Page 100 of Came the Closest

Cheyenne inhales sharply, and I close the door partially behind us. She stands still for a moment before she crosses to the chair, lowering gingerly into it. She takes his hand in hers on the bed and gently pushes his hair back from his perspiring forehead.

Quietly, I move to stand behind her. My fingers find her shoulders, pressing into her tense muscles. I kiss the top of her head, lingering when her hand comes to rest on my jaw. I tilt my face to kiss her palm, and I close my fingers around hers, resting our hands just below her collarbone. Her head tips against my abdomen, and a tear leaks out from under her lashes.

I exhale slowly and look at Tripp. He has settled some, but his face is still contorted; from pain or from confusion they don’t know. His levels are evening, and he still breathes on his own, lips parted and cheeks faintly flushed.

“Please stay, Daddy,” Cheyenne whispers brokenly, her voice nearly inaudible. “Define this moment. Please.”

Justin’s words—talk to him like normal—hover in the back of my mind. I swallow hard. My throat feels scratchy with emotion and tears blur my eyes, but I talk anyway.

“Your daughter showed her art tonight,” I tell him. Cheyenne’s body quakes on a sob, and she turns her face fully into my body. I release my own choked cry. “You should’ve seen her—she defined her moment, Tripp. She’s with me now, you know that? If you hadn’t invited us to come hang out tonight, I’d have taken her to the beach to celebrate. I know you don’t approve of pineapple on pizza, but that’s what we would’ve had. The water is so nice that I might’ve even convinced her to take a swim with me.”

“Colton is…” Cheyenne whispers. She shakes her head. “Colt, I can’t. I can’t pretend anymore. Not like things… Not like it’s normal.”

“I know, baby,” I say softly. “I know. It’s okay.”

Tripp’s fingers twitch around hers. He moans in the back of his throat, face tightening and leg jerking. Cheyenne sucks in a breath. For the first time since we came in a few minutes ago, her own body stills.

“You’d be proud of Colton too,” she whispers. My pulse drums loudly in my ears. “He’s… He’s…”

“Shh,” I murmur. I squat until my chin can rest on her shoulder, and I squeeze her fingers. “It’s okay, Fini. He knows.”

I don’t look at the clock after that first visit. We rotate through the night, taking turns beside Tripp’s bed. Justin tells him, laughing through tears, that he’s started sorting and keeping his receipts like Tripp told him to. Grace holds her husband’s hand and murmurs that she loves him no less than a thousand times. Kaia cries while Beau holds her, and Tate lies on the bed next to his grandfather. Warren and Clara clasp each other closely as they pray over their son.

And then, when Cheyenne and I are back in the room, dawn pokes through the dark night. Brilliant tangerine light streaks the white wall, highlighting the soft curve of Cheyenne’s neck. My eyes are heavy, and my body is tired, but when Cheyenne freezes under my touch, I lift my head.

Tripp gazes up at us through gritty eyes, and in a whisper, he says, “Annie?”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Coveted Lightspeed Family Text Thread

Cheyenne

Eleven days ago, my dad whispered my name for the first time in seven months. It’s only two syllables, the same two syllables he nicknamed me long ago, but it set into motion a notable chain of events.

Dad was spared from permanent brain damage, but being comatose for so long comes with side effects. Namely, loss of muscle strength and memory loss surrounding the accident, and doctors said it could take weeks or months for him to fully recover.

They didn’t, however, consider the Kolter determination.

Dad is coming home. He still has physical therapy three times a week, but if he’s going to heal, he’ll do so at home (his words, not mine). The first thing he wanted to do upon his release back into humanity (again, his words)?

Family supper at the lake house.

Hours from now, my family is coming over for the first time this summer. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I cleaned yesterday until Colton threatened to withhold physical affection if I vacuumed one more time, so I’m channeling my nerves into making everything memorable instead. Pretty plates aren’t enough tonight; I want everything to be enchanting, the epitome of a celebratory summer evening.

Our first stop? Lilah’s Flower Shoppe.

Indi opens the door, but Milo insists on holding it like he’s watched Colton do. I press a palm to the hot glass so he won’t smash any fingers. There’s no mistaking the impact Colton’s attention has made over the last few months; for the first time in Milo’s young life, he’s had a positive male role model, and it shows.

“Well, this is a surprise.” Hazel straightens behind the counter with a flower shear in hand. “A very, very welcome one, of course.” She shifts her attention to Milo. “Do you know what gentlemen get when they come into my shop, young man?”

Milo shakes his head.

Hazel reaches for something, and with a flourish of her hand, she reveals a Tootsie Pop. Milo gasps and holds out his hands, but she shakes her head with a soft laugh.

“There’s one little magic word…” she says, lifting her brows patiently. She winks at Indi and I, elbows resting on the counter, dark curls pushed away from her face with a floral hair scarf. “Any idea what that word might be?”

Milo grins widely and clasps his hands under his chin. “Please?”

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