Strong (Kindred #1) (29 page)

Josie:
Still sick, I’m fine though. Will you tell her I love her and I’ll try and FaceTime her later?

Me:
Of course. Say hi to Jack for me

“Hey, Mom.” I smile as she comes in and demands a hug.

“You look happy, baby boy. Are you happy?”

“Yeah, life is… If I say good it doesn’t seem right.” I frown.

“I get what you mean.” she smiles, releasing me and heading over to see Carmen.

I watch the two of them, Mom gives her a hug that she returns and they both sit and chat for a few minutes. I know they speak on the phone and I know Mom has helped Carmen since she’s been ill, but I didn’t realise how close they’ve become.

“You okay?” Lex asks, coming to stand beside me.

“Yeah, you?”

“I’m not looking forward to going home and leaving you both, you know.”

“We’ll be fine, Lex.” I laugh.

“I know you will, but do you realise, this is the furthest away you’ve ever been from me?”

“Yeah, I know. But when Carmen is better, I’ll bring her to Chicago and you can come visit.” I tell her.

“Is this it then? This is home now?” she asks a little sadly.

“I guess so, for now at least.”

“It’s going to be so strange you not being close,” she takes a deep breath. “I’m okay, I’m just being a baby. I still have Jack there.”

“You poor girl.”

There’s a knock at the door and I go to answer it, Megan is standing there with Harry who’s holding a sleeping Henry in his arms. He has that dopey smile on his face again, the smile that I’ve not seen him without since Henry arrived.

“Come on in.” I smile, holding the door open.

“Oooooh! Baby cuddles!” Lex squeals excitedly.

“Hands off,” Carmen calls over. “Henry knows the first person who gets cuddles is me.”

“Can I at least be second?” she pouts.

“And can I be third?” Mom pipes up.

“And I’ll be fourth then.” Beth announces knocking on the door as she comes inside the apartment.

“Is it pass the baby?” Harry grins. “There is more than enough Bennett to go around and I really don’t mind being patted and held.”

“He’s joking.” Megan announces rolling her eyes and going a little red.

“He’s not.” I laugh.

“I am, I really am. I’d rather be stroked.” he grins.

The girls all sit together on the sofa, doing what girls do; talking about babies, while the men do what men do and stand in the kitchen having a beer. Harry keeps up with the conversation but his eyes never leave his wife and son, I can practically see his hands twitching on his beer bottle, desperate to get his son back in his arms.

“Henry’s a boy, he should be over here.” he practically pouts.

“He’s where the milk is, dude.”

“Don’t I know it, he’s such a Mummy’s boy already.”

“I don’t think it’s so much of being a Mommy’s boy, Harry,” Dad says. “I think it’s to do with the fact you don’t have the necessary equipment to satisfy him.”

“That’s probably true,” he grins. “I mean look at Megs and look at me, if you had a choice? It would be Megs every time.”

“This one was all about Hilary when he was a newborn too,” Dad bumps my shoulder. “All about the breasts.” he chuckles.

“Still am Dad,” I grin. “Still am.”

Not just boobs, legs, long, brown dancers legs, and ass.

Focus, Carter.

Dad and Will head over to where the girls are leaving, Harry and me in the kitchen

“I spoke to Jack today,” Harry leans closer. “Megs doesn’t know… He hasn’t told anyone but if I don’t tell someone I’m going to fucking explode.”

“What?”

“And I think Josie is planning on telling Carmen this week anyway.”

“What?”

“And he hasn’t actually told me I can’t tell you.”

“Harry!” I slap him around the head. “Tell me!”

He looks over his shoulder at the girls all chatting and cooing over his son then looks at me with a serious look on his face.

“They’re moving here.” he whispers.

“They’re what?” I half yell.

“Shut up!” he scowls. “They’ve bought a house ten minutes from us…. They’re moving back here in a few months when everything is sorted.”

“Little shit, why didn’t he tell me?”

“Same reason you didn’t tell anyone that you’re not going back to Chicago and that you’re living with Carmen.”

“What? Is Josie ill?”

“No, fucker, she isn’t,” he rolls his eyes dramatically. “It wasn’t the right time.”

“I can’t believe they’re moving here.”

“Don’t tell Carmen, Josie will tell her soon, she was all set to tell her, but then. Well you know…”

“Do Mom and Dad know?”

“As far as I know, no. I guess they’ll tell them when they get back. They know they want to move here, but not that they found somewhere.”

“Lex is going to go nuts!”

“Why?”

“She’s already been getting upset that I’m not going back, she said she was fine, she still has Jack there…”

“Well not for long.”

“Apparently not.”

“What are you two over there talking about?” Megan calls over, looking suspicious.

“Nothing, just about Henry.” Harry smiles.

“Sure…”

“She doesn’t buy it dude.” I whisper to him.

“She doesn’t need to, I’ll explain it later.”

“Is it my turn for cuddles with
my
son, yet?” he asks as he walks over to join the group.

“Nope, it’s still mine.” Carmen grins at him looking happy and peaceful.

It’s late by the time everyone leaves, Mom, Dad and Lex put off leaving for as long as possible but eventually they have to leave too. Harry took Megan and Henry home over an hour ago, we made plans to go for a drink in the week and let Megan and Carmen have some time together.

“I’ll miss you, so much. I know I moan you’re a stinky brother, but you’re the best.” Lex tells me, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing.

“I’ll come visit with Carmen soon.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky.” I hold my left hand up and she wraps her pinky around mine.

“Look after her, Carter. I love her, she’s like another sister.” she whispers to me.

“I’ll look after her, I kinda love her too.” I whisper back, making sure no one else hears.

“I know, you already told me, remember?”

“You’re the only one I have told. Keep it a secret, Titch.”

“Got it.” she grins.

“And talk to Tyler, sort this out, if he’s moved on, you have to, too.”

“Nice way to end it, brother.” she scowls.

“Hey, I’m looking out for you. Love you.” I squeeze her one last time then say goodbye to Mom and Dad.

“Please keep in touch.” Mom tells me, kissing my cheek.

“I will.”

“And if you need anything; money, clothes, whatever, phone and ask, Carter. I know you don’t like to, but please.”

“I promise.”

I see them out and wave until their taxi has disappeared, when I go back inside, Carmen has fallen asleep on the sofa. I cover her up and clean up the kitchen. By the time I’ve finished, she’s awake and asking for some pain meds, we settle on the sofa with a hot chocolate and watch a couple of episodes of True Blood before we’re both ready for bed.

I get her more meds for the night and some fresh water while she gets ready for bed. I get changed into pyjama pants and head into her room, she’s sitting up in bed on her phone, she smiles when I come in and I can’t help but smile back.

“I’ve had a good day, Carter, thank you.”

“It wasn’t down to me, it was everyone else. “ I tell her, sliding in beside her.

She snuggles down and settles herself next to me, resting her head on my chest.

“No, you arranged it, you looked after everyone, it was all down to you that I smiled today. Not just today actually, every day since this whole thing started.”

“I just want you to be happy.”

“Well I am today, thank you.”

It takes no time at all for her to fall asleep and soon her gentle breathing lulls me to sleep too.

T
here are so many things in life we take for granted, like being able to wake up every morning, pain free and well. We take being able to take a shower on our own for granted, being able to stand and brush our teeth at the sink, being able to get up and get a drink or something to eat when we want it. The things we do every single day without even thinking about it, we do them without giving them any thought at all. Until of course, those day to day things become big things, things we have to build up to doing. I didn’t give any thought to being able to walk to the bathroom unaided until I couldn’t do it anymore.

Like right now, I need the loo and I can’t get up and walk there alone and Carter has popped to the shop five minutes away to get me some Rich Tea biscuits, Cream Crackers, Starburst and some Cherry Coke, because that’s all I want right now. He’s been gone ten minutes so I know, providing there isn’t a queue, he’ll be back any minute, but I need the loo now.

Deciding I can do it myself, I slowly sit up and bring myself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. The small movement leaves my stomach rolling and my head spinning. I take a few deep breaths and when I feel the sickness lessen, I grab hold of the bed frame and pull myself up, at first it’s okay, my legs are a little shaky but it isn’t too far and I repeat to myself over and over
you can do this.

I shuffle forward, using the chest of drawers to hold on to as I make my way slowly across the bedroom. I’m so close to the bathroom door when it starts, I hear whooshing in my ears, my heart rate accelerates and my legs begin to shake. Before I know what’s happening, I’m covered in a cold sweat and my knees are buckling from under me. The past few days I’ve been slowly feeling worse, my scar is red and sore and I’m worried something is really wrong and now, I’m sure it is.

“Uggggh!” I huff as I land hard on the floor.

I manage to break my fall and save myself the agony of falling onto my stomach by bracing myself on my hands and when I collide with the floor it doesn’t hurt half as much as it could have. I lay there, unable to get back up, cold and shivering on the floor in just a pair of knickers and a camisole, the only thing I can face wearing right now. I lay my head back and take a deep breath, hoping it will help my racing heart, stop the shaking and put a stop to the tears I can feel trying to fill my eyes.

It doesn’t help and Carter finds me sobbing and shaking five minutes later.

“Hey, you’re okay, it’s okay.” he soothes me, picking me up and carrying me over to my bed.

“No, Carter, stop. I need the loo.” I sob into his neck.

“Is that why you’re out of bed?” he asks, pushing open the door and carrying me over to the toilet.

“I wanted to do it myself.”

“You shouldn’t be trying that, you’re still recovering. Why didn’t you call me? I would have come back.”

“Because I should be able to go to the bathroom on my own!” I yell at him. “You shouldn’t need to help me!”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” he pulls me closer to him and kisses the top of my head.

“I hate it. I can’t walk to the bathroom, I can’t stand and brush my teeth, I can’t even brush my own hair, Carter! I hate it. Why did it have to happen to me? Why? I don’t understand and it’s so unfair.”