33. Kendra
Kendra
Iwanted to get the hell out of this hospital, but I didn’t really want to go home. It had been four days since my emergency surgery and I was sick of these pale walls, bland food, and fighting ghosts of other hospital hallways.
Pop came every day to see me. Lainey was here most of the time.
Jess, Sutton, and other friends stopped in bringing treats and beautiful flowers to make the place more cheerful.
Eli’s sister Hannah came and promised to spend more time with me once I was out of the hospital and feeling up to having company.
My boss from Dip and Dye, Antonio, whirled in with tears hidden behind false exuberance.
He paled at the sight of me, something everyone did, and promised me my chair at the salon would be ready once I was fully recovered.
He tried to think of a list of strong ex-boyfriends he could call upon to give Bennett a piece of his own medicine, but that just made me grin.
I knew every guy he dated in the past few years, all of whom were just as sweet and gentle as Antonio.
He was relieved that he didn’t have to pull any punches when I told him the asshole responsible for this was already in custody.
Danny had come the day I woke up, taken my full statement, more photos of me, and copies of the official medical records of my injuries.
It was really difficult and emotional to recount, again, what had happened.
I wrongly assumed that telling it over and over would make it less real, less painful somehow, but that was bullshit.
It just made the whole night become more clear, each word and blow sharper and permanently branded into my mind.
Besides showering, using the restroom, or grabbing coffee, Eli has not left my side.
Every day his mom, Holly, brought Wren up to my hospital room so Eli could see her.
I told him he didn’t need to stay with me, that he could take Wren home, be with his daughter.
But every time I said that, he insisted he was right where he was supposed to be.
I hate that Holly is seeing me like this, and that she has to inconvenience herself to take care of Wren, bring her up to the hospital, all because her son refuses to leave me.
But she has shown me nothing but pure kindness, empathy, and a mother’s love.
She has always been nice to me, even when I was a kid.
I have never felt uncomfortable with Eli’s mom, and I’m glad that this situation has not dimmed her opinion of me—it seems to have made her like me more.
Her eyes trail between me and Eli with lots of unanswered questions, ones that I don’t have the answers to for myself either.
All I know is that I’m really glad that he’s been here, just like he promised he would be.
“Lainey, you are not postponing your honeymoon trip!” I shoot my best friend my most intimidating look, which I’m sure does shit with my swollen face and slowly healing black eyes.
I am watching Eli packing up my hospital room, ready for him to finally get me out of here.
My stubborn bestie is insisting on canceling her trip to Boston.
Rem surprised Lainey with a specially planned trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History to see the Blaschka Glass Flowers gallery.
They are even having a tour guide take the two of them around to show them everything.
It’s so romantic that Rem, once again, found another unique way to “give” Lainey more flowers—just like he told her would do when they started dating and vowed to continue for a lifetime a few days ago.
After that they are going to see all the classic Boston spots, including the Public Garden, which according to Renee, a master gardener, was America’s first public botanical garden.
More flowers, more romance, more time they should be focused only on each other.
Like I said . . . They are not postponing this trip. Not. Happening.
“But who is going to take care of you? Your dad can’t request any more time off work, and someone should be with you.” Lainey’s eyes well as she looks at me with worry.
Eli steps up next to Lainey, slinging a strong arm around her. “Don’t worry, Mrs. LeBlanc, I will be right next door and checking in on Kendra constantly. You and Rem go enjoy your trip, I have her covered.”
Swiping a tear away, Lainey bobs her head and says, “As long as you promise to call us if something happens. No more waiting until the next day.”
“Even I have to agree that Eli waiting and not calling you on your wedding night was the right move, but we promise to call,” I concede.
“Ugh, fine . . . I guess I will go on my honeymoon.” Lainey rolls her eyes at us both.
Eli winks at me, then says, “I’ll be sure to tell Rem how enthusiastic you are about the trip.”
“Shut up, Eli! You know I am. He worked really hard to come up with this plan, don’t you dare tease him about it or tell him I’m not looking forward to it, because I am. Leaving Kendra right now is just hard.” Lainey gives him her most intimidating look, which is much more effective than my own.
“Just teasing, Lainey. You guys go have fun. I got home covered.” Eli seals his promise with a tight hug between him and Lainey, and his sincere words have a warmth pooling in my belly that should send me running in the opposite direction.
Instead, I just shuffle over and they gently engulf me in a very soft group hug.