Page 38 of Finding Home (Willow Valley #1)

THIRTY-EIGHT

EVERETT

A rriving at the hospital, I check in with reception to make sure Grandma is still in the same room as yesterday before I make my way down the hall. When I get to the room, there’s a doctor and a couple nurses moving around checking things in a hurried fashion that has me on edge.

No one notices me when I step inside. They continue to move around, checking her chart and undoing bandages, checking her wounds, and collecting stats. One of the nurses finally notices me and offers a smile, but something behind it tells me I’m not in for some good news.

Not one to beat around the bush, I ask, “What’s wrong?”

The nurse stands straight and schools her features.

“Mr. Lawson, your grandmother seems to potentially have an infection around her incision sight. We’re not going to be able to discharge her today.

She’s going to need constant monitoring and IV antibiotics until it’s gone.

With her age, we don’t want to take any risks. ”

Her words hit me like wrecking ball. I thought everything was going fine and I’d be taking her home today, listening to her give me shit as I wait on her hand and foot, not letting her do anything but rest. Instead, she’s being hooked up to more tubes and stuck in the hospital.

When the nurses and doctor leave, Grandma tries to convince me she’s fine. I spend the day with her, letting her talk to me about Christmas plans, and when she’s done and the silence fills the room I find myself saying, “Lila told us yesterday she wants Chloe to date me.”

Grandma doesn’t look one bit surprised by this. When I stare her down, she just stares back. I sigh and drop my shoulders, too drained to hold out any more.

“I told her we’re dating, and she broke down.

She ended up in Chloe’s arms until she fell asleep.

” I run a hand through my hair, bracing myself on my thighs as I stare at a random spot on the other side of the room.

“I’ve known for a while I can’t give Lila everything all by myself, but it hit me last night.

” I take a deep breath, trying to hold back my emotions, but everything is bubbling to the surface and Grandma was always that place I could turn and be honest growing up.

It’s like I’m back to being a kid and spilling my guts to her when I’ve let it all build and build, never saying anything.

“I don’t want to fail Lila. She’s my world. She’s everything, and the thought that I’ve failed her and not given her everything she needs and deserves kills me.”

Grandma reaches for my hand, and I take hers.

She holds mine firmly, full of reassurance, and squeezes.

“You are doing everything right by that little girl. You can’t take on the weight of other people’s decisions, that includes Renee’s.

You only have control over your own and how you respond to those of others.

You have provided a safe place for your little girl, physically and emotionally.

If you didn’t, she wouldn’t tell you half the things she does.

You made the decision to bring Chloe into your lives.

You made the choice to allow a woman as kind and strong as her into Lila’s life.

You decided to have someone as good as Chloe around Lila, that is you doing everything you can to give her what she needs. ”

I finally look at her, and she pats the top of my hand.

“I’m proud of the man you’ve become, Everett, and I know with every fibre of my being that your grandfather is proud of you and looking down on you and Lila so grateful the two of you have each other and that you’ve let Chloe in.”

Her words have a tear running down my cheek, and I swipe at it, fighting the rest of them. I force myself to sit taller, hoping it will fill me with some forced confidence and strength.

“Why don’t I wrangle us some cards and we can play something?” I ask.

She nods, and I push out of the chair and head to the gift shop downstairs. I use the time to gather myself. Grandma’s words really hit me. The mere mention of her and Grandpa being proud of me was everything I needed.

When I return to her room, I help her sit up more and deal out the cards for a game of rummy. We play until the nurse comes with Grandma’s dinner tray and she kicks me out to go home and have dinner with my girls.

I walk in the front door and find Lila and Chloe in the kitchen together. They’re making homemade individual pizzas. Chloe is sprinkling bacon bits on hers while Lila is arranging her pepperoni into a smiley face.

“Hi, Daddy,” Lila says when she spots me but doesn’t make a move to abandon her task.

I chuckle, walking up behind her and kissing the top of her head before kissing Chloe’s temple. I watch as colour fills her cheeks before she looks at me over her shoulder, a soft smile on her lips as she says, “Hey.”

I texted her earlier to let her know Grandma wasn’t leaving the hospital today, and her eyes are full of questions she doesn’t voice with Lila right here. I nod slightly, letting her know she’s okay and we’ll talk later.

I stand beside Lila, and she pushes her finished pizza towards me. “I made this for you, Daddy. See, the pizza’s happy, like you now.”

I run my hand over her hair and pull her in close, kissing the top of her head again. “Thank you, Peanut.”

Chloe pushes a plain pizza dough towards us. “Lila, do you want to make your own, or should your dad make you a pretty one like you made for him? ”

Lila looks up at me with pure joy. “Daddy, can you make me a super cool pizza?”

I round the kitchen island so I’m across from Chloe with the ingredients between us and rub my hands together in an exaggerated fashion. “I’m sure I could whip up something super cool,” I say, and Lila and Chloe giggle.

I spoon on some tomato sauce and hold my tongue between my lips just like Lila does as I fake concentrate hard on making sure I get it all the way to the edges. I pour cheese on top, getting it everywhere, and Lila laughs.

“Daddy, you’re making a mess!” she exclaims.

I stare at her in mock shock. “Really? So I shouldn’t do this, then?” I ask as I fling a few pieces of shredded cheese at her.

She turns and steps off her stool as her laughter fills the room alongside Chloe’s.

I turn to Chloe next, and apprehension fills her eyes as she watches me.

I run my finger through some tomato sauce and tap her nose, and Lila bends at the waist, unable to stay straight with the force of her laughter.

Chloe’s face is full of shock, but she doesn’t say anything, she just dips her finger tips into the bacon bits and flings them at me. I laugh. Full, belly-aching laugher.

I round the island and bend at the waist as my shoulder finds Chloe’s waist and I pick her up to the sound of her shrieks and laughter filling my ears. I turn and face Lila, and she’s smiling from ear to ear.

I take a step towards her, and she turns and runs.

I follow her, Chloe still on my shoulder as I chase Lila into the living room and down the hallway while Chloe laughs and tells Lila to run.

Chloe vibrates against my shoulder as her laughter turns silent.

Lila eventually runs into Chloe’s room, closing the door, and I act outraged.

“Did you just lock yourself away from me?”

Lila’s giggle comes through the door.

“I can hear you, missy.”

She laughs louder, and I help Chloe slide down my front until her feet are firmly on the floor. Her cheeks are deep red, and her eyes sparkle as her smile splits her face. I cup her face, and she leans into my touch .

“Gorgeous,” I whisper, and she rolls her lips together before whispering, “Thank you.”

We have a silent conversation, and she turns and knocks on the bedroom door.

“Lila, it’s me. Daddy’s upstairs,” she says.

She bites her lip, and I want to use my thumb to pull it free, but I stay put. After a second, the door opens slightly and Chloe enters, and I follow. Lila shrieks, but I catch her around the waist and throw her up in the air, pulling a giggle from her.

“You let Daddy get me,” she says to Chloe through her laughter.

I toss her on the bed and start tickling her.

She squirms and squeals, and Chloe joins in, blowing raspberries on her cheeks as she tickles her armpits.

We give her a break to catch her breath, and she uses that moment to reach up and start tickling Chloe.

I join in with her, and Chloe collapses on the bed, doing everything she can to get away from us.

Chloe’s shirt sneaks up, and Lila immediately blows a raspberry on her stomach, causing Chloe to laugh even more.

After a few minutes, we’re all panting and catching our breath as our laughter subsides and we collapse on the bed together. I look at both my girls, and I’m not sure I’ve seen either of them look as happy as they do right now and from something so simple as time together and a tickle war.

A ding comes from the kitchen, and Chloe looks at me and says, “Oven’s preheated.”

The three of us shuffle off the bed and I finish making Lila’s pizza and we put them in the oven.

While the girls pick a movie for us to watch tonight, I grab the broom and clean up my mess from my little impromptu food fight.

We spend the rest of the night eating our pizzas and watching a movie before I get Lila to bed.

Chloe and I stay up for a bit talking. I update her on Grandma, and she tells me about her and Lila’s day with the horses.

When she yawns, I help her up and lead her to my room.

We shower and climb into bed together, her curled into my side with her head on my chest. Just before she falls asleep, she whispers, “I had fun tonight.”

I kiss the top of her head and whisper back, “Me too.”