By Any Other Name by Tia Fielding Read Free Book Online

find a pot to boil the pasta in.
     
    “I could see if we have any of the precooked baguettes in the freezer,” Dru said and finally stepped away from Thom to rummage through the freezer in the corner of the kitchen.
     
    They worked as a team, which sort of surprised Thom. He asked Skye to get what vegetables he wanted from the fridge and cut those and some mushrooms for the sauce. Thirty minutes later, the main level of the house was filling with the scent of garlic from the baguettes, and Skye and Dru were goofing around a little while setting the table between the kitchen and living room. They didn’t really have a dining room and didn’t really use the table they had that often, because the breakfast bar was more convenient and takeout was often eaten on the couch while watching a movie.
     
    While they were settling down to eat, Thom came up with a question. “Skye, your doctor said you need to follow your routines, that it keeps you more balanced. Care to tell us more about what you think they should be here so we can figure out how to incorporate them with our own?”
     
    Skye nodded and took a sip of his glass of water. The others were having red wine. “Well, I think the most important thing is to stay on my meds, and I’d like to keep them in the kitchen, if that’s okay? I don’t forget to take them, and I wouldn’t not take them on purpose, but I feel better if they’re where you can see them.” He looked at the other two quickly before taking another bite of his food.
     
    “That’s fine, we can figure a spot where they can be,” Dru said, and Thom agreed easily.
     
    “In Haven, it was pretty much get up early, have breakfast, then either therapy or art or whatever and lunch, therapy, possible doc’s appointments, group therapy, free time, which I used for exercising, mostly, dinner, and then whatever people wanted to do before lights-out. It was scheduled but not that restricting as long as you stuck with your therapy.” Skye shrugged a little bit.
     
    It seemed very organized to Thom, but then again he was very organized himself. He had to be for his job, and maybe it was Dru’s job to be the disorganized one.
     
    “Dru usually wakes up late, around nine or ten, and then goes for a run and has breakfast when he gets back. Then he works up in the loft for most of the day and we figure out the evening when we get there,” Thom said and leaned back in his chair a bit before taking a sip of his wine.
     
    “Yeah, I’m lazy, but I employ myself so….” Dru shrugged with a smirk and made Skye smile a little.
     
    “Right, and my schedule varies with what I am working on. This week it’s mostly paperwork and interviews for an upcoming court case, which will take most of next week if it gets messy,” Thom added.
     
    “What Thom means is that this week he’ll pretty much overwork himself, but next week it will be more steady because the court can’t take all night.” Dru’s expression was amused; after all, he had gotten used to all of this already.
     
    “What time do you wake up?” Skye asked Thom as he was finishing his dinner.
     
    “Six, give or take. I usually get something to eat quickly and then go for a run either outside or, if the weather is crappy, on the treadmill. Then I shower and get going so I can get to the office in time. The commute is a bitch some mornings.”
     
    Suddenly Skye yawned widely and made Dru chuckle. “Tired?”
     
    “Yeah, the changes and the traveling….” Skye rubbed his eyes and looked at the other two sleepily.
     
    “Do you think you can sleep in your room, and what can we do to help you with it?” Thom asked as Dru got up to clear the table.
     
    “I don’t know… I suppose we’ll see?” Skye’s tone was hesitant. “I should probably drop one of the nurses, Tim, a line. He’s a friend, and I should tell him I’m okay.”
     
    “Thom, can you get the Mac for him and make sure he has everything while I clean the kitchen?”