Текст книги "Recovery"
Автор книги: L. B. Simmons
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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 7 страниц)
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I hear a soft tapping, and after taking one last long look at my wife, I head over to answer the door. Reaching my hand for the knob, I’m almost taken out as its thrown wide open by one Harlow Reed. The door ricochets loudly off of my boots, and I find myself wondering why the hell she even bothered knocking at all. Bull in a goddamn china shop.
I rake my hand through my hair, pulling it slightly out of frustration. “Harlow, damn it, she’s sleeping.” Glancing over at Alex to make sure the noise hasn’t disturbed her, I’m overcome with feelings of pure inadequateness. I’m completely incapable of doing anything to help her, and watching the signs of struggle in her features as she sleeps, I find myself wanting to punch through the ugly, plain ass walls that I’ve been staring at since this morning. There’s not a thing in the world that I wouldn’t give to trade places with her. To take away every shred of pain she must be experiencing right now. I can’t even begin to imagine.
Harlow rushes to her side, raising her hand to Alex’s hair, smoothing it with a light touch. Red curly hair stacked in some weird shape on top of her head, wearing a light blue Tarheels sweatshirt and navy track pants, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her dressed so comfortably. “How’s she holding up? She looks like shit.”
My defenses automatically kick in. “Well, I’m pretty sure you’d look like shit too if you took a tumble down the stairs, had a baby ripped from your womb, lost gallons of blood, as well as your whole goddamn uterus in the process. Give her a fucking break.” Irritation spreads throughout my body like a wildfire. My hands are shaking, and I can feel my voice trembling as I speak. This whole fucking situation pisses me off and having Harlow here isn’t helping matters, not in the least.
“Whoa, easy there cowboy.” Harlow turns in my direction. As soon as we lock gazes, I recognize the fear filling her green eyes and I let out a deep breath. I guess we’re all a little on edge right now.
“Sorry, I’m just…There’s nothing I can do. I’ve been here all day watching her struggle. She’s been fading in and out since she got out of recovery, and every time she does, I lose her. Over and over. Every. Single. Time.” A lump begins to form in my throat out of pure anger and I try to swallow it down, along with every single horrendous thought in my head right now.
“Blake, you need a break. You’re not doing her any good right now. I’ll stay here with her for a bit. Why don’t you get some air and try to relax as much as you can. I know it’s hard, but you need to.” With Harlow’s hand still placed on Alex’s head, I concede her point. Air would do me some good right now.
“Yeah, I think I will. I need to go home and grab some of the stuff for the baby, anyway.” The thought of Alex excitedly packing the overnight bag in preparation causes the knot in my throat to swell. “She’ll want it here when she wakes up. Plus, I need to talk to the girls. Let them know what’s going on.”
Harlow tilts her head and a small, saddened smile barely presents itself on her face. “I’ve got her. You go. Take care of things at home, make sure the girls are okay, and then head back up here when you’re ready.” Removing her hand from Alex’s long brown hair, she takes several steps until she ends up right in front of me. Hands on her hips, she peers into my eyes. “She’s going to be fine, Blake. Our girl’s a fighter. Trust me. She’ll make it. You just need to get your head in a better place, so when she does wake up, you can be strong for her. She’s going to have a hard time when she finds out she won’t be able to have any more children.” She breaks for a light laugh. “Not that she would have wanted to have anymore, but you know her. She gets pissed when shit is out of her control, and well, losing her uterus…kind of not her decision.”
“We had no choice, Harlow. She would’ve bled out if they hadn’t removed it.” Moisture threatening to fall from my eyes, I raise my hands and scrub my face out of pure frustration.
“I know, Blake. She’ll understand eventually. Leaving the girls, leaving you, out of the question for her, but that still doesn’t mean it won’t come as a shock.” Harlow latches her fingers around my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face. “Got it?” she adds, arching her brows.
I nod my head. Harlow Reed. One crazy ass chick, but a damn good friend.
“Alright, I’m going. Who’s with the girls? Are they at home?” Harlow releases her death grip, affirming with a dip of her head. “Tatum’s with them. We haven’t told them anything, really. They just know she’s here and that you’re here with her. Most likely, they just think she had the baby. It’s up to you how in-depth you want to go into it with them.”
Well, I fought like hell to be a part of their lives; I’m not gonna pussy foot and flake out when it comes to this. It’s my job, as their father figure, to be honest with them. And I plan to be.
No matter how difficult the truths are to tell.
The entire drive home, I deliver the news to them about a hundred different ways in my mind. There’s no easy way to break it to the girls, but they need to know why the baby won’t be coming home immediately, and why they won’t be able to see Alex right away. I know they’ll be scared; hell, they already lost one parent. The chance that they could have lost the other will most likely throw them for one hell of a tailspin.
Pulling into the driveway, I leave the keys in the ignition for a couple of minutes and reign in my thoughts. My jaw hurts from grinding my molars for eight hours straight, the tension increasing ten-fold on the way home, but this is my first “speech” with the girls and I want to make sure I deliver it well.
After a couple more run-throughs, I grab the keys and exit the Suburban, making my way towards the front porch. Before I’m even to the door, it opens and in its wake are three, wide-eyed beauties standing right in front of me, obviously anticipating their mother and a new bundle of joy. My heart damn near crashes in my chest when the smiles disappear from their faces and tears begin to form in their eyes. I’m sure they can see that something’s not right written all over my face.
Tatum appears right behind them, and ushers the girls back into the living room, quickly exiting to our bedroom, obviously understanding the gravity of the situation. As I step inside, the first thing I see is that fucking red replacement lamp from when I lost my temper with Alex just months ago. Goddamn.
She will come home…I repeat these words over and over in my mind. All thoughts cease when I happen to cast my stare down to see the girls all looking up at me, their eyes asking questions to which I really have no answers.
With three panic-stricken faces standing in front of me, I do the manliest thing possible. I crouch down and gather them in my arms, placing my chin on Rylie’s tiny shoulder, and hold them tight as tears stream down my face. These girls have been through so much. Raising my hand, I quickly wipe the waterworks so they won’t see. No reason to scare them more than they already are.
Once my face is dry, I release them and they take a small step back, not out of panic, but to meet my eyes. I can tell they’re trying to read me, all three of them.
Smart, just like their mother.
Nycole in the center, protectively places her arms around her sisters, ready to step back into her motherly role. My throat constricts. I attempt to swallow, and after inhaling and exhaling deeply, my eyes move to each set of theirs before I begin.
“Girls, your mom’s okay, but there was an accident.” I take a break to let them absorb my words, and once I feel they’ve wrapped their minds around it, I continue.
“After you left with Grandma Nancy this morning, she went upstairs and when coming back down, she tripped.” Rylie gasps and takes off towards the stairs. She runs all the way up the steps, and when she reaches the top, she lets out a loud cry.
“Tatum!” I yell from where I’m still stooped in front of Nycole and Kyndall.
Tatum barely pokes her head out of our bedroom, her black hair falling forward, her crystal clear blue eyes filled with worry. I jerk my head to the stairs. “Can you check on Rylie? I’ll be there in a minute.” After a quick nod of her head, I watch her quickly dart up the steps and hear her attempts to comfort a now wailing Rylie. Once she quiets down a bit, I refocus on the other two. Locking my eyes with theirs I continue, because I want them to know that I am here, and I will be here, for them always.
“Your mom had to be rushed to the hospital, and the baby had to be taken out of her tummy so that they would be safe, but they are fine, both of them. Your mom’s still sleeping from her surgery, and the baby is in the care of very good doctors and nurses who are going to make sure he stays okay. I know you’re scared, girls, but everything’s going to be alright.” Kyndall’s chin starts to quiver. I bring her to my chest and she places her head in my neck, letting the tears fall into a steady stream onto my shirt.
Rubbing soothing circles on her back, she remains there while I look up at Nycole. I can tell she’s trying to be strong, God love her. Extending my arm toward her, I reach for her hand, and when she takes it, I squeeze it tightly. “She’s going to be fine, Nyc. I won’t let anything happen to her,” I reassure her. I have to be strong for them.
Tenderly, she releases my hand, and bends at her waist so that she’s right in front of my face. “I know, Blake. You’ll bring her back.” She leans in, puts her arm around my neck, and standing right next to her sister, she simply whispers in my ear, “I know you will. I love you, Blake. Thank you.”
Well, damn. There’s no escaping the tears now. I hold the girls as tightly in my arms as I can. “I love you too, girls.”
After a couple of seconds of silence, there are absolutely no words for this moment, I release them and stand. I graze Kyndall’s chin with my knuckle. “Chin up. She’s going to be home very soon, don’t you worry.” Her blue-grey eyes, still filled with tears, relax with my words.
Nycole places her arm around her. “Come on, Kyndall, she’ll be okay. Let’s go make some stuff for the baby…for when he gets home.” Nycole’s eyes widen with obvious excitement. “We can totally decorate his room with welcome home signs! I’ll even let you use my glitter.” With that, Kyndall smiles. I watch them head up the stairs and take in another deep breath.
“Blake!” Tatum yells. “Rylie would really like to talk to you!”
I turn, and after taking two steps at a time, I stop halfway up the stairs after finding myself greeted by a beautiful tear streaked face, being consoled by her sisters and Tatum. When her big brown eyes meet mine, Rylie jumps up and runs to meet me where I stand. She throws her tiny arms around my waist and begins to sob. “Oh, Blake! It’s horrible. Mommy is gonna hate me! Forever!” she howls.
Reaching behind my back, I break the curiously strong hold she has on me, bringing her arms to the front of my body and squat down in front of her. Placing both of my hands on the sides of her face, I smooth away the spiral locks clinging to the tears on her cheeks.
“Rylie, breathe baby. Deep breaths,” I say as she continues to cry. Tipping her head back so that she’s forced to look at me, she does as I say, bringing deep breaths in through her nose, letting them escape through her mouth.
“Rylie, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” Her mouth shuts tightly and her dimples appear as her lips thin themselves, her internal debate as to whether or not to tell me evident.
“Tatum, girls, can you give us a second, please?” Shuffling feet and small steps tell me they’re gone, but I don’t dare break my eyes away from Rylie’s. “Okay, they’re gone. You can talk to me now.”
She looks away, slowly turning her body away from mine, her little finger pointing towards the top step. Where a lone goddamn roller skate sits.
“Mommy told me. She told me to put it away before someone got hurt. And I didn’t. Now she’s hurt, all because of me!” She whips around and plants her face right under my jaw. Just as I did with Kyndall, I soothe her by running my hand down her curly, brown hair and rubbing circles on her back. “Shh, Rylie, shh. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! Not at all!” She continues crying. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I pry her away from my chest and drop my face into her line of sight. She glances away, but eventually, I latch my eyes with hers and she raises her head as I raise mine.
“Rylie, sweetheart, it was an accident. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do it on purpose, did you?”
She emphatically shakes her head from side to side. “No!”
“Well, that’s what I thought. Baby, it was just an accident. She won’t be upset with you.” I raise my eyebrows and tip my head, to emphasize my next point. “But, this is why your mother and I tell you to pick up your things. It’s not because we want to be mean ol’ parents, but because someone could get very hurt. Do you understand?”
Sniffling, she raises her arm and wipes her tears with her sleeve. “Yes, sir.” I pull her into me so quickly that she loses her balance and barrels into my chest. Wrapping her up in a tight bear hug, I lift her feet off the ground as I stand up. She giggles the entire time. Swinging her back and forth, I give her one last squeeze before setting her back down.
Taking her by the hand, we walk up the rest of the stairs towards the top, together. “Now, what do we do when we hurt someone on accident?”
“We tell them we’re sorry.”
“That’s right.” Rylie bends over to pick up her skate. “So, when you see your mommy, which will be very soon, just tell her you’re sorry. That will make her very happy.”
She looks up at me and smiles, quarter-sized holes in her cheeks. “It will?”
“Yes, Rylie, it will. And do you want to know what would make her even happier?” Her eyes fill with excitement and a grin breaks across my face in response.
“What?”
“You should tell her your big secret. I think that would make her very, very happy.”
“Okay, I will, Blake. But first, I’m gonna go put my skate up before someone else gets hurt.” I watch her skip her way to her room and then turn to start towards mine.
“That’s my big girl.” It’s amazing to me the strength you can find in even the smallest of people. Making my way back down the stairs, I head to our bedroom.
After grabbing the overnight bag Alex packed for the baby, and getting a change of clothes for her and myself, I open the bedroom door. Passing by the baby’s room, I stop dead in my tracks. Hearing the girls’ giggles and the sound of tape being pulled from its dispenser, I think it’s best to check up on them. Opening the door, I drop the bags and attempt to rein in my laughter. Glitter saturated “Welcome Home” signs are everywhere, covering the walls. Well, at least there’s some color up there now.
Breaking my gaze, my eyes land on the toys still in the bags on the floor. Clothes that need to be put in the dresser that still needs to be assembled along with the crib and changing table. Glancing back at the walls, I can’t help but think about the stupid ass arguments I’ve gotten into with Alex over the color. Such a small thing.
My eyes move to the one-gallon bucket I placed on the floor just last night, then to Nycole and Kyndall. “Alright girls, this looks great. But I think it could use a little more, no?”
Their eyes light up and I know they know exactly what I’m talking about.
Like I said…Smart, just like their mother.
After a couple of hours, our project is complete. I close the door and grab the bags that I left just outside of it, turning to head towards the living room. After letting Tatum and the girls know I’m heading back to the hospital, I assure them I’ll call when she wakes up. Giving them all a quick hug before leaving, I throw the bags in the back of the Suburban and climb into the driver’s seat. After taking one last look at the house, I throw the truck into gear and make my way back to Alex, full of resolve.
Here’s to hoping she doesn’t kill me.
Gasping out loud, I take a deep breath, as though I haven’t had oxygen in days. I attempt to open my eyes, but when the bright lights practically scorch my irises, I’m forced to squeeze them shut. Wiggling my fingers and toes, I breathe a sigh of relief that I can once again move them.
Where am I?
I hear a beeping monitor, people walking up and down the hall, doctors being called over the intercom…
Hospital.
Memories of my fall flood my mind.
The baby!
I open my eyes, not caring how much the light burns them, and raise my hands to my stomach to feel for him. My chin begins to tremble and my lip shudders when I find nothing. No tummy, no baby.
I turn my head and the tears roll down the side of my face onto the bed. As my eyes adjust, I see a head of light brown shaggy hair, topping the head lying on folded arms right next to mine. I try to speak, but my throat feels like I swallowed a cactus. I clear it and try again.
“Blake,” I whisper, although it feels like I’m screaming. He doesn’t move, so I try again, a little louder this time. “Blake.”
Raising my unusually heavy arm, I run my fingers over the top of his hair. “Blake, wake up,” I try one more time.
He groggily raises his head and barely opens his eyes. I give him a weak smile. “Hi.”
His eyes shoot wide open and as he jumps into a standing position, his chair falls backwards, crashing to the floor. “Alex!” He grabs the box lying on my flattened stomach and hits the call button.
“Blake, the baby? What happened?” Tears rolling down my face, I reach for him and gently, he takes my hand, enclosing it in his.
“He’s okay, Alex. The baby’s going to be fine.” I let out a thankful sob while Blake kisses my knuckles. “He’s in NICU, but his vitals are good. He’s strong, Alex, like you.” I let out another cry, and squeeze his hand. He moves near my head, where, while still holding my hand, he places the other on my cheek. Stroking it with his thumb, he shakes his head while speaking. His eyes fill with tears. “I thought I lost you, Alex.”
It’s at that moment that I realize just how exhausted he looks. Dark circles under his eyes, a light brown scruff that tells me he hasn’t shaved in a day or two, worry lines in his brow that must have introduced themselves onto his handsome face very recently, because I’ve never noticed them before. I place my hand over the one he’s resting on my cheek.
“I’m here, Blake. I’m not going anywhere.”
I give him a weak smile. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”
His eyes, now overflowing with tears, hold mine. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Alex. And I plan on keeping you for a very long time.”
“Good,” I let out with a frail breath before the exhaustion consumes me.
When I wake, I hear Blake speaking in a low murmur. My eyes flutter a little before I can open them. Barely peeking out from underneath my heavy lids, I slowly turn my head and catch sight of three of the most beautiful sights I could ever ask to see.
Rylie’s in the middle of explaining something to Blake with her very animated hand gestures, obviously upset about something. My eyes get misty as I look her over; I swear she’s grown since I’ve been in here. She glances over at me and stills. Her movements cease and her eyes double in size. “Mommy! You’re awake!”
She runs over and tries to crawl on the bed, but Blake lifts her and gently sets her by my side. “I’m so happy to see you, Rylie! I missed you so much!” I delicately run my fingers over her brown spirals. She grabs my hand and holds it tightly. Thank God it’s not the one with the IV.
“Sorry about that. I really hope we didn’t wake you,” Blake runs his hand through his hair. “But since you’re awake, Rylie has something to tell you, and she’s been waiting for a very long time for you to wake up.”
Blake’s eyes widen as he explains my daughter’s frustration. I fully open my eyes and give her my absolute attention. This must be important.
“Well, what is it?” I ask.
She drops her eyes from mine, focusing them on the bland sheets covering my even more bland gown. Can’t they get some happy colors in here?
“What is it, Rylie? Are you okay?” My heart rate picks up. I can say this with certainty; I hear it on the monitor.
She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “Mommy, I didn’t pick up the skate like you told me to and you fell! All because of me!” She buries her head in my chest, shoulders shaking from her powerful sobs.
I widen my eyes and look up at Blake. I had no idea she would put two and two together so quickly.
“Rylie! No!” I raise my voice a little. “Sweetie, that was an accident. I don’t blame you. I would never blame you.” I let her cry for a while, and then lift her away from me, making sure she can see my eyes. “This is not your fault, baby. Don’t blame yourself. Accidents happen all the time, okay? You just have to make sure you try to keep them from happening.”
She wipes her nose with her sleeve, and it kind of makes me nauseated.
“Soooo…” I stall, trying to think of something to make her feel better. Got it. “Let’s make you part of the Accident Prevention Police.” Nycole lets out a loud laugh, and I shoot her a look that silences her immediately. I watch her cover her mouth, and I dip my head at her in return, demonstrating my thanks. My eyes move back to Rylie’s.
“Okay. So, you, my dear, are on accident duty. Anytime you see something that looks like it needs to be put up, or anything that could cause an accident, you pick it up, or come get me or Blake and let us know, okay. This job is very important, especially for when the baby comes home, okay? Do you think you can do that?” Flashing me her beautiful smile, her eyes light up and she looks to Blake for approval.
He nods his head at her before looking back to me. “Alex, there’s also something else that Rylie needs to tell you.” After giving me the signal that the news isn’t going to push me into cardiac arrest, Blake slowly steps back and nudges his head at Rylie.
“Well, what other exciting news do you have to share, my little stinky bee?”
She grins at me before opening her mouth as wide as physically possible and points to one of her bottom teeth. “I have a loose tooth, Mommy! Look, I can wiggle it. First Nycole, then Kyndall, now me!”
Placing my finger on her tooth, I move it back and forth. Sure enough, it’s loose. “Wow, Rylie! You are getting so big.”
After giving her a proud smile, I glance back up at Blake. “How is everything?”
“The baby’s doing great.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “The doctors can’t believe how well he’s doing, actually. He should be able to come home within the next couple of weeks.” He pauses. “And…before I forget, you might want to call Harlow. She’s blowing up my phone. I turned yours off after her last calling spree.” I giggle because I know exactly what he’s talking about.
“Okay, I’ll call her in a bit.”
I catch a glimpse of Kyndall, who’s standing just behind Blake’s legs, peeking out from behind him. My smile fades; I knew this would be the hardest for her. Headband in, pretty light blue tea length dress and of course, flip flops, her big blue-grey eyes meet mine. I motion for her to come to me and she slowly moves her feet in my direction to stand right beside Rylie. I run my hand down her cheek, trying to give her a little encouragement.
“Kyndall, I love you, sweetie. Mommy’s fine, I promise. I’m fine…the baby’s fine; everything’s going to be okay. Trust me.” I hold her beautiful eyes with mine until I see a relieved breath escape her lips and a slight smile appear on her face. I nod my head, letting her know I mean exactly what I say, and lightly skim her cheek once again with my fingers.
Nycole, in a pair of jean shorts and her favorite One Direction t-shirt, hair pulled back in a conservative ponytail, is also standing next to Blake, holding his hand. Being Nycole, she gives me time with the other girls before coming to me. Wise beyond her years.
Once I’ve addressed the other two, she simply walks over to me and embraces my neck. I release my hand from Rylie’s and wrap my arms tightly around her. My eyes flood with tears as I look over her shoulder at Blake, who maintains his distance during my time with the girls. Hands in his pockets, he just watches from afar.
No, this will not do.
With Kyndall standing right next to me, her hands latched on the arm still embracing Nycole, and Rylie sitting on the bed beside my hip, her hand laid gently on my stomach, I reach for him. As he crosses the room and takes hold of my hand, a smile spreads across his beautiful, unshaven face, and there’s genuine happiness in his eyes, shining with tears of his own. He reaches with his other hand and places it on Rylie’s knee, completing our circle.
And even though we’ve said it before, it’s at this moment that it becomes truly clear in my mind, and I accept it without question.
Our life.
From the hospital bed, I watch Blake packing up my clothes into the navy blue overnight bag. I’m still in a lot of pain, but, I’m here. Our baby is alive and doing well. My uterus was evidently taken as collateral damage, but surprisingly, I’m okay with that. I can’t explain it, but ever since I woke up, there’s a noticeable calm inside of me, instead of the constant worry and anxiety that I didn’t even realize I was feeling. I feel lighter, and it’s not the fact that I no longer have a baby or uterus in my body, although I’m sure that helps.
As Blake passes me, I extend my arm in front of him, blocking his path, and once I have his full attention, I pat the bed beside me. He grins down at me and takes a seat. The bed dips down beside me, and I smile at him as it creaks, protesting his weight. It does it every time, and every time I laugh. I have no idea why. Chuckling under his breath, he reaches and runs his knuckles down my cheek.
Grabbing his hand, I place his palm against my cheek and just hold it there for a while. His green eyes meet mine, and the love that fills them takes my breath away. I breathe in deeply and release his hand as he speaks. “You ready to go?”
I glance around the dreadful room. “Um, no. I would like to stay a bit longer, actually. I really like it here. The food is awesome, as well as the flattering hospital attire.” I let out a little laugh, but I stop when I remember that lovebug won’t be coming with us right now. “I feel bad, leaving him here.”
Blake’s lips press together and he lets out a sigh. “I know, but it’s for the best. He’s doing well and they said he would be able to come home in a few weeks if he continues gaining weight. Plus, we’ll come up here as much as we can, together.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Blake lowers himself down and brushes a feather light kiss on my lips. Placing his forehead against mine, he says, “He’s going to be fine, Alex.” I nod back at him, and after giving me a quick peck on my temple, he rises off the bed. It squeaks and I cup my hand over my mouth. Looking back over his shoulder, he shakes his head and reaches for the bags.
There’s a knock at the door, and soon after, I’m unloading myself from the wheelchair into the Suburban.
Taking Blake’s hand, I use his strength to push myself in, buckling myself as soon as I’m seated. I’m ready to get home. To our home.
Watching Blake round the front of the truck, I smile when I’m surrounded by his scent as he climbs into the driver’s seat. Taking in a deep breath, I close my eyes and press my head back. With my eyes still shut, I reach out, and Blake takes my hand, setting it on his thigh as he turns the key and starts the ignition. After giving it a small squeeze, he releases my hand leaving it on his leg and puts the truck in drive. My eyes remain closed as we make the short drive to the house.
Once we arrive, the front door is thrown open, and my three beautiful girls haul it to my side of the truck, smiling and clapping before Blake even has a chance to turn off the ignition. I look over at him and smile.
“They love me, what can I say?”
“That they do.” He leans and swipes his finger across my cheek. “As do I, Alex, so much.” Placing his hand on the back of my neck, he gently pulls me toward him and places his warm lips on mine. I smile against them and he does the same.
“I guess we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
Releasing me, he reaches for his door handle. “Yeah, they’ve definitely missed you.”
Blake opens his door and steps out. The girls attack him first, and with his arms around them, he lifts all three off the ground at the same time. I watch them scream and giggle when he does, unable to fight the smile on my face. After setting them back down, he whispers something to them, and they all turn to face me, excitement filling their eyes. He makes his way to my door, and after opening it, gently helps me out. As soon as my foot hits the pavement, the girls rush me, but are very gentle as the two smaller ones hug my legs and Nycole captures my waist. I take a moment to look at each of them, and say a silent prayer thanking God for blessing me with these three lovely angels. After a few more seconds, they grab my hands, and slowly lead me towards the house.
Once inside, I find myself gently tackled by Harlow. Pointing her index finger right in my face, she gives me a shortened lecture, one that without doubt I will have the luxury of listening to in full at a later time. “Don’t you ever do that to me again, you understand me?” She places her arms around my shoulders, squeezing me so tightly, I find it hard to breathe.
“Harlow, I…can’t…breathe…”
Releasing me, she sets her hands on my shoulders and narrows her eyes. “I’m leaving, because I know enough to give you your time with your family, but know that I will be back, and you and I will discuss what happened, in length, and it’s not going to be pretty.” She gives me a small smile before letting me go.
I giggle at her threat. “I love you, Harlow.”
“Love you too, babe.” She turns to Blake and throws her thumb over her shoulder in my direction. “Watch her.”
I can tell he’s also trying not to laugh. There’s just something extra funny about Harlow when she attempts to be threatening. “On it,” is all Blake says. He glances at me with wide eyes, and I giggle again.
