Freddy followed Jackie and the girls into Tyler’s room. All of the sudden, the line stopped moving and Freddy bumped hard into Candace.

“Sorry,” he said. She held up a finger and shushed him.

“Why did you shush me?” She did it again. He sighed. The Seguins always gave him a run for his money.

Finally they moved into the room. He saw why he had been shushed. Tyler and Nicki were out cold on the hospital bed, all curled up together. Jackie had stopped to take a million pictures. Then Cassidy. Then Candace. Freddy wasn’t going to take a picture.

“They are just the sweetest thing,” Jackie said, holding a hand up to her chest. “He better marry this girl.”

Poor Tyler. He probably wouldn’t even have a say in who he married. The girls in his family were all so damn pushy, they would pick someone for him.

“Shouldn’t we wake them up?” Freddy asked.

“No!” the girls hissed at him. Even Evaline pinched his arm.

“Jeez, okay.” Freddy needed Tyler to come home. He needed testosterone, pronto.

They were literally watching them sleep.

“You guys are so creepy.”

They didn’t even bother telling him to shut up. They just shook their heads. A few minutes later, Tyler opened his eyes and yawned. Finally.

He looked down at Nicki and smiled. Freddy could make fun of them all he wanted; they really were happy together.

“How’d you sleep, hon?” Jackie asked him in a whisper.

Tyler just nodded.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“Nope. I barely feel anything. They came in a few hours ago and gave me some morphine or something. The back of my neck feels a little sore, but I think that’s just from the surgery.”

“Are you gonna have a big scar?” asked Cassidy.

“I don’t know. It’s not like I can see it anyways.”

“Well I filled out all of the paper work for you, we can bring you home whenever you’re ready,” said Jackie.

“K. Just give me a second to wake her up.”

Freddy watched as Tyler stroked Nicki’s face and spoke quietly to her. He never thought he would see Tyler act that way with anyone – or anything for that matter. She opened her eyes and looked up at him before noticing that everyone else was in the room. She sat up.

“Oh, hey guys,” she said sleepily. Her hair was a mess. Tyler pushed it back out of her face.

“Ready to go home?” he asked her.

“Oh my God! Is it noon already?”

“Almost one, actually,” Jackie said.

Nicki shook her head. She still looked slightly out of it. Freddy didn’t expect anything else from her. She nearly had a full on breakdown the night before. Nicki got off of the bed and stretched. It looked like she had a stiff neck.

Tyler checked his phone and looked up at his family.

“Did you realize that all three of you just posted the same picture on Twitter?”

They laughed. “No, I tried to sneak it so you wouldn’t get mad,” said Cassidy.

“Don’t tell me it was the picture of you two sleeping,” Freddy said.

Tyler nodded. Freddy was glad that there were no girls in his family.

“The what?” Nicki asked.

Tyler showed her his phone. Her cheeks turned red.

“I can take it down if you want,” Cassidy offered.

“No, don’t worry about it. What’s the worst that can happen?” Nicki said. It seemed like nothing ever pissed her off.

“Well I don’t know about you guys but I’m ready to go home,” interrupted Tyler.

Nicki tried to help him out of bed. Before she could get him up, a doctor strolled in.

“Woah, there,” he said. “I’ll help you up in a minute. There are just a few last minute things we need to go over before you go home.” He waited for Tyler to get himself settled. “First of all, you need to wear that neck brace for the next four days, at least. You do not want to displace that vertebra. Secondly, twice a day someone is going to have to change the bandages on your neck so that the cut doesn’t get infected. I put antibiotic cream and a package of bandages into your personal things. I’m going to write you a prescription for pain killers – take them only as needed. If you don’t have pain, don’t take them. You’re going to need to keep your movements to a bare minimum. Going to the bathroom is more or less the only thing that you should be doing by yourself. No showers until the stitches come out. You can take a bath as long as the water doesn’t touch your neck. While you have the neck brace on, you’ll have to sleep propped up like you did last night. You can walk around, but again, I would do as little of it as possible. You might experience some confusion as a result from your concussion, but you seem to be alert this morning, which is a good sign. Got all of that?”

“Uh, yeah I think so.”

“Good. I wrote it all down and placed it with your things in case you forget anything.”

He walked over to Tyler to help him up. Once he was standing and got his balance, the doctor said goodbye and left.

“So, I need someone to help me get dressed…” Tyler said, looking down at his hospital gown.

“Count me out,” Freddy said. He had already seen plenty of Tyler the other night. He didn’t want to see it again. Everyone looked at Nicki. “Awwkwaardd…”

“Shut up, Freddy,” Nicki said, blushing.

She had no problem screwing Tyler in every corner of their apartment but when he needed help getting dressed in front of his family, forget about it.

“We’ll meet you two out in the lobby,” Jackie said, trying to ease Nicki’s embarrassment.

Jackie had gone on and on about her last night. Freddy knew how great she was. He was tired of hearing it. The lack of sleep had made him slightly irritable. He turned and walked out of the room.

** * * * * *

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Tyler said. “I know you don’t know them very well, but my family isn’t exactly uptight about this stuff. They aren’t really uptight about anything.”

Nicki grabbed his bag from the corner and took out his clothes. They were wrinkled from being tossed around. She helped him step into his boxers and pants. She got his socks and shoes on one at a time. It wasn’t easy; he was still off balance from the concussion.

“I hate this,” he said. “I feel so helpless.”

“Look on the bright side. We get to spend my entire break together. I literally can’t leave your side. Even if I want to,” she said taking off the hospital gown. She ran her hands from his chest down his stomach.

“I don’t think I can get your shirt on without hurting you. I’m just gonna put on your jacket and we can zip it up all the way. Looks like you’ll be walking around shirtless for a while.”

Personally, she loved the idea of him not being able to put on a shirt for a week or so. She looked around the room to make sure that they had everything.

“Okay. You ready?”

He nodded and tried to walk, nearly falling on his first step. Nicki ran up to him and got an arm around his waist, trying to steady him. They made their way slowly to the lobby. Freddy glanced up and came over to help her with Tyler.

“I feel like I just stepped off of a boat,” he said, wobbling.

Once they neared the exit, Tyler started to get his balance back. Nicki didn’t let go of him. They stopped in front of Freddy’s car.

“I’ll go pick up your prescription now,” Jackie said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

She and Candace turned to go to their SUV.

“Mom, I want to go with them,” said Cassidy.

“Do you mind, Ty?” his mother asked him.

“Course not. Come on, Cass.”

She climbed into the backseat of Freddy’s car. He looked like he wasn’t all too happy about it. Evaline offered Tyler the passenger seat and Nicki helped him lower himself into the car.

“Careful of your neck,” she said, pulling his seatbelt across his body. She gave him a quick kiss before sitting in the back with Evaline and Cassidy.

The ride took nearly forty five minutes. Every road in Boston was backed up. Nicki could tell Freddy was losing patience. She got the feeling he didn’t sleep much the night before, and wondered if it had something to do with Tyler’s family. Evaline reached forward to rub his arm, trying to make him feel better. Cassidy sat quietly, looking out the window.

They finally got back to the apartment. Nicki went with Tyler to his room to help him change. He ended up in the pajama pants they had got for him in California. She stood for a moment, taking the time to figure out where Tyler should spend the day. If he wasn’t supposed to move much, the couch was the best option. But it might not have the support he needed for his neck.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked him.

“Couch. If I can’t move all day I at least want to watch TV.”

Nicki went into his bedroom and grabbed the pillows off of his bed, tossing them onto the couch.

“Our spot?”

“Yeah,” he answered as he walked towards the couch.

Nicki put one hand on his back and one on his stomach, trying to help him stay straight while he sat. He leaned back, and she placed the pillows behind his back and neck.

“Comfortable?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m good. My mom better get back soon, though. I think the meds are starting to wear off. My neck feels like it’s on fire.”

Nicki frowned. She didn’t want to see him in agony. She rubbed his chest, hoping it might take his mind off of the pain. His breathing slowed and he started to close his eyes. Cassidy walked in, about to ask Nicki a question. She brought a finger up to her mouth. She gave Tyler a kiss on the head and motioned for Cassidy to go into the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Nicki whispered. “He just fell asleep.”

“You’re really nice to him,” she whispered back.

Nicki took a seat at the island. “I care about him a lot.”

Cassidy looked at the ground. “Sorry I said he loved you. He didn’t actually tell me that. I just figured he did.”

Nicki smiled. “Apology accepted.” She paused and looked around the kitchen. “Well, I’m going to make some lunch. Want to help?”

She nodded. Nicki grabbed the giant soup pot from a cabinet underneath the island. Freddy’s mom bought it for the boys when they got the apartment, and they hadn’t used it once. She got all of the ingredients together and placed them neatly on the counter.

“This is called mis en place. It’s a French term. It means to have everything in its place before you start cooking. It helps make sure you don’t forget anything,” she explained to Cassidy.

“How do you know all of this stuff? Aren’t you only nineteen?”

“I had to learn how to cook for myself and my brother because my parents were always working. I’ve been watching the cooking channel since I was like, four.”

Cassidy nodded. “Tyler told us about your mom. I’m real sorry. I can’t imagine not having my mom.”

“Well, thanks. But my mom wasn’t nearly as good as yours is.” She smiled at her. She was so innocent. Nothing had scarred her yet.

“Back to this soup. We’re going to use chicken stock,” she said, showing Cassidy what it looked like. “I’m making chicken noodle, since I’m pretty sure it’s the only soup Tyler and Freddy will eat.”

Jackie walked in the door just as Nicki covered the soup to let everything cook.

“Mmm, are you guys making soup?” she asked.

Cassidy brought a finger up to her mouth and pointed towards the couch. Tyler was still fast asleep. Jackie and Candace came into the kitchen.

“Look mom, Nicki taught me mis en place!”

Jackie laughed at her daughter. “Aren’t you a little young to know all of this?” she asked Nicki.

“I had to grow up faster than I would have liked. I think there are a lot of things I know that most people my age don’t.”

“Tyler mentioned you haven’t had the easiest life,” she said sympathetically. How much did they know about her, exactly?

“Yeah. Well. It’s gotten a lot easier since I met him,” Nicki admitted.

“He’s different with you,” said Candace.

Nicki looked at her. She had no idea what she meant. Before she could ask, she heard a groan from the living room. She rushed over to Tyler. He had woken up. The girls followed her in.

“Hey love,” she said. “Your mom’s back. Do you need the painkillers?”

She brought her hand up to the side of his face. He nodded. Nicki looked at Jackie, who went to the kitchen to get them. She came back a moment later with a glass of water and a small blue pill, handing them over to Nicki. Tyler opened his mouth and she placed the pill on his tongue before holding the glass up to his lips. He sighed.

“Thank you.”

“Why don’t you go back to sleep?” she suggested.

He didn’t speak; he just closed his eyes. Nicki rubbed his chest again, until he started to snore softly. She grabbed a blanket out of the closet and placed it over him. Before getting up, she ran her hand through his hair and kissed his head. She liked taking care of him.

They went back to the kitchen and Nicki checked on the soup. It wouldn’t be much longer before it was ready.

“That’s what I mean,” said Candace. “If any one of us tried to do that for him he would have been so stubborn.”

Cassidy nodded in agreement.

“Why don’t you girls sit down? The soup’s almost ready.” She didn’t know what else to say.

Her phone buzzed on the counter.

Brad 14:38:17: Hows Seggy?

He’s in some pain. We got home from the hospital a couple hours ago. He’s sleeping right now.

“Who’s that?” asked Candace.

“Brad. He wanted to know how Tyler was doing.”

“Oooohhh,” taunted Cassidy.

“What?”

“Candace has a huuggeee crush on Brad. She always asks Tyler for his number but he won’t give it to her.”

Nicki laughed and looked at Candace. “Want me to give it to you?”

Her face lit up. “For real?”

“Of course! Us girls gotta have each other’s backs! Speaking of girls, where is Evy? And Freddy?”

Cassidy smiled. “They’re in his room, totally passed out. Marshall’s in there too.”

Nicki was glad to hear they were getting some rest. Freddy seemed stressed out earlier. She got another text.

Brad 14:42:56: Good. Tell him we’ve already got a plan to castrate Crosby

Lmao will do.

Nicki giggled. Good. She knew she was right to not like him. Tyler should have listened to her. She pulled up Brad’s number and gave it to Candace. She hugged Nicki in return.

“You’re the greatest! God, you are so much better than his last girlfriend.”

“Candace,” scolded Jackie.

“Sorry mom!” She turned back to Nicki. “She sucked so bad. She treated Tyler like crap. And she used to yell at us. Not to mention she was a total slut…”

“Candace!”

“It’s the truth, ma, and you know it.”

Jackie didn’t say anything. Nicki hated the thought of Tyler with someone who didn’t treat him well. She checked the soup. It was ready. She opened up the cabinet that held the bowls and took out four of them.

“Is everyone eating?” she asked. They said yes.

Nicki ladled the soup into the bowls and brought them over to the island one at a time. She passed around spoons before sitting down.

“You must spend a lot of time here,” Jackie said, “You know where everything is.”

She picked up her spoon. “Yeah, I do. Tyler, Freddy and I have a lot of fun together. Freddy is even teaching me how to play the guitar. Tyler doesn’t know. We were going to surprise him with it.”

“That is so cute!” said Candace.

While they ate, Nicki got to know Tyler’s family. Jackie told her all kinds of stories about Tyler when he was little. She wished she had known him then. Nicki sighed.

“You guys have such a beautiful family. You’re so lucky to have each other.”

“I know we are. Maybe you’ll be a part of it one day, too,” Jackie said.

Nicki shrugged. “We’ve only been together a little over a month now.”

“Have you considered it?” she asked.

She trusted them not to say anything to Tyler. “Honestly, if he asked me right now, I’d say yes in a heartbeat.”

“Say yes to what?” Tyler asked as he walked into the kitchen.

Nicki felt her cheeks burn. She got up and put a hand on his back.

“You want some soup? It’s chicken noodle,” she said.

“Sure. I’m friggin’ starving.”

She helped him get up onto the stool.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Hungry.”

Nicki laughed. “I meant your neck.”

“It’s better. I feel kind of out of it though. I don’t know if it’s from the concussion or the painkillers.”

She put a bowl of soup in front of him and handed him a spoon.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Brad wanted me to show you this,” she said, showing him the text message.

“Good,” he chuckled. “I should have listened to you. You were right.”

“About what?” asked Cassidy.

He told them how Nicki had warned him about Sydney Crosby.

“That’s called women’s intuition, Ty. Never ignore it,” Jackie said. She put her spoon down in the empty bowl. “This was delicious, Nicki, thank you.”

Nicki smiled and started to clean up. Everyone besides Tyler had finished. She loaded the bowls into the dishwasher.

“Welcome to my world,” said Tyler. “Everything she cooks is delicious. Freddy and I each put on three pounds because of her.”

“Speaking of cooking, Ty, you still haven’t cooked for me.”

His sisters burst out laughing. “What in the world would make you want him to cook for you?!” asked Candace.

“I won a game of ping pong and that was what he had to do if he lost,” Nicki said.

“I would put it off as long as possible,” said Candace. “He cooked for me when we were younger and I was in the hospital for four days with food poisoning.”

“It’s true,” said Jackie, laughing.

“You’re a bunch of jerks,” said Tyler.

Nicki wrapped her arms around him, being careful of his neck. She moved her hands down his back to give him a massage.

“You have no idea how good that feels,” he said. “My back is so stiff.”

And so sexy, she thought to herself. She couldn’t help it.

“Are you done eating?” she asked him. He nodded.

“Go sit on the couch. I’ll come in after I clean up and give you a real one.” He got up slowly and left.

The girls were staring at her. “What?” she asked.

They smiled, but didn’t say anything. Nicki tidied up the rest of the kitchen and turned off the stovetop. If Freddy and Evaline wanted soup, they’d have to heat it up. There was still more than half of it left. She walked towards the couch to find Tyler already lying on his stomach, waiting for her.

“I have something for you,” she said to him.

Because of the neck brace, he couldn’t look at her. He kept his head down and asked, “What is it?”

Nicki went into his room and got a glass bottle out of her bag.

“Real massage oil,” she said.

“Ooh, I want a massage,” said Candace. Nicki smiled at her. Jackie and Cassidy followed her into the room and sat down on the couch.

“Can I turn on the TV?” asked Cassidy.

“Yeah, just don’t put on anything stupid,” replied Tyler.

Nicki climbed on top of him and rolled up her sleeves. She still hadn’t changed out of his jersey. She let some of the oil drip onto his back. This time, he didn’t complain about it being too cold. She kneaded his back with her fists.

“Can I put on lifetime?”

Tyler moaned. “I don’t care. Put on whatever you want.”

Apparently he had changed his mind. Cassidy giggled.

“Nicki, you look like you really know what you’re doing,” said Jackie.

Tyler moaned again. “She’s soooo gooood.” Nicki wondered if the painkillers were making him a little loopy.

The girls all laughed at him.

“Do I have to stay awake this time?”

“No, you can go to sleep if you want.”

She watched him close his eyes. Minutes later he had fallen asleep. Nicki continued to work on his back. When he woke up, he would feel a lot better.

** * * * *

Tyler woke up to someone shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes.

“Hey honey, we’re heading home soon,” his mom said.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Almost five. We were going to stay another night, but my boss called. I have to go into work tomorrow morning.”

Tyler looked around the room. His sisters were standing behind his mom, waiting to say goodbye. He heard Freddy and Evaline talking in the kitchen.

“Where’s Nicki?”

“She went to take Marshall for a walk. We’re leaving as soon as she comes back,” she said. “Before she comes back, I want to talk to you about something.”

He sighed. “God mom, what don’t you like about her?”

He had gotten this speech plenty of times before. Every girl that she ever met she had some kind of problem with. He was surprised that she felt that way towards Nicki. She was so different from the other girls he knew.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I love her, we all do. How can I not like her? Look at the way she takes care of you. That’s all I want for you, sweetie. I just want to make sure you know how lucky you are to have a girl like that.”

Her response caught him off guard. “Of course I know how lucky I am.”

She brought a hand up to his face. “Good. You know, I would love to call her my daughter-in-law someday.”

“Mom. Nicki’s great, but can we not go there? We’ve barely been together for a month.”

“Fine, we won’t go there. But remember that women’s intuition I told you about earlier? The only thing stronger than that is a mother’s intuition. And I know how you feel about her, Ty. I can see it when you look at her,” she said, smiling.

He nodded. He really didn’t feel like talking to her about it. Nicki bounced into the apartment with Marshall, saving him from any further questioning.

“That’s our cue. Please come home sometime soon honey. We miss you,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Candace and Cassidy came over and hugged him. He missed spending time with them. They said goodbye and Tyler got up to walk them out. He needed to stretch, anyways. Cassidy ran towards Nicki and wrapped her up in a hug.

“Thanks for teaching me mis en place,” she said. “I’m really glad I got to meet you.”

Nicki laughed. “It was my pleasure. Next time I see you we can make something else if you want. I’m glad I got to meet you, too.”

Next Candace hugged her and said something to her that Tyler couldn’t hear, making Nicki laugh again.

“No problem. Just don’t tell him,” she said. Don’t tell who? Him?

Lastly, he watched as his mom embraced her. She whispered something in Nicki’s ear. Frigging girls with their frigging whispering. He was sure it was something about him. Nicki smiled and pulled away, nodding her head.

They said one last goodbye before walking out of the door.

“How are you doing?” Nicki asked him.

“I’m restless. And I really want to take a shower.”

She made a face. “Sorry Ty, doctor’s orders. You can take a bath if you want.”

Tyler grabbed her waist. “Only if you come with me.” She leaned in to kiss him. Since he couldn’t move his head, she had to get all the way up on her tip toes to reach him.

“I’m not allowed to leave your side, remember?”

He liked the sound of that. Nicki grabbed his hand and walked towards his room. Before going in, she stripped out of his jersey and dropped it in front of the door. He hoped this time Freddy would get the message not to come in.

Once the tub was halfway full, Nicki helped him in. She wouldn’t fill it up all the way because she was worried that the water would splash on his neck. Tyler got comfortable and she slipped into the water. She rested her head against the side of the tub and put her legs on either side of him.

“This is so relaxing,” she said. “I feel like this is the first time I’ve actually breathed since last night.”

“Sorry, my family can be a little overwhelming,” he apologized.

She looked at him. “No, that’s not it at all. I’m in love with your family. I’m just not used to taking care of so many people. It’s easier when it’s just you.”

“So what did Candace and my mom say to you when they left?”

“Candace just thanked me for doing her a favor. Your mom told me to convince you to go home soon. And to bring me when you do,” she said, smiling.

He rolled his eyes. Of course she did. The nerve she had bringing up him marrying Nicki. He didn’t understand. She and his father had just gotten a divorce; she told him to wait as long as he could before he got married. Which, until very recently, was his plan. A few months ago, he could have cared less if he ever got married.

Tyler looked at Nicki. She had fallen asleep. He wanted to get up and carry her to bed. But that wasn’t happening. He decided not to wake her up just yet. She’d had the longest twenty four hours out of anyone.

The expression on her face when he first woke up at the hospital kept popping into his head. Her eyes had looked so sad. He couldn’t imagine being on her end of that. If he had to watch her get hurt when she was hours away, not even knowing whether or not she was okay, he would have gone insane.

When the water started to get cool, he shook Nicki’s ankle to try to wake her up. Her head shot up and she banged it on the faucet, hard.

“Oww,” she said. She brought a hand to her head, checking for blood. There was quite a bit of it.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she said, trying to shake it off. “Let’s get you out of here.”

It was a lot harder getting him out than it was getting him in. He almost slipped a couple of times, but eventually got out. He hated not being able to do things for himself. She helped him dry off and put on his robe. When she backed up, she stumbled a little bit. That was when Tyler noticed the drops of blood on the floor.

“Nicki, you’re really bleeding,” he said, growing concerned. “Put something on. We’ll go in the kitchen where the lighting is better.”

She put on a pair of shorts and a tank top and walked towards the kitchen. Tyler followed right behind her. Freddy and Evaline were sitting in the kitchen laughing over something. Nicki stopped underneath the light and took her hand off of her head. It was covered in blood.

“Shit Nicki, what happened?” asked Freddy.

“She hit her head,” Tyler replied.

“I’m not even going to ask how it happened,” he said, eyeing Tyler’s bathrobe.

“Shut up and help me look at this.”

Freddy got up to look at her head.

“You have too much hair. I can’t see anything,” he said.

Evaline got up and pushed Freddy out of the way. She parted Nicki’s hair where she had hit her head.

“Jeez, Nicki. This doesn’t look so good. You might need stitches.”

“Story of my life,” she said as she walked towards the freezer.

She grabbed an ice pack and wrapped it up in paper towels, placing it on her head.

“If it’s still bleeding in an hour, I’ll get it checked. I’ll be fine. Happens all the time.”

“It’s my fault. I feel awful,” said Tyler, touching her face.

She put her free hand over his. “Don’t worry about it, love. You didn’t know it was going to happen.”

How was she always so forgiving?

“You guys are grossing me out,” said Freddy. Evaline elbowed him in the ribs.

“Oh. On the subject of being grossed out… Ty, I have to change your bandage,” Nicki said.

She had just put a gash in her head and he was still her first concern. It amazed him. He sat down on the stool so she didn’t have to reach. She fumbled with the neck brace for nearly twenty minutes. None of them could get it off. Finally, Nicki figured out that there was a little lock in one of the corners. She flicked it and the brace opened up. She peeled off the bandage. It felt good to have it off. Tyler hadn’t realized how constricted he felt with the brace on.

“K, let it air out for a sec. I’m going to go grab the cream the doctor gave you,” she said, leaving the room.

“Ty, please tell me you didn’t drive her into the headboard or anything,” Freddy said.

“Do I look like I’m in the shape to be driving anyone into anything? She hit her head on the bathtub. She had fallen asleep and I shook her leg to wake her up and her head snapped up and hit the faucet.”

Freddy and Evaline both made a face, imagining how it would feel. She took it like a pro, too. She made it seem as though it hadn’t even happened. She was one tough girl. She would have made a great hockey player. He smiled at the thought.

Nicki walked back into the kitchen. She laid the bandage out on the island and squeezed some cream out of the tube onto it.

“How does it look? Think I’m gonna have a scar?” he asked her.

“Maybe. But I don’t think it will be bad. The incision is way smaller than I thought it would be. It’s like the size of a quarter,” she said as she covered it up with the bandage.

He didn’t want to put the brace back on. But he couldn’t take any chances. Being out for two weeks was bad enough. He had just started to pick up offensively. He hoped this didn’t set him back too much. Nicki snapped him out of his thoughts. She brushed her lips against the side of his neck. He let out a breath.

“Ready to put it back on?” she asked him.

“I guess.”

“Sorry I have to do this to you.”

After she secured it around his neck, she rubbed his shoulders. It was her attempt to make him feel better. Tyler looked down and noticed the ice pack that Nicki had been using was on the island.

“What about your head?”

“The bleeding stopped. Told you it would,” she said. “Do you need anything else? I’m exhausted, I think I might go to bed.”

“It’s not even seven yet,” said Freddy. He shouldn’t be talking. He and Evaline slept through half of the day.

“I’m fine. Come on, I’ll go with you. Night Freddy. Night Evaline,” Tyler said as he got off of the stool.

Nicki said goodnight and grabbed the pillows off of the couch before she helped him into bed.

“Can I wear one of your shirts?”

Tyler smiled at her. “You don’t even have to ask.”

He watched her change. She always picked the same shirt; the one she wore the first time she slept over. Once she got the shirt on, she turned off the light and went to her side of the bed. He couldn’t see anything, but he felt her curl up next to him.

“You have to be my pillow tonight since you need both of them for your neck,” she said.

She rested her head on his chest and he put an arm around her. He felt her put her hand on his stomach, and placed his on top of it. Nicki fell asleep before she even said goodnight to him. Tyler closed his eyes and listened to her breath. He was tired, but his mind was racing.

He tried to process everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. Tyler was having a hard time believing that he had been knocked unconscious, gotten surgery, and been haggled by his mother about marriage all in the same day. Out of those three things, the last one bothered him the most.

He was only twenty two. He had just turned twenty two. How could she possibly think he was ready to get married? Especially after all of the bullshit she fed him after the divorce. Well… she did say someday. Someday was fine.

Tyler tried to picture himself as married man. As a father. It was scary to think about. But in the strangest way, he was a little bit excited.