Forgetting

Liam stood in front of the fireplace with his back to me as I sat on the sofa with my laptop on my thighs.  He shifted a little and a white pinion feather fell from his wings and drifted to the floor. 

“So, you’re sick today,” he said without turning.

“Yup,” I sighed and tried to focus through the grog of drugs. “It has been going around.”

“Since you’re home you should try and get some writing done.”

“I just want to curl up and sleep.” But I knew he was right.

He turned slightly in my direction and the drift of his massive wings caused a stir in the air. “I’m worried that you are forgetting about us.”

“I won’t forget you.  I could never forget you.”

He looked at me long enough that I noticed a few strand of long blond hair escaping from the knot at the base of his neck, the bruises on his face from his last fight had begun turning a ghastly yellow-purple since last I saw him.  His eyes locked with mine.

“Then what’s my middle name,” he asked softly.

“Uhm,” I stalled, brain foggy with drugs and sleep. “I can look it up in the notes.”

He came to me then and knelt on the floor at my feet.  He reached with his broken hand, fingers still bloody from such a close call with death.  Touching my face he whispered, “See. You are forgetting. You never needed notes before.”

He rested his cheek on my knee, “Don’t forget us, Athena. Don’t forget me, please.”

I heard Xena coughing and turned to her with mild irritation thinking she was probably gagging on one of Liam’s feathers again.  But she stopped wheezing and looked at me with curiosity. I glanced back to Liam but he was already gone.

I have this pitiful lump in my stomach.  It could be the sickness that seems to be going around.  Or it could be the knowledge that he was right, I am forgetting.