“Good.” Leo swung his legs off the bed. “I can’t wait to get out of this gown and into regular, nondrafty clothes.”
Aud handed him the canvas bag with a playful look. For a second Leo thought it would be fun to let Aud help him change, but then he realized it would slow things down, and he wanted to get out of the hospital as fast as possible. He took the bag and headed for the bathroom.
Leo’s side tightened painfully as he pulled the shirt on. He was thankful Aud had thought to grab him a button-up flannel shirt. Getting into a T-shirt without stretching things too much would’ve been very awkward. It felt good to have real clothes on again.
By the time he emerged from the bathroom, a young, handsome, and a bit goofy-looking orderly waited with a wheelchair. Leo’s parents stood near the windowsill. His mother held a plastic bag full of the clothes he’d been wearing when Randal attacked, along with her purse.
Leo slid the new slippers on; they were classy-looking moccasin style that could’ve easily passed as street shoes but much easier to put on. Then he did a quick look around the room to make sure his folks hadn’t missed anything before settling down in the wheelchair. He looked up at the young man pushing it. “Is it appropriate to say ‘home, James’?”
The kid blinked at him, apparently not understanding.
“You can wait until we make it to the car for that,” Aud said. “But I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“Good.” Leo looked at the nurse. “Anything else?”
“I think we’ve got everything. You follow your recovery plan and get to feeling better.” She gestured to the orderly, who turned the wheelchair and headed for the door as the nurse, Leo’s parents, and Aud fell into step.
“I’ll do my best,” Leo replied.
“You make sure he does,” the nurse told someone, but from the wheelchair, Leo couldn’t tell who.
“Don’t worry,” Aud replied. “I will.”
Hearing Aud promise to take care of him made Leo feel great. He wanted to get out of the wheelchair and give him a big hug and a passionate kiss but didn’t want to scandalize anyone who might be in the hall.
The nurse left them at the elevator, and the orderly remained silent all the way to the curb. Aud hurried ahead of them to go get his car. Although Leo’s mother said they could use theirs to get Leo home, Aud insisted.
Less than a minute after they reached the curb, Aud arrived with his Jeep. He got out and dashed around to open the passenger-side door for Leo.
“You have a good day.” The orderly uttered his first words as he turned and scurried back into the hospital with the wheelchair.
Leo paused with his hand on the door of Aud’s Jeep and watched the kid go. Then he shook his head and looked at his folks. “You guys remember where my place is, don’t you?” They’d only been to his apartment a couple of times. It was a family custom for everyone to go to their house for the holidays, and since his folks didn’t like driving south through Denver, they hadn’t been to his place often.
“I think we can find it, but if Aud would be so kind as to drive slowly out of the parking lot, it would be better to follow him.” Leo’s father took the plastic bag from his mother and set it in the backseat.
“That’s fine, Howard,” Aud replied. “If I don’t see you behind me at the exit, I’ll wait for you there.”
“Thanks.” His father flashed Aud bright smile. “You’re a good guy, Aud.” He turned to Leo’s mother. “Come on, dear, let’s head to the car before the boys get tired of waiting for us.”
“I’ll see you at the house, Leo,” his mother said, and then she gave Aud a hard look. “You be careful with my boy.”
“I will.”
His parents hurried off through the parking lot as Leo eased himself down into the seat. Aud closed his door and then strolled around the front of the Jeep to get in.
“It feels good to be out of there.” Trying to ignore the pain, Leo started to lean across the console and kiss Aud. But agony whipped up his side and he pulled back.
A horrified look distorted Aud’s handsome face. “What’s wrong?”
Leo clutched his side. “Trying to do too much.” He gasped. “I’ll be fine in a minute. Better not try leaning across the seat to you for a while. I just wanted to kiss you.”
As his face relaxed, Aud leaned toward Leo and kissed him. “There. You don’t need to come to me—I can come to you. I don’t want you in pain.”
“Thanks.” The pain subsided enough that Leo could give Aud a slight smile.
Aud started the car. “So was it my imagination or was the orderly kinda weird?”
“Quiet?” Leo leaned back against the leather seat, thankful the pain was ebbing. “I think so. Maybe we threw him off. He might not be comfortable about gays. You know, we might’ve attacked him in the elevator or something.”
Aud laughed after he glanced in his rearview mirror, then pulled onto the street. “Especially with your parents there. That might’ve been it.”
“Oh well. It doesn’t matter. I’m out of there and heading home. That’s all that’s important at this point.” He leaned over so he could put his head on Aud’s broad shoulder. His stitches complained a bit again, but it wasn’t as bad and he tried to ignore them. “And I’m with you. That really means a lot to me.”
“Me too.” Aud leaned his head against Leo’s. “I’m so thankful I didn’t lose you. It gets upsetting when I stop to think how easily Randal could’ve killed you.”
“But he didn’t. I had Julie and Felix there with me to stop him, and now he’s in custody. That alone makes me feel a lot safer.” Leo didn’t mention that just being with Aud made him feel secure.
“I know, but I still keep expecting him to show up.” Aud stopped for a red light. “It’s strange. With all his stylish clothes and everything, I’m surprised he hasn’t bailed out by now, but according to Benet, he’s not even contacted a bondsman. It’s leading them to think either he doesn’t have anyone to call or he’s more unstable than we realized.”
Leo couldn’t keep the shudder that welled up inside him from escaping. “I hadn’t even thought about him bonding out. Please don’t mention that to Felix. I think standing up to Randal was really good for him. He’s more like the old Felix since I’ve been in the hospital.”
“Okay.” Aud turned onto a busier street. “I’ve noticed he’s started letting people touch him again. You’d said he’d withdrawn. He’s allowing Julie to hug him and hold his hand.”
“That’s good. I did a little research while I was laid up when folks weren’t gathered around. It said sometimes rape victims never fully recover, but if they can begin letting people back in, that’s a really good start. It might take a long time, but I think Felix will recover. At least, I have my hopes.”
“Good. I’ve never known anyone who’s gone through this until now.” Aud sighed heavily. “Hell, I’ve never known anyone who had a stalker or got stabbed in a Walmart parking lot before.”
The way he said it brought a smile to Leo. “I hear you. We’ve all been through a lot of rough firsts the past few weeks, but you know the really important part of it all? We’ve made it through. A little rougher for wear and tear, but we’re all still here.”
As they stopped for another light, Aud turned and kissed Leo. “Yes, we’re all still here. I’ve been afraid you might decide the world around me was a little more than you wanted to deal with.”
“No.” Leo kissed his cheek as they started forward again. “I had time to think about that too.” He took a long deep breath, trying to steady himself to say what he wanted to say. “Aud, you’re the most awesome guy I’ve ever gone out with. You’re sexy—God, you’re so sexy—you’re smart and creative. I think it would take more than just a deranged stalker with a knife in my gut to keep me away from you. I love you.”
Aud put his arm around Leo’s shoulder and hugged him tight. He swallowed hard. “I love you too. You’re cute, quirky, and so different from the superficial guys I’ve dated in the past. You’re down to earth and real.” When they stopped for another light, he kissed Leo.
The kiss sent a wave of heat through Leo. It was hotter than even their kisses during sex.
Somehow, kissing after we both confessed our love is so much more intense than it had been before. I think it’s because he means it. I was never sure before if a guy really meant it when he said he loved me or if he was just saying it to try and make me happy and get what he could out of me. With Aud, it’s real. He’s real. His love is real.
They pulled up beside Leo’s apartment, right behind Julie’s and Felix’s cars. His own car was there, and Leo figured someone had retrieved it from the Walmart parking lot.
Aud got out and dashed around to open Leo’s door, offering him a hand to stand. “I’ll grab the bags too. If your mother catches you carrying anything, she’ll probably come unglued on me.”
Leo laughed as he spotted his folks coming toward them from the front of the house. There weren’t any more parking places along the side. “You’re probably right. They like you, so we don’t want to tarnish your image with them yet.”
“Right.” Aud opened the back door and pulled out the plastic bag and the gym bag. “I guess I should get the gate for you too?”
Leo shot him a sideways glance. “I don’t think you need to do that.”
“I didn’t have any trouble keeping up,” Leo’s father announced as his parents reached the gate the same time Leo and Aud did. “Thank you, Aud, for making that easy for me. But getting over here again, I think I could’ve found it if we’d gotten lost.”
“I still don’t understand why you don’t go for a newer apartment,” Leo’s mother said. “This place almost looks run-down.”
“It has character,” Leo said, stepping onto the porch. “I like its character. Those new apartments all look the same.”
“I’m just saying,” his mother continued.
“I know.” Leo opened the door.
“You’re home!” Julie shouted.
Several other people shouted, “Welcome home, Leo!”
Leo paused in the doorway. For a moment the urge to dash back out onto the porch was strong. Then Aud pushed him across the threshold.
Inside the apartment several banners were strung around that said “Welcome home!” and “Get well soon!” and “We love you, Leo!” A couple of people he and Felix worked with were there, as was Heather.
Turning around, Leo looked at Aud. “Did you know about this?”
“Yeah. I stopped by here and helped string up some of the banners and stuff before I headed for the hospital. I figured the doctor would be slow in getting to you and there’d be time. Everyone’s just happy you survived.” He hugged Leo, but it was a light, careful hug, like he was afraid to hurt him.
“Thanks, folks.” Leo turned back to the people who were standing there staring at him.
Sofi hopped onto the back of the couch and came over to head-butt him in the elbow. He reached down and scratched her head. “Did you miss me, Sofi?”
She purred softly, let him pet her for a minute, then hopped down.
Julie waited until he was done greeting the cat before she came up and hugged him. It was more throwing her arms around him and patting his back. “I’m glad you made it out of there alive.”
“I am too.”
“Hey, Leo, we got you a cake,” Joe, one of the guys from work, called from the table, where a simple sheet cake with purple icing declared “Welcome Home, Leo!”
The cake and everything brought a wide smile to Leo’s face. It was good to know he had friends who cared about him and wanted him to be okay. “Thanks, guys. This is really awesome.”
“So stop talking and get to eating,” Joe complained. “Some of us have been waiting way too long for the cake.”
Marsha, another of his coworkers, punched Joe in the shoulder. “Joe, we’ve only been here a couple of minutes. We had to wait until work was over. So be quiet about the wait.”
Joe looked down at the table. “Hey, he didn’t know how long we’d been here. For all he knew we’ve been here all day waiting on him.”
“And we’d do it all day if it meant we’d know he was safe and sound,” said Marsha.
Joe didn’t reply; he simply sulked a bit.
Heather walked over to Leo. “I just know Aud’s happy you’re home. He’s been going nuts with you in the hospital.”
“I can’t say as I was much better. It feels great to be out of there.”
Aud walked up behind him and hugged his shoulders. “And you’ll get to feeling better much faster here. We’ll all make sure you’re well taken care of.”
“Leo, where are your knives?” His mother called from the kitchen. “I think we’re all ready for cake.”
“Here, Mrs. Caldwell. I’ll find them for you.” Julie rushed out of the living room and returned moments later with a large knife and a pie server.
“Do I need to cut it?” Leo asked. He didn’t really feel hungry for cake at that moment but figured if everyone wanted a piece, he should cut it.
“Up to you,” Aud replied. “It’s your cake.”
Leo accepted the knife and started cutting the cake. A rich french vanilla aroma wafted up from it. After looking around, Leo cut a few extra slices since he knew Joe would want at least two.
Once he had his slice of cake, he headed for his recliner, then stopped.
If I sit there, Aud won’t be able to sit next to me. Well, he could sit on the arm, but it would be awkward.
He glanced at the couch, but Felix was in the middle of it with Sofi stretched across his lap. “Felix, do you mind sliding down a bit?”
Felix looked up at him, then seemed to get the hint. “Oh, sure. No problem.”
Sofi complained and got down.
From then the party settled into small talk, mostly about the weather and happenings at the call center since Leo and Felix hadn’t been around. None of it was really exciting or new, and Leo caught himself drifting off with his head on Aud’s shoulder.
“You know, I think we should all give Leo a chance to get some rest,” his mother said, a little louder than necessary.
Suddenly people were on their way out the door. With quick good-byes, everyone except Aud and Felix fled the party. Julie and his mother promised to check in on him in the morning. He had to swear to Joe and Marsha to e-mail them and let them know when he’d be back to work. Then everyone was gone.
“I should probably go too,” Felix said, standing at the edge of the couch.