Scott was only on the phone for about five minutes.
"I told you that I was fine, Ma. I sent him to the hospital." A long pause. "Yes, I was released. And I'm fine." Another long pause. "Avi sent you, what?"
Avi looked up from his dinner plate, face full of guilt.
"A picture of my stomach..?" He rolled his eyes suddenly. "It's not that bad, Ma."
Mitch glanced at Avi. "You sent Connie the ultrasound?"
Avi laughed loudly, but Scott tried to lean away from them.
Connie heard it anyway, and she suddenly spoke loudly in Scott's ear. "Ultras--?! Mitch is pregnant?!"
"No, Ma. He's not pregnant."
Mitch winked at Avi. "Not anymore."
Connie's voice became almost more shrill. "Not any--?! Scott Richard, what the Hell is--?"
"They're just playing around, Ma. Mitch isn't pregnant, and he never has been."
"Promise?"
Scott rolled his eyes and put the phone on speaker. "Mitch, tell my mother that you're not pregnant, you're just being an asshole and saying things that aren't true."
Connie spoke before Mitch could. "Scott Richard, that is no way to speak to your boyfriend!"
Scott looked shocked for a second. "Oh, sorry... I didn't mean to." He looked over at Mitch. "Baby, I'm sorry."
Mitch just giggled. "I forgive you. Connie, I'm not pregnant. I was only kidding."
Connie hummed, and then spoke again. "But maybe someday, right?"
Mitch grinned widely. "I hope so..."
"I hope so too. Scott has been so much happier since you've--"
Scott interrupted. "Mom, please don't. Alex and Avi are listening too."
"So? You say cheesy things all the time in front of everyone."
Avi nodded once. "She's not wrong."
Scott passed the phone to Mitch. "Okay fine. Talk to everyone about me then, I don't care. I have to pee."
Connie laughed a little. "Scott, don't throw a tantrum."
"Don't talk to me like that, Connie. I'm still upset with you."
"Upset with--? For what?"
"For ruining my life?" Scott asked loudly and sarcastically, slamming the bathroom door behind him.
Mitch pouted at him, and spoke to Connie. "He's still very upset, Ma'am. And... I think he has every right to be."
"But... But he's my son. He should forgive--"
Avi spoke up loudly. "No, he shouldn't. He's his own individual, and you were kind of awful to him."
Alex spoke too, sitting up in his seat. "Ma'am? If I may... Why exactly did you leave? I just have a hard time believing that you overcame your maternal instincts just because you were hurting..."
Connie responded in a sharp, cold tone. "That's not really any of your business."
Alex leaned back. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to--"
Avi spoke over him though, much more relentless than Alex. Also much more willing to come across as rude. "You're his mother for Christ's sake, how could you just leave him there to suffer?"
"None of your business either, Avi."
Avi stood from his seat loudly. "Whatever. Fuckin' lame ass fuckin' cow of a--"
Alex grabbed his hand. "Honey, don't--"
Scott walked out of the bathroom, head hung low in sadness.
Mitch spoke quickly to Connie. "Sorry, we need to go. Maybe Scott will call later, and maybe he won't."
Scott came back over and sat down. "So..? What did Bloodsucker want?"
Mitch just put a hand on Scott's shoulder. "Nothing important. She's glad you're okay, that's all."
"I doubt she actually said that."
Avi shoved his seat back in, before walking away from the table. Alex jumped up to follow him, reaching a hand out for his wrist.
Avi turned quickly. "Alex, please. You're sweet, but please stop. I just need a second to calm down."
"Can I help at all? I won't even speak to you, just... Maybe I can grab you a beer? Or... Or I can cuddle you or something?"
Avi blinked at him, and his face softened a little as he sighed. "Actually... A beer would be great... Thank you."
Alex rushed off to do it, without a second thought.
*
The next morning, Mitch immediately got up to grab new bandages to wrap Scott up in.
Scott hardly even opened his eyes before Mitch was taking the gauze off of him.
Scott frowned at him. "Morning?"
"Good morning, babe. Gotta change your bandage. Unless you wanted to shower this morning?"
Scott pouted. "You've made me shower like three times. And... It hurts every single time."
"I know, and I'm sorry, babe. It needs to stay clean. We can shower when we get back instead, if you want?"
"Please..?"
"I mean you showered last night, it's not a big deal. I just... Wanna make sure it's all clean."
"I know, babe. That's fine. Just.. It hurts."
"I know, honey. Sit up so I can change the big band-aid."
He sat up, reaching over to grab Mitch by the back of the neck to kiss him. He leaned back to smile, and then leaned back in to kiss him again.
Mitch giggled, and then pulled the wrap off of Scott's lower stomach. "Does it hurt at all?"
Scott shrugged. "Only when you fuck around with the gauze."
"Oh, sorry... Sorry. I'll hurry, I promise. Do you want some pain killers or something?"
"Maybe... Would you mind..?"
"No, no, I'll just text Alex to bring me some."
"Okay... Cool... Um..."
Mitch turned around to grab his phone, and quickly shot a text to Alex.
Alex grabbed his phone at the sound of it, rolling back over on the bed of the guest room to look at it.
Avi suddenly walked in, before jumping onto the bed. "Hey babe."
"Hi... Av, honey... I don't want you to spend however many days sleeping on the couch. I told you I don't mind you sleeping in here with me."
"I know, but... But I'm trying to be more gentleman-ly. I've asked Kevin for advice."
"I understand, babe. But... I've invited you. So.. Rules don't apply."
"Okay fine. Tonight then, okay?" Avi began to stand from the bed. "Gotta call Kevin about it..."
Alex faced him again. "Would you do me a favor?"
"Name it."
"I'm sure you know where stuff is around here, uh... Would you bring Scott some kind of a pain killer?"
"Sure." Avi turned to go, but half turned back. "He okay?"
"I'm sure it's just for the injury, babe."
"Right, yeah... I knew that. Sorry... Was just worried."
Alex smiled at him for a second. "Hurry up and do that so you can come back and cuddle with me until we need to leave."
Avi made it to Scott's room in less than thirty seconds, rushing in and shoving the pill into Scott's hand. "K. Bye."
Mitch watched him scurry out. "What in the--?"
"I bet Alex promised him a sexual favor of some kind." Scott responded easily.
"I don't like that you and Avi think alike... So you're saying that if I promised you a favor like that, you'd be sprinting around the house like a madman?"
"Absolutely."
Mitch giggled, and put a hand on Scott's chest. "Good to know."
"I have a little bit of a problem though, if you're willing to listen to me complain for a second?"
"Listen, I know we haven't had sex in a bit, but--"
"No, no, it's not-- Mitchie, I'd never ask you to do that if you didn't want to. Don't ever feel obligated to--"
"Babe, shh. You're rambling. I understand." Mitch finished off the wrap of gauze, and then smiled up at Scott. "So? Talk to me."
"I just... Well. I haven't done homework in days, Mitchie. And.. I think my teachers are going to kill me."
"I can help you with that. Maybe when we get home?" He paused, and gave a sympathetic smile. "Babe, I'm sure your teachers will understand. You were in the hospital, may I remind you."
"Yeah, but--"
"I'll come with you, and we'll go tell all your teachers. Just in case you have an emergency or something."
"No, I don't want them to think I'm a p--"
"Don't say that word again. You're not, babe. They just need to be made aware."
Scott pouted, and looked away.
"I know, honey. But it needs to be done."
"No, not that..." He looked up with pout-y lips. "My tummy hurts."
Mitch loved when he said things like that. Loved the contrast of his bad ass appearance and those soft words. "Oh, sweetheart..."
**