while I set high scores on the Playstation." He took advantage of the opening in her gown and moved lower, rubbing all along her back.
"MMmmmm. You are so good at that."
His eyes widened in surprise. "I am?"
She laughed at him. "Yes. You are. So what did you bring me? The doctor said I have to go for a walk and I refuse to do it with my ass hanging out in the breeze."
"Such a lady-like phrase, my dear. And a phenomenally enticing mental image. But, moving on, you have your choice of burgundy silk pajamas, or horsy pajamas, which I personally find adorable. What's your preference?"
"Horsies, please."
He went to the suitcase, pulling out the pajamas. Catching sight of the date book, he spoke without looking at her. "Summer, when you get back we need to talk about something important." He held up a pair of panties. "Will these be ok?"
"OhmyGod. Cohen! Put those away!"
He pivoted her direction. "What? I especially liked the light blue ones, but they didn't match your pajamas as well."
"Uh huh. Did you have fun in my nightgown drawer too, Seth?"
He grinned at her. "Now that you mention it? I did, by chance, happen across that drawer, thinking it held your pajamas. A completely innocent mistake, I assure you. Anyway, I'm a little confused about that lavender number, because I'm not sure how those criss-crossy things go, and I think you might need to model it for me. Just for informative purposes of course."
She stared at him.
He nodded. "Right. I should pretend like you hit me. Will a slap across the face work for you?"
She raised a thumb.
"You got it. OW! THAT'S gonna leave a mark." He took the clothing to her. "I'll just be out in the hall while you get dressed."
She sighed heavily. "Actually, just turn around. I might need your help."
Seth spun around, mouthing a "Yes!"
He heard fabric rustling behind him, and his eyes slid all the way to the right, somehow forcing his head to slowly, slowly turn in hopes of getting a glimpse of her over his shoulder. He was almost there when he heard her cuss behind him. Thinking he was caught, his head snapped forward again.
"Dammit! I can't do this! Help me."
He whirled around and went to her, grinning. "I guess it's not just my clothing you have problems with."
"It isn't funny!" She'd managed to get everything else on, but it was too painful to get her arms into the sleeves of her top.
He immediately lost his smile. "Of course not. I'm sorry. It must be very frustrating for you." He tried not to notice the tanned expanse of skin over the hospital gown she was holding against her chest. His eyes traveled over the bruises starting above her right breast and continuing across her shoulder and down the arm to the cast. It was basically one huge purple area. Her other arm was dotted with black and blue spots.
"Stop looking! I'm disgusting!" She turned her head away, embarrassed by her appearance.
Seth picked up her pajama top and slid the sleeve over her bad hand. "Summer." Her eyes cut back to his face warily. Feeling quite secure about it, he bent his head and kissed her injured shoulder. "Stop talking about yourself like that. You are beyond beautiful even with bruises."
The expression in her eyes softened, and they followed him as he pulled the sleeve up. Both arms circled her to get the top across her back, and then he guided her other arm through its sleeve. Glancing up, his eyes caught hers, and she dropped the gown from her chest. Remembering what she'd just said to Holly and using all his will power, he forced himself to continue watching her eyes while he pulled the front of her top together. Sure she was covered, he looked down and began buttoning it up. In the back of his mind he felt like he'd just passed a test of some sort.
"Ok. You're ready. Gentlemen, or ladies in this case, start your engines!" He looked up and she was still watching him with the same tender look in her eyes. "What?"
"Thanks."
"Oh hey, it's nothing. We can't have you running through the halls half naked, can we?" She didn't smile, and his faltered.
"I feel like I should apologize for kissing you earlier, because it must be confusing for you. I'M confused about it, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."
"End of conversation. We need to walk you. Is there a leash in case you get overly excited and jump on a doctor or nurse with your tail wagging?" There would be time later to discuss all this.
"Seth."
"Ok. Apology accepted. I certainly wasn't complaining though, now was I?" He moved quickly to the door. "Come on, girl. Here, girl." He patted his leg to encourage her. "Time for your walk. Come on, you want to go for a walk? Come here, girl."
She glared at him and slowly maneuvered herself off the bed and across the room to him. He offered his arm and she looked with narrowed eyes from it to his face a few times, then finally hooked her hand through his elbow. "I'd really rather be a horse today."
He slapped himself on the forehead. "A horse, of course! We'll just swap the leash for a lead rope. Please refrain from nibbling on potted plants, flowers and toupees, though."
****
They returned to the room an hour later. Taking a walk had turned into a meet and greet, as they'd spent most of the time talking with hospital employees that had stopped them to wish Summer well.
"Wow. It's like we're celebrities or something." Summer had thrived on the attention, and was feeling much more confident. "You're like, a rock star."
He gave a short laugh. "Hardly. You, however, are the Queen of the hospital. Do you have any urges to decree some new laws or have someone beheaded?"
"Not really. I think I just want to sit down."
He helped her back onto the bed. "You feel ok?"
She nodded as a tap sounded on the door.
Dr. Mead came in smiling. "How did the walk go, Summer?"
"Pretty well. Everything is less achy, except my side. It's starting to hurt pretty badly."
"That's because you were rocketing through the halls like a 80 year old, Summer. I TOLD you to slow down." Seth shook his head in mock exasperation.
Summer mouthed a sarcastic "Ha" at him, while Dr. Mead hid a smile. "I'd like to take another look, then we'll discuss releasing you."
"Really? I thought you said tomorrow or the next day?"
"I got your last test results back earlier than I expected, and they all look fine. There's been no evidence of internal bleeding or repeats of your shutdown, so I think you're good to go."
Summer looked confused, so Seth jumped in again. "That little thing we like to call 'unconsciousness'."
"Oh. That. Ok then. Examine away." She and the doctor looked at Seth.
"Right. I'll be in the hall. Better yet, I'll take a load of stuff to the truck." He quickly packed up the box again and headed for the parking lot.
****
"That's the last of it. You up for some Twister now?"
"Hilarious, Cohen." She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking up in dismay. "There's no way I can get up to my room!"
"This house is huge, Summer. Aren't there any rooms on this floor?"
"Well, yeah, there's the guest suite, but - "
"But nothing. You're moving in. Lead the way." He picked up her suitcase and his bag and followed her through the maze of halls to the back of the house, where she stopped in front of a set of double doors. He opened them and flipped on the light, letting out a low whistle. "Sweet suite."
The main room was huge and plush, with cozy living room furniture grouped in one area, a bar in another, and the bedroom furnishings separated by an ornate partition. The long exterior wall was glass, affording a spectacular view of the ocean from anywhere in the room. Through the door to the next room was a kitchen and beyond that, another bedroom. Returning to Summer, he saw her holding her side. "Come on, granny, you need to lie down."
"YOU need to cut that out. I'm not going to feel like this forever, and payback is hell, you know."
"Yeah. Ok. Point taken." Putting an arm around her, he helped her to the bed and pulled down the covers while she got in. After getting her bottle of pain medication from the suitcase, he got a glass of water from the bathroom and took them to her. "There's a fireplace. Shall we make use of it?"
"I would love a fire."
He took a few minutes to get one going, and then sat on the bed with her. "So listen. I uh - want to talk to you about something and there's really no good time for this. You're probably not going to like it, but I told you I'd be honest with you and talk about things even if it scared me or might upset you. In the card, remember?"
She pulled it out of the pocket of her pajamas and held it up. "You mean this card?"
He smiled. "That's the one."
She nodded slowly. "Go ahead."
Returning to the suitcase, he pulled out her date book. "This was on your vanity when I came to get your clothes earlier. I saw 'Dear Seth', and figured it was ok to read it." He sat next to her on the bed, taking her hand. "I know about your father, Summer." He watched carefully for her reaction, hoping he was doing the right thing. "I know what he did to you when you were a little girl, and how it's affecting you and us right now."
She turned her head to stare into the fire.
"Summer? Talk to me, please?" He sandwiched her hand between both of his.
She pulled it away from him without moving her gaze from the fire. "Go away."
"I won't. I want to be with you."
"Leave. Now."
"No. You're not pushing me away this time. I know why you run hot and cold, and why it took so long for you to admit you liked me now. I'm sorry I didn't realize how hard that was for you and I wish I could do everything over again, but I can't." She still hadn't looked at him. He reached out to her but she drew away again. "Summer, I know you're terrified to let me back in after I hurt you. With what you've been through, I don't blame you at all. But just try to remember how long I've liked you. Since we were ten I've never wanted anyone but you. Anna was - flattering. I thought I was getting nowhere with you, and she liked me right away. That was a previously unknown state of affairs for me. I had no friends until Ryan came, let alone of the female variety, so I was confused. I already told you NOT choosing you was a monumental mistake, and I knew that right after I made the decision. You are the only girl I've wanted to be with for 6 years. The odds are heavily in favor of you being the only girl I want for a very, very long time. I won't say I'll never hurt you or we'll never fight, because that's part of every relationship, but I promise I won't hurt you intentionally and I promise I'll always be honest with you. Haven't I shown you that I care?"
She turned on her side, drew her knees up, and closed her eyes.
"You told me about your father in the middle of the night. I know you don't remember it, but you did. Dr. Mead said it's common for unconscious or medicated people to talk about things they can't while awake. Please talk to me about this. It seems like you want to, since you wrote to me about it, and told me once already. I'll do anything I can to make things better for you, just please trust me."
He got no response, so he stood up.
"All right. I've said everything for now. Please think about it all. Summer?" She seemed to have withdrawn into herself. He sighed heavily. "I need a shower."
When he finished in the bathroom and came out, she appeared to be asleep. "If you're awake, I'm going out to get you dinner and run an errand." He checked his watch. "I WILL be back in a little while."
****
~Lies16 ~
Seth stood outside the door to her room, not wanting to interrupt the heated conversation going on inside, but also not able to walk away.
"I thought you had come to your senses and gotten rid of that loser. You're obviously just, like using him so you won't be alone, right? But God, Summer, the whole hospital is talking about you two. It's disgusting. I thought you were trying to save your reputation after your little fling with the geek."
"Listen up, you stuck-up whore. He's been with me since the accident because he wants to. He's been helping me because we're friends and he cares, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? I didn't have to screw Seth to get his attention, or blow him as a bribe to take me out in public. Ooooooh, THAT hit a nerve, didn't it? And how is Eric? The last time I saw him he looked exhausted. That's SO understandable, though, with his $1000 a week habit, and the ever growing list of cheerleaders that he's banged lately. Her voice lowered, still dripping with venom. "Go ahead, Holly. Tell me again who's with a loser?"
Seth's eyes lowered to the floor, a pleased smile on his face.
"You - you don't - "
"Get out of my room, slut. You give me a headache."
Seth backed up as Holly stormed through the door, red and white striped skirt swishing. He couldn't resist smirking at her.
"So, Summer. Catching up with old friends?"
She glanced up as he entered the room. "Hey! You're back."
He set the suitcase on the rack by the bathroom door. "What did you do to her? She almost melted my clothes off when she blew by me." It was not the best idea to let her know he'd just eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Holly? The twit was running her mouth about things WAY over her bleach- blonde bubblehead. I just gave her a new point of view." She tried to rub the back of her neck, wincing at lifting her arm.
He hesitated a moment. Yesterday he would have been too nervous, but after reading her true feelings in the book it didn't take much to talk himself into helping her.
"Here. Let me." Seth went to her side. "Can you lean up without it hurting?"
She glanced at him, surprised, then moved forward. "It's ok."
"Good." He slid her hair all over one shoulder and gently rubbed her neck. "Your hair's wet."
"Yeah, one of the nurses helped me take a shower. The hot water felt soooo good."
"You know, Summer, I am quite skilled at showering. I learned young and have years of experience. I could have helped you with that, maybe given you some tips. Next time?" He didn't need to see her face to know she was rolling her eyes.
"Cohen?"
"Yes, my pet?"
"Pretend like I just hit you really hard."
"Sure thing. OW! Not so hard! Masseuse abuse is a felony in California! Actually, it should be the masculine "masseur", well, because I'm masculine, but that doesn't rhyme with abuse and consequently isn't nearly as amusing." There was silence. "You're rolling your eyes again, aren't you?"
"So hard they're about to fall out of my head."
"I'll be on the lookout for that, then. Am I hurting you?" He moved down her shoulders, being careful on her damaged side.
"Oh God no. That feels wonderful. I'll be expecting this all the time when I get out of here, you know."
"Not happening. That's when it's my turn. You'll be paying me back by waiting on me hand and foot, feeding me grapes and rubbing my shoulders while I set high scores on the Playstation." He took advantage of the opening in her gown and moved lower, rubbing all along her back.
"MMmmmm. You are so good at that."
His eyes widened in surprise. "I am?"
She laughed at him. "Yes. You are. So what did you bring me? The doctor said I have to go for a walk and I refuse to do it with my ass hanging out in the breeze."
"Such a lady-like phrase, my dear. And a phenomenally enticing mental image. But, moving on, you have your choice of burgundy silk pajamas, or horsy pajamas, which I personally find adorable. What's your preference?"
"Horsies, please."
He went to the suitcase, pulling out the pajamas. Catching sight of the date book, he spoke without looking at her. "Summer, when you get back we need to talk about something important." He held up a pair of panties. "Will these be ok?"
"OhmyGod. Cohen! Put those away!"
He pivoted her direction. "What? I especially liked the light blue ones, but they didn't match your pajamas as well."
"Uh huh. Did you have fun in my nightgown drawer too, Seth?"
He grinned at her. "Now that you mention it? I did, by chance, happen across that drawer, thinking it held your pajamas. A completely innocent mistake, I assure you. Anyway, I'm a little confused about that lavender number, because I'm not sure how those criss-crossy things go, and I think you might need to model it for me. Just for informative purposes of course."
She stared at him.
He nodded. "Right. I should pretend like you hit me. Will a slap across the face work for you?"
She raised a thumb.
"You got it. OW! THAT'S gonna leave a mark." He took the clothing to her. "I'll just be out in the hall while you get dressed."
She sighed heavily. "Actually, just turn around. I might need your help."
Seth spun around, mouthing a "Yes!"
He heard fabric rustling behind him, and his eyes slid all the way to the right, somehow forcing his head to slowly, slowly turn in hopes of getting a glimpse of her over his shoulder. He was almost there when he heard her cuss behind him. Thinking he was caught, his head snapped forward again.
"Dammit! I can't do this! Help me."
He whirled around and went to her, grinning. "I guess it's not just my clothing you have problems with."
"It isn't funny!" She'd managed to get everything else on, but it was too painful to get her arms into the sleeves of her top.
He immediately lost his smile. "Of course not. I'm sorry. It must be very frustrating for you." He tried not to notice the tanned expanse of skin over the hospital gown she was holding against her chest. His eyes traveled over the bruises starting above her right breast and continuing across her shoulder and down the arm to the cast. It was basically one huge purple area. Her other arm was dotted with black and blue spots.
"Stop looking! I'm disgusting!" She turned her head away, embarrassed by her appearance.
Seth picked up her pajama top and slid the sleeve over her bad hand. "Summer." Her eyes cut back to his face warily. Feeling quite secure about it, he bent his head and kissed her injured shoulder. "Stop talking about yourself like that. You are beyond beautiful even with bruises."
The expression in her eyes softened, and they followed him as he pulled the sleeve up. Both arms circled her to get the top across her back, and then he guided her other arm through its sleeve. Glancing up, his eyes caught hers, and she dropped the gown from her chest. Remembering what she'd just said to Holly and using all his will power, he forced himself to continue watching her eyes while he pulled the front of her top together. Sure she was covered, he looked down and began buttoning it up. In the back of his mind he felt like he'd just passed a test of some sort.
"Ok. You're ready. Gentlemen, or ladies in this case, start your engines!" He looked up and she was still watching him with the same tender look in her eyes. "What?"
"Thanks."
"Oh hey, it's nothing. We can't have you running through the halls half naked, can we?" She didn't smile, and his faltered.
"I feel like I should apologize for kissing you earlier, because it must be confusing for you. I'M confused about it, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."
"End of conversation. We need to walk you. Is there a leash in case you get overly excited and jump on a doctor or nurse with your tail wagging?" There would be time later to discuss all this.
"Seth."
"Ok. Apology accepted. I certainly wasn't complaining though, now was I?" He moved quickly to the door. "Come on, girl. Here, girl." He patted his leg to encourage her. "Time for your walk. Come on, you want to go for a walk? Come here, girl."
She glared at him and slowly maneuvered herself off the bed and across the room to him. He offered his arm and she looked with narrowed eyes from it to his face a few times, then finally hooked her hand through his elbow. "I'd really rather be a horse today."
He slapped himself on the forehead. "A horse, of course! We'll just swap the leash for a lead rope. Please refrain from nibbling on potted plants, flowers and toupees, though."
****
They returned to the room an hour later. Taking a walk had turned into a meet and greet, as they'd spent most of the time talking with hospital employees that had stopped them to wish Summer well.
"Wow. It's like we're celebrities or something." Summer had thrived on the attention, and was feeling much more confident. "You're like, a rock star."
He gave a short laugh. "Hardly. You, however, are the Queen of the hospital. Do you have any urges to decree some new laws or have someone beheaded?"
"Not really. I think I just want to sit down."
He helped her back onto the bed. "You feel ok?"
She nodded as a tap sounded on the door.
Dr. Mead came in smiling. "How did the walk go, Summer?"
"Pretty well. Everything is less achy, except my side. It's starting to hurt pretty badly."
"That's because you were rocketing through the halls like a 80 year old, Summer. I TOLD you to slow down." Seth shook his head in mock exasperation.
Summer mouthed a sarcastic "Ha" at him, while Dr. Mead hid a smile. "I'd like to take another look, then we'll discuss releasing you."
"Really? I thought you said tomorrow or the next day?"
"I got your last test results back earlier than I expected, and they all look fine. There's been no evidence of internal bleeding or repeats of your shutdown, so I think you're good to go."
Summer looked confused, so Seth jumped in again. "That little thing we like to call 'unconsciousness'."
"Oh. That. Ok then. Examine away." She and the doctor looked at Seth.
"Right. I'll be in the hall. Better yet, I'll take a load of stuff to the truck." He quickly packed up the box again and headed for the parking lot.
****
"That's the last of it. You up for some Twister now?"
"Hilarious, Cohen." She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking up in dismay. "There's no way I can get up to my room!"
"This house is huge, Summer. Aren't there any rooms on this floor?"
"Well, yeah, there's the guest suite, but - "
"But nothing. You're moving in. Lead the way." He picked up her suitcase and his bag and followed her through the maze of halls to the back of the house, where she stopped in front of a set of double doors. He opened them and flipped on the light, letting out a low whistle. "Sweet suite."
The main room was huge and plush, with cozy living room furniture grouped in one area, a bar in another, and the bedroom furnishings separated by an ornate partition. The long exterior wall was glass, affording a spectacular view of the ocean from anywhere in the room. Through the door to the next room was a kitchen and beyond that, another bedroom. Returning to Summer, he saw her holding her side. "Come on, granny, you need to lie down."
"YOU need to cut that out. I'm not going to feel like this forever, and payback is hell, you know."
"Yeah. Ok. Point taken." Putting an arm around her, he helped her to the bed and pulled down the covers while she got in. After getting her bottle of pain medication from the suitcase, he got a glass of water from the bathroom and took them to her. "There's a fireplace. Shall we make use of it?"
"I would love a fire."
He took a few minutes to get one going, and then sat on the bed with her. "So listen. I uh - want to talk to you about something and there's really no good time for this. You're probably not going to like it, but I told you I'd be honest with you and talk about things even if it scared me or might upset you. In the card, remember?"
She pulled it out of the pocket of her pajamas and held it up. "You mean this card?"
He smiled. "That's the one."
She nodded slowly. "Go ahead."
Returning to the suitcase, he pulled out her date book. "This was on your vanity when I came to get your clothes earlier. I saw 'Dear Seth', and figured it was ok to read it." He sat next to her on the bed, taking her hand. "I know about your father, Summer." He watched carefully for her reaction, hoping he was doing the right thing. "I know what he did to you when you were a little girl, and how it's affecting you and us right now."
She turned her head to stare into the fire.
"Summer? Talk to me, please?" He sandwiched her hand between both of his.
She pulled it away from him without moving her gaze from the fire. "Go away."
"I won't. I want to be with you."
"Leave. Now."
"No. You're not pushing me away this time. I know why you run hot and cold, and why it took so long for you to admit you liked me now. I'm sorry I didn't realize how hard that was for you and I wish I could do everything over again, but I can't." She still hadn't looked at him. He reached out to her but she drew away again. "Summer, I know you're terrified to let me back in after I hurt you. With what you've been through, I don't blame you at all. But just try to remember how long I've liked you. Since we were ten I've never wanted anyone but you. Anna was - flattering. I thought I was getting nowhere with you, and she liked me right away. That was a previously unknown state of affairs for me. I had no friends until Ryan came, let alone of the female variety, so I was confused. I already told you NOT choosing you was a monumental mistake, and I knew that right after I made the decision. You are the only girl I've wanted to be with for 6 years. The odds are heavily in favor of you being the only girl I want for a very, very long time. I won't say I'll never hurt you or we'll never fight, because that's part of every relationship, but I promise I won't hurt you intentionally and I promise I'll always be honest with you. Haven't I shown you that I care?"
She turned on her side, drew her knees up, and closed her eyes.
"You told me about your father in the middle of the night. I know you don't remember it, but you did. Dr. Mead said it's common for unconscious or medicated people to talk about things they can't while awake. Please talk to me about this. It seems like you want to, since you wrote to me about it, and told me once already. I'll do anything I can to make things better for you, just please trust me."
He got no response, so he stood up.
"All right. I've said everything for now. Please think about it all. Summer?" She seemed to have withdrawn into herself. He sighed heavily. "I need a shower."
When he finished in the bathroom and came out, she appeared to be asleep. "If you're awake, I'm going out to get you dinner and run an errand." He checked his watch. "I WILL be back in a little while."
****