THE MOMENT THE DOOR TO my room opens, Averie races over its threshold. My heart skips a beat and any concern I had in regards to Thomas’ visit subsides.
“McButterpants!” Averie exclaims, eyes wide and smiling. “You’re awake!”
“Averie Marie,” Katie snaps at her back. “Wait!”
Ignoring her mother, Averie’s determination carries her forward. She lands on the bed at my side and cradles herself not so carefully next to me. Her arm drapes over my waist and her head rests against my chest. She tries to get in closer, and it takes all my energy in order to hide my wince of pain.
“What in the world took you so long?” she questions, glaring up with a frown.
Running my hand to clear her long blonde hair from her face, I answer, “Happy to see you’re still you.”
Confused, she creases her nose and returns, “Well, who else would I be?”
My attention is pulled when a subtle clearing of throat breaks from across the room.
Amelia stands at her mother’s side. Her cheeks are red and her eyes are shining with unshed tears. She’s lost all makeup and her clothes are more relaxed and reserved than I’ve seen on her to date.
Leaving her, my gaze moves to Katie where she gives me a small, shy smile.
“Mom’s wearing flip-flops,” Averie whispers in my ear, accompanied by a giggle. “I’ve never seen my mom in flip-flops.”
I chance a look down at Katie’s feet, where I find Averie’s observation to be true. Katie’s not wearing just any pair of flip-flops. She’s wearing a pair of obviously new yellow flip-flops. Adding to those is a pink plastic flower nestled between her pink painted toenails.
“They look good on her, don’t you think?” Averie prompts.
“They look like something she used to wear,” I answer Averie, but do it looking at Katie.
“I love them,” Averie decrees. “She said she’d take me to get me a pair just like them this weekend.”
“That’s good,” I reply for anything better to say.
“And do you see her clothes?” Averie charges on. “I picked them out. They aren’t even hers!” she exclaims. “The shirt is Amelia’s and the skirt is Connie’s. My mother is wearing a short jean skirt!”
My blood runs hot. Katie’s legs are long, toned, and the skirt hits mid-thigh. I’d forgotten how she looked dressed like this—younger and more at ease.
“Your mom looks perfect,” I whisper. In response, Averie squeezes me into her again.
Katie blushes, looks down, and moves the hair from her face, tucking behind her ear.
“Averie said you saved her from that man,” Amelia addresses the room quietly. Taking two steps in front of her mother, she adds, “Is that true?”
Amelia still hasn’t thawed. Not even a little the last few weeks. She’s reluctant to accept my new position in her life and that’s okay. I’ve given her the room she needs to have to understand this on her own.
“I told you it was true,” Averie snips at her sister. “You didn’t believe me. I told you he wouldn’t ever let anyone hurt me.”
Rubbing the back of Averie’s head, I garner her attention. “You did really good, buddy. I’m proud of you.”
Averie’s eyes widen in disbelief.
“You callin’ me ‘buddy’ now?” she questions.
“I just did.”
“Wow. You must be hurtin’. You’ve never called me anything but brat.”
“Did you save her?” Amelia presses, interrupting Averie’s confusion.
Having no idea how she’ll react, I go easy. “I did what I needed to do so Averie wouldn’t be in danger.”
“So you saved her,” Amelia utters in return.
I chance a look to Katie, standing behind at her oldest daughter’s side. Her gaze is locked on Amelia. She runs her hand over her daughter’s head, taking her long hair in her fingers with it.
“I’d never let anything happen to any of you, if I could help it,” I state the promise plainly.
Amelia walks toward Averie and me. Katie’s hand suspended in air, drops and her mouth falls open.
Walking herself to my bed in hurried steps, Amelia comes to lie on the other side of her sister. The room is small, and the bed is just as tiny. But as I imagine these girls have done a thousand times before, they make room for each other without having to ask for it.
“Thank you,” Amelia says, not touching me but wrapping her arm around her sister and resting her chin on Averie’s head.
“Everything worked out,” I reply. “Everyone is all right.”
“You’re not all right,” Averie mumbles into my chest. “When can we break you outta here, anyway? I have a soccer game tomorrow, and Mom said you need your rest because you’re going.”
Glancing up, I catch Katie looking away.
“She did, did she?”
“Yep. My dad cancelled his business trips for the next three weeks. Up until soccer season is done so he could make all my games. We’re all going.” Averie informs. “McKayla’s family never misses her game. There’s like ten people we have to make room for. Now I’ll have my own cheer squad.”
Katie smiles, closing the distance between us. She stops as she comes to stand behind her girls. She places her hand on Amelia’s hip and sighs.
“Girls, can I get a second alone with the patient?”
Giving up but doing it quietly, Amelia stands to give Averie room to move. But Averie being who she is will do only as she wants. She grasps hold of me tighter around the waist. Averie closes her eyes.
“Sweetheart,” Katie utters. “A minute?”
Sitting up, but not doing it quietly, Averie turns to her mom. “Five minutes. That’s all you get. Then Amelia and I are coming back.”
“Five minutes,” Katie confirms, half-smirking, half-annoyed.
Averie squeezes my hand, calling for my attention. When I turn to her, I nod my approval.
“Do what your mother asks,” I instruct. “Missed dinner. You and Amelia find me somethin’ in this place worth eatin’.”
“All over it, McButterPants,” Averie quickly complies, standing and dropping my hand. When I think she’s about to turn away, the light touch of her warm lips on my cool cheek spears my chest. “Sit tight. I’ll bring you back something delicious. We’ll share.”
We’ll share.
“Sounds good, brat,” I utter.
Averie giggles. Katie grins, extends her arm, and wraps it around her daughter’s shoulders, kissing the crown of her head. Then both Averie and Amelia take toward my door.
I’ve been lying in this bed wounded a few hours. In that time, Averie has gone from being my nurse, my mother, my friend, and now as it is, my fucking keeper.
Once the girls leave, Katie takes a seat in the chair next to the bed. The one her husband sat in earlier this afternoon.
I’m hoping this conversation goes as easy as the last.
“Miss me?” I query.
Tears fall from her eyes when she looks up and gets I’m playing.
“I’m not sure whether to hug you or hit you,” she starts, quickly looking down. “I’m so mad!”
“I’m fine, Katie.”
“You’re fine?”
“I’m fine. Or I will be.”
“What do you mean, you will be?”
Giving her what’s been on my mind for fucking days, I sit up and dictate, “Done fuckin’ around. The girls know me. They like me. If I had to guess, they love me for you.”
“Mason,” she murmurs through a sigh.
“I agreed,” I tell her. “I know I did. Thought they needed time. But I’m not givin’ this more time. You’re mine. The girls are already half-mine.”
“Thomas doesn’t…”
“Thomas has shit to work on. We’ll support him doin’ what he’s gotta do with Amelia. But I’m either movin’ into your place or you’re movin’ into mine.”
“Honey, we’ve been on one date.”
“The last month, yes. But the last twenty years, baby, we’ve been on more than I can count.”
Contemplating, she fidgets with her hands while looking at her feet.
“Katie, come here.”
“I went shopping today,” she tells me. “I looked everywhere for these shoes.”
“Katie—”
“After I couldn’t find any, I thought to make them.”
“Get over here.”
“I was standing in line at a nice department store when a man named Captain Riggs called to tell me what happened. He insisted Averie was fine.”
“Katie, damn it.”
“But he said you were in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.”
“That was for Averie.”
“She told me,” Katie relays. “And she also told me nothing would ever happen to you if she could prevent it.”
Laughing hurts, but I do it anyway.
“Well?” I prod.
Straight-faced, Katie states, “I think we’re ready to take our relationship to the next level.”
“Then come here,” I push.
Shaking her head, she denies my request.
“After Thomas’ affair, I stayed in my empty marriage for my girls.”
“I know this,” I confirm. “You did what you thought they needed.”
“I’ve changed so much since then.”
“But you also haven’t.”
“I’m not the girl you used to know.”
“No, Katie,” I agree. “You’re not, but now you’re the woman I still love.”
Her eyes soften but she still explains, “I’ll never let another person, another situation, define what happens in my life again.”
“Baby,” I call, but she powers on.
With her expression pensive, she swears, “I love you. I’ve always loved you. But I love my girls as much, if not more.”
Pride swells for her. The truth in knowing she’s doing this right, not only for her girls but also for herself, is a relief. Life is short. Who knows how long of happy we’ll have at this second chance before another tragic event comes. Things happen all the time. Lives are interrupted, cut short without warning. But being through all she’s been through, Katie’s learned a lot.
“There will never come a day you don’t wake up and know that you and those girls are the most important pieces of my life.”
“I don’t want you to—”
“They come with you, Katie. And I’m glad they do. Averie’s a shit, but she’s good to her core. Amelia’s tough, but in a way I understand.”
“You care about them.”
“I love them because they’re you.”
“Okay,” she gives.
“Now are you gonna kiss me or what?”
Katie blinks, then starts her way over.
Once she’s finally settled in my arms. The door bursts open and our time together is over.
At least now we have the rest of our lives to make up for all the time we’ve missed.