Page 12 of Dead Serious Case 4 Professor Prometheus Plume
“Oh my god.” I roll my eyes. “You’re such an idiot.”
I laugh helplessly as he tackles me to the bed. We roll around in the wrapping paper–we’d at least been sensible enough to move the breakfast tray–until Danny wrestles me underneath him and pins me. We’re both breathless from laughing and as I reach up and cup his face, I can’t believe that this man is really all mine. He’s so beautiful. Wrinkle lines are starting to form around his eyes now, which still burn the deepest blue, his skin is flushed from our fun, and he looks so happy. I’ll do anything to keep him looking just this way.
“I’m your idiot though,” he says.
“All mine,” I agree and press a soft, fleeting kiss to his lips. “I love seeing you happy. I was a bit worried, you know.”
“About what?”
I blow out a slow breath. “I was thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have brought up your family yesterday. I’m worried I’ve upset you, brought up things you want to leave buried. When I was in the kitchen earlier, I could tell you’d been stress cleaning.”
“You didn’t.” He shakes his head. “Upset me, that is. In fact, you actually brought up a point that I hadn’t really let myself consider, which is that maybe they don’t know how to reach out because I haven’t either, and I know better than anyone how stubborn my dad can be.” He breaks off and frowns. “I don’t think he has changed his mind, and I’m not that optimistic that things will be any better than when I left, but I suppose I’m just existing in a kind of limbo.”
“You need closure,” I mutter.
“I think maybe I do.” He sighs. “But that’s a problem for another day.”
“Is there anything else bothering you?”
He stares at me, going quiet for a moment. “Tris.”
“Yeah?” I trace the bottom of his lip absently with my finger.
“There was something I wanted to ask y–”
He’s cut off by the sudden blare of my ringtone. I tilt my head and look behind me at the bedside table, fumbling at my phone until Danny reaches over and hands it to me.
“Oh, it’s Sunrise,” I mumble, connecting the call. “Hello?”
“Tristan?” A familiar voice replies.
“Hi, Lois. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, love,” she answers.
“I’m sorry, Danny and I are running a bit behind this morning, but we’ll be heading over to see Dad soon.”
“No rush,” Lois says. “That’s why I’m calling. Your dad’s still in bed, so you needn’t hurry.”
“He’s still in bed?” I frown, pulling the phone from my ear and checking the time. “But it’s nearly twenty past ten. He never sleeps this late, he’s always up at about seven.”
“I know, love, but he’s obviously tired and because it’s unusual from his typical sleeping pattern, we’re going to let him sleep for a little longer.”
“Is he okay?” I ask as my stomach clenches with worry. “Do you need to call the doctor and have him checked over?”
“Not at the moment,” Lois replies with calm reassurance. “Chances are, he’s just fighting off a cold. There’s been a nasty one going around the care home the past few weeks. A few of the residents have come down with it and because a lot of them are elderly and frail, it knocks them a bit. But don’t worry, we’ll keep a close eye on Martin. You just pop down later when you’re ready.”
“Okay,” I murmur. “I’ll see you soon.”
She says goodbye and disconnects the call. Danny climbs off me so I can sit up.
“Is Martin okay?” he asks in concern.
“I’m not sure yet. Lois thinks he might just be coming down with a cold.”
“It is the season for it.” He nods. “And there’s been a lot of visitors in and out of the home because of Christmas. There’s bound to be a lot of germs going about.”
I frown and chew my lip.