Page 89 of By Rude Strength

LA tossed the back braces in the trash.

“What are you doing?” Cass blinked.

“I was just thinking, we can’t really eat here ’cause of all this shit.” LA threw away the boxes of lidocaine patches next, keeping only one. “I was saving everything thinkin’ maybe I’d need it someday. You know, if I went back to work or something. But since that’s not happening, there’s no reason.”

“Aren’t you throwing away expensive things?” Cass tilted his head. “I’ve heard horror stories about how much medical care costs here.”

“Look, it’s fine.” LA shook his head as he sorted the paperwork into a big pile. “Please. I just need to do this, okay?”

Cass frowned but nodded. “Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

“Can you possibly magic up some sort of file box or something—”

A banker’s box promptly appeared on the table.

“Perfect. Thank you!” LA would sort the papers later, but right now he just wanted to get them off the damn table. He stacked everything into the box and then went through the medications next. He kept only what he was currently taking and chucked the rest.

Cass had finished cooking and was tidying up. “Oh! It looks very nice now.”

“Right? Who knew I had a table under all that shit.” LA sat back with a groan. “Thanks for your help.”

Cass came over with two plates of waffles. “Me? All I did was provide a box.”

“Yeah, but you’ve done a lot more than that.” LA smiled warmly. “You helped me get through what has quite possibly been the absolute shittiest time of my time. You gave me hope. Direction. Whatever.”

“Strength?” Cass winked.

“That too.”

Cass sat down carefully, the chair creaking under his weight. “Do you want to know a secret?”

“What?”

“I didn’t actually give you anything.” Cass smiled. “You had the strength inside of you all along. You just needed to tap back into it and find it yourself. That’s why it’s so important to talk about your feelings, what you’re going through, and recognize that it’s okay to struggle. Everybody does at some point in their life. But it’s how you move forward and work through those struggles that matters.”

“I don’t think I would have been able to move forward without you,” LA said quietly. “I think I would have kept begging for my fucking job back, begging forGavinback, and probably going to that fucking stupid ass wedding. I was so fucking stuck.”

“Sometimes people just need a little nudge.”

“Or a big, furry one.” LA smirked.

Cass reached out to take LA’s hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t think I’ve said it, but I am so very proud of you. For all the progress you’ve made and for all that I know you’re going to do.”

“Yeah?” LA felt his face heat up. “Thanks. Thank you.”

“I’m honored to be a part of your journey, Elly. Thank you for letting me help you. Now!” Cass clapped his hands, syrup and butter appearing on the table between their plates. “I believe we have some waffles to devour.”

“That we do.”

They ate, chatted a bit more, and then Cass tidied up their dishes with a wave of rainbow confetti. LA didn’t even mind when some landed in his hair because it made him think of the rainbow waves in his painting.

The one he still needed to finish.

Shit.

Maybe if he did, they could find a spot for it in the gallery tonight.

Which reminded LA…