Chapter 106
6:00 AM
Lucky yawned as he fastened the leash on Harley's leather collar. "Come on boy, we're going to take our walk," he said. Lucky reached into the ever-present cookie jar that rested on top of the kitchen counter. It was a ceramic house that had a removable roof/lid. Mmmm, chocolate chip, he thought contentedly as he took a large bite from it.
Harley looked up at Lucky with hopeful brown eyes. A doggie smile spread across his face, and a steadily wagging stump tail announced his eagerness. "No," Lucky stated firmly. "You get dog biscuits. These are people treats." Lucky walked to the pantry and pulled out a box of dog biscuits. Harley sat down and stared intently at his master, watching every move of his hand. "Here, boy. This is good for you." Lucky placed a biscuit in front of Harley, and the puppy happily gulped it down with a few crunches of his powerful jaws.
Lucky walked out the door, carefully pulling the leash toward the back yard. He wanted the dog to relieve himself before they headed out for the streets of Port Charles. Port Charles had a strict city ordinance against dog deposits in public places, and Lucky recalled the little old lady who had informed him of this several years ago when Foster chose to fertilize her flower bed as she watched angrily from her porch. The morning was foggy with a gray, damp appearance, and Lucky shivered, glad that he'd thought of wearing a sweatshirt on this cool summer morning. Lucky watched Harley, unsure of whether or not the puppy was housebroken. He supposed he'd need to be careful to mind the dog and make sure it never had the opportunity to be alone in the house. Lucky rolled his eyes imagining his Aunt Bobbie's reaction to dog poop on her oriental rugs.
Lucky inspected Harley's doghouse while he waited for the dog to finish up. Tony had done a good job of selecting a home for him. It was a large tan igloo-like dwelling complete with a comfortable bed inside. The puppy had an assortment of toys and chews to amuse himself with as well as an entire fenced backyard to romp in while everyone was away for the day. A wave of uneasiness flooded Lucky when he poked his head in the doghouse. In a moment of déjà vu, Lucky felt himself cowering in the back of Foster's doghouse, out of his mind with fear and anxiety. "Come on, boy!" he called and then whistled. "Let's go."
Once on the street, Lucky breathed in deeply, glad to be on his own and exploring the world. He intended to eventually walk through every inch of the Victorian neighborhood that was his new home, and he admired the architecture and restoration successes of his neighbors as he proceeded down the street. He particularly appreciated the intricate black ironwork of original fences that surrounded the yards of some houses. "Cool," he said out loud. It occurred to him that Wyndemere, although built in a similar time period, was lacking much of the personal charm and homey touches of these homes. Maybe that's why it wouldn't sell. No one wanted to live in a place that reminded them of a hotel or museum.
Lucky grunted loudly when the leash jerked harshly in his hand. Harley lunged forward. Lucky saw a rabbit dart from a bush to run across the street, its white tail flashing a dare to the anxious dog. "Harley! Stop!" Lucky yelled. He pulled back on the leash to stop the powerful dog. "Sit," he commanded. When the dog immediately obeyed, Lucky produced a biscuit from his pocket to reward him. "Good boy," he praised profusely as he rubbed Harley's shoulder. "You're so smart. We'll have you trained in no time."
Lucky let sighed and looked around. Better head back to get ready, he thought nervously. I don't want to go. He slumped his shoulders and walked less enthusiastically back toward home. Small bits of fog swirled around his laced up Nike's, and he peered at the house across the street. It had a looming, eerie quality about it with its ornate Italianate architecture that was vaguely reminiscent of the Addam's Family house. He recalled his younger years when he and his buddies would term a house as haunted if it had a particularly gnarly looking older person living in it. They'd start rumors about the old man that slept in a coffin in the basement. Lucky shook his head. We were brats - not very nice of us to make fun of a lonely old person. He smiled when he arrived back home at his cheerful Victorian house with the gay flowers and decorations splashing lively color on its surfaces.
Lucky let Harley loose in the backyard and filled up his bowls with food and water. "Have a good day, buddy," he said, hugging his puppy. "See you tonight."
~*~*~*~
Tony was pouring two mugs of coffee when Lucky entered the side door. "There you are. I checked your room to make sure you were awake, and you and Harley were gone. Did you have a nice walk?"
Lucky accepted a plain blue mug of coffee and walked over to the kitchen table. "Yeah, it was nice until he caught sight of a rabbit. He nearly yanked my arm out of the socket." Lucky laughed and shook his head.
"Have a muffin," Tony said as he handed a plate to his nephew. "They're blueberry." He opened Lucky's pill dispenser and handed him his morning medications, which Lucky accepted and downed without comment. "Harley seems like a good dog, but he's still a kid in terms of the dog world."
"Yeah," Lucky agreed. "But he's learning quickly. He already knows how to sit." Lucky took a large bite out of his muffin and sipped his coffee. "I've been rewarding him with biscuits and praise. It seems to work."
Tony joined him at the table and selected a muffin for himself. The kid seems to have his appetite back in order. "Are you still nervous about the day center?" he asked.
Lucky nodded. "I don't know why. I guess I'm not a person who likes to share my problems in front of a bunch of people. It makes me feel weird or exposed. They'll probably have me join some group where we'll have to hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Then they'll send me to the crafts area where I can express my anxiety by creating a building out of Popsicle sticks that I immediately destroy with a clenched fist." Lucky smirked at Tony.
"You have one wicked sense of humor, Spencer Junior," Tony laughed. "I'm going to remember that at some odd time today, and I'll probably laugh in the middle of a stuffy meeting. I hope there are some aspects of this experience you'll like and use to your advantage."
Lucky shrugged. "We'll see. I'll behave." He sighed. "I gotta get ready." He rose abruptly from the table, but made a small moaning sound as he fell backwards, hitting the floor hard and harshly knocking his chair to the side.
"Lucky!" Tony cried as he jumped up and ran over to his nephew.
Lucky laid a hand on his head and used his other hand to push himself from the floor. He swayed as he stood up and leaned heavily against the wall. "I feel dizzy," he whispered.
"Sit back down," Tony instructed as he directed his nephew back to his chair. "Place your head between your knees. I think you rose too quickly. Remember when we talked about that? The antipsychotic that you're taking can lower your blood pressure. Have you experienced the dizziness before?"
"Yeah," Lucky said, nodding with his head lowered. "A couple of times when I got up too fast from a chair or out of bed. I keep forgetting to get up slowly. I feel better now." He raised his head and leaned back into the chair as he blinked his eyes and sighed.
"You seem to be okay," Tony stated after looking closely at his nephew, "but tell me if it happens again. And, be sure to mention it to Kevin. He's still adjusting the dosages of your medications, so he needs to know."
~*~*~*~
Later that evening...
Bobbie closed the heavy oak kitchen door. "Lucky was very quiet at dinner," she said to Tony. "I didn't dare ask him about how his first day went at the day center. Did you notice that he was picking at his food, not eating much?"
Tony nodded as he gathered up the dirty dishes from the table and stacked them on the counter above the dishwasher. "He was tight-lipped on the way home when I picked him up after work. He seemed nervous."
"Well, did he say anything?" Bobbie questioned.
"He said that he took a lot of tests today. From how he described them, they were written tests - assessments of his needs in terms of behavior modification, occupational, social and life skills, that sort of thing. He's very suspicious when it comes to being judged. He's showing some fear of that. I'm hoping that he can build some relationships with people there so he can relax and actually take advantage of the services. He's going to be working and going to school in six weeks, so I'm sure he could use some help succeeding in those areas. He was in the hospital for an awfully long time."
Bobbie opened the dishwasher and began stacking the dirty plates in a row. "Kevin mentioned that we should monitor his eating habits. I'm worried if he starts picking at his food."
Tony shrugged and reached for a dishrag. "It's his first day. He's nervous. We should cut him some slack. I think Kevin meant that we should notice obvious shifts from a long-standing pattern or marked deterioration over a period of time. We have an appointment to meet with Kevin on Wednesday, so you can clarify it with him then."
"I want everything to work out right," Bobbie explained. "Maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist."
"Maybe," Tony conceded. "He's human, he'll have problems. We can't expect everything to work smoothly when he's first home. It takes time to adjust. Like I said, he's been living in a very controlled environment for many months. Things will be artificial for a time - we'll all relax and settle into a comfortable pattern and rhythm eventually. Crises always happen in families. When they do, we'll deal with them and move on."
"How'd you become so wise?" Bobbie asked with a smile.
Tony pointed to his hair. "See these? They're gray hairs. Life experience. Live and learn."
~*~*~*~
"Lucky, you take too long to count out the money," Lucas complained. "Why can't I be the banker?" Lucky, Lucas and Lulu were sitting in the living room, playing the Life game.
"Because you always cheat!" Lulu protested with her nose upturned and arms crossed. "You do that when we play Monopoly, too!"
"Do not," Lucas said petulantly.
"Get up off the chair, Lucas," Lucky ordered. "What's that under your butt?"
Lucas colored when he realized he'd been caught cheating. He'd been helping himself to $500 bills when the other two were preoccupied with moving their game pieces.
"I don't know how they got there," he lied, trying to worm his way out of confessing.
"Whatever," Lucky sighed. "Just don't complain anymore about my banking abilities, or I'll charge you a 10% fee for my services."
"That's not in the game rules," Lucas challenged.
"I'm the banker, I control the money," Lucky sniffed.
"Yeah, ha ha," Lulu smirked as she collected one more baby to place in her automobile.
"Geez, Lulu, you're a baby factory," Lucky observed. "How come you have six babies and you're not married yet?"
"You don't have to be married to have a baby," Lulu stated, rolling her eyes at her silly brother. "Everybody knows that."
"They ought to have the Puritan game of Life," Lucky muttered under his breath. "Get married, then make the baby." He rolled the wheel to take his turn. "Lucas, Lulu, are you sure you know how to take care of Harley? He's depending on you. What did we discuss?"
"Yes, I'm chief brusher," Lulu stated imperiously. "I'll brush Harley real good every other day."
"And I'm the play-master," Lucas stated proudly. "I'll play ball with him every day after school."
"What else," Lucky prompted. "Both of you are forgetting the most important thing."
"Oh," said Lulu. "I remember! We're supposed to make sure that he always has water - check his dish every time we're in the back yard."
"It always has to be fresh and clean," Lucas added.
"Good," Lucky said, smiling. "Harley will be grateful he has a nice family to love him and take care of him." Lucky looked down at his game piece. "Now I have to decide whether to go to college or work. Hmm...I'll choose college because that's where I'm going in real life. Let's see...oh, I'm a teacher. Okay, that's cool. The student loan isn't as bad as the one for lawyer."
~*~*~*~
9:00 PM
Lucky patted his jeans pocket, checking to make sure he'd placed his package of cigarettes in there. He still was using the pack that Emily had bought him two weeks ago. He rummaged through the junk drawer in the kitchen and selected a matchbook with an advertisement for a rib restaurant on the front of it. He slid out the side door of the kitchen and began walking away from the house. As soon as he was three houses away, he pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his waiting lips. His hand trembled slightly as he gripped the cigarette, and the match's fire danced in the darkness. He drew in deeply and let out a long stream of smoke from his lips. Tears formed in his eyes. Why was he so nervous? He felt like he was going to jump out of his skin. He'd enjoyed playing the board game with the kids, but toward the end of the game, he'd grown tired and irritable. He needed to get away, to be by himself to think.
After taking more smoke into his lungs, he held it in and turned the cigarette to look at its burning end. A panicky feeling assaulted him when he suddenly felt the phantom pain of cigarette burns that he'd made on his abdomen. He couldn't remember the exact act of hurting himself, but he recalled the excruciating sensation of scorched flesh and the resulting scars that he looked at every day. Lucky threw the cigarette far away from him into the street and quickly released the smoke from his lungs. His heart sank. How could he ever be normal having done these things and flashing back to them all the time at the slightest provocation?
His thoughts drifted to Elizabeth. No wonder she'd dumped him when he came home. He wasn't the same person who'd been her boyfriend before his kidnapping. Faison had made sure of that. His parents hadn't allowed him to leave the property at that time, but Elizabeth had visited him every night for the first week after they reunited. Little did he know at the time, her seeming devotion was mostly out of a sense of duty and obligation or guilt, but looking back, he could see the situation more clearly.
"Lucky, we've been sitting in the living room for an hour, and I'm not sure what you want to do. You don't want to talk, we've tried that. How about if we just snuggle for a bit?" Elizabeth slid down closer to Lucky until their thighs touched, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. Lucky turned rigid, not wanting the close contact and unsure of what to say or do about it.
"I'm bored," Elizabeth announced. Lucky remained silent, unable to think of anything to say. Elizabeth leaned over and kissed him on the lips. Lucky immediately pushed her away and said "No." He jumped from the couch and paced in the dining room as he worriedly bit on his thumb and stared at the floor.
All he'd thought about for the year that he'd been a prisoner in Faison's compound was getting back home to Elizabeth. Memories of her and the hope of reuniting had kept him alive. But now, while she was sitting next to him in the living room, he felt overwhelmed and afraid of the contact. How could he be close to her? In his heart, he wanted it desperately, but he was unable to activate those feelings, to reach out and touch her or bond with her. Everything about him was dulled, strange and out of sorts. His thoughts were unpredictable and scary.
"Do you even want me to come here to visit you?" sighed Elizabeth. "I have lots to do - homework, sorority functions, friends. I put them aside to be with you."
"Thanks," Lucky said awkwardly from the other side of the room. "I love you," he quickly added, hoping it didn't sound hollow or insincere. He did love her, he just didn't know how to show it or what to do with it. "Please don't go."
"Okay," Liz sighed. She picked up the remote and turned on the television. The sounds and rapid movements on the screen jangled his nerves, but he forced himself to sit back on the sofa and endure it. He looked over at Elizabeth and gave her a brief, shaky smile that didn't meet his eyes. He wanted her so badly, but all he could think about was how to get his next drink and if his dad had any more bottles that he could hide.
"No wonder you hated me," Lucky gritted out as he walked along. "I'd hate me, too." He picked up a small stone and threw it angrily at a large tree. None of this would have happened if Faison hadn't interfered. He wondered if he could ever love and care for any woman the way she deserved. Lucky was afraid to admit that Elizabeth's affections ran fickle, that she wasn't willing to endure any tough times if they didn't serve her own needs and wants.
Elizabeth didn't love him then, and Emily hated him now. Should he even bother trying anymore? What if he could never be with a woman, could never satisfy her because of what had happened to him? He picked up a large stick and aggressively slammed it against each tree that he passed. He didn't love Elizabeth anymore, but he still was crazy about Emily. He couldn't get her out of his mind - the way that she looked, the soft tinkle of her laughter and the kind way that she talked him out of his moods. How long was he supposed to wait to let her work out her feelings? He sighed heavily. Maybe he'd write her a letter. Dad. I forgot to check the mail, he thought. Maybe he has some ideas. I'm going to call Nikolas, too. That stickpin idea of his was great.
Lucky brightened as he turned around and headed for home. He began jogging, relishing the free feeling of the air pulling into his lungs and the pounding of his feet on the sidewalk. I could keep running and never stop, he thought. Maybe I should run out of Port Charles, create a new identity and go where no one knows what happened to me. Make a new life. He finally stopped when he became winded and bent over at the waist with his hands on his thighs, huffing and puffing. Damn cigarettes. His thoughts redirected to his sister. I don't want to leave Lulu or the rest of the family even if I don't know how to deal with them. He continued walking toward home. I'll have to make the best of it and find some way to cope.
~*~*~*~
Lucky smiled when he saw the mail.
Dear Lucky,
You're home now and living with Bobbie and Tony. That's great. Yes, your aunt is strict, but she means well, so be sure to pay attention to what she says and don't talk back or argue. She's been on the planet a few more years than you have, so it's possible that she may have knowledge that you don't. Lulu must be very happy that you're living with her again. I'm so glad that you two are together. Be a good big brother to her, Lucky. She needs you.
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with Miss Emily. I'm wracking my brains to think of a clever thing to say to her, but what I have is simple. Tell her the truth. If you haven't told Emily all of your background and history, then how can she understand where you're coming from? What I've learned over the years - mostly through trial and error - is that you have to be completely honest to have a good relationship. If you hide things, then it hurts the other person. Think about your own life and how that's been true. So ask Miss Emily for a meeting and spill your guts, son. It's probably the best chance that you have. Sorry I don't have something wittier to suggest.
Let me know how it goes with your girl and how you're doing otherwise. I'll be thinking about you.
Love,
Dad
Lucky folded the letter and flopped back onto his bed with his hands behind his head. His foot jiggled nervously as he considered his father's advice. What did he have to lose? Emily was already close to permanently writing him off. What if there were a miracle and she forgave him after hearing his sad story? It would be worth it, wouldn't it? Maybe he'd have to sacrifice some of his pride in order to have the girl that he loved. He'd do anything. He had to keep her in his life.
Lucky turned over his left wrist and stared at it. The scars didn't bother him anymore since he was used to their appearance. Maybe Emily would get used to them, too. But what about the scars that didn't show? What was her capacity for understanding and accepting what had happened to him? Lucky took in a deep breath, sucking in and releasing his lower lip several times as his brow crinkled with worry. He could hardly handle his memories, what would they do to her? Was it fair to inflict himself on her, to burden Emily with his sordid past and uncertain present? I'll give her a choice, he thought. She can agree to hear me out or not. But I'll have to give her a warning. Lucky rubbed his fingers over his scars and flinched. It's not pretty.
~*~*~*~
"Hey Nikolas, it's Lucky."
"I was wondering what happened to you. How was the date? Did Emily like her stickpin?"
"Well, Nikolas, the date was wonderful. The food was good and the conversation was better. Emily never looked prettier - she's still a babe. She was all decked out in this incredible clingy red dress with legs that wouldn't quit." Lucky paused. "She really loved the stickpin. Thanks, Nikolas. You picked a winner." Lucky became quiet, and the silence grew on both ends of the phone line.
"What aren't you telling me, Lucky?" Nikolas was becoming adept at deciphering the meaning of Lucky's tone of voice, and he knew how his brother had a propensity for hiding things. It was never easy having a flowing conversation with Lucky. It always seemed to involve a process of two steps forward and one back with Nikolas having to pry the important details.
Tears formed in Lucky's eyes and he cleared his throat so it wouldn't sound like he was crying. "She left me," he said softly. "She said goodbye, so long, don't want to ever see you again."
"What happened?" Nikolas asked. "Did you tell her about the girl?"
"Yeah," Lucky sighed as he tried to compose himself. "I probably sprang it on her too quickly and shocked her or something. I don't think as clearly as I used to. It's because of all the drugs I take."
"What did you say? You didn't give her too many details, did you? They always say they want them but go insane the more they know. You have to watch that."
"No, I remember what you coached me on. It was the idea that I cheated on her that set her off. She yelled at me about what I did to Carly. Jason must have ratted on me, and she was pissed that I didn't tell her first. I can't win."
"I can understand that Emily's upset since she's been loyal to you from the beginning," Nikolas paused. "What the hell did you do to Carly?"
Lucky made a disgusted sound. "I tried to make time with my cousin when I was full of booze. It happened a long time ago at Jake's when I was living there after Dad went to jail. Jason showed up and we got into a fistfight. Gave as good as I got, though," Lucky added proudly. "Jason's a jerk. He acts so high and mighty when he's been in the mob for years. And we won't talk about what he did to Robin or Carly. What a prick."
"But he's still her brother, so you'll have to tread lightly with that subject," Nikolas warned.
"Yeah, I know," Lucky answered wearily. "That's why I didn't tell her before. Dang. Is my past ever going to go away or will it keep haunting me forever?"
"So what's Carly's perspective on this?"
"She forgave me. I wrote her a letter a long time ago apologizing, and she told Aunt Bobbie that it was okay, she understood. Carly's cool."
"So is it a Spencer thing? This cousin to cousin interaction?" Nikolas teased.
"Dammit, Nikolas! You try being there full of vodka, the music playing and this unbelievably curvy woman hanging on you, flirting with you. Hell, I was preoccupied. I couldn't remember who she was. I didn't want to remember."
"The blood flows south, leaves the brain," Nikolas answered in a bemused voice.
"I can tell we'll make a Spencer out of you yet."
"So Carly's single now?" Nikolas inquired innocently.
Lucky guffawed. "Shut up Nikolas or I'll remind you about Monique or that bimbo in the Jaguar. You remember her? The one that was half-naked? And then I opened the car door and..."
"Okay, little brother," Nikolas interjected. "Enough. I won't bug you about Carly anymore. What are you going to do about Emily?"
"That's why I'm calling you. I'm soliciting advice. Dad said I should be totally honest with her. Lay everything on the table like I did with you - the whole deal. I don't know. I mean, she's this close to cutting me off forever, so in a way it makes sense to give it my all. What do you think?"
"Luke's right. She deserves to know if you want to be closer to her. It would help explain a lot of things and maybe you could totally relax with her afterwards, not be so guarded and afraid that she'll figure something out."
"Yeah," Lucky agreed. "I'm going to write her a letter and ask her if she'll meet me for coffee. I'll say that I have a lot to tell her about my past, and that I want to be totally honest with her."
"Just be sure you let her know there aren't additional indiscretions involving girls. Otherwise, it's the first thing she'll think of."
"Good point," Lucky replied. "I knew there was a good reason why I called you. Thanks, bro."
~*~*~*~
Lucky searched through the bill-paying desk in the dining room and found a piece of stationary with a matching envelope.
Dear Emily,
I know you're still angry with me. I understand, and I agree that you have a right to your feelings. I'm so sorry, but I know that doesn't make up for what I did.
Will you meet me for coffee? I want to tell you everything about my past - what's happened to me. I promise there aren't any more situations with girls that I need to tell you about. This is about me and why I had a breakdown. It's a lot of painful information, so I understand if you're not ready to hear about it. I want to be completely honest with you and lay it all out on the table so you can know me better.
Please forgive me, Emily. I love you so much. You're the most special person to me. You still have my heart - you always have - never a minute when you didn't. I love you and miss you. I hope you still care about me.
Lucky
Lucky folded his note in thirds, stuffed it into the envelope and sealed it. He placed a stamp on the envelope, pausing to note that the flower on it was red - in keeping with the theme of his note. He walked outside to the porch and placed the envelope in the mailbox.
~*~*~*~
2:30AM
"Dad!"
Tony woke up to the sound of his son's voice and his insistent knocking on the bedroom door. Tony glanced at Bobbie, who was still sleeping, got out of bed and walked over to the door.
"Lucas. What's wrong?" he answered sleepily.
"It's Lucky, dad. I got up to go to the bathroom and found him in the hall. The dog is with him. I came to get you right away. You told me to tell you if I noticed anything unusual. He's sleeping in the hallway." Lucas regarded his father with big eyes.
"Good job, Lucas," Tony praised as he patted his son's head. "Lead the way."
"What in the world?" Tony asked when he came upon Lucky curled up on his side against the wall in the hallway, halfway between his bedroom and the bathroom. He bent down closer to look at his nephew, and Lucky appeared to be sound asleep with his hand curled under his head and his breathing heavy and even. From his relaxed posture, it didn't appear that he'd had a seizure. Harley was nestled beside his master so that they were lying side by side. The dog looked curiously at Tony, but didn't move away from Lucky as if he sensed that the boy needed him there to watch over him.
"Lucky," Tony said as he jostled his nephew's shoulder.
Lucky's eyes opened, and he stared at Tony.
"Why are you lying here?" Tony questioned. "Lucas was worried and came to get me to see if you were okay."
"I tried to get ready," Lucky protested as he sat up. He had an odd expression on his face. "Where am I?" he asked vaguely. "I have to go to the day center. I don't want to be late."
"Lucky, it's two o'clock in the morning," Tony answered. "Why aren't you in bed?"
"I don't know," Lucky said. He frowned as he tried to think. "I wanted to get ready. I walked to the bathroom. I was too tired to do anything so I came back. I couldn't figure out where I was." He lay back down and reached for Harley as his eyes closed.
"Lucky," Tony said as he tried to wake Lucky again. "Wake up. You need to go back to bed."
"Where?" Lucky replied sleepily. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He looked upset as he regarded Tony's concerned face. "I didn't do anything," he said abruptly.
"You didn't do anything wrong," Tony assured him. "You're a little confused. Let's get you up." Tony pulled on Lucky's arm, and the boy staggered upright and leaned against the wall.
"I've got to go now," he protested. He scratched his head, and his eyes filled with tears. "I don't know how."
"I'll help you," Tony stated. He turned Lucky's body around and pushed him gently to propel him in the direction of the bedroom.
"They're going to be mad at me," Lucky insisted. "Tell them it's not my fault."
"It's not your fault," Tony replied. "Come on." They entered Lucky's bedroom, and Tony sat Lucky down on the bed. "Go to bed now," Tony instructed. "Put your legs under the covers." Lucky complied, and Tony pulled the blankets over his nephew. "I'll wake you in the morning, " he stated. "You won't have to worry about being late."
"'Kay," Lucky replied as he sighed and closed his eyes. "Don't want to be late."
Tony sat on Lucky's desk chair and watched his nephew for a few minutes to make sure that Lucky was fully asleep. He smiled when Harley took his position on the rug beside Lucky's bed. He reached out to pat the dog on the head. He's a good dog, protective of his master. He'll be good for Lucky. We need to tell Kevin about this. I think Lucky is experiencing some side effects from his medications.
.