EFFA
After spending the day viewing all the sights, and local hot spots that meant something to Mercs, I checked in with Luke and the girls to see how they’re all settling in. Alana loves it here, she spent most of the day walking around the town getting to know the locals. She’s such a people person. Kristy has been uploading pictures of random stuff to our social media, but nothing that would give away our location. The last thing we want is for fans to figure out where we are, and for them to flock here and take over the town. Or for the paparazzi to get wind of it either.
Andi and Casey were busy eating at every diner they could. Raoul, Cooper, and Luke were making scenario plans for things that could happen while we are here, in case word does spread, and we have to leave abruptly or if we have to do a press release. Crap like that.
Everyone seems to be settling in, and I love that we all like it here. It’s a complete change of pace, and that’s probably why everyone has settled into town life so well. It’s nice to know that when we’re in the States, we have somewhere we can call base camp if we need to. It gives me a warm feeling. Even though there’s one person in the town that I’m not particularly inspired to get to know, but Lilah might warm to us—or should I say me—you never know. Given time, she might even be my friend—maybe.
Family dinners with Kiera and Gran are always a hive of energy. Maybe not people bouncing off the walls and dancing around with crazy energy, but the mood is always buzzing with a fun vibe. Kiera and I teased Mercs mercilessly about how Kiera and Raoul have been talking. Gran laughed and told Mercs to, in the words of Elsa, ‘Let it Go.’
Seeing Kiera smiling and happy is all any of us want, but when she starts fading, her energy waning, she becomes quieter we all know that there’s an unspoken evil in the room that’s haunting us all. Kiera knows it too, obviously, and I just wish there was something I could do to help her. I know there’s a procedure that they want to do. But other than that, I don’t know much more about it other than they have to wait for the right time—whatever that means. I feel like I’m a part of this family now, so I think it’s high time I found out. Because if there’s something I can do to help Kiera, I fucking well want to.
As I sit at the dining table watching while Kaden and Kiera continue to mock each other, Gran gets up and takes our empty plates to the kitchen. I pick up some more plates and stand to help her.
Mercs jolts up reaching out for the plates. “Stop right there. You’re meant to be resting. I’ll help Gran, you stay in here with my brat sister and plot my demise.”
I chuckle as Kiera nods emphatically and I shrug and sit down as Mercs takes the rest of the dirty dishes to the kitchen.
Kiera smiles at me and shakes her head. “You have him wrapped around your thumb. I love it. It’s so nice to see him worked up over a girl who’s actually good for him.”
Smiling, I bump into her side. “Thanks. But he has me wrapped up in him, too.”
She nods. “Oh, yeah… I know. It’s pretty sickening. You guys actually think I’m ill from cancer, but nope, it’s from watching you guys go all mushy-eyed on each other all the time.” She makes gagging noises and sticks her tongue out making me laugh.
“You’re disgusting.”
She giggles.
“You’ll have that too one day, you know. Maybe with a burly French man?” I tease, and she grins.
“Enough about me. How are you feeling? Are you recovering?” she deflects.
I shake my head. “Oh no, we’re not changing the subject. It’s actually you I wanted to talk about, not about Raoul.”
She tilts her head in curiosity. “Oh?”
Taking a steadying breath, I glance back toward the kitchen to make sure Mercs isn’t coming back and I look at Kiera. “I know you’re all waiting for the right time to get your procedure done, but that’s all I know. Can I ask what’s holding you back?”
She stiffens and looks down to her lap seeming a little uncomfortable. I’m a bit shocked by her reaction. To me, it seems like nothing would make Keira uncomfortable. So I reach out grabbing her hand in support, and she looks back up at me, her eyes glistening as she too looks back to the kitchen as if wondering if Mercs or Gran are going to reappear.
Kiera hunches over as if she’s trying to keep this low key. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. They didn’t want to burden you with it.”
Furrowing my brows, I shake my head. “We’re family, Kiera. Whatever’s your problem is my problem, too.”
She nods and sighs. “The stem cell procedure…” she ducks down even further and lowers her voice, “… it’s really expensive. We simply can’t afford it. Kaden is working really hard to save the money, but having to pay for my treatments, for daily living and everything else, well, it’s a struggle for him and Gran. He feels the burden, but he never wants to share it.”
I clench my eyes shut as my stomach sinks. Why the hell didn’t I realize it was a money thing? I thought maybe it was more a medical thing. What the hell is wrong with me? Shit! All this time I could have stepped in. Damn it! Opening my eyes, I glance at Kiera and smile. “I think with your brother it’s only been made worse by Jett. He told Mercs he was only with me because of my money.”
“Please don’t tell Kades I told you. He’d hate it if he knew I told you.”
I nod and reach out grabbing her and pull her in for a tight hug. “I promise. But Kiera, you have to promise me something.” She pulls back and raises her brow. “If you need something, anything, and you can’t afford it, you tell me, and I will send the money. I know Mercs might not like it, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. We’re sisters after all. Okay?”
She nods. “Okay… thank you, Effa.” She smiles at me as Mercs steps back into the room throwing his arms out wide and yawning as he stretches.
“Man, I’m beat. Effa wanna tuck me in?” he jests.
Kiera snorts as I roll my eyes. “You’re the weirdest guy I know. You know that right, big bro?”
Mercs scoffs and shrugs. “Well, in my defense, you don’t actually know a lot of guys. So that fact alone tells me I’m not all that weird. Now you need to rest too, booger-butt, it’s getting late.”
She shakes her head. “God, I swear you really will be an asshole of a father one day.”
I burst out laughing as she stands up and walks out of the room, and he grins as Kiera sticks out her tongue as she passes him. I stand up and walk over to Mercs wrapping my arms around his waist and cuddling into him. “You really need to let her live her own life, Kaden.”
He smiles. “I know. It’s hard. I want her to get better. She needs to rest as much as she can.”
I swallow hard figuring this is my opportunity to step in.
Right here, right now.
So I’m going to take it.
“Kaden… I want what’s best for Kiera, too. You know that, right?”
He looks down into my eyes and nods. “Of course.”
“So, I think it’s time you told me what it is you’re waiting for. What is it that you need to get the timing right for Kiera’s treatment, to get underway?”
He stiffens against me. His face taking on a hard edge as he looks into my eyes. I tighten my grip on him to let him know I’m here for him and he closes his eyes as his body slumps slightly in my grasp. “Money…” His voice is barely a whisper. “It’s money, Effa.”
Sighing, I move my hand up to cup his cheek. “Kaden, look at me.”
He opens his eyes, they’re glistening, and as he looks at me, I feel nothing but sadness for him. I know he feels like a failure for not being able to provide for his sister. But letting me help is him providing for her. His chest is rising and falling fast as I give him a weak smile. “Baby, we’re family. You and me, right?” He nods. “Then that makes Kiera my family, too. Yes?” He nods again. “Then, please… let me help. Don’t fight me on this, Kaden. I love her. She’s such a bright light, and I don’t want to see that light go out because I didn’t offer, or because you didn’t accept my help.”
He looks away from me, and I tighten my grip on his cheek making him look at me again.
“It doesn’t mean you can’t provide for her, Kaden. Accepting my help is you providing for her. Don’t you see that?”
He licks his bottom lip. “I… I don’t know what to say. Do you even know how much you’re offering up here, Effa?”
I let out a small huff shaking my head. “Kaden, I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care if the procedure takes every cent I have. I will give it to Kiera to cure her. Because she has to live, Kaden, and if this is how we do that, then I don’t care if I’m penniless, or if I lose it all. Because provided I still have you guys, well then I’ll be the luckiest woman on this earth.”
He pulls me closer to him, taking me in. “You think you’re lucky? I think it’s us who are lucky here, Effa. A simple thank you will not suffice for this. It doesn’t scratch the surface… but I should have come to you sooner. I just…” he trails off.
“Hey, I get it, your pride is hurt. Jett got to you about using me for my money, and now you feel like you are. But you’re not, Kaden. Kiera’s like my sister, too, and I want to do this for her. I need to do this. And even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to stop me from giving her the money she needs to have this treatment done. The only way you could stop this from going ahead now would be to not give Kiera your stem cells. And I know that’s not going to happen. So suck it up, Kaden, and get on board, ‘cause this is happening.”
“Okay. I’m on board. But I will pay you back… every cent. That’s nonnegotiable Effa.” He smirks and tilts his head. “Though, I do like it when you boss me around. Makes me want to do bad, bad things to you.” He smiles.
I shake my head, rolling my eyes. “We can do that later. I think we need to talk to Gran, tell her the good news. And then tomorrow we can tell Kiera and get everything started.” I let go of him and move to head for the kitchen, but he grabs my elbow and pulls me back to him. He looks into my eyes, his sparkling and glistening so brightly I feel almost awestruck as he leans in quickly and plants a frantic kiss on my lips.
I close my eyes and kiss him back. The kiss is hungry and full of want as he moves me back, so I’m pressed against the table. My hands slide up into his hair as his wrap around my waist, and we stand together, bodies flush as we kiss hard and deep.
This feels primal. He needs to feel me right now, and I get it. He needs an ounce of control. So I let him take it, let him kiss me with as much fury as he wants to, because as much as he doesn’t need to prove a point to me, he needs to prove it to himself. That he’s still the man in this relationship, and fuck what a man he is.
His cock strains against me beneath his pants, and I run my leg up his side wrapping it around him pulling him closer to me. He grinds himself into me, and I gasp as he bites my bottom lip breaking the kiss and looking into my eyes. His hand runs down the center of my chest, moving over the top of my breast as he stares into my eyes. “All of this is mine. I love what you’re doing for my family, Effa, and once you’re feeling better, I’m going to thank you for this properly.”
Swallowing hard, I nod and lean in gently kissing his lips again as I drop my leg from around him and he takes a step back from me. We’re both panting for breath just as Gran rounds the corner carrying a tray of cookies.
“Oh, there you are. Cookies anyone?” she asks completely oblivious to the steamy scene she only just missed out on.
Mercs subtly tries to hide his erection in his jeans as he turns to Gran and grabs a cookie from her tray. “Thanks, Gran. Effa and I were just talking, and I think she has something really amazing to tell you. Let’s go to the living room so we can discuss it.”
Telling Gran was exciting. She cried and thanked me for giving their family this gift. We spent the night looking up all the information we needed to get everything underway, and to prepare ourselves for telling Kiera she’ll finally be having the treatment that will most probably save her life. Knowing that I’m going to be helping her in this fills me with such immense pleasure, and I know that this is the real reason I was brought back to Ligonier. Not for my recovery, but for Kiera’s. It was Gaia’s intervention. I’m sure of it. Whether Kaden knew it or not, his idea to bring me here has helped both Kiera and me on our roads to recovery, and now both of us can heal. Together.
But first, we have to tell Kiera.
Kaden, Gran, and I are all sitting in the living room looking over the flyers for the procedures from last night as Kiera sleepily makes her way downstairs. She yawns and stretches as she heads into the living room, and we all stop talking and look at her. Silence falls over the room dramatically.
She looks at us and raises her brow. “Wow! That wasn’t weird at all. And completely not obvious you were all talking about me. What’s going on?” she asks rounding the sofa as her eyes drift to the coffee table to see the leaflets regarding the stem cell procedure.
Her eyes widen, and she looks right at me. I subtly shake my head letting her know I didn’t out our conversation and she then glances to Kaden who takes a deep breath standing up and walking over to her taking her hand in his. “Kiera… I love you.”
She furrows her brows. “Aaand you’re officially being weird—”
“Shut up! I’m trying to be serious here.”
She nods and chews on her bottom lip. “Effa and I got to talking last night.” He exhales slumping his body. “I told her that we needed the money for your procedure.” Kiera looks up wide-eyed and hopeful. “She’s going to pay for everything.”
Her head snaps around to look at me as her mouth opens up wide in surprise.
“You’re going to have the procedure, Kiera,” he says.
Her hand snaps up to hide her gasp as her eyes flood with tears. She shakes her head slowly as she looks me in the eyes. I nod with a smile, and she lets out a sob as she can’t hold back her tears any longer and the floodgates open. She turns, thrusting herself into Mercs’ arms.
He wraps himself around her holding her tight, swaying her from side to side. “It’s happening, booger-butt. We’re gonna fix you.”
I wipe a sly tear from under my eye as Gran reaches out and grabs my hand holding onto me tightly and I look to her and smile. Kiera spins suddenly, her breathing rapid as she shakes her head. “Effa, I… I don’t know w-what to say.”
I let go of Gran’s hand and stand up in front of Kiera taking hold of each of her shoulders. “We’re sisters, I love you, Kiera.”
Her bottom lip quivers as she races forward and into my arms. I hold her tight. She feels so frail, but that warmth of love flows through her. I can’t wait to see her with her hair growing back, some flushed cheeks, and a little more weight on her. It will be a whole new Kiera, and honestly, I’m so looking forward to seeing a brand new her.
“I love you too, Eff. What would we all do without you?”
I chuckle while shaking my head. “You will never have to find out. So c’mon, let’s start booking you some appointments,” I say.
Gran looks at me and smiles as Mercs lets out a long breath, and we all sit down on the sofa and look over the flyers before calling Kiera’s specialist to make the initial consult.
The consult to make the start of her long journey ahead.
A journey to a new life.
A journey to a long and happy cancer free life.
This is a going to be a great day.