15. Makenna
Makenna
We had been watching the movie for only twenty minutes when my stomach rumbled.
Malcolm turns to me. “Impressive.”
“It seems my appetite has come back in full force today.”
He stands and offers me a hand up. I take it, but he lets go as soon as I’m standing. I‘d had a flash of hope that he would forget he was holding my hand.
It’s fine. But I’ve got to stop this sort of thing with him.
“Mam’s friend suggested several food items, so I bought them to make sure you’d not go hungry. And I have fruit and other things that don’t contain gluten anyway.” He led the way to the kitchen where he showed me all the things he had purchased, and it was a lot.
“You bought all this for me?”“Aye, lass. I did. I wanted to make sure you had some things you’d like.”
“I’m sure I will. But I’d have to stay here two weeks to eat all this.” I laugh, taking it all in. We should put some of this in the freezer, because if it’s anything like some of the gluten-free food back home, it will be stale in twelve hours or so.
“You’re welcome here as long as you'd like. I mean, I’m sure you have plans, but don’t feel like you have to recover quickly and rush off. You wouldn’t want this food to go to waste now, would ya?”
I pull out my phone and pretend to pull up a website. “I’m canceling my return flight, so the food doesn't go to waste.”
Malcolm chuckles. “What looks good? Or we could head to lunch.”
“I think I’ll have a little snack. I’m ready to see how this movie turns out. You wanna split a blueberry muffin?”
“I’d love to.”
As the movie’s wrapping up, my phone rings.
“It’s my mom. I guess it’s time to tell her what happened. I’m gonna take this outside.”
Malcolm nods as I pass.
“Hey, mom.”
“Hey, baby. How are you? I just had to hear your voice.”
I step out onto the patio, closing the door behind me. “I’m alright. I’m glad to hear your voice too.” I take a deep breath because I’m not sure how she’ll take this. “I have some news.”
“News? What do you mean you have news?” There’s panic in her voice. She automatically assumes something’s wrong.
Technically she’s not wrong, but I’m fine now.
“I had appendicitis. I had my appendix removed two days ago. But I’m A-okay now!” I smile, as if she can see how fine I am.
“Two days ago? You had surgery two days ago and I’m just now hearing about it?”
“I didn’t want you to panic. I’d actually met my E.R. doctor the night before, and he’s been taking good care of me.”
“How, exactly, is this man doctor taking care of you?”
I’m extremely tempted to say magic, but I narrowly refrain. “He has an extra room in his house; he’s letting me stay here while I recover.”
“You’re staying in a strange man’s house!”
“He’s not strange; he’s actually quite normal.”
“Makenna.”
“Mom.” I sigh. “I wouldn’t have taken him up on his offer if there had been any hint of him having evil motives. I’m fine.”
“Can I speak with him?” She’s using her won’t-take-no-for-an-answer voice.
“He’s busy,” I try.
“What’s he doing?”
“Sitting in the living room.”
“Put him on.”
“Okay.” I shake my head and pull my phone from my ear just in time to notice she switched to a FaceTime call. Great.
I tap to accept, and see my mom’s face. She’s standing in her bathroom, dressed in her scrubs for work. Her short light brown curls are standing all over her head. Clearly, she hasn’t finished getting ready.
“Hey, Mom. I’m stepping inside.”
“Are you pale?” she asks, giving me an up-close-and-personal view of her nose as she attempts to see me better.
“No paler than usual. I’m fine, Mom.” I make eye contact with Malcolm as I walk in his direction. “My personal physician can confirm.”
Malcolm raises his eyebrows at me.
I hit mute and press the phone to my chest. “My mom’s concerned about my health and the fact that I’m staying with a strange man. I’m not sure which worries her more.”
He places a hand on his chest feigning offense. “I’m not that strange. At least not in ways that are concerning.”
Man, he makes me smile, and not only because he made the same joke I did. “She wants to talk to you.”
Malcolm extends his hand. “No problem.”
“Thank you.” I hit unmute. “Here he is.”
“Hello, Ms. Fore. I’m Malcolm.”
“Hi, there, Malcolm. So you’re a doctor?”
“Wizard!” I whisper, suppressing a smile.
His eyes glitter up at me before his attention returns to my mom.
“I am. Makenna and I met briefly, and the next day she showed up in my E.D. I was the one who assessed her and sent her up to surgery.”
“And that went well?”
“I’m told everything went perfectly. And she’s well on her way to a full recovery.
” Malcolm smiles up at me, and my heart takes off at a full gallop.
Something about him makes me feel like I could be enough.
Like even if I’m not the smartest, prettiest, daintiest little thing, I could be what someone wants.
I still know Malcolm’s out of reach, but maybe somewhere, someone isn’t.
My only serious relationship lasted two years and ended as many years ago.
Ross became successful at work and essentially told me he was embarrassed to take me to company functions.
“You’re getting a little soft around the middle.
” He always belittled me because I didn’t go to college.
“Do you need me to explain this to you?” “You have fun while I’m at my real job.
” He could be so loving that I didn’t notice the jabs until they were out of control.
The last words he spoke to me were, “Call me if you can get your butt to a reasonable size again.”
I realize he was a jerk who I should never have been with. But he left scars nonetheless.
“I’m so relieved,” Mom says. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me about this sooner.”
“She wanted to, but didny want you to worry or feel like you had to come.”
“I definitely would have come. I still might.”
“Don’t do that, Mom,” I call. “I’ll be home before you know it, and I’m absolutely fine. Malcolm has taken great care of me.” I sit down on the couch next to Malcolm so I can see my mom.
“But he’s not your mother.”
“True,” I concede. “But he brought me his mother who made us soup. And he bought me all kinds of great gluten-free foods, and he’s making sure I get up and move, but not too much. I’m resting. And I’m getting to feel like I live here. It’s really nice.”
“Are you going to stay with Malcolm the rest of your trip?”
“Mom.” I take the phone from Malcolm. “I can’t impose on him like that. He has work and a life—”
He takes the phone back. “Makenna’s welcome here as long as she wants. I want her to get to do all her dream vacation things, and if she can do them from here, great. If not, I’m sure she’ll be well enough to move on soon.”
I stare at Malcolm. “Surely you don’t mean that.”
“I do. You know us wizards. We live to help.”
Mom speaks up, confused. “Did he just say wizards?”