Chapter 41
Loving someone during the best times is easy. Loving them through hell is what makes that love strong. -Reina
Reina
Brian is finally going home today. The words ring over and over again in my head. After four months in this hospital, he’s finally going to his mom’s house where I can look over him there. The progress he’s made in the last month has been fantastic. There are times now when I see the old Brian there with his familiar grin, and I know everything will be okay. It’s been a long road, but I’m ready for wherever the rest of this journey takes us.
Lyla pushes him out and gives me a cheeky grin. “He’s all yours now, honey,” she says in a teasing voice.
Brian grins up at me. His mom and sister are waiting in the car behind us, and I can feel them watching us. I know they’re smiling too.
“You ready for this, princess?” Brian teases, “I’m going to be gettin’ on your nerves morning, noon, and night from now on.” Brian’s mom asked me if I wanted to stay with them this summer and of course I agreed. I’ll be staying in Sophie’s old room while she takes summer classes. I can’t imagine being away from my soldier now that I’ve finally gotten him back.
“I’m ready, soldier boy. Let’s get this show on the road.” I lean down and help him up. I pass him the cane that he finally picked out after much deliberation. You would have thought he was picking out a car the way he dithered over the choice of the dark walnut walking piece. He said he wanted something classic and not too flashy. I died laughing at the choices we had from purple stripes to a plain old stick. Brian chose right.
His mom opens up the van door and he gets in with a small huff. Over the last month, he’s been grimacing less and less in pain, thank goodness. Watching him writhe in pain when he first started here was excruciating for all of us.
I pull the handle to the door. Brian puts an arm out to stop me. “You going to sit next to me, princess?” he asks gruffly. “I couldn’t imagine going anywhere without you right by my side.”
I flash him a smile. “I couldn’t either, soldier. That’s where I belong.”
And it is. What started out as a few words on a blank page has become my everything. This may be the toughest thing we face, or there may be more obstacles with bigger reckonings, but this is my person. And for your person, you buck up and face the hard times. The times that maybe aren’t so sexy or romantic. The times that make you see the person for who they are.
I hold his hand in the back of that van all the way home and I vow to never let go.