Page 14 of Loving Lizzy

“She’s intimidating,” Lizzy said under her breath. “She’s nice but wow.”

Kassie laughed, “Wait till you face her with a knife in one hand and let your attention wander for a moment.”

“She seems to have taken to you,” Lizzy commented.

“Yeah. I’ve grown to love her and Ivan. Maddie will always act as a second mom to me. Victoria, she’s…special. She doesn’t hesitate to tell me the hard truths, and I know she’ll always show up whenever I need her. I guess I have three moms in total.”

“I grew up in foster homes,” Lizzy confessed. “You’re extremely lucky.”

Bryanna laughed, “Yeah, it’s all fine and dandy until you have Maddie and Victoria mad at you simultaneously. Then Carol jumps in by default.”

The women laughed and together, finished packing the bedroom. Lizzy watched as her new friends didn’t think twice as they wrapped items and placed them in boxes. As soon as they filled one, they called for the men to remove the box from their area. This small group of friends would help her and Michael navigate the upcoming days. They made the silly, difficult moment of getting rid of her bras tolerable. She didn’t doubt for a moment their level of sincerity in becoming her friend.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Michael closed the door as the last of their friends left. Lizzy stood behind him and when he turned, she took his hand. The couple gawked at their new home. Between Ivan’s men, the team, the grandparent crew, and the women, the empty house had now turned into their home.

Chase and Kassie gifted the couple a pair of matching recliners. Kassie read somewhere during her recovery, sleeping in a recliner provided an optimal position for someone recovering from breast cancer surgery. They placed one in the living room and another in their bedroom. Catherine and Leo gifted them a new security system for Michael’s office, Samantha and Whiskey didn’t come inside the house, but sent along a basket of scented candles, an assortment of teas, and a bundle of skin care products. Samantha included a special ointment made with vitamin E for Lizzy to use on her scars after surgery.

The grandparent crew chipped in and bought the couple all new appliances for the kitchen. Saint and Edie presented them with a book of encouraging stories of breast cancer survivors and a homemade quilt. Taco, Shadow, and Matthew provided them with an adjustable bed base and mattress for their bed to help Lizzy’s recovery.

“I can’t believe they moved us in one day,” Lizzy whispered.

“Joe said the construction crew will finish my office and the exam rooms once you’re home and healing. They prioritized the all-season room so you can enjoy the view during your recovery. We can close off the treatment area with the new door leading into the kitchen and seal it to prevent any dust from coming through,” he told her.

Lizzy walked to the new fireplace and marveled at how comforting it felt to mingle her stuff with Michaels.

“Do you want to take a shower to wash off the day? I’ll grab one in the guest room. Did you get a chance to check out the master bathroom? The contractor found a new clawfoot tub to replace the old one. It’s nice. Do you want to enjoy a bath instead?” he asked.

“I can’t remember the last time I soaked in a tub. That sounds wonderful,” she told him as she turned toward their room. Samantha’s scented candles sent a light fragrance of lavender through the air, even unlit. Michael went into the bathroom and started running water in the tub.

“You don’t have to draw my bath. I can do it,” she chastised him softly.

“I’m doing it because I want to. Let me take care of you tonight. We’ve hustled nonstop today and tomorrow’s a big day,” He wrapped his arms around her and moved his hand up and down her back.

She laid her head on his chest, relishing the feel of his love. “Okay.”

He poured bath oil into the water and mixed it with his hand. Lizzy pulled out towels and gathered her pajamas.

“Take your time. I’ll shower and grab a book to read,” he told her.

“The hospital scheduler called. I check in at fourteen hundred,” she reminded him.

“Then we’ll pick up your prescriptions in the morning, and I’ll run to the grocery store for some essentials. Did you want anything?” Michael halted at the doorway.

“No, check the fridge. Ty and Bryanna put some things in there this afternoon, plus we have leftovers from dinner tonight. We might need fresh milk and bread,” she told him as she tried to recall what she unpacked in the kitchen.

Between her friends and all the help, she barely did anything except point and someone began unloading the box and placing things where she wanted. The way everyone pitched in and helped overwhelmed her at times and she’d retreat to their bedroom to collect herself. Living in a foster home didn’t allow her to make friends for long. Her job required a certain amount of distance from employees. It didn’t seem realistic to acquire a group of people who went out of their way to help you the way these people did.

Michael closed the door, giving Lizzy privacy. She rummaged through the suitcase she had packed earlier, no longer needing it since her clothes hung organized in her closet and her dresser restocked except for one drawer. She pulled out a set of pajamas and set them aside. The bra she planned to wear tomorrow draped over the edge of the suitcase. Her fingers lingered before she undressed and stepped into the huge tub. Michael set the water to the perfect temperature, and she sighed as she luxuriated in the scented bath oil from Samantha. She wished she had mustered up the courage to ask Michael to join her. He remained incredibly patient with her, and every evening, up until he learned of her diagnosis, he’d treated her as if they dated. He never pushed her to sleep with him and she wondered if he didn’t desire her as he did before or if he worried about her running again.

Her pale pink satin robe hung on the hook behind the door. Grabbing the body scrub, she began applying it to her legs as an idea began to form in her mind. She stared toward the door and longingly back at the suitcase. Sucking in her bottom lip, she contemplated her options. Tonight might be the last night she felt like a woman. Pulling the plug from the drain, she rinsed off.

She rose from the tub and wrapped a towel around her as she brushed her teeth and applied a bit of lip moisturizer. Her hand trembled in anticipation at the thought of Michael touching her. It felt like forever since his hands glided their way down her body.

Rubbing vanilla lotion all over her body making her skin soft and silky, she slipped on the matching bra and panty set. Admiring her girls in the mirror, she turned to the side to view her silhouette. She tried to imagine what she’d appear like after the surgery. The doctor explained the process and she read all the pamphlets and searched the internet for photos. Somehow her mind refused to reconcile the pictures with herself.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, praying Michael didn’t refuse to make love to her. He might see her lumpectomy scar and want to start a discussion. Lizzy didn’t want to talk. She turned on the shower light to see if it provided a dim glow.

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