Safety Blanket

🌿 Chapter Three🌿

The drive home was all but a messy blurr of lights and sounds. It was a wonder Dennis didn't crash his car, or get pulled over by the way his car gently swayed in the lane. Dennis didn't remember pulling into his driveway or even unlocking his front door- but everything seemed to get a little less intense as soon as he felt his wife's arms wrap around him in their usual warm embrace..maybe this time a bit more gentle, cool smooth fingers brushing down the side of his face.
"Dennis? Are you okay? You're home- mighty early? You're usually never home right now-"

"They sent me home.." his voice came out weak, yet everything was finally starting to take a permanent shape around him and he didn't feel so woozy.

"Why? Dennis answer me- are you okay?"

"Yeah- yeah- Don't worry about me, okay?" He gently held his wife's hips, one of his hands brushing forward to lightly rest on his wife's pregnant stomach. "I got a little sick- but don't worry about me- worry is bad for everyone."

Layla let out a soft lovely laugh that had always reminded Dennis of birdsong. "Always worried about others- Dennis what am I going do with you?" She raised herself on her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss upon his cheek, a small grin spreading on his lips.

"What are you going to do with me..?" Dennis asked wistfully, watching his wife as she laughed softly yet again and drifted off to the kitchen. Things weren't bad..no..she had her mood swings, but she was pregnant..and he was just happy he came home to her when she was in a good mood. "What've you been doing all day?" He sounded as if he had a headache, tiredness seeping into his brain. "Napping..?"

"What? No! Of course not- you know I always enjoy a good book. You know that series I've been reading? About the little girl who helps solve mysteries? I just finished the fith book today! You'd like it Dennis- I could give you the paperbacks after I'm done with them, you could take them to your job! Dennis? Are you listening to me?" Layla peeked out from around the kitchen's doorway, seeing Dennis's now shoeless feet slumped over the arm of the couch. Must've been really out of it if he came home and just passed out like that. Maybe he was awake- He often tended to space out when tired. "Dennis?"

Dennis had laid down for a moment, which would end up alot longer than a moment, because the second his head hit the itchy cross stitched pillow his mother in law had gifted them for some oddball holiday of hers he was out like a light. It was a surprise he even got to sleep considering the previous events of his daydream, but his circadian rhythm was awful these days..a well deserved rest would do him good.

~

Usually Dennis would have started work at around six P.M., but the new workers needed someone to train and direct them, which forced Dennis into arriving sometime closer to four. Granted, two hours was certainly not that long, yet when you could rather be at home in your wife's arms? It felt like an eternity. Dennis had slept nearly until one the next day, not giving him enough time to really love on his wife like he wanted..but hey. Someone had to work for this house- and someone definatly had to start saving up for college for their incoming little one. The small amount of time he'd had at home was spent getting ready for his day, his wife giving him a small paper bagged lunch and a smootch on the cheek on his way out the door.

So far the day was dragging on rather slowly, the newbies having nearly no questions for Dennis as he'd ran them through the usual schedule. He'd of prayed for more questions- more anything..without a chore to do he was back in this god awful room, staring at the wall of screens. He could see all the prisoners behaving themselves, the newbies following about every other guard and quickly following in step with them. Dennis would've killed to have an apprentice, any and all company was welcome these days. The closest company he got was watching Boyd through the bleak screens, who would occasionally look up and give the camera a wave or a nod..knowing his friend was cooped up and watching out for him behind the lenses. Dennis let his eyes search the screens for his friend, finding his rather blocky form infront of the Kid's cell. Zalewski let out a short huff of air from his nose as he scooted closer in his rolly chair so he could see through the grain of the old screens better, wondering if Boyd was trying to get him to eat again. Dennis didn't see any tray- nope. Just Boyd standing with his arms crossed infront of cell thirteen.