RP LOG with lolblissbomb | Reunions
Another nightmare tore Rob from his nap and he woke suddenly, panting for breath. Sweat was covering his face, probably tears too. He seemed to have a tendency of crying during the bad dreams, but he couldn't really remember them clearly by the time he was awake. Leila asked him about them, asked him if she could help, but he always drew a blank when he tried to explain them to her. It wasn't night, though. The clock told him it was around two pm and as he swallowed back some nausea lingering from the disrupted sleep, he looked over Leila who was napping on the bed beside him. He remembered, now. He hadn't been feeling well and didn't want lunch, so Leila suggested they lie down together on the bed and watch a movie. The end of The Goonies was playing silently on the flat screen TV they had mounted on the wall and Rob realised Leila must have turned the volume down when he fell asleep, and then dropped off herself.
He leaned back against the pillow, turning his head to rest it against Leila's and tucking his hand around her waist. He was just closing his eyes again when he heard their buzzer ring and he stilled. He watched Leila, seeing if she was going to wake up, but she didn't move. He knew he should probably wake her to get the door, or at the least, just ignore it. Technically, he should only be moving small distances on the crutches. Technically, still in the apartment until they moved to their new bigger home, the door wasn't all that far away. What he naively didn't anticipate was how long it took him to get up off the bed and he was breathless all over again by the time he got onto the crutches. Niggles of pain were shooting through him from all the injury sites, but at least he didn't have to wake Leila up. She was exhausted because neither of them had a proper night sleep since he was discharged into her care. Between the nightmares and calls of nature in the middle of the night, they were up and down more than they were consistently asleep. Rob, of course, felt guilty almost constantly.
Appearance wasn't exactly something he thought to worry about either as he made his way slowly to the front door. Fuck, it would be a miracle if they were even still there. The buzzing sounded persistent, though. He was in his Homer Simpson pyjamas pants and a loose white wifebeater, pretty much what he had worn to bed the night before. It was mostly a matter of taking each day right now. If he felt crap or too sore to bother getting dressed, he just stayed in his pyjamas. Even Leila had taken to doing the same some days. On the positive side of things, though, it did mean they got to spend a lot of time in each other's company and the nature of Rob's healing process, he was very reliant on her. Modesty went out the window and they were forced into a lot more private intimacy than any couple probably would be at this point into a relationship. But it meant they started to get to know each other inside and out; for Rob, that was huge. Rob knew from his past that marriage didn't automatically mean you were perfect for each other, but as every day passed, he really did believe more and more that Leila was his perfect match. Even in the hardest moments, and they were both in tears struggling through it, they still managed to stick together through it.
He let out a heavy breath as he made it to the door and hit the buzzer. "It's open," he said through the intercom and unlocked the door, tugging it open awkardly as he rested heavily on the crutches. He took a few slow breaths and let them out, urging the nausea to pass. It was easing now he was awake and moving about. Whoever this was, though, he might just need to apologetically tell them to fuck off because he wanted to go back to bed with his wife and pretend nothing was hurting.
Lily was trying to be patient. She really was. What if Rob had been put back in hospital and she didn't know? But Mike would have said something, right? And then she was wondering if maybe she was interrupting private time between her brother and his new wife. Only then she remembered just how injured he was, so sex couldn't really be on the menu, could it? It's why she hadn't gone crazy with the buzzing. She was both being polite and indecisive. She had practically run up the stairs the moment she'd heard Rob's voice and the door had been unlocked. She was getting to see her brother! She'd be lying if she didn't admit to worrying about him every time he went away.
He was her big brother.
She hated him being away, but he was a soldier and it was just what he did. She reached the top of the stairs, and almost barrelled through the door in her haste before she pulled up short and stopped herself before she collided with Rob. "Hey, you. Miss me?"
Her eyes roamed over him, and she could feel the tears start to well up at seeing the damage. She should have been here quicker, but their parents only just managed to let her get on a plane. They didn't want anything happening to their second baby. But their curiosity over Leila was getting strong. They meant well. Besides, Lily really did need to be over this side of the country for college.
For a moment, Rob did actually think he might be dreaming. That the whole thing since waking really was just an extension of the nightmare. He could feel, though. The pain wouldn't be there if it was a dream, nor would the cramp he was getting in his armpit for leaning awkwardly on the crutches on his left side. He was still favouring that operation site, even if it was healing over nicely. The home nurse who visited every couple of days told him he would only need about another week of dressing on it, and even now it was just extra-caution because of all the weird skin infections these days. When he had been brought into the infirmary initially after they found him, a lot of his wounds had already been infected from lack of cleaning and the heat. The nurses wanted to handle him with kid gloves for a little longer, and it did help they seemed quite charmed by him because he was 1) and soldier and 2) Southern.
His eyes widened a little, shocked to see his younger sister standing there in front of him. "I- what... why are you here?" he asked her with a small laugh of disbelief. He managed to slip his arm carefully around her a small part of the way. It was the best hug he could offer trying to stay balanced on the crutches. "Forget how to use a phone?" he added teasingly.
Lily hugged him back tentatively, not really sure what would hurt if she squeezed him, or put her hands in the wrong place. She kissed his cheek briefly and smiled sheepishly. "No, did you? Get yourself a wife and suddenly there ain't so many calls anymore. Coulda just said you were tradin' me in for a new L. I got into college in Princeton. I know it ain't New York, but it was the best I could do. Figured it would still give you breathin' space, but I can bug you whenever I want. Also figured I'd drop in on my favourite big brother and see how he's goin'."
Rob kissed her head and then had to think about getting off the crutches before he did himself damage and landed back at square one. He nudged the door shut with his elbow and tilted his head, indicating she should follow him. "Well, I hate to break it to you, Lils, but there ain't many cell phones or iPods in Afghanistan. I was posted in some pretty fucked up places this time 'round. Since I been back... well, I ain't felt too much like talking." Getting to the living room, he eased himself down into the closest chair, letting out a relieved rush of breath when he was sitting again, leaning forward to wait for the pains to pass as he studied her for a few moments. "You got into Princeton? Well, I ain't ever thought Ivy league was on the menu for us Lairds, but well done, kiddo. I'm proud of you. Mom and Dad ain't said a word when I spoke to them."
"They been too worried about you," Lily pointed out as she moved to sit beside him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. She brushed her hair out of the way with her other hand as she watched him. Their colouring was slightly different with Lily being lighter, but there were similarities. Lily had always looked up to her big brother. She'd even inherited his love of cars from spending so much time with him. The one thing she did have that he didn't was a passion for computers. "I wanted to get into one of the best Computer Science programs, so I had to aim high. And I did actually earn my grades before you ask. I didn't do anythin' illegal." She pressed her lips together as she frowned. "Do you want me to go?"
Rob shook his head, looking at her in confusion. "No, why would I want you to go, Lils? I'm sorry. I know I ain't emitting much of an air of enthusiasm right now. I am on the inside, I promise. I'm just... a bit fucked in the head at the moment, and a bit broken on the outside. Just needing a lil bit of time. But of course I want you here. How long are you staying for? You got into Computer Science? That's excellent. Leila's cousin lives in Princeton. He owns a bar there. Got some friends who are all doctors and nurses at the hospital too."
Lily shrugged. "I don't know. You said you weren't up for talking. But I can be quiet. I know I can be. I have my laptop just in case. I was going to stay for a few days. Just to make sure you're okay. If that's okay? I mean, fucked in the head or not, I just want to be with you for a little while before it's my turn to go away. You're going to stay here for a while, aren't you? They're not going to send you right back? I don't want you to go back! I don't want you to blow up again." She looked away as she felt the tears prick the backs of her eyes again, and blinked them back. "A cousin that owns a bar? Well, that's somethin'. Better remember not to try and sneak in there, though. So, where is she?"
Rob felt that tight, cold clench around his heart that was always there, without fail, when someone he loved told him they didn't want him to go away. The feeling that he wanted to promise them he wouldn't, but his loyalty to his service something that would never let him make promises like that. But since he had gotten back, his future was looking more and more uncertain. It was only a matter of time before he got a phone call to tell him he had to be assessment by a military psych and doctor to see if he was fit for service after the trauma. He had friends who had gone through this and never were deemed fit to return. He had that hanging all over his head as well as harbouring the images still lingering in his head from the actual incident. He felt close to tears himself, but he drew in a shaky breath and let it out again, clearing his throat. "I... ain't sure when I'll go back, kiddo. Not for a lil bit yet, anyway. I got some healing to do, I need some time out first. Probably ain't gonna be until the New Year until I even know much of anything." He had to paused again to maintain his composure. He didn't want to lose his cool in front of his baby sister. Some things were sacred and the strong big brother thing was one of them. "Yeah. He owns two bars, actually. One there and one here in the city. This is his place, actually. We're just stopping until the purchase of our place goes through in a couple of weeks. And I ain't wanting you sneaking into any bars, alright? No drinking, either. You're too smart to make stupid mistakes like that. College is important. Leila's asleep. We ain't been sleeping too well."
Lily rubbed his back gently, and pressed her lips together. She could remember asking him when she was even younger if he could stay, but he'd said no. The hesitation was telling. She didn't pass comment on it though, choosing to just nod in understanding. This had to be hard for him. She could only imagine what being over there must have been like, let alone being blown-up. Lily smirked a little. "Yeah, yeah. No sneakin' into bars. I promise. So what's your place like? I didn't even know you were buyin' one. You really love her, don't you? Did you wanna get back to sleep with her? I can just make myself comfy... here." Lily glanced around as she realised the place was kind of small. "Am I gonna be in the way?"
Rob shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't know. I've only seen photos. It looks real nice. I'm not allowed to go anywhere but stick around this place at the moment. Leila picked the place when I was overseas. I told her to, so we could have a home together. It was laying an awful lot on her, I know, but I was just... worried about her. Really worried about her. I wanted her to have something all to think about while I was gone. I do really love her, kiddo. She makes me real happy, and she helped me get through everything over there. She flew to Germany as soon as she heard. Plus, her family are all wonderful people too. They've been amazing. I ain't wanting to go back to sleep yet, no. 'Course you ain't gonna get in the way. It's just... things are tough. It might not be so... easy to share a small space right now, but I want you to stay til you have to go to college, if you can put up with it."
Lily grinned. "Not like you're gonna have to twist my arm. I promise to make sure the bathroom's clear when you need it, and I won't make a lot of noise just like I said. I can even help a bit. That way you and Leila can have some sleep. Do you want me to do anything now? I could do washing, or dishes, or... I don't know. What can I do?" Lily was still doubtful about the wife until she met her, but she did trust Rob's judgement. He'd never been like this about his ex-wife. Not that she remembered. She couldn't even remember the bitch ever taking care of him. Rob had always wound up having his family down to do it. Lily held up her hand. "I promise to be nice to her. If you love her, then I'm sure I will, too. Always wanted a sister."
"Nothing. It's all fine, kiddo. Well, it ain't fine, but it's getting there. We're just taking each day. You don't need to spend your last few days of freedom doing house work. As you can see, we ain't been bothering so much ourselves, and it's fine." There were things lying around, the odd plate or coffee mug sitting in various places around the room. His army bag was lying near the door still with his stuff half in and half hanging out. The only thing he had taken out of it were the photos of their wedding and the photos Leila had sent him. The rest just sat there. He wasn't ready to deal with it yet. There were other items over the place like bandages and boxes of tissues. Actually, it was quite messy, but they were comfortable. It was almost like they had made some sort of cosy nest for themselves and the mess didn't bother them. "Leila's pretty tough, Lils. Even if you wanted to try and be a pain in the butt, she would take it in her stride. But I do appreciate it if you didn't. It would mean a lot if you got along, especially right now. I ain't sure I could take it if you two hated each other. She's really special."
Lily held his gaze before reaching up with her hand and brushing what little hair he had as she smiled. "If she's that special then I don't think I could hate her. So she's tough? What else is she? I didn't get to hear you talk about her much before you went and were suddenly married. How did you know you wanted to marry her? What was the wedding like? Did you like Vegas? Momma cried... I don't think I'm supposed to tell you, but she did."
Rob felt guilt spill over him again and his gut flipped at hearing his Mom had been crying. "She cried?" he asked hoarsely, almost close to tears himself. He wrung his fingers in front of him, rocking forward a little in an attempt not to get upset too. "I... um... we weren't really there long enough to know whether to like it or not. We just went to get married and stayed in the hotel room overnight. Then we were back for a night here in New York, and I was gone the next day. I guess y'all didn't get to hear me talk about her because I didn't get to experience her enough to have anything to say. I ain't even sure now what all made me decide. I guess part of it was panic." His blue eyes moved to the wedding photos Leila had put up on the wall next to the blown up ones Mike had given her of Rob overseas in his camos. "It was simple, just us and couple of witnesses we borrowed. I needed her to know that I would do everything I could to come back to her. I needed her to be notified if anything..." He waved his hand down himself, not sure what words really could explain what me meant.
She gave a nod. "I know. And it wasn't bad tears!" She quickly added. "Just, you know... her baby boy got married again tears. I promise nothin' bad." Lily was looking at him with wide eyes, scared she'd just made her big brother want to cry. She didn't like seeing him so sad and broken. She couldn't even think what to say to make him feel better, and that just made her feel useless. She pulled her mouth to the side briefly before working out how to hug him without hurting. At least the hugging she could still do. "I'm glad you found someone t'make you happy, Robbo," she murmured.
Rob hugged her back the best he could and kissed her head. "I am, Lils. I promise. More than I have been in a long time." Inevitably they fell into silence, but Rob wasn't sure he had enough ways to express how glad he was to have his sister here. There was more than a few moments when he was lying out there injured that he thought he would never see her again. "It's gonna be okay, Lils. I promise," he added in a whisper.
Word Count | 3,370
He leaned back against the pillow, turning his head to rest it against Leila's and tucking his hand around her waist. He was just closing his eyes again when he heard their buzzer ring and he stilled. He watched Leila, seeing if she was going to wake up, but she didn't move. He knew he should probably wake her to get the door, or at the least, just ignore it. Technically, he should only be moving small distances on the crutches. Technically, still in the apartment until they moved to their new bigger home, the door wasn't all that far away. What he naively didn't anticipate was how long it took him to get up off the bed and he was breathless all over again by the time he got onto the crutches. Niggles of pain were shooting through him from all the injury sites, but at least he didn't have to wake Leila up. She was exhausted because neither of them had a proper night sleep since he was discharged into her care. Between the nightmares and calls of nature in the middle of the night, they were up and down more than they were consistently asleep. Rob, of course, felt guilty almost constantly.
Appearance wasn't exactly something he thought to worry about either as he made his way slowly to the front door. Fuck, it would be a miracle if they were even still there. The buzzing sounded persistent, though. He was in his Homer Simpson pyjamas pants and a loose white wifebeater, pretty much what he had worn to bed the night before. It was mostly a matter of taking each day right now. If he felt crap or too sore to bother getting dressed, he just stayed in his pyjamas. Even Leila had taken to doing the same some days. On the positive side of things, though, it did mean they got to spend a lot of time in each other's company and the nature of Rob's healing process, he was very reliant on her. Modesty went out the window and they were forced into a lot more private intimacy than any couple probably would be at this point into a relationship. But it meant they started to get to know each other inside and out; for Rob, that was huge. Rob knew from his past that marriage didn't automatically mean you were perfect for each other, but as every day passed, he really did believe more and more that Leila was his perfect match. Even in the hardest moments, and they were both in tears struggling through it, they still managed to stick together through it.
He let out a heavy breath as he made it to the door and hit the buzzer. "It's open," he said through the intercom and unlocked the door, tugging it open awkardly as he rested heavily on the crutches. He took a few slow breaths and let them out, urging the nausea to pass. It was easing now he was awake and moving about. Whoever this was, though, he might just need to apologetically tell them to fuck off because he wanted to go back to bed with his wife and pretend nothing was hurting.
Lily was trying to be patient. She really was. What if Rob had been put back in hospital and she didn't know? But Mike would have said something, right? And then she was wondering if maybe she was interrupting private time between her brother and his new wife. Only then she remembered just how injured he was, so sex couldn't really be on the menu, could it? It's why she hadn't gone crazy with the buzzing. She was both being polite and indecisive. She had practically run up the stairs the moment she'd heard Rob's voice and the door had been unlocked. She was getting to see her brother! She'd be lying if she didn't admit to worrying about him every time he went away.
He was her big brother.
She hated him being away, but he was a soldier and it was just what he did. She reached the top of the stairs, and almost barrelled through the door in her haste before she pulled up short and stopped herself before she collided with Rob. "Hey, you. Miss me?"
Her eyes roamed over him, and she could feel the tears start to well up at seeing the damage. She should have been here quicker, but their parents only just managed to let her get on a plane. They didn't want anything happening to their second baby. But their curiosity over Leila was getting strong. They meant well. Besides, Lily really did need to be over this side of the country for college.
For a moment, Rob did actually think he might be dreaming. That the whole thing since waking really was just an extension of the nightmare. He could feel, though. The pain wouldn't be there if it was a dream, nor would the cramp he was getting in his armpit for leaning awkwardly on the crutches on his left side. He was still favouring that operation site, even if it was healing over nicely. The home nurse who visited every couple of days told him he would only need about another week of dressing on it, and even now it was just extra-caution because of all the weird skin infections these days. When he had been brought into the infirmary initially after they found him, a lot of his wounds had already been infected from lack of cleaning and the heat. The nurses wanted to handle him with kid gloves for a little longer, and it did help they seemed quite charmed by him because he was 1) and soldier and 2) Southern.
His eyes widened a little, shocked to see his younger sister standing there in front of him. "I- what... why are you here?" he asked her with a small laugh of disbelief. He managed to slip his arm carefully around her a small part of the way. It was the best hug he could offer trying to stay balanced on the crutches. "Forget how to use a phone?" he added teasingly.
Lily hugged him back tentatively, not really sure what would hurt if she squeezed him, or put her hands in the wrong place. She kissed his cheek briefly and smiled sheepishly. "No, did you? Get yourself a wife and suddenly there ain't so many calls anymore. Coulda just said you were tradin' me in for a new L. I got into college in Princeton. I know it ain't New York, but it was the best I could do. Figured it would still give you breathin' space, but I can bug you whenever I want. Also figured I'd drop in on my favourite big brother and see how he's goin'."
Rob kissed her head and then had to think about getting off the crutches before he did himself damage and landed back at square one. He nudged the door shut with his elbow and tilted his head, indicating she should follow him. "Well, I hate to break it to you, Lils, but there ain't many cell phones or iPods in Afghanistan. I was posted in some pretty fucked up places this time 'round. Since I been back... well, I ain't felt too much like talking." Getting to the living room, he eased himself down into the closest chair, letting out a relieved rush of breath when he was sitting again, leaning forward to wait for the pains to pass as he studied her for a few moments. "You got into Princeton? Well, I ain't ever thought Ivy league was on the menu for us Lairds, but well done, kiddo. I'm proud of you. Mom and Dad ain't said a word when I spoke to them."
"They been too worried about you," Lily pointed out as she moved to sit beside him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. She brushed her hair out of the way with her other hand as she watched him. Their colouring was slightly different with Lily being lighter, but there were similarities. Lily had always looked up to her big brother. She'd even inherited his love of cars from spending so much time with him. The one thing she did have that he didn't was a passion for computers. "I wanted to get into one of the best Computer Science programs, so I had to aim high. And I did actually earn my grades before you ask. I didn't do anythin' illegal." She pressed her lips together as she frowned. "Do you want me to go?"
Rob shook his head, looking at her in confusion. "No, why would I want you to go, Lils? I'm sorry. I know I ain't emitting much of an air of enthusiasm right now. I am on the inside, I promise. I'm just... a bit fucked in the head at the moment, and a bit broken on the outside. Just needing a lil bit of time. But of course I want you here. How long are you staying for? You got into Computer Science? That's excellent. Leila's cousin lives in Princeton. He owns a bar there. Got some friends who are all doctors and nurses at the hospital too."
Lily shrugged. "I don't know. You said you weren't up for talking. But I can be quiet. I know I can be. I have my laptop just in case. I was going to stay for a few days. Just to make sure you're okay. If that's okay? I mean, fucked in the head or not, I just want to be with you for a little while before it's my turn to go away. You're going to stay here for a while, aren't you? They're not going to send you right back? I don't want you to go back! I don't want you to blow up again." She looked away as she felt the tears prick the backs of her eyes again, and blinked them back. "A cousin that owns a bar? Well, that's somethin'. Better remember not to try and sneak in there, though. So, where is she?"
Rob felt that tight, cold clench around his heart that was always there, without fail, when someone he loved told him they didn't want him to go away. The feeling that he wanted to promise them he wouldn't, but his loyalty to his service something that would never let him make promises like that. But since he had gotten back, his future was looking more and more uncertain. It was only a matter of time before he got a phone call to tell him he had to be assessment by a military psych and doctor to see if he was fit for service after the trauma. He had friends who had gone through this and never were deemed fit to return. He had that hanging all over his head as well as harbouring the images still lingering in his head from the actual incident. He felt close to tears himself, but he drew in a shaky breath and let it out again, clearing his throat. "I... ain't sure when I'll go back, kiddo. Not for a lil bit yet, anyway. I got some healing to do, I need some time out first. Probably ain't gonna be until the New Year until I even know much of anything." He had to paused again to maintain his composure. He didn't want to lose his cool in front of his baby sister. Some things were sacred and the strong big brother thing was one of them. "Yeah. He owns two bars, actually. One there and one here in the city. This is his place, actually. We're just stopping until the purchase of our place goes through in a couple of weeks. And I ain't wanting you sneaking into any bars, alright? No drinking, either. You're too smart to make stupid mistakes like that. College is important. Leila's asleep. We ain't been sleeping too well."
Lily rubbed his back gently, and pressed her lips together. She could remember asking him when she was even younger if he could stay, but he'd said no. The hesitation was telling. She didn't pass comment on it though, choosing to just nod in understanding. This had to be hard for him. She could only imagine what being over there must have been like, let alone being blown-up. Lily smirked a little. "Yeah, yeah. No sneakin' into bars. I promise. So what's your place like? I didn't even know you were buyin' one. You really love her, don't you? Did you wanna get back to sleep with her? I can just make myself comfy... here." Lily glanced around as she realised the place was kind of small. "Am I gonna be in the way?"
Rob shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't know. I've only seen photos. It looks real nice. I'm not allowed to go anywhere but stick around this place at the moment. Leila picked the place when I was overseas. I told her to, so we could have a home together. It was laying an awful lot on her, I know, but I was just... worried about her. Really worried about her. I wanted her to have something all to think about while I was gone. I do really love her, kiddo. She makes me real happy, and she helped me get through everything over there. She flew to Germany as soon as she heard. Plus, her family are all wonderful people too. They've been amazing. I ain't wanting to go back to sleep yet, no. 'Course you ain't gonna get in the way. It's just... things are tough. It might not be so... easy to share a small space right now, but I want you to stay til you have to go to college, if you can put up with it."
Lily grinned. "Not like you're gonna have to twist my arm. I promise to make sure the bathroom's clear when you need it, and I won't make a lot of noise just like I said. I can even help a bit. That way you and Leila can have some sleep. Do you want me to do anything now? I could do washing, or dishes, or... I don't know. What can I do?" Lily was still doubtful about the wife until she met her, but she did trust Rob's judgement. He'd never been like this about his ex-wife. Not that she remembered. She couldn't even remember the bitch ever taking care of him. Rob had always wound up having his family down to do it. Lily held up her hand. "I promise to be nice to her. If you love her, then I'm sure I will, too. Always wanted a sister."
"Nothing. It's all fine, kiddo. Well, it ain't fine, but it's getting there. We're just taking each day. You don't need to spend your last few days of freedom doing house work. As you can see, we ain't been bothering so much ourselves, and it's fine." There were things lying around, the odd plate or coffee mug sitting in various places around the room. His army bag was lying near the door still with his stuff half in and half hanging out. The only thing he had taken out of it were the photos of their wedding and the photos Leila had sent him. The rest just sat there. He wasn't ready to deal with it yet. There were other items over the place like bandages and boxes of tissues. Actually, it was quite messy, but they were comfortable. It was almost like they had made some sort of cosy nest for themselves and the mess didn't bother them. "Leila's pretty tough, Lils. Even if you wanted to try and be a pain in the butt, she would take it in her stride. But I do appreciate it if you didn't. It would mean a lot if you got along, especially right now. I ain't sure I could take it if you two hated each other. She's really special."
Lily held his gaze before reaching up with her hand and brushing what little hair he had as she smiled. "If she's that special then I don't think I could hate her. So she's tough? What else is she? I didn't get to hear you talk about her much before you went and were suddenly married. How did you know you wanted to marry her? What was the wedding like? Did you like Vegas? Momma cried... I don't think I'm supposed to tell you, but she did."
Rob felt guilt spill over him again and his gut flipped at hearing his Mom had been crying. "She cried?" he asked hoarsely, almost close to tears himself. He wrung his fingers in front of him, rocking forward a little in an attempt not to get upset too. "I... um... we weren't really there long enough to know whether to like it or not. We just went to get married and stayed in the hotel room overnight. Then we were back for a night here in New York, and I was gone the next day. I guess y'all didn't get to hear me talk about her because I didn't get to experience her enough to have anything to say. I ain't even sure now what all made me decide. I guess part of it was panic." His blue eyes moved to the wedding photos Leila had put up on the wall next to the blown up ones Mike had given her of Rob overseas in his camos. "It was simple, just us and couple of witnesses we borrowed. I needed her to know that I would do everything I could to come back to her. I needed her to be notified if anything..." He waved his hand down himself, not sure what words really could explain what me meant.
She gave a nod. "I know. And it wasn't bad tears!" She quickly added. "Just, you know... her baby boy got married again tears. I promise nothin' bad." Lily was looking at him with wide eyes, scared she'd just made her big brother want to cry. She didn't like seeing him so sad and broken. She couldn't even think what to say to make him feel better, and that just made her feel useless. She pulled her mouth to the side briefly before working out how to hug him without hurting. At least the hugging she could still do. "I'm glad you found someone t'make you happy, Robbo," she murmured.
Rob hugged her back the best he could and kissed her head. "I am, Lils. I promise. More than I have been in a long time." Inevitably they fell into silence, but Rob wasn't sure he had enough ways to express how glad he was to have his sister here. There was more than a few moments when he was lying out there injured that he thought he would never see her again. "It's gonna be okay, Lils. I promise," he added in a whisper.
Word Count | 3,370