Chapter 37 #3
“You stole money that wasn’t yours!” I continued, my voice rising, fueled by years of pent-up frustration. “That wasn’t money just sitting around for decoration!”
“I didn’t know—”
“You didn’t ask!” I shot back, my tone sharp and cutting. “That’s the problem… you don’t think! You just act on impulse and expect everybody else to pick up the pieces!”
Tears began to fill her eyes, threatening to spill over. “I was trying to fix things—”
“You broke things!” I retaliated, my voice rising further. “You broke the one thing I had that could’ve saved him without me risking everything!”
She froze, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. “What?”
I shook my head, anger spilling over now, a torrent of words bursting forth. “That money was for Kyrin’s surgery!" I explained, my voice sharp and trembling with raw emotion. “For his heart… for his life.”
Her face went pale, the realization crashing down around her. “No…” she whispered, disbelief saturating her tone. “No, I didn’t—”
“Exactly! You didn’t know because you didn’t care enough to ask or be around long enough to understand what was happening! I had to put my life on the line to get that money! Do you understand that?! I had to do things I never thought I’d do just to make sure my brother had a chance at life!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, each one a testament to her regret.
“I didn’t know,” she cried. "I swear I didn’t know."
“And that’s supposed to make it better, Vanessa?” I countered, my voice thick with emotion.
She fell silent, unable to respond, because she simply couldn’t.
I took a step back, shaking my head in disbelief. “You know what hurts the most?” I added, my voice trembling as the vulnerability crept in. “It’s the fact that you had every opportunity to be part of this, and you chose to disappear instead. You kept choosing yourself over us."
Her lips quivered as she struggled to articulate her thoughts. “I was thinking about us—”
“No,” I cut in firmly. “You were thinking about what felt good in that moment. I can’t forgive that… not right now. And don’t say nothing else to me today… not after what I’ve been dealing with just to get him in that room.”
She broke completely then, crying, but I was done.
“Enjoy the house,” I said, my voice cold as I made my way toward the door. “Because chances are, you’re going to be the only one living in it.”
With nothing else to say, I stepped out, leaving her alone in that sterile space, frustrated and anguished, as I carried every last fragment of my peace with me.
The damn nerve of her to steal money for a house when her son needed a heart. A house doesn’t make it a home, and Kyrin is home.
Seven long hours dragged by in the waiting room, a cycle of anxiety and hope swirling within me. When the surgeon finally walked through those doors, my entire being fell still.
Dr. Vega pulled down his surgical mask, the crease of his brow indicating the strain of the long day. “The surgery was successful.”
A rush of relief overwhelmed me, and as I wiped my eyes, I suddenly realized I was crying.
Lainey, who had been quietly supportive throughout the ordeal, gently squeezed my hand. “Ajori, breathe.”
“He’s stable,” Dr. Vega continued. “The heart responded well to the procedure. He’s in recovery now. You can see him shortly, but just one visitor at a time, and please try to space it out so he’s not overwhelmed.”
My head bobbed up and down in quick acknowledgment as I hastily brushed the tears from my cheeks, desperate to regain my composure.
“Thank you,” I murmured, the words tumbling from my lips, almost like a prayer, “Thank you so much.”
Vanessa stepped closer, her demeanor cautious yet warm, as she placed a supportive hand gently on my arm. “Go ahead. You should see him first. If anyone deserves to be by his side, it’s you. I know he’s going to want to see your face first when he wakes up.”
I wanted to argue or at least voice my concerns, but I was too mentally exhausted to go back and forth with her again that day. I was so happy that Kyrin had made it through his surgery unscathed and could still be with us.
When they finally gave me the green light to enter Kyrin’s recovery room, I took a moment to gather myself.
I wasn’t afraid of losing him anymore; rather, I was consumed by the fear of seeing him in such a vulnerable state.
Inside the room, machines surrounded him, each humming and beeping in a rhythmic symphony that felt both comforting and terrifying.
I had anticipated the scene, but nothing could have prepared me for the reality of witnessing it first-hand.
Despite the tubes and wires attached to him, his chest rose and fell with a steady, reassuring rhythm.
The sight of him asleep, so weak yet undeniably alive, filled me with conflicting emotions.
I took a cautious step closer.
“Hey, sport,” I whispered, reaching out to take his hand, doing so with utmost care as if he were made of glass.
His hand was warm in mine, and that single sensation unleashed a fresh wave of tears.
“You did it,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, “You really did it.”
Just then, Dr. Vega stepped up beside me, his presence a steady anchor. “He’s exactly where we want him to be. The next 24 hours are critical, but everything looks good so far.”
I nodded, not daring to take my eyes off Kyrin’s peaceful face.
“Thank you again,” I managed to say, and that time, I meant it with everything.
***
“They’re going to remove the breathing tube now,” the nurse explained gently. “He’s been on the ventilator for three days. His body needed the support while his heart stabilized.”
Three days.
Three days of standing at his bedside watching a machine breathe for him.
Three days of whispering sweet nothings, sharing memories, and clinging to the hope that he could somehow hear me.
Three days of wondering if he’d wake up the same… or at all.
My chest tightened as I nodded. “Okay.”
I stepped back, trying to give the medical team space as they prepared for the crucial moment.
It wasn’t dramatic or loud, just careful and precise.
They moved around him, speaking softly, giving instructions I barely processed because all I could focus on was him.
The tube slowly slid free, and I instinctively held my breath like somehow that would help him take his first one.
For a second… nothing. Then, miraculous and stunning, his chest rose on its own.
“Oh my God…” I whispered, covering my mouth.
The monitor beeped steadily in the background, a comforting sound that resonated with life.
“He’s doing good,” the nurse reassured me, her eyes gleaming with optimism. “Just give him a moment.”
I nodded, stepping closer to the edge of the bed, trembling fingers hovering over his hand before finally resting lightly against his warm skin, grounding myself in the reality of his presence.
As if stirred to life by my touch, his eyelashes fluttered slowly, then a small groan slipped past his lips, rough and strained, his face tightening like everything hurt at once.
I could only imagine the exhaustion he felt.
The very act of breathing is now a skill he has to relearn after the trauma he’d faced.
“Kyrin…” I whispered, leaning in. “Hey… I’m right here.”
His eyes cracked open gradually, revealing an inner world that appeared muddled and disoriented at first.
Confusion flickered across his face, and a wave of irritation washed over him as he wrestled with his surroundings. The doctors had warned me about this, but seeing it firsthand brought a fresh ache to my heart.
Kyrin tried to move and winced instantly, a weak sound leaving him.
“Hey—don’t do that,” I said quickly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You just had a big surgery. You gotta take it easy, okay?”
His brows pulled together slightly. “Jo…?” he rasped, his voice barely there.
“Yeah, sport, it’s me. I’m here. I’m right here.”
He swallowed, throat dry, eyes still trying to focus on me. “Did it work?”
A small, breathy laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it.
“Yeah,” I nodded quickly. “It worked.”
His eyes closed for a second, like relief hit him all at once. Then opened again, slower that time.
“Good,” he murmured. “I was about to be real mad I went through all that for nothing.”
I brushed my thumb lightly over his hand. “But you need to rest, okay? Save your questions… and your jokes.”
A faint hint of a smile tugged at his lips, though weariness clouded his expression. “I… wasn’t joking,” he mumbled weakly.
I shook my head, letting out a soft laugh through tears.
Kyrin blinked slowly, the exhaustion overcoming him as it pulled him downward into the gentle embrace of sleep.
But that time, it wasn’t fear or uncertainty pulling him under; it was healing, a clear sign that he was fighting back towards life.
And for the first time in three long days, I felt relieved and relaxed.
***
The house felt noticeably different as I stood there with a mix of emotions swirling inside me, knowing that my best friend was preparing to leave.
Lainey’s unique blend of energy and chaos, which had brought so much life into the space, was already beginning to fade as she stood in the doorway with me.
She decided to stick around until Kyrin woke up and was set to leave after.
It was a short-lived getaway, but one that had transformed both of us in unexpected ways.
What was supposed to be a quick five-day trip turned into weeks of soft forgiveness, rebuilding, and somehow…
in the middle of all that chaos, us both finding something that looked a lot like love.
Well… more like a very enthusiastic, well-fed, and fully satisfied situationship for Lainey.
With a playful huff, Lainey tossed her bag over one shoulder and took a slow, sweeping glance around the house. It felt less like a goodbye to the walls and furnishings and more like a farewell to the luxury lifestyle.