Deciphering the Bloom Ch. 06

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seeker71
seeker71
169 Followers

He watched it unfold before him, a movie but full emersion. This was not two dimensions with sound all of his senses were engaged. David knew the brightly colored furniture and sat on the pale blue recliner. He could see the woman in the kitchen.

Waist long hair the color of corn silk obscured her face as she removed milk, eggs, butter and orange juice from the refrigerator. She turned to the cabinet for the flour, baking powder and sugar. Lastly she placed the bowl, mixer, and measuring utensil out and sat at the tiny kitchenette. She smiled and seemed to be waiting. He knew who she was, the face from his picture, a memory misplaced.

He willed her to turn her head, to look at him, and then he heard the gentle footfalls in the hall. His heart swelled as she rose and picked up the small boy with ash blonde curls. She laughed as she half spun him, the melody of merriment shared between the two of them.

"Davey, you finished your nap already?"

He saw his round cheeked self nod, a combination of yes and no. This was their game on her days off. He never took a nap. He would lay down dutifully for what seemed an eternity then cautiously make his way to the kitchen. Some days she would be in her bedroom and he would creep beside her, she would cradle him and they would sleep together.

David, the observer, leaned into the chair and inhaled. It smelled of her. How could he have forgotten? This had been his entire world for seven years. His babysitter was Mrs. Graham who lived down the hall. His first school was down the street. He had been safe, he had been loved. How could he not have remembered?

He watched knowing every step. They made orange scones, his favorite. She would measure out each ingredient and let him put it in the bowl. When she removed them from the oven they shared one and a glass of milk. He longed to taste their baked treats again, the final faculty experienced. There was a murmuring in the background, distracting, but he could not tell where it was coming from.

She stood up carrying her three year old son with her into the living room. She did not take notice of the chair. But David knew what was next. She would sit on the couch and he would fall asleep listening to the steady beat of her heart. He closed his eyes, evoking the sound he had lost. The feel of lips pressed against the top of his head caused his eyes to snap open. He lifted his head and was greeted by her smile. Her eyes were the blue of fairytale skies, impossible, yet he knew this recollection to be true.

"Mommie?"

"Never forget that I loved you then, I love you now, and I love you always, my sweet beautiful Davey."

The murmuring grew louder as darkness filled the room. His mother and his home filled with yellows and blues turned to black. Alone in the caliginous gloom he heard Nicolao.

Nicolao. He had to tell Nicolao. She was beautiful and she smelled of lavender and scones; in his safe place was his mother, and she loved him.

Nicolao held David's hand as he spoke. The only break he allowed himself was when the doctor came in to speak with him. David was being treated with diuretics to lessen any swelling of the brain. His tibia was fractured in the crash, but would be cast after the swelling had lessened. The surgery was a repair to five inches of torn flesh along his left lateral side; a minor procedure that had been completed, as requested, by a plastic surgeon.

Nic listened intently. The truth was David's fate was out of the doctor's hands. There was nothing he could do, not even venture an estimate for David's awakening. He wanted the doctor to leave, so he could talk to him. Talk to him for the rest of his days, if there was a chance he could hear him.

David was engulfed in the dark. He focused on the sound of Nic's voice. He fought for consciousness mired in the space between the realm of the torpid and revival. Nicolao's warm, solid body greeted him each day upon awakening. He loved to lie in bed and revel in that glow; he searched for that heat and found it in his hand. Nic was holding his hand.

Nic felt it. The limp fingers curled, squeezing his. He lunged forward to hover over the bed.

"Dee love, open your eyes, please."

David clung tighter to the fingers, he needed Nic to know he was trying, but he couldn't talk. His body wouldn't listen to him. He was exhausted. Floating away back into the black appealed to him. He would talk to Nicolao later, but Nicolao was imploring him--begging? There was something in his throat, stopping him from talking. Fright flung him into full awareness. His eyes snapped open and his arms shot out as he clawed at his own face.

Nicolao's elation fled as he watched Dee spiral into frenzied terror. The heart monitor alarmed as the clip was dislodged.

"Dammit Dee look at me!" He grabbed both wrists, angling his body over David's. Preventing him from pulling at the tracheal tube

The bellow caused the blue eyes to meet his, but the alarm was not contained.

"That's right, mi lirio de los valles, look at me. Calm down, I'm here with you. You're safe now." Nicolao heard the hospital staff enter but spared them no attention. "Love you're in the hospital, with a breathing tube."

Reflexively David's hands jerked toward his throat, but Nic held firm.

"It's alright. It'll be removed right away. Be still or you'll hurt yourself. Okay?"

David listened to Nic, impossibly incredible Nicolao. Why or how he was in the hospital mattered less. Nic was with him. He relaxed into the bed, drained. Nicolao stepped out of the way and nurses filled the space. He ignored them and kept his eyes on Nicolao. He tried to stay focused on those brown eyes, but he wafted away leaving Nic and the nurses behind.

Hours passed before Nic left CCU and caught the elevator to the fifth floor. David slid in and out of consciousness. Samuel assured him that was not uncommon for a brain injury and the drugs for pain management were also a factor. While the staff prepared to move Dee he left to give his family an update.

The fifth floor looked nothing like a hospital floor. As he stepped through the double door Nic was reminded of a hotel lobby. He approached the circular desk gave his name and was directed to Suite 503. Each room of the fifth floor had a private lobby for guests equipped with couches and a television. When Nicolao entered dinner conversation ceased as the eyes of the gathered rested upon him. He stared back, finding his throat suddenly constricted with emotion.

"He woke up. They're bringing him up in a few minutes."

All of the bodies in the room moved at the same time. The four children shared whoops, Lil Nico taking the moment to hug Averie the love of his young life. Nicolao was surrounded by the wall of Evangelistas, Nieves and Hilaria included.

"How are you Nico?" Hilaria asked after they embraced.

"I'm fine Ma, really."

She reached upward, and instincts of childhood lead him to her hand. He bent downward as his cupped his face, studying his eyes.

"We could have lost you." Her fingers went to the wound only hours old in his scalp.

"I'm fine. I could've lost him Ma. I keep having to fight to keep him."

Hilaria looked into the eyes that mirrored her own, "To lose him would be to lose you as well Nico. You were born to fight, maybe for him is why."

Nic stood out of his mother's grasp, her touch and her words filled him with truth.

Saint was seated behind the children and his sister was beside her.

She rose when he made eye contact and approached him. The rest of the family went back to their seats, not everyone thought she should have come, but she had insisted.

Tears streamed down her face as she drew closer.

Nerina is still an ugly crier, Nic thought, but he made no move to her.

"If you'd have died—pft," she choked down a sob.

Nic waited.

"Nico if you or David would've died, I'd never be able to tell you both how sorry I am." She shook her head wildly, "I don't need you to forgive me. I have to be here for you, in case you need anything. Someone to yell at, or vent to or shake, I'm tough, I won't break. I don't deserve to be a part of your life, but I cannot bear not being your sister. I'll be whatever you need till I earn that back. Nico I'm so sorry. "

He had been shot, David had been in a coma, Saint made miracles, and Nerina was in front of everyone vulnerable. If he looked out of the window he was certain rainbow colored rain would be falling upwards. This day had no plot.

"Rina." Nic sighed.

Nerina stepped into his arms. She had a growing suspicion about her reaction to David that left her ashamed. But she would be better, there was no other alternative.

David was wheeled through moments later the stern staff stopped to raucous a greeting. They swiftly moved to his room. Much to Nic's surprise he was awake. His nurse, Charlotte came in and requested that only two family members enter the room as to not tire out the patient. They waited until the aides left and Nicolao opened door.

"Pop, why don't you come with me?"

Natanaele was taken aback. He expected Hilaria to go in the room Nico normally called on his mother, but he quickly recovered. "Sure Nico." He followed his son in the room to check on his newest family member.

Everyone rotated in the room, taking brief looks at David. Nicolao refused to leave the room, but Hilaria convinced him to come into the common area to see his family members and friends off. She insisted he eat some of the food left over from the meal Breezy had delivered. Nieves who had remained behind rubbed his neck and shoulders while he ate. He allowed himself to be pampered, his mother feeding him and his sister easing his aching muscles. Nicolao was teetering on sleep when he bolted upright, startling the women. He had left David. He opened the door to the room to be halted by what greeted him.

When Nic entered the room Natanaele was rubbing lotion on Dee's hand, "—ago, you had no one to call. You won't feel that again David; we have years of gardening to do me and you."

Natanaele turned his attention to his son standing in the door, "You know your mother always said people's skin dries out in the hospital. I thought his hands looked dry." He explained placing the sleeping young man's hand back on his chest.

"Sure Pop, I'll be right back." Nic backed out of the room and sat down next to his mother.

The entire damned day had been too terrible and too wonderful. He dropped his head in his hands. He wept. His silent tears born of fear and gratitude were a thankful remittance to a receptive God, because he lacked words. And as always on his hardest days there was an Evangelista on either side of him.

The last of his family left for Hope's Cove an hour later. Nicolao sat in the recliner chair he had moved next to David's bed and watched him sleep. He was beautiful, even in the eerie lighting of the machines. David had no remembrance of the day. He wondered about Benjamin finding Dee, but he couldn't be insane enough to come to the hospital, and the floor was secure. The fifth floor provided care for those who wanted more than a standard hospital stay, and who could afford to pay. Cameras lined the halls and between the common area and patients room was another camera monitored by the nurses. Nic's thoughts wandered to the cost of everything, but before his musings went far he was asleep. He woke up a short time later from a familiar feeling.

"Hey."

Nic straightened, "Hello to you. Shouldn't you be resting?"

David looked at him. His throat was still sore, and when he spoke it was slow, and deliberate. "Was in a coma you said. Think that was my rest for today."

"Funny." Nicolao declared and he forced a wan smile for Dee's effort. He leaned forward and grasped his hand.

"You sleep, I'm okay." David squeezed his fingers, hating the change he saw in his lover.

"That's my line, and I was asleep."

"Bed."

"I won't fit, but I did think about trying."

"Nic—", David tried to shift his weight, and he grimaced with discomfort.

Nicolao was on his feet immediately, "Are you in hurting? I'll get the nurse she said you can have more meds to manage the pain."

"No more." David wanted to explain his fear of too many drugs, but couldn't connect with the words. "Sit. Sleep."

Nic acquiesced. He watched as David's eyelids closed. "Thank you for coming back to me. Bossy."

"Had to. I love you. Ham." Dee didn't open his eyes, but smiled.

Nicolao did laugh at his retort and eventually leaned the recliner back and joined David in slumber.

The long cast for David's leg was signed by everyone before they left for home early Sunday. Natanaele Sr., Hilaria, and Nerina stayed behind the first week; Nate, Nieves, and Narisco the next. Their attention was overtly geared toward David but Nicolao, they feared, would neglect his own needs so they equally cared for him. Under their constant attention grated against Nic but he knew better than to resist. He did balk when Narisco or anyone would pick David up. The bulky cast provided him opportunities to carry Dee without protest.

David had to adjust to his existence. Benjamin had shot Nicolao and wrecked their car almost killing him. His agonizing headaches mercifully lessened as the weeks progressed. But he tired easily, and thoughts were sometimes as hard to hold on to as water in his fist. There were doctor's appointments, therapy sessions and Evangelistas in every waking hour.

Nerina was a stern caretaker who took any opportunity to put things in his mouth, food, tea, or medicine. Her kindness held the same intensity as her disdain. Nieves gave him mani-pedis and insisted they watch horrible movies. Nate read to him, he would nod off to awaken and the gentle voice would pick up the narrative upon his stirring. Narisco told outlandish stories that often left them laughing at some shared memory. David's struggles with his injuries were made easier as he was buoyed by the nurturing of a family. Without their constant presence the schedule would have taken a horrible toll on Nicolao. He learned his place in his new family. The question that plagued him was where was his place with Nic?

Nicolao hadn't touched David as more than a nurse since they returned to their home. He never missed an opportunity to touch him, but it was not as a lover. David had a fair amount of bruises and attributed it to Nic not wanting to cause further injury. After the bruises began to heal he thought it was the full leg cast; it was cumbersome. But after the third week and he sported a short leg cast Dee knew there was a deeper reason. Nic would help him bathe, and get dressed with such care. They slept in pajamas, because of the family's occupation, as Nic called it. He did not doubt that Nicolao loved him, but there was a distance between them, greater than physical injury or layers of fabric. David did not fret, he had things he hadn't shared with Nic either. He was sure they would overcome the schism of unsaid things when the time was right.

The seventh week came and to Nic's relief the removal of David's cast marked the end of the family vigil. The Sunday his two brothers and Nerina packed up the van to not return for a few months filled him with anticipation. He was weary of their attention. He looked forward to washing his own clothes, dusting, doing the dishes, all of the mundane activities that constituted life. He had not used the Volvo Pop left in the garage to do anything but take Dee to his appointments. Whether he had a job or if Jeremy was going to throw them out of Hope's Cove were all unknowns.

David stood next to Nic watching the gate close behind the van. They stood in silence then David pivoted on his crutches and looked up at his boyfriend. David's blue eyes shimmered in the sunlight. Nic watched him marveling at the strength of the gorgeous small man.

"So that's what it means to be a part of a family." David said, smiling.

"Yes, exhausting isn't it?"

David laughed. "It's nice, better than I would've ever imagined. But for dinner can we get take-out, like we usually do?" He asked as he headed for the entrance.

"I wondered if you missed the restaurants as much as I did." Nic made his way in front of him opening the door.

David went into the dining room and sat down. Nicolao brought them some tea to drink and sat across from him. The appointment had been set without them speaking it, there was much to discuss.

They sat in silence. Nicolao wrestled with the wisdom of what he was going to propose and David was fairly certain Nic's reaction to his news would be fierce.

"I told you I heard you in the hospital?"

Nic nodded.

"There was not light, nothing but my memories and your voice." David sipped his tea; memories were a good place to start. "I remembered Hannah, my mother."

Nicolao's brow wrinkled, Dee previously only recalled his mother being taken away in an ambulance.

"I know it wasn't a dream. She had long hair like Ma, but blonde and fine. And she would put me down for naps, only I'd get up and she'd be waiting for me. We'd make scones and I know what her heartbeat sounded like. Our apartment was blue and yellow and it was my babysitter, Mrs. Graham who called the paramedics. I even know my first school. Nic I remember." It was imperative that Nicolao understand him, though he knew his explanation was not doing it justice. He had found a missing part of his core self.

Nicolao smiled at him, the smile when all of his joy is focused on the receiver. It never failed to make David's breath catch. "That's great, you knew since the hospital?"

"Yeah, it's special for me. And I only wanted to share it with you, if that makes sense."

"Of course, more than enough sense." Nic assured him, it was good to know he was not the only one yearning for privacy from the Evangelista Brigade.

"Strange to think all of the harm Ben caused and me trying to kill myself gave me back something so good."

Nicolao's smile disintegrated. The silence gained tonnage with each passing second. David tried to read Nic's face, and waited to field questions.

"Lirio, getting your mother back, I understand what that means to you. I want to know every detail about her; she must've been amazing to have made you. But what do you mean you tried to kill yourself?" Nic's eyes bore into his.

David had begun to recollect bits of the day by the third week of his recuperation. "Everything happened so fast. I heard the gun go off and you fell, there was blood coming out of your head. When I got to you, you were still." David's voice fell, the agony of the recollection demanding an echo of the visceral response.

"Love."

David shook his head. "I thought you were dead. Uncle Ben told me you were dead. And I was in the back seat in the light." He paused, reaching for the words to make Nic understand.

"You pulled me out of the shadows and surrounded me with life. Every ordinary day is full of extraordinary things. Being with you showed me that, but I can't face that without you. I kicked him from the back seat. I made him lose control of the car. I wasn't going to live without you, I caused the accident."

Nicolao stared at David. The face of the one he treasured was across the table from him waiting. He sorted through his emotions endeavoring to keep anger at bay, but he was fast failing. He had to leave.

"Dee we'll talk about this later." He announced standing.

"No. We're talking about it now."

Nicolao did not move from the table, but did not sit. David maneuvered out of the seat grabbing he crutches. He went the short distance to stand close to Nic; he could see his jaw was clenched as he fought with himself.

"Babe for God's sake say something." He demanded.

seeker71
seeker71
169 Followers