Chapter 8
When Violet was allowed into Tanya’s room, she was sitting up in bed cheerful and happy, enjoying the novelty of being in a hospital and getting to eat bunny shaped jello.
A few short hours later, she was wheeled into surgery.
With a lump in her throat, Violet watched her being taken away, desperate prayers on her lips.
She clung to the belief that no harm would come to Tanya while she was in Jeremy’s care.
Sitting in the little room decorated like a comfortable den, Violet watched the minutes tick away on the clock, thinking of all the times she had sat waiting with Tanya at a doctor’s office or in the hospital.
Please God, after today, let her get better, let her life never be in danger again, she murmured over and over again.
After what seemed like endless hours, she saw Jeremy coming walking towards her, a broad smile on his face.
Jumping to her feet, she half ran to him, “Is she okay? Is she awake? Can I see her?”
Jeremy grabbed her outstretched hands and squeezed them gently, “Hey, hey,” he murmured in a soothing voice, “relax, don’t stress. She’s in tip top shape. The surgery went extremely well and now all she needs to do is rest and take things easy.”
“Can I go see her?” she asked him eagerly.
He shook his head, “Not right now. She’s very weak and tired and she’s sleeping right now. But you can look in on her through the window.”
Taking her hand in his, he led her down a long hallway and through a set of double doors and to the room where Tanya was sleeping.
Through the large window, Violet could see that Tanya was fast asleep, her little chest softly rising and falling.
Having made sure she was in fact okay, she followed Jeremy into his office so he could explain the procedure and the next steps.
Tanya spent the next four days at the hospital because Jeremy didn’t want to release her until he was certain she would be strong enough to go home.
Over the course of the four days as Violet and Jeremy watched over Tanya, their relationship deepened and evolved into something more intimate.
By the time her daughter was released and pronounced well enough to go home, Violet knew she was head over heels in love with Jeremy and she also realized in that moment that somehow, over the span of a few months, they had slowly become a family unit with Jeremy coming over often for suppers and lunches, taking them out for picnics, going to the zoo, movies and other fun stuff.
The Violet who had made a habit of never depending on anyone had slowly become dependent on Jeremy’s love and the happiness he brought to their lives.