@BadBoyEmbryCall -
, about it. This was his way to help others.

I didn’t know how I would repay him. I hadn’t expected any of this from him. But this was him... This was 𝔼𝕞𝕓𝕣𝕪 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝 in his heart and soul.

I arched my eyebrow at him when he gave me that wink, and #TheKid whispered. ‘He still has a death wish, at least he is in the hospital’

I stepped back and whispered to #TheKid when Embry went to say night to Ma. “Don’t you let him take your bed.” Nudging him in the side.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Ma, would kill me if I didn’t.’ he nudged right back with a half-smile. He reached out, squeezing a few fingers on the hand closest to him. and I knew what he was trying to do and say to me. I did it right back.

We both watched him and Ma whisper, however it had been a clear conversation to our ears. We both stilled and stiffened. I wanted to reach out and squeeze Embry on the shoulder, tell him that Ma didn’t mean it. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

That it had to be the meds talking. She would never hurt him in that way. But #TheKid did it with one look.

My eyes found Embry’s, wanting him to know that this all. It meant a lot. That I didn’t even have to ask. He had just been here. And I knew that all of this, seeing Ma this way. It would be testing him too. I knew how I felt when I spent time with #MsC in this place.

“Okay, that’s enough. Get out so Ma and I can have our sleepover.” -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I stepped backwards and pulled the door open for them both to leave.

@HotHeadSheWolf

I heard the two of them whispering and grinned. I wasn't going to take the kid's bed... not tonight at least. Any other time, I probably would.

There was a lot unsaid in Leah's eyes and I smiled at her. I knew most of my friend's parents knew who my father was, or at least had their own ideas of who he was. But I didn't want to know... If mom chose to tell me then I would hear her.

I stood next to Leah while #Seth said goodbye. I was close enough to let my arm brush hers >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< for the briefest moment.

It wasn't for her benefit, it was for mine... It was quick𝕀'𝕞 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖; even though I was leaving, I wasn't going far.

#Seth came to the door with us and before I could he said 'Text if you need anything.' And gave her a look that said he meant it.

"And Jake said he can come if you need anything, too." I knew she wasn't going to call anyone. And normally this wasn't a shock, but there was a worry building. Because this >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< wasn't work stuff or pack stuff... it was #Sue... and I alone in this... Like was for everything hated to think of her being alone in this like she was with everything else.

Because we had let her down.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Just they were leaving a nurse started towards Ma’s room. ‘It time to go, Mrs Clearwater needs her rest.’ She wasn’t rude about it, and I knew she was just looking out for Ma.

‘Sorry, we are just leaving.’ #TheKid gave me and then Ma one last look before heading out.

My eyes found Embry for a second. There wasn’t anything I could do to tell him how much this meant. That I knew my kid was in good hands. And that… he had known it all.

As the sport closes the nurse -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Started to adjust Ma. “Here let me help you there.” I told her, going to stand beside the bed, I curled my arms around Ma and slowly lifted her, making it look like it was a team effort. So, that she didn’t question how I did it.

‘He is such a good boy.’ Ma said.

“Yes Ma, Seth is a good boy.” I whispered back kissing her forehead.

‘He is… but I meant Embry.’ She sleepy whispered before curling up the best she could and fell asleep.

“You mom is a little lost on the -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Pain meds.’ She told me. Then felt.

I pulled the chair close to the bed, the door opened and the nurse was back.

‘I brought you a pillow and a blanket. Just in case.’ She set them to the side and then it was just Ma and I.

@HotHeadSheWolf
When #Seth spoke to the nurse I caught Leah's eyes. 𝕐𝕠𝕦'𝕧𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 I hoped my eyes told her. Then they flicked to Seth and back. 𝕀'𝕧𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 I hoped the said now.

It was strange how it felt to leave her in that room. I knew she didn't need me there... but maybe she could want me there? I shook away that thought because, no... she would want me with my mom looking after her... working or with the pack... anything but hanging out in a hospital room just to keep her company. >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< Did I want her to want me there? would that be a bad thing? But all of it, it was all new and strange and oddly welcome. All the contradictions and mixed emotions seemed to all fit together somehow, wrapped up neatly the idea that looking out for #seth is what those two strong-willed, completely different and utterly similar women we had left back would want me to do right now. If they ever needed anything from me, it was this.

'Dude you're miles away... what are you >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< are you thinking?' #Seth gave a half-hearted chuckle and I only realised that we were in the lift when we stopped walking.

"Oh... Just don't like the idea of Leah being left here alone when your Mom will be out like a light all night." I offered, not a lie.

'That's how she likes it.' I could hear the frustration in his voice, he loved his sister deeply, but I knew he felt like she kept him at a distance sometimes.

"Being alone isn't the same as being lonely, Seth." I >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< said the same thing to him that I had to his sister before.

'I know... But how can we know which when she is if she never shares how she feels?' He was so calm when he said it. It cracked my heart a little. It would have been less heartbreaking if he was pissed off. But this was a deep-rooted concern.

"Ask her." I said simply, my eyes fixed on his side profile as he stared at the crack of the door and laughed. 'Yeah right.' He scoffed, not taking me seriously.

"I mean it >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< Seth." We stepped out and made our way across the nearly empty waiting area to the door.

"Just talk to her, ask her how she feels how she really feels." I continued.

'Like walk right up to her and say, 𝐻𝑒𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓈, 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓁𝓎?" He laughed like it sounded ridiculous... and it kind of did but...

"In exactly those words if you want to... Leah appreciates directness." I stuffed the key into the lock of my Jeep and we claimed in. I could tell he wanted to defend against my >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

I sat there watching Ma sleeping now, counting the number of times her chest went up and then came down. Making sure that the monitors weren’t giving the wrong data to the nurse when they came in from time to time to check on her.

They would tell me to sleep, to close my eyes. That Ma wouldn’t be awake until the morning with all the meds pumped into her. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

And yet I couldn’t. My mind kept telling me that she may need me, that she was in pain, or that I couldn’t just sleep when I should have stopped this from happening I the first place.
Finally, I stood up and walked to the windows. Wishing that I could open them needing to feel the touch of the air, the one that say, ‘You aren’t alone.’ Listening to the whispers of the spirits saying that it would all be okay. But tonight, there was silent and the beeping of the monitors.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I rubbed my face; I blinked away the unsure feelings taking a hold of me. I pulled my hair up into a bun and then took out my phone. Sending one short message to Embry.

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 -𝙻

I knew he would understand the meaning. It was hard for me to leave today, but if I hadn’t, I wasn’t sure what or how I would have managed to hold it together. Not with Ma this way. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

And even the fact that I was so weak that I needed to leave was filling the balance of my bucket of sins. I should have been stronger.

A light knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. And when I saw #Pauls head pop in and then his smiled I looked confused.

‘Hey.’ He whispered for the first time ever.

“Hey” I whispered back.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Thought you could use some company.’ He was inside, with a box of pizza and a six pack of soda. ‘I know you aren’t all that keen on soda, but tonight I have a feeling all the sugar in the world would help.’ Setting the box and the cans on the side, he went to Ma’s side and kissed her head. ‘You will be fine Aunt. You have to be. OR who is going to control your Hot Head?’ He kissed her head again, and the back of my eyes prickled.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Walking over he took my seat and pointed to the couch. ‘You take that, eat and then you sleep, and I will sit watch.’ I opened my mouth to say no, but he rolled his eyes. ‘She isn’t just your mom Lee. She belongs to us all. Let her sons step up for her too. Now will you give me some food. I’m starving here.’

@HotHeadSheWolf
#Seth was quite a lot of the way home and I knew that there was a war in his head between worrying about his sister and worrying about his mom.... and then probably a little guilt that he was worried about Leah and #Sue was the one that was hurt. That kid was a pro and at feeling all the things all the time.

"C'mon kid... spill?" I asked him when we finally got back to his place.

'It's nothing really...' Seth sighed before he even finished the sentence because he knew I >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< didn't fall for that shit. 'It's just stupid to worry about Leah when Mom is the one that got hurt.'

"There it is!" I clapped my hands on his shoulder and steered him to the living room. "Go... Sit... I'll make get us a drink."

He started to protest and I called back from the kitchen. "It's not optional." I grabbed us both a beer, knowing he would be fine to drive if he was needed back at the hospital and I sent Leah a text saying that Seth was home.

Then I settled on >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Slapping #Paul on the back of the head. “I thought the pizza was for me.” He’d downed half of it.

‘No, I said the soda was for you.’ He smirked. ‘And that slap was for free. You know. Because you are so happy to see me.’

Rolling my eyes o gave him another. When I phone pinged. I took it out reading the text before putting it back away.

‘Aren’t you gonna reply?’ He asked with a brow raised.

“Doesn’t need one.” I told him.

We settled in for the night. ‘So, what -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Happened?’ It was a good question. Rubbing my face my eyes went to Ma and then the soda.

“I wasn’t there.” I told him.

‘I call bull shit.’ He said matter of factly.

“That’s your choice.” I returned in the same tone.

‘All this growth, and you still can’t see it… that you can’t stop us all from making stupid decisions. But you can help us learn from them HotHead. I know. I’m speaking from experience.’

I gave him a look and he just smirked holding the pizza box up.

@HotHeadSheWolf
#Seth and I talked for a long time. We were both really curious about how her injury actually occurred but I told him there was no piont trying to figure that out, we needed to head that from #Sue when she was well enough.

I sent the kid to bed and then I get myself another drink settling on the couch. I scrolled through the group chat. It seemed like all the other were beng very careful about flooding the chat with question, there was only a few an then and message. >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< from Jake telling everyone that she should be dischrged tomorrow and she was in pain but it was being managed. That was one thing about #Jake he didn’t lie to them, he didn’t tell them everything was fine just aasured them that it would be.

It was hard to do it the way he did. In cases like #Sue’s it wasn’t easier, he would heal… but in cases like my Mom’s when she was really sick I had no idea how he kept them all so calm.

Sure it was their mom… Most of them never met >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

#Paul made me rest my head on the couch and took watch if Ma, I couldn’t sleep so he handed me a book and told me to read.

The words were dancing on the page as my eyes kept going to ma when I thought I head her move, shift or moan in pain. But it was all in my head.

At about 3am there was a new scent coming towards us and then #Sam was stood in the room, kissing Ma’s forehead and telling #Paul to go home.

I sat up narrowing my eyes at him.

‘Don’t look at me like that-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

You know this is where I want to be.’

I shook my head. “You need to be at home with your wife and baby boy.”

‘I was, I dropped them off to Neah Bay, she wanted to visit home before she starts showing. So, there is where I need to be.’

He took the seat #Paul vacated. ‘Paul said you weren’t sleeping. Close your eyes Lee. I’m here for Sue.’

I lay back down, watching him from behind. This was my Ma. She loved people so much, that they were showing up for her now.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I woke up with my feet hanging off the edge of the couch at five AM and by five thirty I had given up on the possibility of falling back to sleep. I sat up and ran my hand over my face and through my hair, shaking away the remnants of sleep... the soft breathing from the other side of the house told me Seth was still sleeping. Good... but I knew it wouldn't be long.

I text Leah [𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎? 𝚃𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚢 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙸 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 >

@HotHeadSheWolf
<𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚛. 𝚂𝚎𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍.]

I didn't need to ask her how she was. I knew what the answer was and I knew what the answer she would tell me was too. I also had a feeling she knew she'd been on my mind all night too.

I pulled on my jeans but stayed barefoot, wanting to let #Seth sleep as long as his worried mind would allow. His kitchen wasn't a carbon copy of #Sue's Like his >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< sister's was, but it was still tidy and had a semblance of order.

I turned on his coffee maker and poured myself a bowl of cereal just as I heard a car pulling up... but it didn't pull into the driveaway. Then there was a crunching of gravel beneath feet and a hushed reprimand of 'Will you wait in the car... you sound like a baby elephant stomping up the driveway!' I laughed silently.

Emily.

And bacon.

I abandoned my cereal without a second thought and opened

@HotHeadSheWolf
< the door to find #Sam and #Emily whisper-yelling at one another at the end of the drive. Though, #Sam had a huge goofy grin on his face as he taunted his wife just enough that she didn't quite get mad at him for real.

A dangerous game to play with a pregnant woman. I laughed again when they noticed me and #Seth's bedroom door opened. 'Do I smell bacon?'

@BadBoyEmbryCall

I wasn’t sure what the time was when I made #Sam leave, He could spend all night sat here, and the sun would be out soon, bringing in a new dawn with it.

Ma woke up and with her sleepy eyes gave me a small smile. ‘You didn’t need to stay here Usdi. I’m a big girl now.’ She said as I help her out of bed to the bathroom. She drew the line at letting me help her inside saying. ‘I am the mother here!’ And even though I could given some form of a witty reply, -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I knew now wasn’t the time.

Leaning on the wall, I took out my phone when it buzzed reading the text on the screen. Something in my stomach twisted as I typed out a reply.

[ 𝚄𝚙 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗? 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙽𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊’𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜. 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚍. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎. -𝙻 ]

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Hitting send I pocketed the phone as I head the flush go and then the tap turn on. I helped Ma back into bed as I nurse came in with some more meds. ‘Mrs Clearwater, you are looking bright this morning.’ She was full of energy for this time in the morning, However I have to give her credit. The woman was like a wave of lightening looking over Ma, her meds and then telling her to sleep.

@HotHeadSheWolf
< ‘We can’t stay, my cousin is in the house with Kishil, he’s still sleeping and #Sam has work.’ Se explained. That meant the #Bear was here, I forgotten she was visiting tonight. #Emily told us there was breakast and muffins for us and #Leah and few treats for she with some cleverly disguised flaxseeds and oats to give her a boost. Then she was on her way.

#Seth was laying out the food in the basket and I pulled out my phone to reply to #Leah. [Business as usual! Okay… let me>