Devotion - Chapter 36
Saturday
Isabella was dead. I shouldn't have felt at peace with that.
But she had been my hell. She had been James' hell.
And we were both breathing easier now. I wasn't happy that she was dead.
But I was happy that James and I didn't have to live in fear.
I was happy that there wasn't a shadow over us.
I was happy that maybe, just maybe, there was a little less weight on James' shoulders.
We had just given our statements to the police and now a silence had settled over the new hospital room they had put James in. My head was resting on James' shoulder and I was staring out the window at the sun rising.
"It's beautiful," James murmured against my temple.
I hadn't realized he was watching it too. I tilted my head up to look at his face. He smiled down at me and kissed the side of my forehead.
"Is it horrible that I feel so peaceful?"
He lowered his eyebrows slightly. "No." He pulled me in closer to his side.
"She needed help. She needed..."
"You can't get someone help unless they accept that they need it."
I nodded my head against his shoulder.
"For the first time in a long time, all I see is light." He grabbed my chin and tilted my face toward the sunrise.
I blinked away my tears. "Me too."
We both sat in silence, watching the colors stretch out over the horizon. No one was going to try to hurt us again. Everything was going to be okay. It was truly, finally over.
Rob came bursting into the room and we both turned toward him. He had kicked the door open with his cast and was now cursing under his breath.
"Rob, just wait one second!" Daphne said from behind him as she tried to grab the door to hold it open.
James laughed and Rob's face immediately looked more at ease.
"Is the troll really dead?" Rob said. He was balancing a crutch under one arm. His other arm was in a sling.
Daphne made an apologetic face.
James gripped my shoulder a little tighter. "She's dead."
"Good riddance." Rob collapsed in a chair. "Sorry it took me so long to come see you. The doctors kept delaying my discharge for no reason!" he yelled over his shoulder.
Daphne quickly closed the door.
I laughed and she started to laugh too.
"And when I finally did get discharged, the po-po wouldn't let me come in and see you until right this second. Something about collaborating witnesses or something. Trust me, I was giving them hell."
"Well, the investigation must be coming to a close if they're letting us talk now," said James.
Rob nodded. "Right, right." He glanced at me and then back at James and raised both his eyebrows.
I was just about to let James know that Rob knew about the baby when James cleared his throat.
"I'm really happy you're both here," James said. "We actually have some news."
Oops. But I didn't bother telling James they already knew. I was excited that he was so excited about it.
"Penny's pregnant. We're having a baby!" The joy in his voice was almost palpable.
"What?!" Rob said in a weirdly high pitched voice. "That is totally a huge surprise to both me and Daphne! We didn't know about that at all! How exciting!"
James laughed. "You already knew?"
"Your baby mama has a big mouth. Right, Daphne?"
Daphne's eyes got wide. "I'm not sure that's exactly what happened." She laughed awkwardly.
Rob laughed.
James turned toward me and I was surprised to see his smile vanish. "Don't cry, I'm not upset with you for telling them." He slowly wiped his thumb under my eye. "Why are you crying?"
I hadn't realized I had gotten tears in my eyes. "No, it's just...I'm so excited that you're excited."
The smile returned to his face.
Rob slowly stood up out of his chair and hobbled over to James. "You're going to make a great dad. You know you are." He clapped him hard on the back despite the fact that they were both hurt. "And my main MILF." He gave me a hug too.
James groaned.
"You don't approve of her new nickname? You better get used to it." He grabbed both sides of James' face. "You beautiful, beautiful man."
"Stop touching me."
"I'm just so happy you're alive."
"You're freaking me out," said James. "Are you still on pain killers?"
Rob laughed and released James' face. "Actually yes, yes I am." He patted James' cheek again.
"Okay, maybe I should be getting you home," Daphne said.
"If that means your house, then fine," Rob said. "Home."
Daphne wouldn't have been able to hide her smile if she had tried. I felt like I had just witnessed a big moment. He had called her place his home.
"Call us if you need anything at all," Daphne said.
"Thanks." But everyone needed to spend some time away from the hospital. I glanced at James. It looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.
When Rob and Daphne left I helped him adjust his pillows so that he'd be lying down and snuggled up next to him.
"Did you catch that? He called Daphne's place his home."
"My baby brother is growing up." James yawned.
I smiled as I watched him fall asleep. We were all growing up.