CHAPTER THIRTY
Blair
“Blair, you know I’m always on your side, right?”
“Yes,” I said hesitantly. Where was Carrie going with this?
“You know I have your best interests at heart.”
I nodded.
She took a deep breath, looking afraid that I was going to yell at her or something. “I think you should consider giving Scott another chance.”
I stared at Carrie. “You’re kidding. You have been one of the main people to tell me I deserved more over the years.”
“I know. And you do. It’s just… well, Scott’s changed a lot over the past couple of months. He loves you. He loves the kids.”
My heartrate must’ve picked up, because a nurse chose that moment to enter the room. She eyed Carrie. “You know Mrs. Hastings needs rest and very little excitement, right?”
Carrie turned a little pink. “Yes. I didn’t mean to get her upset.”
“You didn’t,” I lied, squeezing her hand.
“I think my patient needs some time alone for a while,” the nurse said while fluffing my pillows, checking my vitals, and making sure I was drinking from the massive jug of water they gave me each morning. She wanted it empty by the next morning.
“Bye, sweetie.” Carrie bent to kiss my forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“That sounds great.” I gave a little wave when she turned back to look at me over her shoulder.
Tears glistened in her eyes. “I’m just so thankful to have you back.” With that, she left the room.
I slumped down into my pillows, realizing the nurse was right about needing time to myself. My eyelids were growing heavy, and I knew they were still going to make me eat some dinner and get up to go to the restroom a couple of more times.
Right now? That sounded about as feasible as climbing Mount Everest.
I was still so tired all the time, and it was frustrating.
And today had been… too much. It was wonderful to see the kids again.
I held them the best I could from the hospital bed, we got caught up on everything that had been going on in their lives since I’d been put in the coma, and I delighted in their laughter and chatter.
I’d swear it was better than any medicine than could give me in here.
Still, as great as it was to see them, I was almost relieved when they left. I was too tired to pick up the water jug after they left, and I’d fallen into a deep sleep. Carrie had awakened me, with more news of everything that had happened since I’d been in a coma.
The one topic she hadn’t broached was Scott. Not until the very end of her visit. I stared out the window at the late afternoon sky. It wouldn’t be long before it was dark. I could tell the days were getting shorter, and I was sad I’d missed out on part of fall.
It left me feeling oddly bereft.
The nurse turned on my tree frog sounds, and that was all it took. She grinned as I yawned. “I thought that might do it.” She dimmed the lights. “You take a nap. I’ll be back in about an hour with your dinner.”
And I slept.
Thankfully, no memories crowded in around me. Instead, the tree frogs sang me to sleep.
***
I was panting from the exertion. Physical therapy was killing me.
I had some pain from the broken bones that were still healing, and I had regular headaches.
The doctors told me it was a symptom of the subdural hematoma.
I was to come back for scans every few months for a year so they could monitor my progress.
They hoped that my headaches would ease with time.
I sure as hell did, too.
“Great work, Blair,” Josie, one of my physical therapists said.
I gave her a teasing look. “Really? Because I’m pretty sure I can barely do anything.”
“After what you’ve been through? You’re fortunate to be doing as well as you are. We’ll spring you loose in another week or so.”
I glanced at her in surprise. “So, I’ll be done with my PT?”
She laughed. “Oh God, no. I didn’t mean that. You’ll be going for PT three times a week at first. We’re referring you to the PT clinic in Indigo Falls so you don’t have to drive to Emory and back three times a week.”
“That sounds more like what I was afraid of,” I joked. “No, y’all have been wonderful. I’m just kidding. But I’m not kidding about needing help back to my room. My legs and arms are shaking they’re so tired.”
“Not a problem,” she smiled. “Wheelchair or walker?”
“Walker,” I said. A wheelchair actually sounded fantastic, but I was trying to push myself so my muscles would strengthen more quickly.
“You got it.”
By the time I’d made it back to the room, showered and gotten dressed, it was almost time for Scott to come by.
I’d finally agreed to meet with him. I knew I had to hear what he had to say.
I was inexplicably nervous and felt fidgety while I waited for him.
I was lost in my thoughts when the knock sounded on the door. It was open, so I didn’t have to say come in or anything.
“Hey,” he said breathlessly. His cheeks were red, his hair was windblown, and his eyes were sparkling as he took off his jacket.
I tried not to admire how handsome he was.
Or notice that he seemed to have stepped up his workout routine.
It could’ve been just from running around everywhere to take care of our children, though.
“I came from the field. Spencer and Sean’s fall soccer season is winding up.
First, I got everyone else where they needed to go, then stayed and watched Selene play volleyball before I headed for the soccer fields. ”
“Volleyball?”
He nodded. “She’s really good, Blair. Like, scary good.”
“Selene is good at every sport she’s tried. The girl has talent. I just don’t know where she got it from.”
“I have no clue, but I’m happy about it. It’s been so fun to see what they’re all good at doing, you know?”
I smiled, trying not to feel resentful that it had taken me being in a coma before he’d stepped up to the plate to really be an involved dad.
He studied me, his brown eyes intense. For once, he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking.
We’d never been one of those couples on the same wavelength, so it surprised me.
“I know I fucked up, Blair. And I’m so sorry. I want the chance to prove to you that I want things to be different. Really different. Will you hear me out?”
All I could do was nod.
He leaned back in the chair, looking nervous.
“I’ve been waiting to say this for a few weeks now.
There were so many times I messed up. But I didn’t even realize what your life was like until this disaster happened.
And that’s on me, one hundred percent. You tried to tell me; I just wouldn’t listen. ”
“I’m ready to hear what you have to say,” I finally said.
His handsome face took on a hopeful expression that tugged at my heart.
He took a deep breath. “God, I don’t even know where to start. I have so many things I want to say, but they’re getting jumbled up.”
“Start with the new affair.”
He looked like I’d slapped him. “Blair. There was no affair. I know you saw something that looked damning, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
That woman you saw me with? That’s Calliope Mason.
She’s a party planner, and I hired her to plan a perfect birthday party for you.
I wanted it to make up for that awful anniversary dinner. ”
“But… you missed that months ago.”
“I know. I felt horrible that I left you waiting at that restaurant, the way I acted afterwards, and I wanted to find a way to make it up to you. In a big way—to show you what you mean to me.” He took a shuddering breath, and I could see how nervous he was.
“The truth is that I’m a fool. I have been for way too long now. ”
He didn’t say it as if he wanted me to argue with him. He said it like it was a fact.
“I knew I’d screwed up, and I wanted to show you that even though I’m forgetful that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”
I stared at him. “You were—planning a party?”
I nodded. “I should have just told you. In hindsight, it was really stupid considering that awful history with Scarlett. But I wanted it to be a surprise. I thought you’d really like that. I think I was, er, wrong.”
A laugh burst out of me without warning. “Yeah,” I agreed, “you were wrong.”
“I’ve been a shitty husband up to this point. I even fucked up when I was trying to show you how much I love you.”
I stared at him, quiet for a minute. “Do you? Love me?”
He got down on his knees and grabbed my hand. He stared at me intently. “More than anything. I loved you before the coma, but I didn’t even really see who you are.”
“What do you mean?”
“I remember one of those awful texts I sent Scarlett years ago. It was the one about how being a stay-at-home mom was this easy, cushy job.” His eyes widened and he made a face.
“I can’t even begin to say how wrong I was about that.
It’s way harder than being a dentist. There were some days, especially early on while I was grieving you and didn’t know how to cope, that I would’ve much rather done three root canals in a row rather than having to navigate that damn car rider line. ”
Again, I laughed. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t picture Scott in the car rider line. Not even a little bit.
“And then there were those PTO bitches. My God! I had no idea what you had to put up with.”
I blinked. “You helped with the PTO?”
He nodded vigorously. “Oh, yeah. One of the moms was relentless. She made it seem like if I didn’t continue your job in your absence, that the kids would somehow end up homeless under a bridge somewhere. And I fucking believed her!”
A weird sound—half giggle, half snort—escaped me. “What did you end up doing?”
His eyes got wide. “I helped plan the Fall Festival, Blair. The Fall Fucking Festival.”
“And I bet you had record participation and sales, didn’t you?”
He cocked his head. “How did you know?”
“Because you’re hot. Some of those bitchy moms—there are really nice ones, too—were probably hoping I’d die so they could sink their claws into you.”
He stared at me, a tender look in his eyes, and I wasn’t sure he’d heard what I’d said.
“Scott?” I waved a hand in front of his face.