Chapter Twenty-Two
Ivy
“Oh my gosh I don’t want to leave you,” Grace said as she hugged me close.
“It’s okay,” I said with a giggle. “I’m going to be out of here soon enough myself. Hopefully.”
“There’s no ‘hopefully’ about it,” Dean said. “I just talked with your doctor-”
“You mean you’re not her doctor?” Emilia asked with a grin.
“Actually, that’s the catch,” Dean said.
“What catch?” I asked.
“Your doctor is very pleased with the progress you’ve made this past week, but he does want you released into someone’s care,” he said.
“And I take it you’re offering your services,” Tristan said.
“I did. The doctor approved it, but it still has to go through Ivy,” Dean said.
“I couldn’t think of a better person to watch over her,” Hayden said as he looked at Grace.
The two of them shared a look as I shook my head. They should know better than anyone what caring for a partner looks like.
“Sure, I don’t mind that,” I said. “I’m just ready to get out of this place. I want to feel the sun on my face again.”
“I could take you for a walk in the park,” Grace said.
“Oh, count me in,” Emilia said as she walked into the room. “Got coffee for everyone, by the way. But not for Ivy. You get fruit juice.”
“Goodie,” I said flatly.
All of us sat around as Dean went to go inform my doctor that everything was okay on my end. I didn’t know what all entailed him looking after me once we left the hospital, but the idea of spending more time with him sounded wonderful. After all, that was why I left my apartment that night in the first place. To get us some coffee and to go spend time with him. I knew Dean still felt guilty. I could see it in his eyes whenever I did struggle with something.
But all I did was kept reassuring him that I was okay.
Things weren’t completely perfect. I still had problems remembering the extent of the accident and a few details here and there were missing. Like conversations I’d had with the girls when they came to visit me. The doctor told me a spotty short-term memory was the least of my concerns with something like this. That it would clear up as my brain continued to heal. The swelling had completely gone down and the lesions had almost dissipated. And as they continued to heal, my memory would continue to grow stronger.
Other than that, my physical and mental faculties were intact.
Though my emotional ones were still in upheaval.
I tried to keep as much of that concealed from everyone as I could. But sometimes, when I woke up in the hospital, it would bring tears to my eyes. I hated hospitals. The smell and the sounds and the tubes. I hated constantly being poked and prodded and unable to do the things I needed. Like contact people who were expecting me to job sites and things of that nature. With me being in the hospital for over a month, I’d missed two massive job opportunities.
I needed to call them and tell them what had happened to me.
Sometimes a vivid dream would wake me up in the middle of the night. The honking of a horn would jerk me awake or the crunching of metal would ring out in my ears. I tried not to let it affect Dean, who practically lived at the hospital with me. But sometimes I would wake him up. And I felt terrible for it. This wasn’t his issue to deal with. My doctor told me that vivid dreams of the accident would be normal for weeks-- and even months-- to come. I didn’t want to burden Dean with what I was going through.
But the idea of him coming back to my apartment with me did bring me some comfort.
“All right! I’ve got the discharge papers,” Dean said. “Whenever you’re ready, Ivy, we can get you out of here.”
“Toss me your keys,” Hayden said. “I’ll go find your car and pull it around.”
“I’ll go down to the pharmacy and get her prescriptions,” Emilia said.
“And I’ll gather up everything here and take it down to the car,” Grace said.
“You guys need any help up here?” Tristan asked. “Because if not, I’m going to run to the grocery store and get you guys some things. I can swing them by Ivy’s place.”
“That sounds fantastic,” I said with a grin. “Could you get me some of that aloe water stuff? Grace has me addicted to it now.”
“Why did you do that to her?” Hayden asked. “That stuff tastes like shit.”
“It does not!” Grace balked. “That stuff is incredible. You just don’t know what good water is.”
“When it’s stuffed with chewy bits, it’s not good water,” Emilia said.
“Thank you,” Hayden said.
“I’ll make sure to get some just for you,” Tristan said with a smile.
Everyone scattered to go do their thing while Dean sat on the edge of the bed with me. He placed his hand on my leg and began to smooth his thumb on the top of my hospital blanket. I reached out for him. Placed my hand between his shoulder blades. I watched him flinch for a split second before his body relaxed underneath my touch. I could feel his worry radiating from him. I could feel his heart beating through his back. He squeezed my shin and I closed my eyes, trying to imprint some of my comfort through his skin.
“I wasn't sure if you wanted me to stay with you or come by and see you every day, but whatever you need I’ll make sure you have it.”
His voice was low. Filled with anxiety. I scooted myself to the edge of the bed beside him and leaned my head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me, his grip intentionally cautious of its strength.
But I wanted to feel him squeeze me.
I wanted to feel him pull me close.
“Got a wheelchair for the lucky lady,” Hayden said with a grin.
He wheeled it into the room before I got a chance to tell Dean to hold me like he used to. He got up quickly and helped me from the bed, picking me up in his arms. I shot him a look. I didn’t need him picking me up and hauling me everywhere. I was perfectly capable of walking around on my own two feet.
“Just until you get out of the hospital,” Dean said.
“You ready?” Hayden asked. “I got twenty bucks on you for a race I set up. There’s an old lady that thinks her husband can roll you faster than I can.”
I threw my head back and laughed as the three of us left my hospital bed in neurology.
The second Hayden pushed me out the front doors the sun beat down upon my face. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath, taking in fragrance of the air around me. I could smell smog and sweat. I could smell the sun and the earth. I could smell rain in the air and opened my eyes to see thick rain clouds off in the distance. Never in my life did I ever dream I’d be happy to hear a car backfiring in the distance. Or be happy to smell the smoke blazing from the exhaust pipe of a car.
Hayden rolled me to the curb where Dean’s car was, but I stopped him as he reached out for me. I planted my hands onto the wheelchair and slowly stood to my feet. My legs still felt wobbly, but I was getting stronger every single day. I stood, my back cracking and my knees popping as I stretched to the sky. I tilted my head up to the clouds and heard thunder rumbling in the distance as something was pressed into the palm of my hand.
“Juice,” Emilia said. “Let’s toast.”
“To good health, open eyes, and smog,” I said with a smile.
“To Ivy being okay,” Tristan said.
“To Ivy being strong,” Hayden said.
“To being surrounded by those we all love,” Grace said.
“And to one day being able to drink coffee again,” Emilia said.
I turned my eyes to Dean as he held his coffee in the air.
“To steps forward instead of backward, and never having to be alone again.”
My eyes hooked onto his and I could see the truth behind his words.
Dean loved me.
And I loved him.
“Here, here,” we all said.
Then we each took a sip of our drinks before I got into the passenger’s seat of Dean’s car.
Everyone leaned in to give me kisses before we drove off and left them on the curb. I knew they all had lives to get back to, but something told me they would be dropping in pretty frequently. I sipped on my fruit juice as Dean drove us through town, navigating back to my apartment. He rolled my window down and I let the wind brush through my hair. The smell of rain was thick in the air and I couldn’t wait for it to storm. I’d missed those. Storms. The flashing of the lightning and thunder to loud it rattled my windows. I loved the sound of rain pouring down outside, and the idea of curling up into Dean while it happened made my heart flutter in my chest.
We rode in complete silence until we got unloaded and into my apartment.
“Will you stay with me?” I asked.
“Of course I will,” Dean said. “In fact, I just got some vacation time approved. So you have me for the whole week if you want me.”
“You took vacation?” I asked.
I sat down onto my couch and reached for a blanket to curl up with.
“I did. I wasn’t sure if they were going to give it to me, but I got a text from my attending while we were coming home. I checked it once I pulled into the parking space,” Dean said. “I have an entire week off to look after you.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I don’t have to stay with you. And if you want me to stay, I can sleep in your guest bedroom or on the couch or something.”
“Dean-”
“I just want you to be looked aft-”
“Dean,” I said.
His eyes panned over to mine and I saw the hesitancy rising in his eyes. He’d gone out on a limb to admit to me how he felt, and I’d left him hanging there. I could see the toll it was taking on him, not knowing how I felt. I patted the couch cushion next to me as the thunder rolled closer to us. And once he sat down, I curled into him and laid my cheek against his shoulder.
“I love you too,” I said.
There was nothing romantic about it. Nothing spectacular or over-the-top. There was no fancy wine or lit candles or sparkling jewelry offered in response to it. Just two people who’d been alone for so many years who were no longer alone. Dean’s grasp clutched me to him the way I wanted to be clutched. I slid into his lap and wrapped my legs around him, threading my arms around his neck. I buried my face into his skin. Breathed in his scent as his hands stroked through my hair. I squeezed him as hard as I could while tears rose to my eyes.
“I love you so much,” I said with a whisper. “Please stay with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said as he kissed the side of my head. “I love you, Ivy. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Over the course of that week, we indulged ourselves. I cooked him another meal-- my mother’s eggplant parmesan recipe. But after burning my pie in the oven for dessert, we ended up driving to Delivery’s to get some dessert. On the days I felt stronger, we got out into the city. We went walking hand-in-hand in the park before sitting down for a picnic. One night we went cosmic bowling and played four games before I fell asleep on his shoulder. One night we even stayed in and tangled ourselves up in one another while watching a marathon of our favorite movies.
I found that Dean was a fan of the Rocky franchise.
But our last date night was different. Dean’s vacation week was coming to a close and I felt stronger than ever. And he surprised me with a dress and flats that were exactly my size. The black and yellow fabric hugged my body perfectly and fell just off my shoulders, and the sensible heels complimented the pearl jewelry he had bought me perfectly.
However, when I emerged from my bedroom, my eyes fell onto the most handsome sight I’d ever seen.
Dean, with his sculpted muscles and his tall form, was standing in my living room in a tailored black suit. His yellow shirt matched the yellow of my dress, and he had pearl cufflinks that matched the jewelry he’d purchased for me. His broad chest pulled slightly at the buttons on his clothes, but the way the fabric was tailored to his every sharp line had my jaw swinging against the floor.
“You look incredible, Ivy.”
But I was speechless as to how good he looked.
He offered me his arm and I took it silently. I had no idea what in the world was in store for us, but I was excited. He escorted me down to his car and opened my door for me, then whisked me away to the other side of town.
To one of the most exclusive restaurants the city had to offer.
“Dean, what is all this for?” I asked.
“What? I can’t treat the woman I love to a nice night out?” he asked.
“It’s just… a lot. We’ve never done anything like this before.”
“Do you not like it?”
“I…”
I looked up at the restaurant before my eyes panned back to Dean. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think a man would treat me to something like this. Tears flooded my eyes as I threw myself at him, crashing our lips together as his hand cupped the back of my head. I slid into his lap, the shadows of the restaurant hiding us from the rest of the world. I slipped my arms around his neck and felt my lips swelling against his attack.
I pulled back, panting for the air he breathed before I opened my eyes.
“Come on,” he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Let’s go get us some great food.”
“Do you come to places like this often?” I asked as we sat down at our table.
“Never. These aren’t the kinds of places single men come to,” Dean said.
“And I take it you’re not single anymore.”
“It’s news to me if I still am.”
“So what if I were to inform you that you technically still were single.”
“Then I’d have to ask for those pearls back,” he said.
I gasped as my hand fell upon my heart with fake disgust.
“My word! How despicable, requesting back a gift as beautiful as these.”
“Well, they were procured for the woman I love.”
“But just because you love her doesn’t mean she’s yours. Have you asked her to be yours?”
I watched Dean’s hand slide over mine as our glasses of water were sat down in front of us.
“Ivy Breckenridge, will you do me the honor of wearing my letterman jacket?”
“Really?” I asked flatly, rolling my eyes.
“Will you wear my class ring? Will you go steady with me? Will you be my girlfriend? Will you check that box, Ivy? Because it took me all class period to draw that heart just right in the corner of the piece of paper.”
I giggled and shook my head as I turned my palm up to his. I curled my fingers around his hand and guided it to my lips. I kissed each knuckle, just like he had mine in the hospital.
Then my eyes fluttered up to his.
“I’d love to,” I said.
“Music to my ears.”
“Does that mean I get to keep my pearls?”
“It does,” he said with a chuckle. “You can wear that anytime you want.”
“Anytime?” I asked.