Page 70 of Perfect Chemistry

It didn’t take long to bring all of the bags in. Still, the kids were asleep on the sofa before we finished.

“Why don’t you two take the bedroom tonight, and I’ll sleep out here with Ave and Aiden,” I offered.

Jonas shook his head, and Andie thanked me for the offer.

“You sure?” Jonas asked his wife.

“She’s not ready to sleep alone yet in a new place,” she explained, pulling Jonas with her toward the bedroom. “Don’t think she’s being nice. We are. We are letting her use our children as a security blanket in the new place. Isn’t that right, Katie? We’re doing this for you….”

I laughed because she wasn’t entirely wrong. I didn’t answer and just waved them off. “Good night,” I called over my shoulder as I pulled blankets out of a closet Mandy had pointed out during our tour.

I fell asleep with Aiden laid across my chest and Avery’s legs tangled up with mine. I woke up to a ‘shushing’ noise, my head laid on Andies lap.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled as I started to come out of it.

“You didn’t do anything. The kids got up early, and you seemed like you were restless, so I came to sit with you and Jonas took the kids to find breakfast.” Andie’s voice was so quiet, as her hand gently caressed my hair. I wanted to argue, but I was overcome with exhaustion again. Her small reassuring gestures were enough to soothe me back to sleep.

When I woke up again, I was alone on the sofa. Avery and Aiden were sitting on the floor next to me watching a children’s program, and Jonas and Andie were in the kitchen. “Morning,” I whispered to the kids, and gave them each a peck on their head before getting up and shuffling to the bathroom.

I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and pulled my hair up. Feeling less like a train wreck, I walked straight to Andie and gave her a hug. “Thank you. I appreciate everything, but this only works if you don’t lie,” I whispered.

She hugged me back and nodded into my shoulder. “Aiden had a nightmare, and it triggered you. Jonas took him into the bedroom and I stayed with you and Avery. I didn’t lie,” she said.

“Now,” she said with her bossy tone. “You need to go run. You have not done anything in days, and you need to be back on schedule if you are going to keep getting better.”

I hadn’t been for a run since we left the hospital. I did try a treadmill at one of the hotels, but it was a cheap model so it felt like I was bouncing on the machine as I ran. I could feel the concussive impacts radiating up my shins, and I had to stop. Breaking myself for a little dopamine was not an option.

I got changed and slipped out the door. I promised I wouldn’t run that far, and left my phone. The morning air smelled crisp. I had lived in southern states for so long, I forgot how much I missed this.

I stretched lightly, rolling my shoulders and rotating my hips to loosen my joints. I was startled when Mandy’s voice broke the silence.

“You run often?” she asked, walking up beside me in running shoes, a tank top and spandex shorts.

I nodded. “Yeah, it helps with the therapy stuff,” I admitted.

“What’s your pace?” she asked.

“Depends. Usually, it’s a seven to eight minute mile, depending on distance, hills, playlist,” I trailed off giggling.

Mandy smiled. “I’m doing five today. You up for it?”

I nodded and off we went.

“Stay with me,” she encouraged as we hit one hill after another.

“Where did all of these hills come from?” I jokingly whined.

“Sneaky aren’t they?” She huffed in agreement.

“This is shit,” I huffed when we were half way up another hill.

“Great, isn’t it?” She puffed back.

“Amazing,” I agreed, nodding.

We ended up running closer to seven miles, but I felt amazing. We stretched in the driveway and I asked her about her run schedule. She admitted that she had not been running for a while, and quickly changed when she saw me outside.

I laughed, “Seriously?”

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