Sorry for the awkward, rapid start to this chapter. If you remember, it was the second half of what I'd lost, the first half being the previous chapter.
"I promised you," Cabe said, "no case, just your birthday. For the first time ever. Although, I should probably apologize that it is the first time ever."
"Darling, I knew very well what I was getting into when I involved myself in this family," Allie said with a laugh.
"Involved yourself," Cabe chuckled. "You make it sound like we're a crime family."
"You all have done some questionable nonsense."
"We prefer to call it 'heroics'."
"Ask the British, Sir Francis Drake is a hero. Ask the Spanish, and he's a monster."
"El Draque," Happy said, piling crackers onto a plate.
"On the side of the Spanish, huh?"
"Drake was a slave trader. I'm on whatever side he wasn't on."
"What's a slave trader?" Ellie asked.
"A bad person," Happy said.
"Oh. I don't want to be that."
"I have great hopes and dreams for you, Ellie – bean," Happy said. "But I am not hoping you won't be a slave trader, I'm gonna just allow myself the assumption."
"Sounds good to me, boss," Ellie said, taking the plate of crackers from her mother.
"Someone's been around her daddy too much when he's talking to you and Walter," Happy joked to Cabe.
"He is never that agreeable with either of us," Cabe said. "I am confident that is something Toby says to you regularly."
"I cannot say you're wrong," Happy said, appearing quite pleased with herself.
"Speaking of Walter," Allie began.
"Paige texted a few minutes ago," Toby said. "I told her to just let him rest and make sure he drinks plenty of water. This is similar to what happened after his car accident. He works too hard and his brain runs out of power. It's just going to be a thing that happens now, most likely."
"That's so sad," Allie said.
"Walt will make do," Happy said. "He's a smart guy. He's adaptable. He'll figure it out and we'll help him." She glanced outside the kitchen at a delighted squeal from Ellie. "Ah. Sly and Florence are here."
"So are Ralph and Amber," Cabe noted.
"I'm glad she came," Allie said. "Florence. I was worried it'd be hard for her. But it's good to be around loved ones."
"Sometimes the biggest obstacle to overcome is social inertia," Toby said. "It's hard to see people, but once you do, you're glad you did."
"Happy birthday, Allie," Florence said, entering the kitchen with a smile. Toby jumped, even though he knew she was there, because he'd just been talking about her.
"Smooth," Happy said in a low voice.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Allie said, smiling and stepping toward Florence. "Are you up for a hug?" At Florence's smile, the older woman wrapped her up in her arms. "It's so good to see you. And you look beautiful. Did you get your hair cut?"
Paige had told her to say that. But knowing Allie, she'd have paid the compliment anyway.
"Sly did it, actually," Florence said. "I actually think it looks good."
"He did a wonderful job." Allie smiled. "Can I get you anything?"
"Who's birthday is it, anyway?" Florence said with a smile. "You shouldn't be serving us."
"Florence, honey," Allie said with a smile. "My birthday is almost perfect just having you all here. I only wish Walter was feeling better."
Florence shook her head. "I can't imagine it. My brain failing me. I mean, I've felt that. I feel it with everything going on with Tilly. But I know that will end. Eventually. I'm getting better. He won't. He'll be dealing with this forever; it'll come and go and he'll have to adjust to new limitations and over time those limitations will get worse again. And I don't know how I'd handle that. I barely hold it together as is. And mine is temporary. And I have Sly."
"And Walter has Paige," Toby said. "Don't forget that. Walter has Paige."
Walter drank water. Some water. Not as much as Paige would have liked him to drink, but if she was honest with herself, he probably had had enough for now. He put the glass down on the coffee table, groaning quietly and putting a hand on his head. Paige sat down next to him and pulled him into her lap, cradling his head and resting her lips in his hair. "I'm so sorry you hurt," she said.
"Mostly just dizzy," he said. "I just feel bad. Where's Amber?"
"Ralph picked her up to go to the party," she said, "remember?"
"Oh." He was quiet. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she said.
"No," he said quietly.
"No, what?" She asked with a laugh. "It's okay, Walter."
He was quiet again. His eyes didn't close, but they appeared to glaze over, as he stared off into the distance, toward the window, but the drapes were closed. She felt his sigh. Paige stroked his hair, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't, and she bit her lip. "Walt? What's on your mind?"
He remained quiet, but she could see on his face that he was thinking. "I am scared," he said simply, after a long moment.
"Of what?"
"Never mind."
Paige touched his face tenderly. "Of what?" He shifted. "Walter, we're so close. You admitted you're scared. Keep going. Tell me what it is."
"It is hard to find the words to talk about it. I don't…I don't know…" he bit his lip, and then he sighed again. "I am scared of what will happen if my brain deteriorates," he said. "If this all gets worse when I am older. I am scared of what it will mean for our marriage. And for my relationship with the kids. I'm already failing you in that way. And it's just going to get worse. It's just a matter of how much, or how fast. We're already having problems."
Paige thought he'd been talking about the other night. "Our marriage is not our sex life," she said. "I know I get frustrated sometimes. But I love you. I don't care if you can't get it up on cue every time. Actually," she said with a smirk, "it might be a little weird if there was a cue. Like snap my fingers…" she chuckled. "There's far more than one way to skin a cat and I'd rather be with you than anything else. I hope you know that."
"That's not only what I'm worried about," Walter said. "Sometimes men with TBIs wind up deteriorating to a point where they become sexually aggressive. I don't want to lose my mind and mistreat you. And then selfishly…" his voice caught slightly, and Paige felt her heart tighten at the dampness she saw in his eyes. "That story, Flowers For Algernon? That's my worst nightmare. To lose your abilities, to watch it ruin every meaningful relationship you have, and to look at your work and know it's your work but not be able to understand it…" his voice cracked. "But mostly my E.Q. I have tried so hard…" another crack. "I worked so hard for my E.Q. I don't want it to go away."
Paige kissed him. She kissed him because she had to tell him that he was there, that she heard him. But she didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to respond to that.
She didn't know how to reassure him of this.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked, after their kiss ended and the silence hung in the hair for another period of time that could only be described as too long.
"Of course."
"Can you please not refer to our intimate life as skinning a cat? Ever again? I can tell you that imagery is not going to make that specific problem go away."
Paige laughed. Walter grinned. She kissed him again, sliding her arms around him and holding him close. "I will put much more sensual imagery in your head next time we're intimate."
"Well see, now you're just building it up."
She rolled her eyes. "You're feeling better."
"A bit." He grew quiet again. "I'm sorry I ruined Allie's party."
"You did not. I'm sure you did not. She just wants you better. And she knows we aren't secretly working a case."
Her phone buzzed. It was Happy. Your daughter is telling everyone you're trying to solve her kidnapping. Accompanied by three laugh faced emojis.
Paige gave a little laugh.
"What is it?"
"Our daughter is ridiculous."
Next chapter – a big step forward in one of the plotlines!
