Something MORE for Santa

by AKM Miles

  “Quit trying so hard, you’ll get another headache. Michael misses you like crazy. He talks about you all the time. I’m just as bad. What did the doctor say this morning?”

  Derek told him and Max smiled at the news.

  “What? You’ve got a helicopter standing by?” Derek teased.

  “Almost, I’m getting one.”

  “But where are we going? If we’re not here how can we work on finding out what’s going on? But if we don’t leave and they try again they might hurt Michael or you. I’m freaking out worrying about you all.” Derek was working himself up, his stomach hurting and his head starting to ache a little.

  “Shh, relax. I’m taking care of it all.” Max said, moving to stand close, leaning over and planting a lingering kiss on Derek’s lips. That shut him up. Oh, yeah, that was what he needed.

  With his face near Derek’s, Max whispered, “Did you know there’s a place on the roof of Martin’s where a helicopter can land? I had it checked and cleared with the pilot. No one will see us leave here and no one will see us land there and you get to come home to us. We just won’t leave the penthouse until we figure this out. You’re right, we need to be here to work with the police, but no one needs to know you’re there.”

  “But if you’re working, they’ll know you’re there and what about Michael and school and how will we get anything done if no one can know we’re there?” Derek was afraid to believe that he could go home and they wouldn’t be in danger.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “With my life, Max. I know you wouldn’t put Michael or me in danger. I just don’t understand.”

  “I’ve been shopping like crazy. We do have a kitchen, you know. We can cook for ourselves. I’ve gotten some new games for Michael. I’m getting his assignments. Want to add teacher to your list of duties? You can help him and we’ll make it like a grand adventure. We’ll have to tell him some of it, but we’ll keep the worst from him. This isn’t going to take long, anyway. So, feel better?” Max was still leaning over him, talking quietly. It was like they were in their own little world.

  “I get to come home and we’ll be safe? Yeah, I feel better.” Derek sighed, loving the thought of being back with his men. “Do you know what I want to do?”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want to dance with you like we did in the bar that night. I want to be close to you and for it to be nearly dark and the music soft and slow.”

  “I think that can be arranged. Count on it.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  It happened just the way Max had promised. By seven that night Derek was on the couch with a sweet boy and two frisky kittens. Michael couldn’t seem to get close enough. He was on Derek’s left side and sat very still. He was almost vibrating, though, with excitement and joy at Derek’s being home.

  Michael looked toward the kitchen where Max was fixing supper and back to Derek. Derek knew he was dying to ask him something, so he said, “Is there anything you want to know, Michael?”

  Michael nodded his head, looking up at Derek. He didn’t move so that he could face Derek making Derek wonder if it was because he didn’t want to jostle him, as he’d been admonished by Max not to do, or if he couldn’t bear to see the bruises and cuts on Derek’s face. Most of the injuries weren’t that bad, but the one on his cheekbone had taken a couple of stitches and still hurt like hell and looked pretty bad.

  “Go ahead, sweetheart, you can ask me anything.”

  “Why does someone want to hurt you? You are so so nice. I want to hurt them back. They better not try to hurt you again. My dad’ll pertect you, Daddy Derek, but if you need me to help, you just ask me.”

  Oh my God, he was going to cry right in front of Michael. He loved this kid so much.

  Clearing his throat, he tried to come up with an answer.

  “That means a lot to me, but let’s leave it to your daddy. He’s the one with all the good ideas, huh?” He wracked his brain trying to think of another subject. “So, do you think you like the idea of me being your teacher? I think it’ll be fun. Let’s leave that for tomorrow. You know what I want?”

  “What do you want?” Michael asked, so very earnestly.

  “I want some homemade cookies and I want you and Max to make me some. I hope he got what he needed. What do you think? Could you all do that for me after supper?”

  “What kind of cookies?” Michael asked.

  “Hmm, what do I want after being in the hospital? Tell me what you think, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or just plain sugar cookies that you could decorate? I know we have some sprinkles.” He watched Michael’s face. “Oh, I see that one might be the right kind. You could use some of the chocolate sprinkles on some of them and it would be like a chocolate chip cookie and we’d have two kinds in one. What do you think?”

  “I’ll make cookies for you, Daddy Derek. I was re-al-ly scared when you got hurt so much.” Wow, three syllables in really.

  “I know you were, and you’ll never know how much I missed you. You do know how much I love you, don’t you?”

  Michael moved away a little and now he turned to look right at Derek. After a few seconds he started to tear up and then he started bawling. He didn’t move farther away and he didn’t hide his face from Derek. He just sat there, crying his eyes out. He reached up to wipe his face, but was unable to keep up with the flow of tears.

  Max came in from the kitchen, clearly concerned and heading for them. He looked to Derek and he shrugged with his left shoulder and said, “I just told him I loved him.”

  “I”, hiccup, “love” sob, sniff, “you”, wipe tears and snot now, “too.”

  “Oh, baby, come here,” Derek said, reaching for Michael. Max saw how that was going to hurt Derek so he picked Michael up and set him on Derek’s lap. Derek smiled up at him in thanks and put his left arm around Michael, pulling the still sobbing boy close to his chest, rubbing his back. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay. Daddy Derek is right here. Shh, come on now, don’t make yourself sick. Calm down, I’m right here with you. So is Daddy Max.”

  Max had moved to take Michael’s former place on Derek’s left. He moved in close and put his arm around Michael, too.

  “Look here, you’re surrounded by daddies who love you so much.” Max had a bit of huskiness to his voice now, probably because one of his loves was in tears and the other was in pain.

  “Supper is almost ready. Come on now, Michael, I need help with getting it set out. We’re going to eat in here so Derek doesn’t have to sit up at the table. I’ll give him his medicine so he’ll feel better and you and I have a chore after supper, I hear. Cookies? You’ll help me, right? It was a special request from Daddy Derek,” Max said, clearly trying to pull Michael out of his sadness.

  Derek leaned a little and kissed Max and then looked at Michael. “I sure could use a kiss on the cheek from my favorite boy,” he said, turning the uninjured side to him.

  Michael sniffed and took a deep breath and Derek could see him trying hard to stop crying. Bless his heart, he’d been so scared and it was catching up with him. He reached down and wiped tears from Michael’s face and Max leaned in to help him. Michael grinned through his tears at having both his dads mopping his face. He crawled over onto Max’s lap and from there leaned over to kiss Derek’s cheek.

  “Thank you, Michael. I’m going to be all right, you know. But I’m kind of hungry.” Not.

  Max stood with Michael in his arms and Derek watched as Michael dropped his head to Max’s shoulder and sighed deeply. He figured that was one little boy who would go to bed early. So much emotion took it out of a person.

  Dinner was brought in, set out, eaten amid talk and the occasional chuckle, though it was much more subdued than usual. He noticed Michael getting sleepy, almost nodding off over the meal.

  “You know, I’m kind of tired. I think I’d rather have cookies tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Michael asked, his eyes worried again.

  “
I’m fine, hon, just tired.”

  After much hugging and promises from Derek that he’d be better in the morning, Max put Michael to bed and then went to their bedroom to try and make the bed comfortable for Derek. There were many pillows and more meds involved, but eventually they were lying beside each other. Twin sighs sounded followed by chuckles as they realized they had the same feeling at the same time.

  “Should that have been accompanied by the song At Last?” Derek said, turning his head to look at Max.

  Max scooted up, rested on one elbow and leaned over Derek’s good side and kissed his lips, keeping it gentle, yet the passion was there.

  “Oh, God, Max. I needed that so much. I’ve been so freaked out, felt so alone and scared. It’s not so much for me, but for you and Michael. It just makes sense that if he can’t get to me he would try for you all. It’s good to be here with you. You’ll never know.”

  “I hear you, Derek. How do you think I felt, knowing that someone tried to kill you, not once, but twice? I’ve known fear too many times recently, but let’s quit thinking negative. You’re here now and we’re taking things seriously. Now, what do you want to bet that Michael doesn’t make it through the night in his bed?” Max grinned down at Derek as he said it.

  “Not taking that bet. Is it okay if he comes in with us? He was so still on the couch tonight so he wouldn’t hurt me and if he’s between us, he’ll be on my good side.” Derek thought he almost sounded like he needed the little boy in there as much as Michael might.

  “I don’t think either one of us would say no after his meltdown tonight.”

  “He broke my heart, Max. He’s so full of compassion for everyone, but when he loves it’s with his whole heart. He’s such a sweet boy. I’m blessed to have both of you in my life. Lying in that hospital bed, when I wasn’t scared to death, I was thinking about you two.”

  “As it should be, the last part I mean. We’ll get to the bottom of this lunacy soon. You don’t have enemies, so it has to be what that man said. It was something you heard.”

  “I’m getting sleepy, but can we talk about it, ask some questions, see if we can come up with anything?”

  “Certainly. You know that Officer Purcell called and said that Mark didn’t have that table. The server who did was out today and they hadn’t been able to locate him when we last talked. He wasn’t at his apartment and his roommate hadn’t heard from him. When they find him we’ll know more about that. We’re going to have them check the receipts to find out who sat at the tables near you. That info should be coming soon.”

  “Good idea, unless they paid with cash.”

  “Yeah, well, anyway, from there, it stands to reason that you weren’t grabbed when you left the cafe because you showed up at the elevator with the food. Evidently it was either knocked out of your hand or you threw it at him. I say that because it wasn’t just dropped, it was strewn all over the hallway.”

  “Okay, I told the officers it was probably about twelve thirty since the meal we ordered wouldn’t have taken that long to prepare or for me to get to the elevator. Hey, wonder if any of the staff saw me walking through the store to the back hall? We should have the officers ask around about that. Does the staff know what happened to me? Is it common knowledge? I guess if it was, someone would have stepped forward to say they saw me going back up with the lunches. I’m grasping at straws, I know.”

  “You’re doing great. That’s another good idea. I’ll talk to Purcell tomorrow morning. I can’t just go down and ask like I’d like to, but they’ll report back to us.”

  “Max?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “What if that guy, the one who waited on the area near where I was sitting, what if they got to him? Maybe they thought he might have heard them, too. Now I’m scared about him. I hope they find him and that he’s okay.”

  “Derek, sweetheart, don’t take on any extra worries, okay? You need to rest, sleep if you can, so you can heal quickly. I have no doubt our night will be interrupted. Give me another kiss and let’s try to steal as much rest as we can.”

  “Will you hold me?”

  “As carefully as I can, you bet I will.” Max followed the kiss with some maneuvering so that his arms were mostly encasing Derek as they kissed for a few seconds and then closed their eyes.

  It seemed like minutes later that they heard it. This time there was no scream for Daddy. No, it was worse. This time they both woke to the soft sounds of sobbing from the monitor that Max still used to hear if Michael became upset in the night.

  Derek gasped as he jerked awake and Max smoothed his hand over Derek’s chest, saying, “Relax. I’ll go get him. I’ll bring him here. He’s obviously still scared about you being hurt so my talking to him won’t be enough. He needs to be near you. You know the saddest thing? You can tell that he’s trying to be quiet.”

  “Go get him.” Derek couldn’t stand to hear Michael crying so quietly in his room.

  Max came back in with Michael held tightly to him, his head on Max’s shoulder, his legs wrapped around his waist. He was sniffing and hiccupping, but Derek could tell he was trying hard to stop.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you to hear. I tried to be quiet. I know you’re ’sposed to sleep so you feel better. I just got so scared. I don’t want anybody to hurt my Daddy Derek. Are you mad?” This last he asked, turning his head to look at Derek.

  When he saw that Derek was holding out his arms to him, Michael sniffed again and leaned down to go to Derek. Stopping so suddenly that Max nearly dropped him, he said, “Noo-oooh, what if I hurt you?”

  “Honey, right now it will hurt me more if you don’t give me a hug. It will make me feel better if you sleep in here, at least for a night or two, then you can go back to your room when you see that I’m going to be fine.”

  “It would make me feel so better, too. Okay, Daddy, put me down with Derek. I will be careful not to hurt him. I just need to feel him by me.” Michael looked back and forth between his two dads.

  “I know just how you feel, buddy. Let’s see if we can all sleep now. We’ll be real careful and not hurt Derek.”

  So with more maneuvering they managed to arrange themselves so that Michael was between them. They settled and Derek looked over Michael’s head. They shared a proud smile. Michael was so very still. Derek would have told him that he could move since he was on Derek’s left, but when he looked down, Michael was sound asleep, just like that.

  Max chuckled quietly and they finally all slept.

  Derek woke alone and upon moving realized that he was intensely sore, all over. He groaned. Immediately, Michael’s head popped up from the floor beside the bed.

  “He’s awake, Daddy, and he hurts bad.” Derek nearly jumped out of his skin as the boy popped up, yelling for Max.

  “Hey,” he mumbled, “what are you doing down there?”

  “Being so quiet so you can sleep. Daddy and I ate already and he is working and I was pertecting you until you woke up.”

  Could he love this kid more?

  “Thank you, Michael.” Derek looked at him, standing by the bed now, close to him.

  Max came in, smiling when he saw Michael and Derek.

  “Could you use some help getting up this morning? I bet you’re stiff. Michael, you want to go and peel a banana for Derek? You can use a butter knife to cut it into bites for him. You can get the strawberries out of the refrigerator and put them in a bowl with the pieces of banana. By that time, we should be in there. I’m going to help Derek.”

  “Do you have to help him pee?” Michael asked, all earnest and curious.

  Derek laughed and answered for Max. “No, I can do that all by myself now, but thanks for asking.” He hid his face, knowing he was blushing.

  “Did I say something bad?” Michael asked, concerned now.

  “No, baby, you were just curious. They took the tube, called a catheter, out when I left the hospital because I can get around a little by myself now. I’m just
stiff from being still for so long. Thank you for making breakfast for me.”

  “Oh, Daddy is making you pancakes with lots of syrup, aren’t you, Daddy?” Michael asked, not even waiting for an answer as he left the room to help with Derek’s breakfast.

  “Have I told you how much I love that kid? You couldn’t get rid of me now if you tried. You all are stuck with me,” he teased Max.

  “Same here. So I’ll help you start walking. You take care of the bathroom and I’ll get you some sweats and how about a flannel shirt, warm but easy to get into?”

  “Good, sounds good.”

  Soon, Derek was sitting at the table with pancakes, turkey sausage, and some fruit. He found that he was actually very hungry. He ate it all and Michael beamed as Derek told him how delicious it was.

  “Are we going to do school today?” Michael asked Derek.

  “Sure. I feel well enough. Let me look over your assignments and we’ll do it after breakfast, then we can play a game later.”

  “I’m thinking,” Max said, “that you’ll be napping later. See how it goes. I’ll be making calls and seeing what Purcell and Day have found out. I told them your idea earlier this morning and they were going to make a sweep of staff and see what they could find out.”

  Derek nodded.

  “Daddy, why is somebody trying to hurt Derek? He didn’t do something wrong. I know he didn’t, so how come? Somebody is just mean,” he said, crossing his arms.

  “You’re right, but don’t you worry. We’ll figure it out. We’ve got really smart policemen working on it.” Max picked Michael up, hugged him, kissed his cheek, then put him down and told him to get his homework and take it into the living room so Derek could sit on the couch and he could work on the coffee table. Michael hurried out to do as he was told. Then he ran right back in and walked straight over to Derek.

  “I love you, Derek. We’ll take care of you.”

  Derek leaned down, painfully, and hugged Michael, whispering, “Thank you. I love you, too.” This time Michael went out and stayed. “Whew,” Derek said, “he nearly brings me to tears every time he talks. I want this to be over.”