Bennett frowns, “Guess I should’ve stuck around.”
“I took care of it.”
He jokes, “But I want to be the hero.”
I smirk, “Next time,” and lock eyes with Will who’s sitting by where Josh was. He’s worried about Joe who’s sobbing his head off, so I give Will a wink that he’ll be okay. Just releasing what he can’t hold anymore. The door opens as I ask, “Where’s Zia?”
In she walks with a cardboard tray of take-out coffees from somewhere better than a hospital. Any hospital. “You’re awake!” She melts at seeing Joe on me. I nod to her that he was really scared, and she returns the nod with compassion in her eyes.
Christina enters the room, shutting the door with her sneaker while balancing another cardboard tray holding three plastic cups of whipped drinks — smoothies maybe? — that I’m guessing are for the boys.
Zia hands her tray to Bennett since he’s closest, and walks closer, struggling between my son and I. His tears are breaking her heart. “How do you feel?”
“Can’t feel anything right now except for love from this little guy.”
Joe starts laughing through his tears, hug tightening around my neck.
Zia smiles, voice gentle, “The doctor said it didn’t hit your femoral artery, so you’re very lucky. They reconnected the smaller veins, and—”
Josh interrupts, “You’re robotic now. She’s hesitating to tell you the world needs you to save it, and this is only the beginning.”
Will smiles, “That’s funny, Dad.”
Elliot looks at Bennett, “Is that possible?”
“Why don’t you put your mind to inventing that for the future. Maybe you’ll create a real life Ironman, Elliot, huh?” Setting the coffee down on a rolling table, he announces, “Nax will remain as normal as the rest of us.”
I chuckle, “Thanks.”
“If anyone’s going to be a hero, it’s me.”
“Yes, you said that.” I smirk, “Not that it’s true. I think that’s my title as of today.”
Josh grins, “Good to have you back.”
I blink at him, “I mean, come on! Will gets a little burn and you completely lose your mind. I get shot and you take it in stride. Don’t you love me?”
Joe rises from my chest, wiping his eyes. Losing the humor I touch his face, letting him feel through my steady gaze that even though I may look weak right now in this stupid hospital gown, nothing has changed. “Zia, would you hand me that tissue box?”
She pulls a few free, “Here.”
“How long was I out?”
“Surgery for four and a half hours. Out for three more.”
“Thanks.” With the tissues I clean my son’s face, struck by how red his eyes are, how wet his pale cheeks. “You were really scared, weren’t you, buddy?” He sniffles and nods. “I’m sorry about that, but there was an evil villain, and I had to protect the damsel. Understand?”
Remembering all of the television shows we’ve watched together with medieval themes and magic, Joe smiles, “Did you have a sword?”
I slide the last tissue down his face with love, and ball it up in my fist. “This is what I do to your fear! I throw it away and tell you, heed not, young Prince, for I am mighty and will always be here for you.”
Bennett chuckles. “How did you hit your head?”
Zia explains with warmth in her eyes, “When he jumped in front of me, he hit it on the doorframe.”
“I was at your apartment,” Bennett frowns. “That’s really high.”
Josh asks, “How high?”
“Ten feet? It was an industrial building back when we were in college. You know the grey one on Varick and Grand?”
Christina raises her voice to ask, “Want your blended frappuccinos now?” passing them out to Will and Elliot.
Since Joe’s feet are frozen like he doesn’t want to do anything but stare at me, I smile, “Go ahead, buddy. You look like you could use some coffee.”
He blinks and grins, “There’s no coffee in them!”
“You sure?”
“You told me not to drink coffee.”
“Bout time you started.”
“Really?”
“NO.”
He laughs, and I lean my tired head back, happy I cheered him up.
Bennett’s still confused. “Nax, were you going for the hoop in a basketball game, or what?”
My gaze flicks to Zia. She has so much emotion in her eyes, I want to pull her to me, tell her I’m alright, kiss her, but now is not the time. “If I’d have jumped right in front of her, the bullet would have hit one of my organs. I needed that thing to land in my leg.”
Everyone goes quiet as they picture it. Had I leapt in front of her without the added height, my body would have been bent in my reach, and the bullet would have gone into my side.
Benny looks impressed. “Careful, you might be giving my kid’s brains a run for their money.”
Elliot pushes his glasses up. “Nax is street smart. I don’t have that, do I, Dad?”
“You’ll learn.”
“Will I?”
Will speaks up. “You are learning, Elliot, with the video games we play!”
Little freckles darken as excitement burns in his cheeks. “Dad, can I take a martial arts class?!”
“Fuck yes you can.”
“Bennett!” Christina cries out.
“Tuck yes.”
“No!” she laughs, “Not our game! I’m shocked you swore like that in front of the boys!”
“Like they’ve never cussed.” She cocks her head and he puffs his chest. “My boy’s gonna be a martial arts master.”
Elliot says in his matter-of-fact way, “Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Everyone laughs and I wave, “How about one of those coffees for a hero, huh?”
Zia crosses to read black ink scrawled on lids. She hands me one with a mischievous smile in her eyes, “This is Bennett’s.”
“Hey!” he cries out.
“Sorry. You’re not the hero today.”
“Hey now!”
Christina turns to touch Bennett’s chest, soon enclosed by his arm as she asks, “Did you tell him?”
Zia loses the smile, eyes locking with mine before I cut a look back to Bennett. “What don’t I know?”
“Uh…”
Josh turns my head by clasping my shoulder. “Nax, Liz is on a flight to New York.”
Zia
Nax’s sky-blue eyes lose their light. “When does she get here?”
Josh slowly answers, “Any
