Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Julian
“Argh!”
The frustrated sound comes from the bathroom, followed by a clatter of something being tossed roughly on the counter. Rising from the bed, I adjust my belt as I move toward the bathroom.
I’ve been hanging out in the bedroom since Leena shooed me out while she was doing her make-up for dinner with my parents and sister tonight.
She woke up anxious about this introduction but became increasingly more nervous when my sister texted that she was going to come down from Congaree Falls to join us.
Quinn ended up not coming when we planned to get together a while back, and now could not be persuaded to wait for another opportunity to see me and meet my girlfriend. Leena has been fretting all afternoon.
In the doorway, I see her frantically digging through one of the drawers, her hands unsteady.
Coming to stand behind her, my palms run down her arms, and I thread my fingers with hers before wrapping our arms around her waist. In the reflection of the mirror, her face softens slightly, and I can feel her body relax somewhat.
“My hair’s not doing what I want, and I can’t find any of my hair clips. I still have no idea what I should wear, and we need to be at your place soon.” Leena’s voice wavers, and she snaps her mouth shut with a large breath through her nose.
“Your hair looks great.” My arms tighten around her. Softly whispering in her ear, I drag my nose along her temple while catching her gaze in the mirror, “You look beautiful as always, baby. And you could wear sweats, no one will care. I’ll put some on, too.”
“Ha!” she exclaims. “Shows how much you know. I’m trying to make a good impression on your parents. And your sister! I can't meet them looking like a slob, they’ll surely wonder what’s wrong with me and why you’re wasting your time.”
It’s difficult to see Leena stressed about meeting my family. I know they are going to love her—and not just because I do, desperately! But because she is everything that is good and kind in the world, with an inner strength that radiates from her.
Straightening and spinning her to face me, I say, “I’m sorry.
I was trying to lighten the mood and make it less stressful.
But the thing is, Leena, it doesn’t matter what you wear or how you do your hair because I know they are going to love you.
Even if it’s only a fraction of how much I love you, that is still a lot. ”
Quietly, and with a sigh, she says, “Julian, I just want them to like me.”
“I know, baby.” I tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “And they will, I’m sure of it.”
Her arms circle my waist, and she lets out a large breath. She’s still a little tense, but she looks more relaxed than I’ve seen her all afternoon.
“Okay, I need to finish getting ready. Go to the living room and let me figure out what I’m going to wear so we can leave.”
“Leena . . .”
“The nerves won’t magically go away, but I’m fine, really.” She lifts her face to mine and places a kiss on my chin. When mine follows her lips, wanting a proper kiss, she pushes me away. “Nope, we don’t have time. Go!”
I do as she asks, uncertainly. When I pass Charlie in the living room, she gives me a sly look and a pat on the arm in a gesture that says just go with it. “Never fear, Ortho Bro, Mama is on the way,” she hollers.
More than a little relieved Leena’s friend is going to help, I’m able to breathe a little easier. “Thanks, Charlie.”
When my girl's nerves kept ratcheting up this morning, I’d asked if she had a bad experience with her ex’s family to which she denied.
Although she did confide in me that Charlie had a horrible experience with her ex’s family, she wouldn’t elaborate further.
It seems when something affects one of them, the other is impacted as well.
Charlie and Leena have a relationship I’ve never witnessed before.
They go beyond friendship, even closer than sisters.
Soulmates—their words, not mine. One evening as I was making dinner for the three of us, Leena had been sitting on the counter while Charlie leaned against her dangling legs.
They were teasing me mercilessly about being an ortho bro, needing my mallet and rock music to perform surgery.
I pretended to pout until Charlie declared, “We’re a package deal, dude! She’s my mama, my ride or die.” I had looked between the two of them and realized she was right. But I didn’t mind, Charlie is an awesome person. Smart, loyal, and funny.
Leena had yet to tell me she loved me when this conversation took place, and she fumbled over her words when she tried to explain that it was a completely platonic bond they shared, needing to reassure me that I was just as important.
I’d just laughed, playfully shoved Charlie out of the way, and kissed my girl’s forehead, then went back to making dinner.
I may have been dinged in the back of the head with a dinner roll, but it was all in good fun.
Thinking about that night was another reminder of how thoroughly content I was with my life.
I’ve been hustling for so long, first with school, then my surgical residency and fellowships, to working nonstop.
I didn’t know what my life was missing until moving back to South Carolina and finding Leena.
Reconnecting with Jace, building a deeper friendship with Connor, becoming better acquainted with Reid and a few other guys from the hospital. Now, I finally get to take advantage of being in closer proximity to my family and the reasonable drive making frequent get-togethers possible.
The biggest impact though? I can confidently say with Leena confessing her feelings—that she held so tight to the vest—I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I wasn’t just spouting BS last night when I told her she was it. Aleena Cavalli is my endgame, the love of my life.
The nervous-wreck love of my life who has finally come out of the bedroom.
She looks gorgeous! Raking my eyes from her curly hair twisted back, to the tan sweater tucked into the flirtiest, midthigh, pink and burgundy flower print skirt, to the brown suede knee-high boots, I’m pretty sure I resemble a cartoon character with bulging heart eyes and tongue rolled out onto the floor.
And if it wasn’t my family we were due to meet, I would be carrying her back to the bedroom over my shoulder like a caveman.
Adjusting my rapidly hardening dick, I continue to stare until Charlie breezes by, with a look over her shoulder at Leena, and declares, “This is much better than the sad boy eye-fucking. Just please keep it in your pants while I’m around.”
With a confused shake of my head, I turn to look at Charlie, but she’s already disappeared down the hall to the other bedrooms. Swinging around with a raised eyebrow, I inquire, “Sad boy eye-fucking?”
The first genuine smile graces her face. Eyes twinkling, she skips over, stopping right in front of me, and even with her heeled boots, she still has to look up at me. “Oh, it’s just your normal eye-fucking while looking like that person stole your dog.”
“I don’t get it.”
Charlie hollers from the hall bathroom, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll explain it all to you at work when you’re pretending to patiently wait for the nurse to bring your patient back!”
Leena’s giggling has me turning back to her, my hands finding her hips as she clasps my neck. “You look amazing,” I whisper against her glossy lips.
“Thank you.” She relaxes her head on my chest for a few minutes before reluctantly pulling back. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”