Page 31 of Sean's Sunshine

“High,” Sean whispered through the mask. He glared at Billy. “Unappreciated.”

The stricken look on Billy’s face told him the word had hit home. “You want me to appreciate you?” Billy retorted. “Don’t get sick!”

“It’s not his fault,” Lance said gently. “Infections happen, especially with changes in weather. It went from hot to brisk, and there’s a few forest fires nearby. The air quality has been sort of shitty. Now you say this came on suddenly?”

“Went to sleep fine,” Sean wheezed.

“He was fine when he went to sleep,” Billy said.

“Woke up like this.”

“He wasblue. That fucker wasblue. There I was, listening for him to get up, making sure he didn’t end up on the carpet like the first time he tried to take a whizz by himself, and he can barely fucking call my name. I’m so pissed. How could he beblue?”

“He’s… doing wonders… for my pride,” Sean wheezed, but he was smiling as he said it. It wasn’t that he was excited about being in the hospital again, but boy, this sure did beat the last time, when Jesse had been having that quiet, angst-filled, one-sided conversation with him about how he couldn’t be in a position to be outed, not now. Instead, here was Billy, pacing like a caged tiger and, well, worried sick.

“He’s freaking out is what he’s doing,” Henry said dryly. “Billy, shut up and let Lance doctor.”

Billy stopped short to glare at him, and Lance took his opportunity to ask more questions.

“You haven’t been overdoing it, have you?” He glanced from Sean to Billy and back again. “Just walks through the park, right? No running, no weightlifting—”

Sean looked away from those perceptive eyes, remembering what he’d talked Randy into the day before.

“Wait a minute,” Henry said, suddenly all suspicion. “Randy said he helped you do some bicep curls yesterday, and some chest presses. He was really excited about the Bowflex in your spare room.”

Sean gave a weak smile. “Wanted to see… if I still could,” he managed.

Billy’s eyes bugged out. “See! Iknewit was his fault!”

Henry had to drag a flailing Billy out of the hospital room by his collar so Lance could finish.

“Wow,” Lance said, after making a notation on his tablet. “I roomed with that guy for over a year. I never saw him that worked up.”

Sean didn’t have the wind to answer, but he must have looked puzzled enough for Lance to go on.

“Irritated, defensive, sarcastic, and bitter, but not worked up.”

“He’s worried… about… Cotton,” Sean breathed.

“He worries about everybody,” Lance said astutely. “But he tries really hard not to show it. It’s like he’s been actively fighting not to be a mommy this whole time and boom! You come along and release that shit on everybody.”

Sean managed a smile. “Lucky me.”

Lance gave him a compassionate look from his beautiful tawny eyes. “Yeah, Detective Kryzynski. Youarelucky. Not everybody can get Billy that upset. What are you going to do with that?”

Breathe in. “Get better…. Solve crime…. Keep him.”

Lance nodded. “Should they rent out his bed at the flophouse?”

Sean closed his eyes. “Will hurt… his….”

“Not until he says so. Gotcha. Now about you. Antibiotics and two night’s stay here, then back home and you start the whole thing again, but this time…?”

“Go… slower.”

“Good idea.” Lance’s eyes softened. “In the workout area—not that other thing. You don’t want him to get away.”

Sean swallowed and wished he had more wind. “I’m just… another… cop….”