My sincerest apologies for taking so long to post this new chapter. Life has been extremely busy,
then Mother Nature decided to bless us with something called a 'derecho', which is a fancy name for a wind storm.
My power was out for 24 hours, my internet and TV for four days. Some of the local communities here are still
without power a week later. Hundreds of trees was destroyed. Welcome of climate change!
It was well after noon before either of them stirred, and it was Steve who woke first. He hadn't really drifted off until after he saw the first rays of morning light begin to sneak around the edges of Jeannie's curtains.
It had been a very long night. He couldn't stop the thoughts that kept swirling angrily through his overwrought brain, especially the guilt. Throughout this never-ending nightmare, it was the guilt that was wearing him down the most, and no matter how many times everyone told him it was misplaced, he just couldn't wrap his head around that simple fact.
It was his worry for his partner that eventually got him out of bed. When he didn't hear Mike moving about, concern brought him to his feet and he slipped quietly out of the room and down the hall. The master bedroom door was closed and he stood there for several seconds, not hearing a sound. Quietly he turned the knob and opened the door.
The room was still very dark but he could make out the form of the older man on the bed. He stared for a bit, satisfied that Mike was indeed just asleep, and started to close the door.
"I'm awake."
Steve froze for a moment then snorted a soft laugh as he pushed the door open again and crossed to the bed. In the dim sunlight that was working its way up from the living room to the second floor hallway, he could see that Mike's eyes were open and he was smiling. "How are you feeling?"
The older man rolled his eyes theatrically, continuing to smile. "I'm sore." Under the blanket, he raised his left hand and slid it across his chest over his right ribs. "I think I might just spend the day here, if that's okay…?"
Steve's brow furrowed. "Ah, yeah, of course…" He took a beat. "You sure you're okay?"
Mike grinned and nodded, keeping his head on the pillow. "Oh yeah… just don't want to press my luck. Better safe than sorry, right? I'll be up and around tomorrow," he chuckled reassuringly.
Still frowning, Steve nodded slightly, obviously unconvinced. "Okay…. Well, how about I go down and make us some coffee and breakfast and I'll bring it up when it's ready."
"Yeah, I'd like that." As the younger man turned away, he asked, "How did you sleep?"
Steve looked back, shrugging after a telling pause. "Not bad… I got a few hours."
They stared at each other for a long beat, then Mike nodded with a soft, understanding smile. "Good," he said softly. He stopped at the door and looked back again. "Lights on or off?" He gestured towards the switch with his chin.
"Off… for now, thanks."
As Steve disappeared out the door, leaving it open, Mike looked up at the dark ceiling, closed his eyes and sighed in frustration. Last night had been a setback he hadn't anticipated. Despite the fact that he had re-injured his already broken ribs and a small window in the back door had been broken, he seemed to have gotten off lightly. As far as he could tell for the time being, nothing in the house had been stolen or even disturbed. So who were they and what were they looking for?
He carefully took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew Robbery was looking into it, but he also knew that simple fact wouldn't stop his partner from taking on this additional burden of guilt. He wished he was physically able to do more, to at least leave the bedroom and spend some time with his troubled young friend. But he was also very aware that if he pushed himself too soon, chances are he would suffer an even bigger setback that would mean an even longer recovery.
With a low, frustrated growl, he tried to will himself back to sleep.
# # # # #
Steve shuffled into the kitchen, snapping on the overhead light. In the middle of the day there was usually enough sunlight to illuminate the room without artificial assistance but the cardboard taped over the broken window in the back door prevented that from happening today.
He stood just inside the doorway and looked around. His face suddenly crumbled and he bit his lips to stifle a sob as he brought his right hand to his mouth.
What was he doing to his partner, he asked himself. 'Why does Mike have to suffer because someone has the need to see my life destroyed?' His knees going weak, he reached for the back of a nearby chair and sunk into it heavily. He rested his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his hands.
# # # # #
He opened his eyes. The curtains were still closed but the strong afternoon sun was winning the battle and the room was much brighter than he remembered it being; it was obvious he had drifted off. He turned his head to look at the clock/radio on the bedside table. 3:12 it read, and his eyebrows shot up. It was a lot later than he thought.
His eyes travelled to the open door and he frowned. Steve had said he was going down to the kitchen to fix breakfast. He should've reappeared by now, Mike thought, at least with the coffee. He sniffed the air; nothing.
His brow furrowing even more, he slowly pushed the sheet away and carefully sat up, wincing at the effort. He gingerly pushed himself to his feet, grabbing the dressing gown laying at the foot of the bed and carrying it with him to the bathroom, knowing he had to see to this bodily need before he could make his way downstairs.
He was tying the robe belt when he stepped silently into the kitchen doorway and froze. Steve was sitting motionless at the kitchen table, his hands clasped in his lap, staring at nothing. He looked like he was in a trace.
Mike closed his eyes and sighed softly and sadly then took the couple of steps across the linoleum to the table, no longer masking his approach. He wasn't sure if Steve was aware of his presence or not, but he didn't want to startle the younger man.
He stood behind the chair for a long beat before he gently dropped his right hand onto his partner's shoulder and squeezed. Steve didn't move for a long second then he raised his head slightly, acknowledging the older man's presence.
They stood that way for a very long beat before Mike tightened his fingers again and said lightly, "I was getting a little hungry…"
Steve almost snapped to attention. "Oh, geez… geez, I'm sorry…" He started to get up but Mike pushed him back down.
"I'm joking, I'm joking," the older man chuckled affectionately as he continued to put pressure on the other man's shoulder, both to keep him seated and to offer comfort. It worked; he felt the tension ease ever so slightly as Steve allowed himself to be gently restrained.
With a loving pat, Mike removed his hand and circled to the other chair, trying not to wince as he sat. Their eyes met and they stared at each other in companionable silence for several very long seconds before the older man said softly, "If you crack, she wins… you know that, right?"
Steve closed his eyes and nodded slowly. He dragged a deep breath into his lungs and let it out heavily. "I know…"
"And you're not alone… I want to make sure you know that as well."
Steve opened his eyes and a soft, grateful smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "I do…"
Mike smiled back affectionately. "Good." He pretended to look exaggeratedly around the room. "So, ah… any chance I could get some breakfast… or at least a cup of coffee?"
With a warm snort, his smile getting a little bigger, Steve shook his head in feigned annoyance as he got to his feet. "Yeah yeah yeah…" he whined as he crossed to the counter and picked up the percolator.
"What can I do to help?"
"I thought you said you wanted to spend the day in bed?"
"Well, now that I'm up, I might as well make myself useful."
"Well, I would prefer it if you would just sit there and let me do all the work." He turned on the tap to fill the percolator then looked over his shoulder, pinning the older man with a no-nonsense stare.
Mike opened his mouth to rebut then thought better of it. He snapped his jaw shut and smiled beatifically.
# # # # #
Mike came down the stairs slowly, smiling when he got to the bottom step. Steve was sitting on the sofa, leaning over Jeannie's small tape recorder on the coffee table. He was wearing headphones and a frown.
As Mike watched, he lifted his right hand, punched a couple of buttons on the recorder, waited for the tape to rewind, then punched another button. He froze once again, listening.
Smiling, Mike moved deeper into the living room until he was almost at his partner's elbow. He waited. When Steve punched the first two buttons again and the tape began to rewind, he tapped the younger man on the shoulder. Steve jumped, pulling the headset off as he spun on the couch, his expression softening when he recognized the interloper.
Chuckling, Mike pointed at the recorder. "You're gonna wear that thing out."
Steve tossed the headset onto the coffee table and sat back, running his hands over his face and through his hair. "I got a call from Pollard. We're going back to Spear tonight to finish off the recreation. He said to get some sleep today 'cause Charlie's going to pick me up around two."
Mike had made his way to the recliner and lowered himself into it slowly and carefully. He gestured towards the recorder with his chin. "Don't you have that memorized by now?"
Steve snorted. "Oh yeah… We're starting with the 'jogger phone call' tonight so I wanted to go over it again to make sure I have her voice burned into my mind before I hear Charlie try his best impersonation."
The older man nodded, pursing his lips.
Steve's brow furrowed. "I see you got yourself dressed. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, that day in bed yesterday really seemed to help. Listen, ah, I'm in the mood for a pizza today… how about you? My treat."
"You mean I don't have to cook for a change?"
"I mean exactly that. And I promise I won't tell Jeannie when I call her. Is it a deal?"
Chuckling, Steve nodded. "It's a deal."
"Ah listen, would you mind getting me a ginger ale?" the older man asked, indicating the leisure chair he had just gotten himself into.
"Sure." Steve got to his feet and disappeared into the kitchen.
Mike looked at the tape recorder and frowned, his smile disappearing. He heard the fridge door open and close, then a cupboard door. Suddenly he heard a yelp then a bang and the sound of breaking glass.
"God damn it!"
Getting up as quickly and painlessly as he could, Mike crossed to the kitchen door. Steve was staring at the remnants of a shattered glass on the linoleum floor and he looked up guiltily. "Sorry about that… it slipped."
"That's okay."
"It was one of those nice tall beer glasses you like. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, don't worry. I have three of them - well, two of them now," Mike reassured with a chuckle. "Let's get the broom -"
"That's it!" Steve almost shouted, his face registering his shock as he stared into the middle distance. "Oh my god, that's it!"
Mike frowned. "What's it?"
Steve focused on his partner, his eyes suddenly bright and alive. "That's it." He smiled in awe. "You kept saying she must've made a mistake and you were right. She did." He chuckled soundlessly. "Now we just have to hope it's enough to prove I'm innocent."
