Chapter 49 Ivy
IVY
We’re on the road to Harborview, before Teddy’s surgery, so he can visit his friends and Mel. The closer we get, the more his tension thrums in the air between us.
I reach over, brushing my fingers against his arm. “How are you holding up?”
“There’s a damn roller coaster inside my brain.
One moment I’m relaxed, waiting for my surgery to be over.
Then I’m panicking and thinking what happens if I don’t wake up or something goes wrong.
” He drags in a shaky breath and blows it out hard, like he’s trying to force the dread from his chest. “This fucking sucks.”
The unguarded honesty of his words twists my insides. I want to protect him from every fear. “There’s nothing wrong in worrying about today.”
“Still doesn’t make me feel any less like a failure. Guess I’ll just have to blame the hospital food for making me soft over the past few months.”
It’s obvious he’s hiding behind his jokes. For now, I let it be. Today’s a big day for him. All I can do is stay steady at his side, giving him something solid to lean on until the storm passes.
Inside the facility, Teddy’s steps grow more purposeful as we make our way toward Aaron’s room.
Doublechecking we have the correct place, I knock a few times, the sound echoing down the corridor.
A tall young adult with reddish hair opens the door.
He’s mid-bite into a Twizzler and wearing a pair of battered high-tops with jeans and a graphic tee.
“Hi there Aaron,” I greet him.
“And who does the lovely voice belong to?”
“Come on, Aaron,” Teddy teases.
“Teddy, my man, you have female company and didn’t warn me!” Aaron’s eyes widen in mock outrage. “I would’ve dressed up.”
I chuckle, glancing at Teddy. “Guess you like keeping your friends on their toes.”
“What can I say? I live for the element of surprise.” Teddy shrugs.
Another slightly older guy, maybe in his mid-twenties, greets us from behind him. He has long dark brown hair in a ponytail and kind, yet sad eyes. “Hi, you two.”
“Aaron and Brian, meet Ivy. Ivy, you know who they are.”
Aaron gasps, his hand on his heart. “Did you say Ivy?”
“Yes. The one and only,” my man confirms with a proud smile.
“Holy shit, no way! I thought she was a product of your imagination, bro. No way a woman of her caliber would find your ugly mug attractive.”
I burst out laughing, covering my mouth with my hand. “You’re lucky I’m flattered instead of offended.”
“You have no idea how I look, bro,” Teddy rumbles.
“Thank god for miracles,” his friend replies and turns to offer me his hand. “Lovely to meet you, my lady.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” I slide my fingers against his and he pecks my knuckles.
Teddy growls. “Unbelievable,” he mutters. “I come to visit and you steal my girl.”
“It’s all my charm. I told ya.”
Brian huffs at Aaron’s cockiness. “Yeah, right.”
“I can’t believe you’re leaving. It doesn’t get better than this, dude,” the younger whines, exaggerating his betrayal.
Teddy pulls him into a hug, muttering words so low I can’t catch them. My heart warms at the easy affection between them and the bond they’ve built—the kind of brotherhood that keeps you afloat when you’re drowning.
Brian steps forward, finding Teddy’s shoulder and pats it. “Good luck. Don’t be a stranger.”
Teddy’s voice turns uncharacteristically solemn. “You guys gave me a reason to keep going when I didn’t think I had one. I’ll carry that with me.”
“Don’t get mushy now,” Aaron comments. “See you later, loser.”
My boyfriend laughs loudly. The warm sound is a balm on the weight of today. “Bye, dickweed,” he replies.
The door clicks shut and Teddy stares at it for a beat before shaking his head. “Fuck, I’ll miss them both. I need to see Mel, then we can go.”
We walk down to the second floor where the counseling offices are. Mel’s door is ajar, soft piano music drifting out. She looks up as we enter.
She appears to be in her late fifties or early sixties, her shoulder-length curls streaked with gray. There’s an ease about her, but also something formidable. Like she’s seen enough pain to never flinch, yet still cares every single time. Between that and what Teddy has shared, I’m a fan already.
“You must be Ivy. It’s nice to meet you in person,” she greets me with a warm smile.
I step forward to shake her hand. “You too. I come bearing gifts.” I pull the small plant out of the tote bag—an aloe vera in a blue ceramic pot with little hand-painted waves curling along the side. “He said you needed another low-maintenance office friend.”
Mel blinks and looks at Teddy fondly. “This is perfect. Thank you.”
He rubs the back of his neck, his cheeks reddening. “It’s technically from both of us.”
Mel touches the rim of the pot gently and sets it on her bookshelf next to another potted plant. “Thank you both.” She steps forward and hugs Teddy tightly. “You did the work, Teddy. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“I am. Thank you for everything, Mel.”
“Let me know how the surgery goes. And remember: you’ll get through any outcome with the strength you have inside you. You hear me?”
He nods and takes a deep breath. “I hear you. And I’ll hold on to that when doubt creeps in.”
We share a few more words before finally stepping back into the hallway. Teddy exhales slowly, squaring his shoulders, and I slip my hand into his as we head out.
Our next stop is the hospital—the place where everything started.
Vitrectomy, the type of eye surgery Teddy is having, isn’t a long procedure, but they had to put him under. So I’ve decided to stay until he wakes up. To my delight, three other important people are here with me: Uncle Jake, Em and Jasper.
Jasper’s been cracking jokes, Jake brought coffee and snacks, and Em has been a calming presence.
Being together has helped keep our spirits high, even as we all glance at the clock more times than we would like to admit.
Underneath the chatter, each of us is mentally holding our breath until we see him.
The door across the room opens and a nurse steps through, clipboard clutched to her chest. “Mr. Seaborn is up and in recovery,” she tells us. “He’s asking for Ivy?”
I’m on my feet instantly. “I’ll take you up,” she offers gently, but I’m halfway down the hall, her words catching up to me. My heart pounds faster with every step, relief and worry tangling into something sharp in my chest.
The recovery wing is hushed. My sneakers squeak on the polished floor as I follow the signs, weaving past drawn curtains and softly beeping monitors until I find him.
Teddy is propped upright in the hospital bed, his hair a rumpled mess.
There’s an IV in one arm, a monitor clipped to his finger, but it’s the bandages that stop me in my tracks, white gauze wrapped gently around his head.
Suddenly I’m back to that very first time we met, when he looked just as fragile and breakable, and yet still managed to smile at me. The déjà vu aches and soothes at once.
It hits me how fiercely I love him—how I would sit through a thousand waits like today just to be there for my love. In a heartbeat, I’m at his side, wrapping my fingers around his. “Teddy,” I whisper, breath catching.
“It’s so good to hear your voice,” he murmurs.
“It’s even better to see you awake.” I tell him. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got my ass kicked,” he jokes weakly. His hand squeezes mine, a little stronger this time.
I glance at the charts clipped to the end of his bed, brow furrowing. “Your vitals look good and steady. You’re doing better than you think.”
“Then get in here with me. I need you close,” he murmurs, tilting his head toward the space beside him.
I take off my sneakers and slip onto the bed, carefully curling against his side as best I can without jostling the IV.
His arm comes around me, warm despite the chill of the hospital room, and I melt into the safety of his heartbeat.
For the first time all day, my breathing evens out, matching his.
The reality beyond this room feels impossibly far away. Once again, it’s just us two.
His expression softens into a content smile. “I love you more than anything else in this world.”
“Love you, too, my Theodore,” I say, pressing a kiss to his temple, careful of the bandages.
“I hope the worst part is now over.”
So many nights I have lain awake wondering if we’d ever reach this point. But here we are as relief, gratitude, and love overwhelms me.
“You’ve already made it through the hardest part. From here on, it’s about healing and I’ll be right here for every step.”
He exhales slowly. “Good, because I don’t think I could’ve done this without you. Knowing you were waiting for me…it kept me steady, even when I was scared. Guess I’m tougher with you around.”
We both chuckle at his comment before the silence falls around us.
In the quiet room, I realize this is what peace feels like.
It’s not about the absence of struggle, but the presence of love that survived it.
And as I rest my head against his shoulder, I know deep in my bones that our winding journey has finally brought us home.