by Todd, E. L.
“I’m glad you understand me so well.”
Sydney sighed then closed her eyes, falling asleep in his arms.
The next morning, Sydney and Casey looked up apartments for rent. Coen got ready for school then poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Any luck?” he asked.
“There are a few good places,” Sydney said.
Coen turned to Casey. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah,” she said with a sigh. “It’s nice being able to sleep without worrying about someone choking you.”
Sydney gave her a sympathetic look.
Coen kissed Sydney on the forehead. “I’ll see you later, baby.”
She smiled. “Hurry home.”
“I will.” He turned to Casey. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” she said.
After Coen gathered all of Sydney’s assignments and completed his classes, he went to the cafeteria for lunch. All of his friends were quiet when he sat down. The tension was in the air. Henry stared at him.
Coen ate his sandwich and ignored them. He didn’t care what anyone else thought besides Sydney.
Henry cleared his throat. “I apologize for how I acted yesterday.”
Coen looked at him. “There’s no need for apology. You did the right thing. I would have done the same thing if I saw you with some other girl, not where you said you would be.”
Henry nodded. “I just didn’t want you to take it personally.”
“I don’t,” he said. “She’s your best friend. I understand why you protect her.”
“So, is everything okay between you two?” Derek asked.
“It’s more than okay,” Coen said. “It was just a misunderstanding.”
“So, what’s the story with this girl?” Henry asked.
Coen sighed. “I can’t say.”
“Did she stay with you guys last night?” Henry asked.
“Yes.”
Derek raised an eyebrow. “Is she homeless?”
Coen shook his head. “She—has special needs. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone her secret and I keep my word. I didn’t even tell Sydney, but she figured it out on her own, for the most part.”
“I’m sorry I accused you of cheating,” Henry said.
“Let’s just forgot about it,” Coen said.
“Okay.”
After lunch, Coen went home. When he saw Sydney, he gave her a big kiss, not caring that she was sick. Knowing she trusted him as much as she did made him even more in love with her. Even if it was his word against the whole world, she would still be on his side. It was the greatest feeling.
“How was your day?” Sydney asked.
“Shitty without you.”
“Did you talk to Henry?”
“He apologized.”
“I figured he would,” Sydney said.
“Did you find a place?” Coen asked.
“We did,” Sydney said with a smile. “Now we need you to move everything.”
Coen smiled. “Look how that worked out…”
Casey came into the living room. “Hey, Coen. Did Syd tell you the good news?”
“You found a place,” Coen said with a nod. “Let’s get moving.”
“It’s going to take forever with just the two of us,” Casey said.
“There will be a lot more,” Coen said. “Trust me.”
Coen called up all their friends and asked for their assistance. Naturally, they were all there immediately.
“Wow,” Casey said. “You have a lot of friends.”
Sydney smiled. “They are family.”
“This is Casey,” Coen said to everyone. “She needs help moving into a new apartment.”
Everyone introduced themselves and made her feel welcomed.
After they drove to her house, they started packing and placing everything into the cars and trucks.
Casey came to Coen. “All your friends are really hot.”
He laughed. “And they are all taken.”
She sighed. “Why is that always the case?”
He shrugged. “You gotta snatch them while you can.”
“Where’s Sydney?” she asked.
“She’s too sick to help. I made her stay home.”
“Your wife is beautiful.”
He smiled. “I know she is.”
“And really nice. I’ve never met people who were so compassionate toward others.”
“Well, she makes me that way,” he said. “I’m always trying to be a better man for her.”
“You guys are too cute,” Casey said.
“We try.”
They packed everything then moved the furniture into the new apartment. It was a two bedroom place with just enough space. They helped her put her bedroom furniture together and stacked her kitchen supplies. By the time everyone was done, they were exhausted.
“Thank you so much,” Casey said. “That was so nice of you.”
“Well, when you deal with one of us, you deal with all of us,” Derek said.
Casey smiled. “I really appreciate it. I don’t have anyone to help me.” Her smile faded and her eyes grew empty.
Coen clapped her on the shoulder. “You always have us as friends.”
“Really?” she asked quietly.
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Everyone left except for Coen. He stayed behind so he could have a private chat with Casey.
“Call me if he tracks you down.”
“I will,” she said.
“And when my wife feels better, she’ll beat the shit out of him too.”
Casey laughed. “She’s too cute to hurt anyone.”
Coen shook his head vigorously. “She could kick my ass any day.”
“Wow. That’s a kinda friend I would want to stick around.”
“I know Sydney would love to spend time with you when she’s feeling better. She’s been on bedrest for a while and she’s getting pretty aggravated.”
“I can imagine,” Casey said.
“And she keeps saying she’s gaining weight when she isn’t.”
“Maybe she’s pregnant.”
“Everyone keeps saying that,” Coen said. “She’s not. We checked.”
“How long have you guys been married?”
“A few months.”
“Oh,” she said. “So you guys aren’t ready for kids.”
“No,” he said with a laugh. “We can barely feed ourselves as it is.”
Casey smiled at him. “Let me know if there’s anything I can ever do for either of you. I’d be happy to help.”
“You’ve already helped me more than you’ll ever know.” He walked out the door and shut it behind him.
11
“I want to go swimming today then we’ll go hiking tomorrow. On Wednesday, let’s go surfing with Thatcher. And I want to sail. Let’s go sailing!” Sydney kept talking about all the activities she wanted to do that week. Now that she felt better, she was extremely hyper.
“Let’s just take it one day at a time,” he said.
“Let’s make love in the shower.”
His eyes widened. “I’m not going to say no to that, but you shouldn’t do too much, too quick. You remember what happened last time.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re such party-pooper.”
“I’m just a concerned husband.”
She sat at the kitchen table and drank her coffee.
Coen sat beside her and watched her eat her breakfast. After getting sick, Sydney took her nutritional diet very seriously. She ate more than she used to, which was a relief to Coen. He was one step away from force feeding her.
“How’s Casey doing?”
“Well,” he said. “She likes her new place.”
“Has Jeremy bothered her?”
“No. She changed her number so he hasn’t contact her.”
“That’s good,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“I know Theresa would be proud of you,” she
said quietly.
“I’m just glad I could spare someone since I couldn’t spare her.”
Sydney eyed him. “Don’t hold yourself responsible, Coen. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I’ll always feel this way. I try not to but it happens anyway.”
Sydney grabbed his hand. “You’re such a wonderful man.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you think so.”
“I’m sure Casey does too.”
“I do feel better knowing I helped her.”
“And you should,” Sydney said.
“I hate to imagine what would have happened if I wasn’t around.”
She drank from her coffee then set it down. “What if you opened up your own self-defense studio, specifically for women? You could be a trainer and a motivational speaker.”
“That costs money,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m sure we find some investors.”
“You mean Nancy?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure she would help. She has more money than she knows what to do with.”
Coen shook his head. “That’s a hard business. We would have to build up clients before we made a profit. And I would have to hire instructors.”
“You have me,” she said.
“But you have your own passions.”
“I can do both.”
He glared at her. “So you can work 24/7 like you’ve been this semester? No thanks.”
“We would figure something out.”
“No,” he said.
She dropped the argument and finished her coffee. “I need to leave for school.”
“Take it easy,” Coen said firmly.
She sat on his lap and rubbed her nose against his. “I dropped the Ecology class. You’re right. I don’t need the minor.”
He smiled. “Thank you.”
“And I have Wednesdays off with you.”
“No, Wednesdays are the days you take for yourself. I’ll cook dinner and do the housework. You just lie on the couch and watch TV.”
Her eyes softened. “You’re so sweet, Coen.”
“Because you’re my wife and I love you. I would never help my mom out.”
“You’re a momma’s boy and you know it,” she said with a laugh.
“What’s wrong with that?” he said with a smile. “I love my mom.”
“That’s so cute.”
“I am pretty cute,” he said with a wink.
“I need to do something nice for you for being so good to me.”
His eyes brightened. “What did you have in mind, baby?”
“Why don’t you pick?” She rubbed his shoulders.
“Ooh…this could take a while.”
“Take your time.”
He smiled. “This is going to be the best week ever.”
She moved from his lap then grabbed her bag. “I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Bye.”
Sydney went to her classes and submitted her late work. Her professors were understanding since she was legitimately sick. She scheduled her make up exams that week, but she didn’t feel nervous for them. She’d been doing nothing but studying in bed. Her lab professors waved her points and her lab write ups.
At lunch, Sydney sat down with her friends.
“Happy to be back?” Henry asked.
“You have no idea,” she said with a sigh. “It’s nice to walk around. And I was gaining weight since I was lying in bed all day.”
“Or maybe you’re pregnant,” Ren said.
Sydney laughed. “I’m not pregnant! Coen made me take a test three times.”
Ren looked sad. “Oh.”
“How’s Casey doing?” Henry asked.
“She’s happy in her new place.”
“I hope she escaped whatever was chasing her,” Henry said.
Sydney looked at him. “I think Coen took care of that.”
“How did Coen get involved in that?” Derek asked.
“Well, he’s a person trainer,” Sydney said. “He meets abused people all the time.”
“And he helps them?” Henry asked.
Sydney nodded. “It’s his passion in life. He wants to help other people, particularly women.”
“Wow,” Henry said. “I had no idea.”
“He’s an amazing man,” Sydney said.
“And a badass,” Henry said. “That’s so cool.”
Sydney smiled at him. “Now you know why I love him so much.”
Coen came to the table and placed a tray in front of Sydney. It was a grilled cheese sandwich and fries.
She eyed it but didn’t complain. “We were just talking about you.”
“Were you telling them what you are going to do for me tonight?”
Sydney rolled her eyes.
Derek raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on tonight?”
“I’m getting some serious loving for being an amazing husband.”
“They didn’t need to know that,” Sydney said.
“Yes, they did,” Coen said. “I don’t want them calling us while we’re humping away.”
Ren laughed. “It sounds like a romantic evening.”
Henry looked at Coen. “I have new respect for you, man.”
Coen met his gaze. “Because I have sex with my wife?”
Henry smiled. “Sydney told us what you do. You protect women that can’t protect themselves. That’s awesome.”
Coen averted his gaze, his cheeks starting to turn red.
“He’s right,” Derek said. “You’re awesome.”
“And I feel horrible for accusing you of cheating on Sydney,” Henry said.
Coen didn’t anything, at a loss of words.
“He appreciates the words,” Sydney said. “He’s always been very humble about his good qualities.”
“Or silent about them,” Derek said with a laugh. “I always thought Coen was an ass before I met him.”
“I like to keep it that way,” Coen said with a smile. “It’s the element of surprise.”
Sydney placed her hand on his thigh and stared at him affectionately.
Coen felt the look and loved it. His wife could stare at him like that all she wanted.
After the afternoon classes were finished, Sydney went home and hit the books. Coen was working tonight so she was alone in the house. Now that she realized how hard she was pushing it, she decided to take a step back. Dr. Goldstein understood her need to cut her hours, and her teacher didn’t question her decision to drop the course. There was more to life than school and work.
There was a knock on the door. The sound made Sydney flinch. She didn’t know who it was. Coen wouldn’t knock, and her friends would call before they came over. And solicitors never came to her door because it was hidden from the road by the trees.
She walked to the door then looked through the peephole. Her heart raced when she saw the face on the other side. It was so unexpected that it made her shake.
She opened the door. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
Her mother’s bags were at her feet. She looked thin, like she had lost substantial weight. Her clothes were baggy, and her hair was unkept. What light she had in her eyes was gone. She looked like a shadow of the woman she used to be. “Hello, honey,” she said quietly.
Sydney immediately scanned the yard, looking for her stepfather and brother.
“I’m alone,” she said.
Sydney stared at her. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
“I—I couldn’t stay there any longer. It got worse…”
Sydney felt her heart ache.
“I had to get out. And—I have nowhere else to go. You’re the only family I have, Sydney.”
She didn’t know what to say. The shock still gripped her. “I’m so sorry, Mom. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I will be eventually.”
Sydney stood still, frozen in place. Her heart slammed in her chest.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“Oh…yeah, of course.”
She gathered the bags and helped her mother inside. After she shut the door, she locked it.
Her mother looked around. “You’ve decorated it well.”
Sydney wasn’t expecting the compliment. Her mom usually tore her apart. “Thank you.”
“How’s your husband?”
“He’s good,” Sydney said.
“He’s a fine young man.”
“I know.”
Denise sat on the couch and sighed.
“What happened?” Sydney asked.
“Dan has only gotten worse. He lost his job because of his drinking, and when he got it back, they demoted him to a lower position. He’s been taking it on me. I just got sick of it and ran. I couldn’t be there any longer, not if I wanted to live.”
Sydney grabbed her hand. “It’ll be okay, Mom.”
Her mom started to cry.
Sydney held her in her arms and patted her back. “You’re safe here.”
“Thank you so much,” she said through her tears. “You’re so wonderful, Sydney. I don’t know you became the amazing woman you are now. But I know it has nothing to do with me.”
Sydney couldn’t disagree more. It was those horrific experiences that made her become strong. “Can I get you some tea or water?”
“I’m okay,” she said as she pulled away.
“Let’s get you settled,” Sydney said. “I have an air mattress you can have.”
“Thank you so much,” she said. “I have nowhere else to go.”
“You’re always welcome here, Mom.”
She nodded, tears still falling down her face.
Sydney helped her mom get settled in the house. It was awkward for a few hours. Sydney wasn’t sure what to say or how to act. She had never been close with her mom, and for most of her life her mother was someone she didn’t like. But now she was here, begging for her help.
They made dinner together and made small talk.
“How’s school?” she asked.
“I like it,” Sydney said. “I’ve been doing research at the aquarium.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “I’m happy for you.”
Sydney was surprised once again.
“How’s the marriage?”
“We’re very happy,” Sydney said.
“Does he go to the same college?”
Sydney nodded.
“What have you been doing lately?”
“Well, I was sick for a long time. I was pretty much handicapped for weeks. Coen had to take care of me.”