Page 87 of Check the Halls
“I was scared,” I admit. So fucking scared.
Her small hand squeezes mine. “Me too,” she says dreamily. “But I’m fine.”
I lift her hand and kiss the back of it again before winking one misty eye at her. “I’ll say.”
CHAPTER 29
MADDY
“God, I missed your snoring.”
Ben’s lopsided smile is a welcome sight first thing in the morning. He’s sitting on his king-size bed, back against the headboard, long legs stretched out in front of him.
I narrow my eyes. “Were you watching me sleep?” My throat is dry, making my voice crack.
“Yes. And snore.”
“You’re creepy.”
“You’re pretty.”
I laugh and pain flares in my abdomen, making me wince. The last forty-eight hours come back to me in bits and pieces. The pain. The hospital. The surgery. Ben.
After spending the night as an inpatient, I was officially discharged late yesterday afternoon. The doctor was pleased with my progress. She said everything looked great and that I should be on track for a smooth, speedy recovery. Still, the short ride from the hospital back to Ben’s place left me completely drained, like my body hadused up every ounce of energy just making it through the day.
The moment we walked through the door Ben insisted I stay in his room, not giving me a chance to argue. He claimed it made the most sense since it’s the only one with an attached bathroom, and I was too exhausted to put up a fight. The truth is, I appreciated his thoughtfulness more than I could say. The moment he tucked me into his bed, the soft weight of the blankets pulled me under and I passed out.
Ben, registering that I’m in pain, scrambles off the bed and walks around to my side. “Try not to move. Here.” He grabs a glass of water from the bedside table and two of my prescribed painkillers. “Can you lift your head a little?”
I nod and tilt my head up, opening my mouth. Ben pops the pills onto my tongue and brings the glass to my lips. The cool water floods my mouth and I greedily swallow several mouthfuls before dropping my head back on the soft pillow.
“Thank you,” I rasp. Motivated by accomplishing the small task, I brace my hands on the mattress and prepare to sit up.
“What are you doing?” Ben sounds like I’m about to walk into traffic blindfolded.
I pause, staring up at his panic-stricken expression. There are dark circles under his eyes. Did he get any sleep the last two nights?
“I’m sitting up.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Yes, why?
“Because…it's the first step in my three-part plan to get up.”
The way the colour drains from his handsome face, you’d think he was the one who just had surgery. His mouth falls open as he looks down at me. “You don’t have to get up. Just tell me what you need and I’ll bring it to you.”
“The doctor said I can get up and move. I just need to take it slow and not lift anything for a bit.”
“But–”
“Ben, I am getting up and you are not stopping me.” I take a deep breath and as I exhale, push myself into a sitting position. It hurts, but compared to the pre-surgery stabbing pains, it’s nothing.
Ben watches helplessly as I slowly turn, swinging my legs over the bed, and finally push myself to stand. Once I’m vertical, everything feels better. I’m swollen and sore, but I’m upright and that’s something.
I move slowly at first, placing one foot gingerly in front of the other. I feel Ben hovering behind me like I’m going to shatter into a million pieces and he’ll have to glue me back together.
