'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Sixty-two (Part 4)

Saturday

Nico couldn't sleep.

She told herself going to bed would have her stop thinking about Carter, worrying about whether he was okay or not, as he didn't return before the sun set, even though he left pretty early in the morning. She stayed downstairs as long as she could, resisting the urge to pick up the landline to dial his number, but she told herself she was being dramatic, and if he wasn't returning, he would have called.

But it was 1 in the morning now, and she couldn't sleep, because she had never slept in this cabin without Carter present.

The sounds of the different animals in the mountains just a few yards away from them had her clutching her son tightly as he slept, literally, like a baby.

Just as she was about to say fuck it and go downstairs to call him, she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, rolling over the rocks, and she let out the biggest sigh of relief.

Finally, she could rest.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of Carter shuffling around downstairs, feeling the fatigue take over as her breathing got quieter, and she was slowly falling asleep.

Until she heard the sound of her door clicking, waking her from her lull.

She was facing the window and pretended to be asleep, listening to the sound of him undressing... peeling off his shirt and then his shorts, leaving him in his underwear as he hovered over her to kiss Xavier's cheek, missing his son.

He kissed Nico too, planting a similar kiss on her forehead as she pretended to be asleep, feeling him lift the covers and slide in beside her.

He wrapped his arm around her waist as he cuddled her close, ready to knock out from the long day he had.

But Nico reached down and peeled his arm off her, tossing it back onto his body.

He chuckled, realizing she was awake.

"What took so long?"

"Diane made me stay for dinner," he explained, throwing his arm over her again.

She hummed, not believing a word.

It was hard for her to trust him, if she were being honest.

"So from.. hm 1 to 7, what were you doing? Fucking your girlfriend?"

"Nah," Carter said, sliding his hand across her waist as he pulled her closer to him.

He loved the way her body fit his while they slept.

"I took her to the hospital. Her brother called on the road, said something happened to her mom.."

"Damn.. is she okay...?"

She could feel him shrug.

"Ion know, to be honest. She's in critical care... something bout a bad infection. Sounded scary, can't lie.."

"Oh fuck," Nico muttered quietly, because that sounded terrible. "How's Yasmine doing?"

"She's aight... says these things happen often so it's not a big deal. Critical care is insane though," he yawned tiredly.

Nico could hear it in his voice.

"You couldn't do it," she knew it.

He chuckled humorlessly. "Come on, Nic. When was I gone do it? Outside her mom's hospital room? Or while she was crying on the way there?"

Nico crossed her eyes, because he was right.

"See... I told you to wake her up and do it."

That didn't seem terrible at all, in hindsight.