Thawed Out (Merry Everything #4)

Chapter 18

18

K iren didn’t let himself think too hard about how tired he was. Complaining or wishing for a full night’s sleep didn’t solve anything and just made him feel more frustrated. But yesterday, Flynn had looked like death when he got home—pale, red-eyed—and he was getting thin again, likely from not eating lunch to save money.

His husband was starting to snarl again too, to lose the sparkle and enthusiasm he’d had when they’d left the cabin before the holidays.

He wanted that back. He could deal with long hours, extra work, lack of sleep, money stress—all of that was doable as long as Flynn was happy.

But Flynn wasn’t happy, and it hurt Kiren’s heart. It hurt him, soul deep.

Flynn was working hard so they would get there, sure, but two months might as well be two years right now. Even two days were daunting.

Hell, even with the kids and Flynn out of this house, his next two hours were spoken for. He had a stack of exams to grade and?—

The doorbell rang, dragging him out of his own head and back to reality.

The doorbell? He looked at his watch because he wasn’t expecting anyone, then he got up and went for the door.

His parents and Flynn’s parents were standing there like a little foursome army.

And they all looked worried.

“What happened?” His chest went tight, and he literally could not breathe. He had to force the words out. “Where are they?”

“Still at McDonalds for the birthday party.”

“Okay.” What the hell? “But?—”

Flynn’s mother held up a hand. “Can we come in? We came to talk to you alone.”

He took a deep breath and puffed it out heavily, then stepped aside to let them in. “Fu—dge. I thought something had happened.”

“Everyone is safe, son.”

He needed to know what this was this about. He was worried again. “If this is some weird intervention? I’m totally fine.”

“Sort of.” Mom walked in and the dads followed along. “And I don’t think you are.”

Flynn’s mother nodded. “And I know Flynn’s not. He’s looking tired again.”

“We’re fine.” He immediately felt defensive, like he was being ganged up on. They were doing the best they could. “Of course we’re tired; we’re working and have young children. It’s normal. Flynn has a tough job; he’s doing a lot. This doesn’t require the four horsemen of the apocalypse.”

“Nope, and that’s what we told the girls, but they wanted to have lunch out, so?—”

Flynn’s father lived dangerously.

Dad rolled his eyes. “Look this doesn’t need to be so dramatic, we’re just here to help. This is a gift from the four of us. We love you. We’re proud of you. Take it and tell Flynn no more shifts at the hospital.”

He was handed a cashier’s check for twenty-five thousand dollars.

He stared at the check but didn’t take it. “I can’t accept that, Dad. That’s a lot of money.” He liked the idea of it; it definitely would help, but wouldn’t Flynn kill him if he took it?

Flynn’s mom shrugged. “You don’t have a choice. We talked about it, and we all chipped in. You and Flynn are fighting to keep your marriage together, and Flynn’s so close. This is just an early piece of your inheritance.”

Dad took his hand, put the check in it, then stepped back. “You two work hard. And you’ve done some hard work on your relationship too. That’s admirable, honestly. We want your family to be happy and successful. So, no isn’t an option.”

Okay, so maybe he would sleep tonight after all.

“I don’t know what to—or wait, yes I do. Thank you.” He swallowed hard against a sudden lump of emotion in his throat. “Thank you.”

“We love you.” Mom hugged him tight. “Call Flynn, tell him no more shifts. Focus on this opportunity.”

Flynn’s mom nodded. “Don’t mess it up.”

He laughed a little at that, and Flynn’s dad did too and pointed a finger at him. “You heard her.”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Kiren let himself smile, trying not to cry and doing it anyway. “I’m really good at telling him what to do.”

Flynn’s dad chuckled.

“Can we please go to lunch now?” Dad moaned, sounding so abused.

Mom gave him a kiss on his cheek. “We have to go feed these men to make them stop whining. I love you. Get some sleep. Your worry lines are showing.” Mom winked at him.

Worry lines? More like worry caverns.

“Yes, Mom.” He rolled his eyes and walked them all back to the door. “Thank you, again. This is so much help. It’s huge.”

“Good. We really want you two to be a success. You belong together, hmm?” Mom kissed his cheek. “Love you. See you for supper Wednesday night?”

“Yes. All of us. See you then.” He saw them all out and closed the door slowly behind them. He thought maybe he was in shock or something. He was trembling a little, and he started to laugh. “Holy shit.”

He’d said he would call Flynn, so he hunted around for his phone and dialed.

“Hey, babe.” The party was loud in the background. “What’s up! Do you want anything from McDs?” Flynn asked.

“No. No thank you. Are you coming home soon?” How was he supposed to give Flynn this news over the phone?

“Yeah. We’re finishing up here, and I’ll be home in half an hour, give or take. I need to get some laundry done…”

“Good. Sure. But uh, call out of your shift tonight, or get a cover or something, okay?”

“What? I thought—what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just call them. Please, Flynn.”

“O-okay…”

“Good. Everything is fine, I promise. Don’t worry. I just have some news and I want to give it to you in person.” He wanted to show Flynn the check. He wasn’t sure he had words.

“All right. I’ll be there soon. We’re okay?”

“We’re good. I love you.” Kiren hung up the phone and stared at the check again.

He needed a beer.

Flynn got the kids in the truck and flew home, his mind racing. What the fuck could be important enough that Kiren wanted him to give up a shift?

He had the kids; they were okay—Kiren said everything was fine at home.

So, what was it?

Kiren met him at the door. “Hey, everybody, how was the birthday party?”

“I got a lollipop and bubbles!” Cassie showed it off. He’d insisted that she keep it wrapped up until they got home, and miracle of miracles, she actually had.

Jasper sounded less jazzed about his favors. “I got a Superman mask and bubbles too.”

“Awesome, you guys. Go wash your hands, please.” Kiren shooed them off. “Hi.” Kiren reached into his pocket and handed him a slip of paper. “Here.”

“What is it? Did you get a ticket?” That was no big deal.

He opened the paper, blinked, then read it again. “What is this?”

Kiren crossed his arms. “That is your get out of work for free card, courtesy of our collective parents. I was instructed to tell you to stop picking up shifts at the hospital.”

“I—” Wait. His—“What? My what? I swear to God, babe. I did not ask for money. I didn’t.”

“No, I know, and neither did I.” Kiren took his hand. “They showed up here when you weren’t home on purpose. They just marched in here, all four of them, like that wasn’t going to freak me out. They told me that you’re looking tired again, and I’m looking worried, and they want you to not have to work so you can concentrate on school. They called it an advance on our inheritance.”

“It’s twenty-five thousand dollars.” He blinked at Kiren. “I?—”

He was going to pass out.

“Mmhmm. I know. I tried to say no, but they were not having it.” Kiren caught him around the shoulders and sat him in a kitchen chair. “They said they were proud of us, pushed that into my hands, and then they all went out to lunch together.”

“I—” No more hospital shifts. He could focus on school. He could devote himself to the clinic. He could be home for supper.

“Daddy?” Cassie’s eyes were huge. “Why are you crying? Are you getting ’vorced again?”

“Oh, no, girlie. Come here.” Kiren pulled Cassie between them. “Daddy just got good news and, sometimes, people cry when they’re happy too.”

“Happy cries?”

Flynn nodded and offered her a watery grin. “I just got really good news. I don’t have to work at the hospital anymore.”

“No more? You get to be here at night?”

“I do!” And focus on school.

Kiren was all smiles, but there were tears in his eyes too. “See? Happy tears. I bet Daddy would like a hug.”

Cassie didn’t hesitate to throw her arms around Flynn’s neck in a choking hug.

He held onto her, squeezing her close. “Love you, baby girl. Everything is good.”

He was going to beat his parents. That was an enormous amount of money.

“Everything is good?” Jasper had been hanging back but finally rushed up to hug him too.

“Yep. All good, buddy.”

“Cool. Can I have a hot dog?”

“No.” Kiren snorted. “You had plenty of food at the party, I’m sure.”

“So?” Jasper grinned. “You and Daddy didn’t eat. I’ll make enough for all of us.”

“Hot dogs!” Cassie sang. “Yum.”

Kiren looked at him and shrugged. “I can make mac and cheese.”

“Maccy cheese!” Cassie bounced.

“She’s got to be fixin’ to grow.” Flynn shook his head. “She ate a burger, fries, chicken nuggets, cake, and ice cream.”

“That’s how she does it. She fills out a little and then she shoots up.”

“Is that a yes, or what?” Jasper asked, hands on his hips.

Kiren laughed. “Oh, all right. Hot dogs and mac and cheese it is.” The kids cheered and Jasper went straight for the kitchen. Kiren pointed to the check still in his hand. “So, what do you think of that? Should we cash it before they change their minds?”

“It’s life-changing.”

It wasn’t even the sheer amount. It was the idea that he could finish school. Learn the clinic.

Sleep.

Sleep with Kiren…

“That’s…that’s exactly what it is. Life-changing. And they know it. You get to finish school without struggling. We get to spend more time together again.” Kiren hugged him. “We have to figure out how to say thank you.”

He would graduate. He’d be successful. He’d be that guy who didn’t mess up, again.

“Are you okay?” Kiren pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “Should we go help with hot dogs?”

“I’m okay. I’m great. I get to watch TV with you for an hour tonight and go to bed. With you.”

“No problem at the hospital?”

“No. I said there was a family emergency when I called in.” He’d lied. Like a rug.

“Oh, there totally was. I needed you home to look at that A-S-A-P.” Kiren grinned at him and took his hand, then shot him a wink. “I see wieners in my future.”

“I see…meatballs.” God, he was an idiot. He cracked up, his entire body rolling with it.

Kiren snorted, giggling with him. “You will definitely be seeing those.”

“This is real, isn’t it? You, me—our future. It’s real?” Sometimes he worried that he was going to wake up and find out he was alone.

“Oh, yeah. It’s real. There’s no way I could dream up the funk on the socks Jasper tossed in his hamper.”

His eyes went wide. “Oh my God. When that boy hits puberty, we’re going to have to hang a car freshener around his neck.”

“I’m dreading it. I’ll need gas mask for his laundry. We’ll have to drive with the windows down.”

“Maybe we can just build him a shed in the back. Like a Haz Mat situation.” It was fun to imagine, at any rate.

“Tell him it’s a club house.”

“I can have a club house?” Jasper didn’t miss a beat.

“No. We were, uh. We were not talking about you.”

Kiren lied way too well.

“A tree house! Jasper, you can make a tree house like that boy in that book!” Cassie was not helping.

Kiren got out a pot for pasta and a dish to make the mac and cheese in. “That would require a tree, Cass.”

Right. They had a lovely back lawn. There were trees, but none on their property.

“How are the hot dogs coming?”

Jasper beamed. “Good, Dad-Mom! I am nukerating them!”

“Keep an eye on them so they don’t explode.” Kiren didn’t even look, he just kept prepping the pasta.

“Ooh…let them ’splode, Jas…” Cassie’s eyes were wide.

He took the check and put it away in his wallet. They could go in and deposit it Monday.

In the bank.

God.

He grabbed his phone and texted the family group text.

Flynn:

You guys are amazing. I love you. Thank you.

Kiren’s father replied quickly.

KDad:

You are also amazing, and we love you too.

Kiren pulled out his phone to look at the incoming texts, taking a second to reply.

Kiren:

Yeah, thanks for scaring the crap out of me and then making my whole year. Love you guys.

Mom:

You’re most welcome. K, please feed my son a cheeseburger with some of it, he’s too skinny

Kiren’s mom added,

KMom:

Feed him a bacon cheeseburger and onion rings, then a salad. For vitamins.

Kiren laughed and texted back.

Kiren:

All the vitamins mom. You got it. Have a wonderful night.

KMom:

You too. NIGHT!

Flynn cracked up. She did not understand texting.

Kiren was laughing as he stopped the microwave. “Get some plates, Jasper; these are done. Pour some milk for the kids, babe?”

Cassie was setting the table with napkins and forks.

“I’ll get the cheese and mustard too,” Flynn said.” Hot dogs required mustard and cheese.

“And ketchup. Weirdo that doesn’t put ketchup on your hot dogs.”

“Ketchup isn’t for hot dogs, smoochie-poo.” They had been arguing about this for years. It made them both smile.

“You’re the worst.” Kiren set out a plate of dogs and a plate of buns. “Guess what guys? Daddy was going to have to work tonight but now he doesn’t. What should we do with him?”

“Watch TV and play games and snuggle!”

Jasper nodded. “Can we watch Despicable Me ? I like the Minions.”

“You think?” The boy had minion sheets. Curtains.

“It’s a plan. I’ll make popcorn.” Kiren winked at him. “Daddy might fall asleep during the movie, but that’s okay, right?”

Cassie shrugged. “We just want to be a family together. All of us.”

Her little voice made him smile. “All of us, huh?”

“Yes. Like you said. Kelly’s daddy is in the army, and he is never home, so she is sad sometimes. You used to be not home a lot, and I was sad but I amn’t anymore, and that’s better, K?”

“Yes. This is amazing. I love working daytimes and living here and being your dad and Dad-Mom’s husband. I am happy.”

“Good.” Cassie nodded like that was that and took a big bite of her hot dog.

Kiren mouthed “amn’t?” over Cassie’s head and grinned.

He waggled his eyebrows. Kiren was the teacher. He was just the glorified medic.

Flynn stopped, frowned, and chewed on that thought. What the hell? He was on his way to be a physician’s assistant. He was going to have his own clientele. He was leaving this program with his master’s.

He was not a glorified anything.

Everything Kiren had been telling him suddenly sunk in. All the work he’d put in really did mean something.

He was reaping what he sowed.

He found himself sitting a little taller, smiling a little wider.

“You can stay up a little past bedtime tonight, but tomorrow morning is chores and homework, okay?”

“Okay, Dad-Mom.”

“Cleaning my room sucks.”

Flynn blinked at his daughter. “Cassie!”

“It’s true.”

Kiren sighed. “True or not, that’s not polite. Can you say that more nicely?”

“Cleaning my room sucks, please?”

Flynn snorted, the laughter just bursting out of him.

God, he loved them all.