Excavate

Love

"More Nauts Wiley! More!"

Riley rooted through the numerous blankets for the remote, checking the floor and behind his back so he could press the "Next Episode" button on Netflix's credits page. Why on Earth did Netflix make the credits page so long on kid's shows? He grumbled as his little brother began to bounce on his lap in his impatience.

"It's coming Andy." He scrambled harder until the hard plastic remote met his hand, closer to his knees than he was expecting. With lightning speed, Riley hit the "Next Episode" button, and when his brother relaxed and settled back into his spot between Riley's legs sipping from his cup, sighed with relief as though he'd diffused a bomb.

The Octonauts' theme song played for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and Riley was pretty sure he could sing along if it was a "gun to his head" situation, but he didn't want to admit it to anyone.

Recovery back at home was better than he expected, much to Riley's surprise.

When his mom had brought him back home, she'd gotten him situated on the couch, explaining that she could keep a better eye on him if he needed something, and that the doctor wanted him to keep walking to a minimum to allow his feet to heal. And he hadn't protested, though his cheeks had burned hot with the unfamiliarity of being cared for so thoroughly.

He'd been set up with a heating blanket, heating pad, and more soft blankets, quilts, and pillows than one person could possibly use.

And well, most of the time, it hadn't just been one person on the couch, again to his astonishment.

Apparently his youngest brother had missed him a lot when he'd run away. And now that Andy had him back, he wasn't eager to let his big brother out of his sight. Sure, it meant a lot of Octonauts, some Daniel Tiger, and a smattering of Peppa Pig in the mornings before preschool and the evenings after, but Riley loved it. A lot. And when it was time to go, or when Andy got back home, the toddler would throw his arms tightly around his neck and say "Wuv you Wiley!"

Thankfully the first few times no one had noticed or questioned him when he'd gotten choked up by the affection.

Next to him, Murph's lazy presence rolled on its side, pressing further into him. The yellow lab had been another near-constant presence during his recovery on the couch.

Riley wasn't sure if the dog actually liked being around him, or whether he was just taking advantage of the heated blanket, but the company was nice.

Even Matt and Audrey had joined him for a bit in the evenings, inviting him to play video games with them after they finished their homework and cleaning up after dinner. Things with his other two siblings were still awkward, but they no longer looked like they wondered why he was even here.

And they liked kicking his butt at whatever game they chose that night. Riley didn't mind. Audrey had even given him a high-five when his character had managed to NOT get beheaded in the first level.

Brad's absence from the home was felt by all the members, with a healthy injection of guilt surging through him when Andy would ask where his Daddy was at bed time, or when, thinking he couldn't hear her, Audrey would ask when her Dad was coming back, because she missed him.

"Whenever Riley is ready. He's still getting better. We just need to give him time."

There was no filling the sinkhole in his stomach that opened up when he thought of depriving his siblings of their father, of taking away his Mom's partner and helper when she had three, no four kids to take care of, of his presence forbidding Brad from living in the home that he paid for with the family he loved.