Chapter 32 Babe
Chapter thirty-two
Babe
By the time I got home from the hospital, Angel was asleep in our bed, the golden hues of dawn stretching across his back as an old movie played from his phone. I lightly stroked his feather-soft hair, and he let out a happy sigh, reaching for me even in his dreams.
“My sweet Angel.” I started to move his phone to slip in beside him, and the tab shifted to his messages.
On the screen was an unsent text. To me.
The last line read:
My eyes filled with tears, my heart full of hope.
Of course he loved me. I didn’t know why I ever doubted it. I sank onto the mattress and stifled my happy weeping so as not to wake him.
Despite how exhausted he must’ve been, he’d unpacked our stuff and placed the scented bear on my side of the bed. This was the perfect nest with my boyfriend nestled into fresh, soft blankets, and my favorite snacks on the nightstand.
I gently kissed his shoulder, wrapped his arm around my waist, and promptly passed out with the reassurance I had so much love in life. And determination. Surely, we could get through anything. Once I slept properly.
Later in the morning, Angel shifted us into a better spooning position. He gave me kisses. Hugs. Pressed himself flush against me. I passed out again before it could lead to anything sexy.
At some point, he got up. More sleep for me.
Eventually, he brushed my hair away from my sweaty forehead and said, “Hey, pidge. Do you want to sleep or eat?”
“Yes,” I grumbled into my pillow.
“Okay.” He chuckled.
What could’ve been seconds or hours later, he returned with a full tray of food.
“Breakfast in bed?” I gave him a groggy smile and sat up. “You’re spoiling me.”
“Eh, it’s more like brunch at this point. You need at least one full day of recovery after everything we’ve gone through this week. Doctor’s orders.” He tilted his chin as if that increased his authority.
I chuckled and stretched. “Thanks, sweetie. I’m already feeling a lot better. Care to join me?”
“I have to go to work in a few minutes, but I’ll keep you company ‘til then.” He draped himself across the other side of the bed and peeled an orange for me. “How’d the rest of your night go?”
“Good. I’m officially an aunt to a healthy little baby.”
“Congratulations.” He grinned, offering me a wedge.
“Thanks. It was exhausting—for Jen, more than us, obviously. But when I left, she was talking about getting full custody and child support, so I think the idea of taking the baby daddy down gave her some energy,” I said.
“Spite can be an excellent motivation when it comes to child-rearing,” he said, though I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic.
“At least my parents should counteract any less desirable energy.”
“Maybe that’s how they got along with Jen for so long. You were there to balance things,” he said.
“Is that how you get away with being such a brat?” I giggled.
“Hey, is that how you treat your personal chef?” He rolled over to smother me in hugs and kisses.
I squealed with delight, trying to keep up with the onslaught of affection without spilling. “I was kidding! I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you,” he said dramatically. “But I should get going. Will you be all right?”
I nodded and rubbed his tight shoulders. “Will you?”
“Yes. I get to come home to you.” He pecked my nose with a kiss.
“Oh.” I clapped my hand over my heart and slumped against the pillows as if he’d shot me with Cupid’s arrow. “Room service and romance? You really are the whole package.”
“And don’t you forget it. Bye, cutie.” He winked and headed out.
“Love you,” I called through the apartment.
He shouted something indecipherable just before he slammed the door shut.
I grinned and shook my head. He’d almost said he loved me. Almost texted it too. I had a feeling the actual phrase would be coming soon. Meanwhile, his actions spoke loudly enough.
After I ate and had one nice little carb nap, I had the rest of the day ahead of me. I didn’t have to go to work. Or study. Or anything.
It was a gift. But it also made me itchy.
I opened the curtains, which helped a little. Went for a walk. The frigid breeze woke me, and the following hot shower calmed me down again. I could watch TV. Text Kat. I should eventually go grocery shopping, although the store had delivery if I wanted to be lazy.
Oh, wait. Delivery.
Out of idle curiosity, I looked up the hourly wages of those drivers.
With tips? Not bad. Especially with peak hour bonuses. And it was freelance, like my driver said the other day.
The only big drawback was it didn’t have health insurance options. It wasn’t exactly a resume-builder either. Not like The Closette had been a huge help in that department, but it did give me sales experience.
I messaged Kat for her opinion, and she called me on her break.
“It’s probably not a bad gig, especially now that you’ve got a car,” she said. “Why don’t you come by tonight? Victor and Zero can pimp your ride with anything you’d need.”
“Oh, I don’t need anything.” I’d hate to impose on them.
“Trust me, they’re going to insist on checking everything for safety.”
Victor's rumbling voice joined the call. “Of course, darling. You're family.”
Family.
I smiled, warmed at the idea of our little pod spending our lives taking care of one another. I couldn’t wait for Victor to propose to my sister.
“Can I see the ring?” I asked.
“Me too, please,” Kat said.
He chuckled darkly. “All good things in time.”
“Yes, like tonight,” my sister teased.
***
It was a wonderful night.
My cheeks ached from smiling as I prepared to see Victor’s latest masterpiece.
“I’m still working on the details,” he said, opening the velvet box under a magnifying glass.
I gasped and clutched his arm. “You made her the perfect ring.”
His lips wobbled into a smile. “I endeavor that it, and I, will be worthy of her.”
I shook his arm enthusiastically. “You two are meant to be. And I’m sure you’ll be an excellent husband if you put half as much effort into your relationship as you did into making her jewelry. The engravings? The diamonds sparkling around the main gem? What is that, a garnet?”
“Yes. Per her request.” His cheeks flushed a similar rouge color as he adjusted the light on the worktable.
The stone gleamed with the passion of pomegranate juice and crushed roses. Maybe even blood in a gothic, romantic way. Kat would swoon over this ring because it was a token of what, and who, truly made her heart sing.
I sniffled and wiped away a happy tear. “Thank you for taking care of my sister. I’m so glad you’re going to be my brother-in-law someday.”
“It’s an honor, Tori.” He bowed, ever the gentleman.
Kat was lucky, and so was I.
We’d found love, respect, and excitement in another person. Someone who’d help make us stronger, who sparked something inside of us.
Victor lingered to tuck the ring away for safekeeping, which was probably for the best, because Kat pounced on me the second I rejoined her in the living room.
“So, how is it?” she asked.
“Perfect,” I said.
“I knew it.” She hugged me hard enough my spine cracked.
I wheezed out a laugh. “Hug him. He made it.”
“Victor, you got the baby sis seal of approval,” she called, setting me down.
“Does that mean we can get married now?” he rumbled, emerging from the basement. “Tori can be the witness. Zero, the officiant.”
His sister must’ve already ordained herself online in preparation.
“You want to get married tonight?” Kat narrowed her eyes and slunk up to him. “But we don’t have a cake.”
“Do you want me to see if Angel could bring one after work?” I asked.
“Yes,” Victor said.
Right as Kat laughed and said, “No.”
“Victor,” she chided playfully.
“We’re already planning to spend the rest of our lives together,” he reasoned.
“Yeah. But I’d want at least two hours to prep my hair and makeup, not to mention style an impromptu wedding outfit, and Tori will have to go home by then. Let me spend the rest of this visit with my sister. All good things in time, remember? And we’ll have forever.”
“Forever.” He nodded, gently pressing his forehead to hers and doing that soft, catlike blink of adoration before he reluctantly stepped away. “I suppose I should see how Zero’s doing with the dash cam.”
“She should be almost finished. She’s a pro at tech,” Kat told me.
“I know.” I’d seen her prototype mini-cars in the basement. “She’s about to start her second business, right? That’s pretty impressive.”
“It is.” Kat sat on the couch and studied me with her bright eyes. “You’re about to try freelancing too, right?”
“Kind of.” I smiled. “I’m hoping the one crash won’t disqualify me from the application.”
She encouraged Jinx to sit in her lap. “Accidents happen. It’s not like you were drunk driving. But Tori, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” Did she want me to help her pick out a wedding outfit after all?
“You took nursing classes, right?” she asked.
Taken aback, I shrugged. “Sort of? I have some certifications. My pre-med was kind of a hybrid program.” So much science.
“Have you thought about nursing as a career option?” she asked, though I could barely hear her over the loud purr of her cat.
I wiggled on the cushion to find a more comfortable position. “I love nurses. They’re the backbone of the entire care system.”
“And?”
“I…would have to take another test. And there’s some other stuff I have to consider.” Stuff I hadn’t shared with anyone yet. I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked around, hyper-aware of the security cameras in her house.
Kat gestured to one of the domes hiding them in the corner. “They don’t eavesdrop, if that’s what you’re worried about. There’s a whole system so we don’t catch anyone accidentally having a private moment.”
Oh. That was probably for the best. Nothing too ‘private’ would’ve happened on this couch, would it?
Sitting up straighter, I leaned toward her. “I talked to a few people during Jen’s delivery. About…career options,” I whispered.
“Will they hire you without a degree?” She sounded too excited.
I shook my head. “They told me I could shadow a few different specialties. I don’t think I want to go back to my same program.
I’m not sure I want to be a nurse—I don’t love starting an IV.
But I did talk to a physician’s assistant and a nurse practitioner.
They seem to have a decent work-life balance.
I might even be able to see Angel at the hospital and actually get some sleep. ”
“That sounds perfect. And it’s great timing to shadow someone since you got…a flexible schedule now,” she said.
“Yeah.” I snorted. “Unemployment has its benefits.”
She clasped my knee. “I really am proud of you, Tori. Whether you’re delivering groceries or saving lives, you’ll always be my precious baby sis.”
My heart thumped painfully, like it was in an elastic casing too small for how much love I had for my family.
“Thanks, Kat. You always know how to give me the space and support I need to make good decisions. Like creating boundaries with Jen. Or asking Angel to dance.” I blinked until the room stopped being blurry. “You’re the best big sis a girl could ask for.”
“Aw, c’mere, babe,” she said.
We hugged each other tightly until Jinx let out a mild meow of protest that he was no longer the main one getting attention.
I giggled and rubbed his head. “Don’t be jealous.”
“Sorry, buddy,” Kat said.
We pet him until he purred again, half-draped over both our laps.
“You know, cats’ purrs are supposed to have healing properties. Something about the low-frequency vibrations,” I said.
“That means next time you’re not feeling well, you need to visit us. Right, Jinx?” She scratched his back, and he bopped his head into my hand, then slow-blinked as if to confirm the invitation. “Maybe we’ll have a few healers in the family,” Kat said.
“Oh, I don’t’ know if I’ll…”
She meant Angel, I realized. He was a healer-in-training, and already a key member of my loving family.
The future was looking brighter for all of us, and I knew exactly who I wanted to be a part of it.