We sat silently as he held me close with his face buried in the crease of my neck. The silence in the room was peaceful, and I had truly missed being in his arms.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jude
The days had been long and draining, yet the moment I saw Callie’s face, hope sparked within me. I had spent so long pretending she had no effect on me, but I no longer tried to hold my feelings back. I spent a few moments just breathing in her comforting scent of vanilla, then I pulled back a little and placed my lips against the space just beneath her ear. I kissed her gently, then trailed my nose along her jawline. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart.” I arched my neck, looking up at her.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispered. “How is she doing today?”
“Same.”
We both looked toward the bed that held Katelynn. She had gone from bad to good, then to worse in a matter of days. The doctors had hoped the antibiotics were working until they did another CT scan three days ago. They then found the pneumonia had not only worsened but had now reached her right lung. With her weakened immune system, her body was just not fighting it off. They’d administered a round of stronger antibiotics, but things still looked bleak, and they’d told us it was truly only a matter of time.
“I think maybe we need to bring the kids for a visit,” I said without looking away from Katelynn. “I know I’ve been holding off bringing them, hoping things would change, but I can’t keep doing that. I think we all know that was just wishful thinking on my part.”
Callie squeezed me a little tighter. She had been amazing these last few weeks. Hell, she had been amazing from the moment she met Katelynn and the kids. She had loved them and cared for them as if they were members of her own family. Her selflessness only made me love her more. Yeah, love. I was in love with Callie. I think I had always been. But until I let my guard down and truly let her in, I tried to convince myself I could live without her. Now I knew that was no longer a possibility.
“Do you want me to go get them?” she asked.
“I think I should pick them up. Maybe talk to them and explain a little, before they see her,” I said. “Do you mind sitting here with Kate for a while?”
“Sure, of course. They’re with my mom.”
I nodded as I stared at Katelynn’s sleeping form.
“I could have her meet you downstairs with them, or even at your apartment. Whatever you need.”
I turned to face her, and she watched me closely, trying to weigh my reactions. “I love you, Cal. I just want you to know that.” Her eyes grew wide with shock, yet I continued on without allowing her to respond. I needed her to know just how much she truly meant to me. How much her actions had meant to me. “You could be out there dating some guy without the baggage I have. You could be spending your days at the beach and your nights with friends, without all this worry and sadness. But instead you’re here. You’re always here, and I don’t even have to ask. That means more to me than you will ever know.” I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her toward me. “I love you, baby. Thank you.”
Her lower lip trembled as I placed my lips to hers and tried to let her feel the love I held for her. I needed her to understand just how important she had become to me and to my family.
***
“Uncle Jude,” Zoey yelled as she crawled out of Callie’s mother’s Ford Escape, which was parked in front of the hospital entrance. She must have been waiting just outside for me to come down. She wore a pair of bright blue pants and a yellow shirt I had never seen before. Following close behind was Callie’s mother and Matthew, who held on tightly to her hand.
I bent down just as Zoey threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I engulfed her in my arms and kissed her forehead. “You been a good
Chapter Twenty-One
Jude
The days had been long and draining, yet the moment I saw Callie’s face, hope sparked within me. I had spent so long pretending she had no effect on me, but I no longer tried to hold my feelings back. I spent a few moments just breathing in her comforting scent of vanilla, then I pulled back a little and placed my lips against the space just beneath her ear. I kissed her gently, then trailed my nose along her jawline. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart.” I arched my neck, looking up at her.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispered. “How is she doing today?”
“Same.”
We both looked toward the bed that held Katelynn. She had gone from bad to good, then to worse in a matter of days. The doctors had hoped the antibiotics were working until they did another CT scan three days ago. They then found the pneumonia had not only worsened but had now reached her right lung. With her weakened immune system, her body was just not fighting it off. They’d administered a round of stronger antibiotics, but things still looked bleak, and they’d told us it was truly only a matter of time.
“I think maybe we need to bring the kids for a visit,” I said without looking away from Katelynn. “I know I’ve been holding off bringing them, hoping things would change, but I can’t keep doing that. I think we all know that was just wishful thinking on my part.”
Callie squeezed me a little tighter. She had been amazing these last few weeks. Hell, she had been amazing from the moment she met Katelynn and the kids. She had loved them and cared for them as if they were members of her own family. Her selflessness only made me love her more. Yeah, love. I was in love with Callie. I think I had always been. But until I let my guard down and truly let her in, I tried to convince myself I could live without her. Now I knew that was no longer a possibility.
“Do you want me to go get them?” she asked.
“I think I should pick them up. Maybe talk to them and explain a little, before they see her,” I said. “Do you mind sitting here with Kate for a while?”
“Sure, of course. They’re with my mom.”
I nodded as I stared at Katelynn’s sleeping form.
“I could have her meet you downstairs with them, or even at your apartment. Whatever you need.”
I turned to face her, and she watched me closely, trying to weigh my reactions. “I love you, Cal. I just want you to know that.” Her eyes grew wide with shock, yet I continued on without allowing her to respond. I needed her to know just how much she truly meant to me. How much her actions had meant to me. “You could be out there dating some guy without the baggage I have. You could be spending your days at the beach and your nights with friends, without all this worry and sadness. But instead you’re here. You’re always here, and I don’t even have to ask. That means more to me than you will ever know.” I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her toward me. “I love you, baby. Thank you.”
Her lower lip trembled as I placed my lips to hers and tried to let her feel the love I held for her. I needed her to understand just how important she had become to me and to my family.
***
“Uncle Jude,” Zoey yelled as she crawled out of Callie’s mother’s Ford Escape, which was parked in front of the hospital entrance. She must have been waiting just outside for me to come down. She wore a pair of bright blue pants and a yellow shirt I had never seen before. Following close behind was Callie’s mother and Matthew, who held on tightly to her hand.
I bent down just as Zoey threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I engulfed her in my arms and kissed her forehead. “You been a good
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