Page 50 of Should Our Hearts Catch Fire

Ellis grumbles something, getting a grumble in response, and hangs up. After a quick shower, he falls face first into bed, but manages to shoot off a text to Dawson, wanting to check on him. He has no illusions that Dawson might have gone home to rest, the little hypocrite.

Ellis:How are you doing?

Dawson:Been better.

Dawson:Been worse too.

Ellis:Fair. Seriously, Dawson. Anything you need, just ask.

Dawson:Thank you. Same to you.

He puts the phone on the nightstand and switches off the light. He’s asleep in seconds.

There’s way too much light in his room when he wakes up. A quick glance at the dark phone screen makes it clear he forgot to plug it in last night. Again. Seriously, he’s been such a scatterbrain these past few weeks. He should probably go get himself checked. This isn’t normal.

He should still make it to work on time if he hurries. Except…that means he won’t be able to stop atLost and Ground. But maybe if he—

No.Even if he could make it, he’d have to rush. Just barge in, grab his coffee and go straight to work. There’s no way he’s going to show up and leave in five minutes flat when he needs to talkto Gabriel. When Gabriel is expecting an answer. And there’s no way Ellis will be short with him. There’s also no way he’ll talk to Gabriel about…that with other customers around. He’ll have to stop by early, so it’s just the two of them.

Tomorrow. He’ll go tomorrow.

Dawson calls when Ellis is already at work to tell him Cal’s up and kicking. He all but forbids Ellis to come running like a worried parent, and convinces him to stop by after work. Apparently, Cal won’t be released until noon tomorrow.

He makes Amanda shuffle his schedule around so he can leave early, not wanting to risk Cal being asleep by the time he gets there. He texts Dawson once he parks at the hospital, unsurprised that Dawson is still there. Dawson graciously agrees to step outside to give Ellis and Cal some privacy. Hopefully he’ll survive five minutes without being glued to his husband’s side.

“How are you feeling?” Ellis asks as he drops ungracefully into the chair at his bedside. It’s just as uncomfortable as it looks.

Cal sets aside the e-reader in his hands. He’s probably reading another vampire novel. “Good, all things considered.” He fidgets, his eyes meeting Ellis’ with some difficulty. “You didn’t have to come. They’re releasing me tomorrow.”

Ellis scoffs, even though Cal has a point. “Happy to see me, are you?”

“Iamhappy to see you,” Cal says with such honesty it takes Ellis aback. “But I know you’re busy.”

Yeah, but when is he not? “I can make time for my brother.” The last thing he wants is to turn into their dad.

Cal winces and drops his gaze to his lap, a muscle in his cheek jumping.

Ellis tenses, looking around for the call button in case Cal is having another episode. The machines keeping tabs on his blood pressure and heart rate don’t register anything strange, but maybe there’s some delay. What does he know? He’s not a doctor.

“Are you okay?”

Cal nods stiffly. “Yeah.” He licks his lips and looks up. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Everything. All you’ve done for me and Dawson.”

It’s Ellis’ turn to avert his eyes. He shrugs. “You’d do the same for me.” He’s not quite sure that’s true. At least not when it came to the old Cal, before he lost his memories and turned into this…clueless, earnest guy stupidly in love with his husband and eager to nurture their brotherly bond. Ellis is still getting used to this new Cal, to having a brother who doesn’t despise him and blames him for everything that’s gone wrong in his life.

Sometimes, he misses the old Cal, as fucked up as it sounds. Heknewthe old Cal, knew where either of them stood and what they were to each other. Sometimes he just misses the familiarity. He doesn’t know how to act around this new Cal, doesn’t know the rules. And he sure as hell doesn’t know how toact when Cal is being all nice and sweet, something Ellis would never have associated with his brother before. But…he likes him. A lot. More than anything, he likes the idea of having a real relationship with him, of having family. One that doesn’t think of him as a mistake, a failure.

“So.” He clears his throat, his voice thick with emotion. “I know the doctors said the heart attack was due to your surgery, but you should definitely watch your diet. You need to keep your cholesterol low.”

Cal frowns, pursing his lips. “Dawson cooks for me.”

Ellis rolls his eyes. “Don’t blame this on your husband. Maybe cut down on the donuts too.”

“Dawson said the donuts aren’t to blame,” Cal says like a petulant child. Seriously, who is this guy?