Chapter 25
Cameron
“Ihope you like avocado toast,” I say as I hear soft footsteps coming down the hall. I turn from the toaster to see Riley standing at the edge of the kitchen. Her hair is a mess and she’s wearing her leggings from yesterday but with my shirt.
It looks good on her. I look good on her.
“Are you always this chipper in the morning?” she asks with a yawn.
I laugh at that. “Hell no. Most mornings I’m a vampire until I have my coffee and even then talking to me is risky,” I say as I hand her a steaming mug. “I don’t know. I guess today I just feel good.”
“Thank you,” she says as she cozily wraps her hands around it, breathing in its warmth.
“Did you sleep okay?” I ask, going back to avocado smashing.
“Are you kidding? Your bed is made of clouds,” she says while taking a sip.
“Is your bed not comfy?” I ask, grabbing two plates.
“Not like that. Pretty sure my mattress is older than Noah.”
“We can fix that,” I say. “When we move in together.”
Riley blinks. “When are we moving in together?”
“I mean I think we have to at some point right?” I say, holding up my ring finger and she looks down at her own hand.
“Cameron…I think we need to talk,” she says but I cut her off.
“I agree,” I say as I set the plates down at the table. She takes a seat and I keep going. I feel bad but I am buzzing this morning. “As soon as we tie the knot, the trust will be released. That’s going to be such a game changer for the hospital.”
“Won’t your brother have some say in where the money goes though? I mean, he’s clearly not a fan of the free clinic.”
“He’s not a fan of the clinic sucking money out of other areas of the hospital. But with adequate funding, which we’d have through my share of the trust, that won’t be an issue and he can move on and find something else to be disgruntle about.”
Riley nods, taking a bite of her toast. She’s lacking the enthusiasm I expected to see but I keep going.
“Like I said, once we sign the papers, the money is a sure thing. But the other sure thing is Noah’s Pay It Forward account. Have you looked at it recently?”
Riley shakes her head. “I actually forgot about it to be honest.”
I pull my phone out and click the link then slide my phone across the table. Then I watch as her eyes widen. “Fifty thousand dollars?”
“Yep,” I grin.
“How is that even possible?” she asks, resting her head on her hand.
“Because your kid bumped the Just Breathe page’s followers up to just shy of two million.”
“That’s insane. All of this is insane.”
She looks like she’s going to pass out but I just keep smiling. “Those lungs are going to be a sure thing, Riley. Once a transplant is available. And while I don’t give the promise of full hope, I will say it’s going to be a game changer.”
“This is crazy…” she says and I laugh a little. Because while I know she is overwhelmed by it all, I also know she is relieved. She’s just not used to the feeling. It’s foreign to her and she doesn’t know how to react to it.
“I know it’s a lot. But think about the relief you’ll have.
Noah will get the surgery but also the constant care he needs.
You won’t have to worry when he needs more frequent tests or new appointments.
If you’re ever worried at all, you can bring him into the clinic or even have him stay overnight in pediatrics just to be sure.
You’ll have so much peace of mind because the best care possible will be at your finger tips. ”
Riley lets out a decompressive breath. “God. I’m not even used to it being within my reach.”
“I know,” I smile. “Less worry will be less stress. Less hours at that job you hate.”
Her attention flickers up to me. “I don’t hate my job,” she says and I give her a look. “I just hate who I work for. I love event planning though. I just don’t like being told how to do it. Being denied jobs I know I’d be good at. Never getting credit for anything I do…”
“So why work for them?” I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.
“Because it pays well. Because they offer benefits. Not great ones but still. And because with a sick kid, I can’t just go rogue.”
“You can if you have more security. Which you will have now. I don’t know…have you thought about starting your own business?” I ask.
“Thought about it. Dreamed about it. Laid awake at night trying to manifest it into reality. Then came to my senses because I don’t live in a world where it could be my reality,” she laughs a little.
“It could now…” I say. “If money isn’t something you have to worry about and insurance is provided by me or the hospital, your safety net doesn’t have to be so wide.
Think about it,” I get up and slide into the seat next to her instead of across from her so I can turn my body towards her as I talk.
“You do your own advertising and marketing. You already have a social media platform. And you could pick your own events, make your own schedule. Basically create brand.”
“I did have a really successful event with the owners of Chateau Bella recently,” she says. “They’re even soliciting me to other wineries around the state.”
“See! You don’t Katherine. You have all the resources now.”
Riley’s eyes are turning like wheels inside a clock as she thinks about all of it. “I can’t even imagine that kind of freedom,” she says wistfully.
“Most people can’t. Not when they’ve lived in a cage their whole life. But the door to that cage is opening, Riley. And you have wings…”
Riley is quiet for a moment while we finish eating. She looks down at her phone and sits up straight. “I should really get going,” she says.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. I just don’t like leaving him for too long. And I think we are going by the docks today. I promised him we’d go get fish and chips and watch the boats come in and out of the bay.”
“That sounds lovely,” I tell her. “And I won’t keep you from it.”
As I take the plates to the sink I suddenly remember what she said before and turn back to her. “What was it you said you wanted to talk about?” I ask.
“When?” she asks.
“Earlier when you first came out. You said there was something you wanted to talk about but I was all amped up about things and I cut you off.”
“Oh…” Riley trails off, her eyes darting from my face to the wall to the floor as she bites her lip. “It was nothing. I was just thinking about all the things with Noah.”
I walk over to her, pulling her against me softly. “It will all work out. You’ll see. Things are on the up and up and I know you’re not used to it but there is such a thing as a silver lining, Riley.”
She studies me deeply for a moment and I can tell by the residual worry in her eyes that she’s truly never been allowed to believe in it. But I want to be the one who shows her she can.
“I hope you’re right,” she says, offering me a faint, unconvincing smile.