Richie pushed his fingers though his hair and rubbed his face. "Shit," he muttered. Wandering into the living room he caught Jon's eye and headed to the coffee pot. "Morning guys," he said with a half smile.
"Morning, Richie." Kate looked at Jon, then at Richie. She didn't need to have a doctorate to understand that look. Leaning in to brush a quick kiss over Jon's bristly cheek she stood up. "I'm going to get ready for our little picnic." She tugged her towel from her hair, letting the dark red curls flop over her T-shirt. Resting her hand on Jon's shoulder for a second longer she headed to their room.
"Doc's pretty intuitive there, bro."
Jon glanced up and noted the worry in his friend's eyes. "Yeah Kate's special like that. So what's up?"
He sipped the powerhouse brew that Kate made and coughed. Shit that girl made coffee to burn your stomach lining out. "How would you feel about me bringing Elena on the road with us? I haven't asked her yet, just wanted to blow it by you first."
Jon picked his cup up and moved to the pot for a refill. "Yeah that takes some getting used to Bro," he nodded towards the coffee with a grin. "So wanting to take the wifey along for any particular reason that doesn't include mattress mambo?"
"No, I can live--grudgingly--without sex." He waggled his brows and took another fortifying sip. "I think she might need to keep her mind off of...things." He scratched his belly and pushed his bangs out of his eyes. "I'm worried."
Jon leaned against the counter, his gaze centering on his cup. He thought back to the phone call just a scant few days before and fought back the wince. So Kate had convinced Elena to fess up. That was damn good because Richie would kill him if he found out that he had known all along and kept quiet. He took a deep sip of coffee before replying nonchalantly. "Worried over what? She seemed to be ok, Hell you said her letters were all about being ok."
"I think my beautiful wife is trying to protect me." Debating for a moment whether he should share with Jon, he sighed. He had to talk to someone about this or he was going to go nuts. He dug out the pills from his pocket and tossed them at him. "I found these."
Jon chortled at the protecting comment. "She's all of five feet nothing man, how's she gonna...." His voice trailed off as he caught the bottle and read the label. When he saw the dates and amounts he grimaced. It WAS as bad as Kate thought. "Shit, sleeping pills? What's she needing those for?"
"She's dosing to sleep." He sighed, "Nightmares and shit, man." He set his mug down and pushed his hair back again. "She didn't want me to know, Jonny. Like I wasn't going to figure it out? I'm not stupid, as much as the world thinks otherwise."
Jon took another sip of his coffee before answering. "Like you said, she was protecting ya man. I don't think she thinks you’re stupid, I think she didn't want you to worry so you could work." He handed the bottle back to Richie before continuing. "If you think it will help her to come along, bring her, what’s one more on the bus or plane or whatever else they stick us on to travel in these days?"
"Well I haven't asked her yet, but her thesis is all but done. I know she and Kate have been talking about the fact that we're going to find a place now that we're married. I can't live here for the rest of my life that's for sure." He grinned. "I like to be naked and Doc doesn't need to be jealous of Elena."
Jon reached up and thwapped Richie along side the head, "Fuck you, she ain’t got a reason to be jealous of anything."
Trying to wipe away the smirk he refilled his mug and braced himself for the hot high octane. Leaning against the counter he cupped his hands around the warmth. "I don't think the on-the-road thing will be forever, but I appreciate it. I don't like that she's not sleeping. A few weeks I can understand, but it's been a few months. I'd rather keep an eye on her if it's all the same," he said quietly.
Jon muttered softly, "not the only thing you wanna keep on her man, but it’s understandable."
"Not going to deny the extra benefits," he gulped down the rest of the coffee and shook his head. "Damn, I'm going to be wired for days off of that." He heard the shower shut off and stood. "I'm taking her out today. I'll talk to her and see if she's up for the road life."
Jon nodded, "you do that man, I gotta admit, this might be an adventure, you’re even better when she’s around, IF that’s even possible."
"Yeah well she is inspiring." Catching Elena coming out of the bathroom as she rubbed lotion into her skin; he slapped Jon's arm as he passed him and picked her up, burying his chin into her wet hair. "Your husband's hungry. I only have Kate's wicked brew in my gut."
Elena's eyes widened comically, "You drank her coffee, the mud that passes for coffee?"
"I'm wired enough for seven people, but yes I did." He put her down and spun her around. "Why don't we head out and," he looked over her shoulder and laughed. "I was going to say get breakfast, but evidently it's going to be lunch. Maybe head down to the lake and walk around."
Elena managed to stifle a full out laugh. "Yeah well you and loads of caffeine should be an interesting way to spend the day. Let's go stud." She winked over at Jon and shook her head, him and caffeine and Kate would be a story she’d look forward too later.
Richie kissed her quickly and shut himself into the shower. "Five minutes," he called from behind the door.
She walked into the bedroom and pulled a light sweater from the closet, before slipping on a pair of heels and locating her purse. Moving to the dresser she quickly added a touch of lipstick before moving back to the living room and perching on the couch.
Kate walked out of her bedroom fastening a pair of hoops. "Hey there, Sunshine. How goes it?"
Elena glanced up and started to laugh, "It goes great girlfriend. Although with your coffee in the offing we both will have a busy day. They both drank the stuff."
"What's wrong with my coffee?" she asked pouring the rest of the pot into a thermos.
"Ohh only the fact it can get up and walk all by its lonesome?" Elena winked. "It could make a dead man sit up and pay attention?"
"It does not." She flicked a few buttons and dumped five scoops into the basket and filled the reservoir. "It wakes you up, like it's supposed to."
"Uhhuh, have you seen Pony on loads of caffeine Katydid?" Elena's brow arched, "Not a pretty picture, just you watch when he comes back out of the bedroom."
"An over stimulated Richie is bad how?" She sipped her brew and sighed. "Besides I'm thinking you didn't get a helluva lot of sleep with all that music playing last night, hussy."
"There was music?" Elena winked, "I didn't hear it, slept like a log last night."
"Man, you're getting as bad as Richie." Kate sighed.
"Bad as me?" Richie said and pushed his sweatshirt cuffs up to his elbows. "What'd I do?"
"You're going to be deaf. Jon tells me you sleep with your music blaring all the time."
Richie grinned, "Well, it drowns out the sex sounds from the room. We've had to umm...share rooms for a lot of years. I got used to it."
Jon shook his head, "What he means is We had to drown out HIS sounds."
Kate looked up as Jon's hands squeezed her shoulders. She tipped her head back until he bent down to her. "Cute hat, Sugar." She reached up and tugged the brim to the side. His curls flattened against his head and she laughed when he instantly fixed it. When he dipped to kiss her she snatched the hat. "I hear my coffee's a bit much to take."
He kissed her cheek and laughed, "I like your coffee babe."
"He has the correct answer, unlike you losers," Kate grinned and went to fill the rest of her thermos. "Where are you guys headed?"
Richie sat on the couch and dragged Elena onto his lap. "I figured we'd go down to the lake, hit that little greasy spoon on Hwy 18 and get the hell out. I'm sick of being inside. Damn bus has me claustrophobic."
Elena scooted back on his lap and winked. "What he said, only without the bus."
Jon pulled Kate into a hug, "And you and me Katy have a date with a picnic blanket."
"Well I'm finally getting the hospital smell outta my nose, so fresh air ought to smell awesome."
"If you haven't burned out your senses with that coffee that is," Richie offered.
"Maybe my coffee would put some hair on that chest."
Richie laughed. "Well stop feeding it to Jon then, he's outta control."
Elena bit her lip then buried her head in Richie's shoulder, "I happen to love his chest Kate, I don't need a walking carpet to keep me warm, he’s a freaking furnace as it is." She laughed and looked at Jon, "See I got Han solo, YOU got the Wookie."
Kate nearly fell off the chair laughing as Jon grabbed her making Chewbaca sounds. "Get off me you beast!" she shouted as she dashed away tears. "Shit, we're leaving. I can't take the insults about my coffee anymore you snobs." She hooked her arm around Jon's waist. "Let's head to the deli."
Jon wrapped his arm around her waist, before picking up the picnic basket with his other hand. "Come on then Princess Leia."
Elena giggled then kissed Richie’s cheek, "Well come on Han Solo, we have a greasy deli to visit."
