Gideon and I arrived back in Manhat

Gideon and I arrived back in Manhattan just before midnight on Sunday. We’d spent the previous night sleeping apart, but most of the day together in the master bed. Kissing and touching. Laughing and whispering.

By silent agreement we didn’t talk about painful things during the rest of our time away. We didn’t turn on the television or radio, because it seemed wrong to share our time with anyone. We walked on the beach again. We made long, slow, lazy love on the third-story deck. We played cards and he won every hand. We recharged and reminded ourselves that what we’d found with each other was worth fighting for.

It was the most perfect day of my life.

We returned to my apartment when we got back into the city. Gideon unlocked the door for us with the key I’d given him, and we entered the darkened space as quietly as possible so that we didn’t wake Cary. Gideon gave me one of his soul-melting kisses good night and headed to the guest room, and I crawled into my lonely bed without him. Missing him. I wondered how long we’d be sleeping apart from each other. Months? Years?

Hating to think of it, I closed my eyes and started to drift.

The light flicked on.

“Eva. Get up.” Gideon strode into the room and straight to my dresser, digging through my clothes.

I blinked at him, noting that he’d changed into slacks and a button-down dress shirt. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Cary,” he said grimly. “He’s in the hospital.”

* * *

 
A cab was waiting for us at the curb when we left my apartment building. Gideon ushered me in, then slid in beside me.

The cab seemed to pull away very slowly. Everything seemed to be moving slowly.

I clutched at Gideon’s sleeve. “What happened?”

“He was attacked Friday night.”

“How do you know?”

“Your mother and Stanton both left messages on my cell phone.”

“My mother . . . ?” I looked at him blankly. “Why didn’t she . . . ?”

No, she couldn’t call me. I hadn’t had my phone. Guilt and worry drowned me, making it hard to breathe.

“Eva.” He put his arm around my shoulders, urging me to rest my head against him. “Don’t worry until we know more.”

“It’s been days, Gideon. And I wasn’t here.”

Tears poured down my face and wouldn’t stop, even after we arrived at the hospital. I barely registered the exterior of the building, my attention dulled by the hard driving anxiety pounding through me. I thanked God for Gideon, who was so calm and in control. A staff member provided the number of Cary’s room, but his helpfulness ended there. Gideon made a few middle-of-the-night phone calls that got me access to see Cary, even though it was well outside visiting hours. Gideon had been a very generous benefactor at times and that wasn’t easily dismissed or forgotten.

When I stepped into Cary’s private room and saw him, my heart shattered so completely, my knees went weak. Only Gideon kept me from falling. The man I thought of as my brother, the best friend I’d ever had or ever would have, lay silent and unmoving in the bed. His head was bandaged and his eyes blackened. One of his arms was stuck with intravenous lines, while the other was in a cast. I wouldn’t have recognized him, if I hadn’t known who he was.

Flowers covered every flat surface, cheerful and colorful bouquets. There were balloons, too, and a few cards. I knew some would be from my mother and Stanton, who were certainly paying for Cary’s care as well.

We were his family. And everyone had been there for him but me.

Gideon led me closer, his arm tight around my waist to hold me up. I was sobbing, the tears flowing thick and hot. It was everything I could do to remain silent.

Still, Cary must have heard me or sensed me. His eyelids fluttered, then opened. His beautiful green eyes were bloodshot and unfocused. It took him a minute to find me. When he did, he blinked a few times, and then tears started rolling down his temples.

“Cary.” I rushed to him and slipped my hand in his. “I’m here.”

He gripped me so tightly, it was painful. “Eva.”

“I’m sorry I took so long. I didn’t have my phone. I had no idea. I would’ve been here if I’d known.”

“S’okay. You’re here now.” His throat worked on a swallow. “God . . . everything hurts.”

“I’ll get a nurse,” Gideon said, running his hand down my back before slipping silently out of the room.

I saw a small pitcher and cup with straw on the rolling tray table. “Are you thirsty?”

“Very.”

“Can I sit you up? Or no?” I was afraid to do anything to cause him pain.

“Yeah.”

Using the remote lying near his hand, I raised the top part of the bed so that he was reclined. Then I brought the straw to his lips and watched him drink greedily.

He relaxed with a sigh. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, baby girl.”

“What the hell happened?” I set the empty cup down and grabbed his hand again.

“Fuck if I know.” His voice was weak, almost a whisper. “Got jumped. With a bat.”

“With a bat?” Just the thought made me physically ill. The brutality of it. The violence . . . “Was he insane?”

“Of course,” he snapped, a deep line of pain between his brows.

I backed up a half step. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t. Shit. I’m—” His eyes closed. “I’m exhausted.”

Just then the nurse came in wearing scrubs decorated with cartoon tongue depressors and animated stethoscopes. She was young and pretty, with dark hair and sloe eyes. She checked Cary over, took his blood pressure, then pressed the button on a remote wrapped around the guardrail.

“You can self-administer every thirty minutes for pain,” she told him. “Just press this button. It won’t dispense a dose if it’s not time, so you don’t have to worry about pressing it too often.”

“Once is too often,” he muttered, looking at me.

I understood his reluctance; he had an addictive personality. He’d traveled a short ways down the junkie road before I kicked some sense into him.

But it was a relief to see the lines of pain on his forehead smooth out and his breathing settle into a deeper rhythm.

The nurse looked at me. “He needs his rest. You should come back during visiting hours.”

Cary looked at me desperately. “Don’t go.”

“She’s not going anywhere,” Gideon said, reentering the room. “I’ve arranged to have a cot brought in tonight.”

I didn’t think it was possible to love Gideon more than I already did, but he somehow kept finding ways to prove me wrong.

The nurse smiled shyly at Gideon.

“Cary could use more water,” I told her, watching her pull her gaze reluctantly away from my boyfriend to look at me.

She grabbed the pitcher and left the room.

Gideon stepped closer to the bed and spoke to Cary. “Tell me what happened.”

Cary sighed. “Trey and I went out Friday, but he had to bail early. I walked him out to grab a cab, but it was nuts right in front of the club, so we went around the corner. He’d just taken off when I got nailed in the back of the head. Took me straight down and whaled on me a few times. Never got a chance to defend myself.”

My hands began to shake, and Cary’s thumb rubbed soothingly over the back.

“Hey,” he murmured. “Teaches me. Don’t stick my dick in the wrong chick.”

“What?”

I watched Cary’s eyes drift shut, and a moment later it was clear he was sleeping. I glanced helplessly across the bed at Gideon.

“I’ll look into it,” he said. “Step out with me for a minute.”

I followed him, my gaze repeatedly turning back to Cary. When the door closed behind us, I said, “God, Gideon. He looks terrible.”

“He got knocked around good,” he said grimly. “He’s got a skull fracture, a nasty concussion, three cracked ribs, and a broken arm.”

The list of injuries was horribly painful to listen to. “I don’t understand why someone would do this.”

He pulled me close and pressed his lips to my forehead. “The doctor said it’s possible Cary will be allowed to leave in a day or two, so I’ll make arrangements for home care. I’ll also let your work know you won’t be coming in.”

“Cary’s agency needs to know.”

“I’ll see to it.”

“Thank you.” I hugged him hard. “What would I do without you?”

“You’re never going to find out.”

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Gideon dan saya tiba kembali di Manhattan sejurus sebelum tengah malam pada hari Minggu. Kami telah menghabiskan sebelumnya malam tidur terpisah, tetapi sebagian besar hari bersama-sama dalam tidur utama. Ciuman dan menyentuh. Tertawa dan berbisik.Dengan persetujuan diam kita tidak berbicara tentang hal-hal yang menyakitkan selama sisa waktu kami pergi. Kita tidak berpaling di televisi atau radio, karena tampaknya salah untuk berbagi waktu kita dengan siapa pun. Kami berjalan di pantai lagi. Kami membuat cinta lama, lambat, malas di dek lantai ketiga. Kami bermain kartu dan ia memenangkan setiap tangan. Kami diisi ulang dan mengingatkan diri kita bahwa apa yang kita akan menemukan satu sama lain ini patut diperjuangkan.Itu paling sempurna hari dalam hidupku.Kami kembali ke apartemen saya ketika kami kembali ke kota. Gideon membuka pintu bagi kita dengan kunci telah memberinya, dan kita memasuki ruang gelap tenang mungkin sehingga kita tidak bangun Cary. Gideon memberi saya salah satu ciuman mencair jiwa Selamat malam dan menuju ke ruang tamu, dan aku merangkak ke tempat tidur saya kesepian tanpa dia. Hilang itu. Aku bertanya-tanya berapa lama kita akan tidur terpisah dari satu sama lain. Bulan? Tahun?Membenci berpikir itu, aku memejamkan mata dan mulai melayang.Cahaya menjentikkan pada."Eva. Bangun." Gideon berjalan ke ruang dan langsung ke lemari saya, menggali melalui pakaian saya.Saya berkedip pada dia, mencatat bahwa ia telah mengubah ke dalam celana panjang dan kemeja Button-down shirt. "Apa salah?""Itu adalah Cary," katanya muram. "Dia adalah di rumah sakit."* * * Taksi telah menunggu kami di pinggir jalan ketika kami meninggalkan gedung apartemen saya. Gideon diantar saya, kemudian meluncur di sampingku.Taksi tampaknya menarik diri sangat lambat. Segala sesuatu tampaknya bergerak perlahan.Saya mencengkeram di lengan Gideon. "Apa yang terjadi?""Ia diserang Jumat malam.""Bagaimana Apakah Anda tahu?""Ibu Anda dan Stanton meninggalkan pesan pada telepon selular saya.""Ibuku...?" Aku memandang dia kosong. "Mengapa tidak dia...?"Tidak, dia tidak bisa menelepon saya. Aku tidak punya telepon saya. Rasa bersalah dan khawatir tenggelam aku, sehingga sulit untuk bernapas."Eva." Dia meletakkan tangannya di sekitar bahu saya, mendesak saya untuk beristirahat kepala saya terhadapnya. "Jangan khawatir sampai kita tahu lebih banyak.""Sudah hari, Gideon. Dan aku tidak di sini."Air mata dicurahkan wajah saya dan tidak akan berhenti, bahkan setelah kami tiba di rumah sakit. Saya hampir tidak terdaftar eksterior gedung, perhatian saya tumpul oleh kecemasan keras mengemudi berdebar melalui saya. Saya berterima kasih kepada Tuhan untuk Gideon, yang begitu tenang dan memegang kendali. Anggota staf memberikan jumlah kamar di Cary, tapi menolong nya berakhir di sini. Gideon membuat beberapa panggilan telepon tengah malam yang membuatku akses untuk melihat Cary, meskipun luar jam berkunjung. Gideon telah seorang dermawan yang sangat murah hati pada waktu dan yang tidak mudah diberhentikan atau dilupakan.When I stepped into Cary’s private room and saw him, my heart shattered so completely, my knees went weak. Only Gideon kept me from falling. The man I thought of as my brother, the best friend I’d ever had or ever would have, lay silent and unmoving in the bed. His head was bandaged and his eyes blackened. One of his arms was stuck with intravenous lines, while the other was in a cast. I wouldn’t have recognized him, if I hadn’t known who he was.Flowers covered every flat surface, cheerful and colorful bouquets. There were balloons, too, and a few cards. I knew some would be from my mother and Stanton, who were certainly paying for Cary’s care as well.We were his family. And everyone had been there for him but me.Gideon led me closer, his arm tight around my waist to hold me up. I was sobbing, the tears flowing thick and hot. It was everything I could do to remain silent.Still, Cary must have heard me or sensed me. His eyelids fluttered, then opened. His beautiful green eyes were bloodshot and unfocused. It took him a minute to find me. When he did, he blinked a few times, and then tears started rolling down his temples.“Cary.” I rushed to him and slipped my hand in his. “I’m here.”He gripped me so tightly, it was painful. “Eva.”“I’m sorry I took so long. I didn’t have my phone. I had no idea. I would’ve been here if I’d known.”“S’okay. You’re here now.” His throat worked on a swallow. “God . . . everything hurts.”“I’ll get a nurse,” Gideon said, running his hand down my back before slipping silently out of the room.I saw a small pitcher and cup with straw on the rolling tray table. “Are you thirsty?”“Very.”“Can I sit you up? Or no?” I was afraid to do anything to cause him pain.“Yeah.”Using the remote lying near his hand, I raised the top part of the bed so that he was reclined. Then I brought the straw to his lips and watched him drink greedily.He relaxed with a sigh. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, baby girl.”“What the hell happened?” I set the empty cup down and grabbed his hand again.“Fuck if I know.” His voice was weak, almost a whisper. “Got jumped. With a bat.”“With a bat?” Just the thought made me physically ill. The brutality of it. The violence . . . “Was he insane?”“Of course,” he snapped, a deep line of pain between his brows.I backed up a half step. “I’m sorry.”“No, don’t. Shit. I’m—” His eyes closed. “I’m exhausted.”Just then the nurse came in wearing scrubs decorated with cartoon tongue depressors and animated stethoscopes. She was young and pretty, with dark hair and sloe eyes. She checked Cary over, took his blood pressure, then pressed the button on a remote wrapped around the guardrail.“You can self-administer every thirty minutes for pain,” she told him. “Just press this button. It won’t dispense a dose if it’s not time, so you don’t have to worry about pressing it too often.”“Once is too often,” he muttered, looking at me.I understood his reluctance; he had an addictive personality. He’d traveled a short ways down the junkie road before I kicked some sense into him.But it was a relief to see the lines of pain on his forehead smooth out and his breathing settle into a deeper rhythm.The nurse looked at me. “He needs his rest. You should come back during visiting hours.”Cary looked at me desperately. “Don’t go.”“She’s not going anywhere,” Gideon said, reentering the room. “I’ve arranged to have a cot brought in tonight.”I didn’t think it was possible to love Gideon more than I already did, but he somehow kept finding ways to prove me wrong.The nurse smiled shyly at Gideon.“Cary could use more water,” I told her, watching her pull her gaze reluctantly away from my boyfriend to look at me.She grabbed the pitcher and left the room.Gideon stepped closer to the bed and spoke to Cary. “Tell me what happened.”Cary sighed. “Trey and I went out Friday, but he had to bail early. I walked him out to grab a cab, but it was nuts right in front of the club, so we went around the corner. He’d just taken off when I got nailed in the back of the head. Took me straight down and whaled on me a few times. Never got a chance to defend myself.”My hands began to shake, and Cary’s thumb rubbed soothingly over the back.“Hey,” he murmured. “Teaches me. Don’t stick my dick in the wrong chick.”
“What?”

I watched Cary’s eyes drift shut, and a moment later it was clear he was sleeping. I glanced helplessly across the bed at Gideon.

“I’ll look into it,” he said. “Step out with me for a minute.”

I followed him, my gaze repeatedly turning back to Cary. When the door closed behind us, I said, “God, Gideon. He looks terrible.”

“He got knocked around good,” he said grimly. “He’s got a skull fracture, a nasty concussion, three cracked ribs, and a broken arm.”

The list of injuries was horribly painful to listen to. “I don’t understand why someone would do this.”

He pulled me close and pressed his lips to my forehead. “The doctor said it’s possible Cary will be allowed to leave in a day or two, so I’ll make arrangements for home care. I’ll also let your work know you won’t be coming in.”

“Cary’s agency needs to know.”

“I’ll see to it.”

“Thank you.” I hugged him hard. “What would I do without you?”

“You’re never going to find out.”