Page 29 of Loving Lizzy

Once settled, her energy felt sapped. Her eyes started to close. “I guess I wore myself out, excuse me.” Lizzy stifled a yawn.

“Rest, your body’s recovering. Chase is on his way down to pick me up,” Kassie adjusted her head pillow and kissed her cheek. The warmth of true friendship like Lizzy had never experienced before, spread through her.

“Thanks,” she murmured as her eyes closed of their own accord.

* * *

Michael greetedChase and let him inside. He picked up Kassie’s bag sitting by the door.

Kassie focused her gaze on him. “Edie sent over chicken salad for lunch. I gave meds at oh seven hundred. She woke up twice and used the bathroom. She drank the smoothie and ate the eggs. Her throat still feels scratchy, keep offering her drinks and ice pops,” she reported.

Michael grinned, “Can’t keep the NP out of ya, huh?”

Giving him a hug she gave last minute instructions, “She’s already asleep, take it easy today and Catherine will show up at eleven. Leave your door unlocked to keep us from knocking.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he agreed as he pulled her into an embrace and squeezed his thanks.

Chase led Kassie out the door and helped her into the truck. Putting away the rest of the breakfast dishes, he checked on his patient. He smiled down at her as he took in the comfortable clothes and her socks peeking out from her blanket. Walking to the edge of the recliner, he stifled a chuckle. ‘If you’re reading this, I kicked cancer’s ass, what’s your superpower?’ was written on the bottom of her feet. Lizzy had found her friends and the tribe surrounded her in support.

Chase remained his best friend after the kidnapping. Now, he maintained a good rapport with the team. Michael wondered what it felt like to have the team of men behind him as they did with Chase. After Kassie and Em’s rescue, he didn’t travel to Serenity like before. He heard bits and pieces about Catherine and Samantha from Chase. Hopefully, this move gave him an opportunity to work on becoming their friend as they had with the love of his life. Right now, she was all that mattered.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

By the end of the week, Lizzy waited impatiently for the phone to ring. She debated calling Dr. Brady’s office and asking if the results of the biopsy came through. No. She knew the doctor planned to contact her as soon as the results came in. Elizabeth knew her from working at Seattle Health and they maintained a professional relationship.

Did Michael turn the heat up? She pulled back the blanket and took a sip of water from her new pink water bottle. The women took turns staying with her and today they asked to join her for lunch. She knew they secretly plotted to keep her busy to keep her from spending too much time dwelling on the biopsy report. Edie visited and taught her how to knit. So far, she’d managed to make a covering for her big toe. She unraveled the last row of yarn and tried to figure out where she messed up. Maddie stopped in with a batch of homemade cookies and Carol sent over a puzzle table and a charcuterie board for her and Michael to snack on. The thoughtfulness of the women astounded her.

Michael laid out the teapot in the kitchen with plates and silverware. Of course, the group decided on tea sandwiches, scones, and Bryanna’s tea cakes. Michael suggested he hang out in the bedroom which earned him a firm no from the ladies. He finally decided to go to his old office and start packing up his stuff.

The doorbell rang and Catherine arrived first with Bryanna right behind her. They greeted Lizzy as they made their way to the kitchen to put the food away until everyone arrived.

“I brought ham and cheese, cucumber, and turkey sandwiches. Leo’s going through some pregnancy cravings. I’m missing about eight. I didn’t bother to make more because Kassie planned on bringing egg, chicken and tuna salad.” She sat down on the couch.

“Leo craved cucumber sandwiches?” Lizzy asked.

“He started out sampling the ham and cheese and because I cut them in pretty shapes, he complained we eat like birds. I attempted to explain we’re having high tea, and he didn’t get why we needed tiny food samples to drink something we have every morning with a full breakfast. Then he took a couple of the turkey. He made a face when he tried the cucumber and informed me the weeds on top tasted disgusting. I told him I topped it with dill. He shook his head and popped in a couple more ham sandwiches while complaining it resembled chopped up weeds,” she sighed and shook her head.

“Did he ask for any more classes?”

Catherine thought for a moment. “No, but he tried to fool the librarian. Since she made him return the collection, he ordered the team to fill out a library card and check out ten books each from the maternity section. I received a phone call from her. When I met them at the team headquarters, Shadow crossed his arms and glared in Leo’s direction, Taco resembled a five-year-old chastised by his mother. Saint smiled, twirled his toothpick in his mouth and held out his hand. Apparently, he’d made a bet with Leo about how long it’d take me to find out and he won.”

“You gotta admit, it’s kinda sweet he wants to learn everything he can,” Lizzy came to his defense.

“The man has lost his ever-loving mind,” Bryanna chimed in.

Catherine laughed, “Sorry I gotta pee.” She got up and walked toward the bathroom.

“What did he do now?” Lizzy whispered.

“Catherine wanted to paint the nursery. He researched which paint to use because of fumes and such.”

“It doesn’t sound like a terrible thing to do,” Lizzy pondered over why Bryanna thought it a bad idea.

“No. It isn’t. Not until you see the doomsday gas mask he brought home for Catherine to wear until he ascertained all the fumes had dissipated. I’m not kidding, a full-on gas mask with filters attached. It must come from someplace military because I’ve not seen anything like it. She resembled a giant bug,” Bryanna told her laughing.

“She wore it?” Lizzy asked shocked.

“No, she brought it to Kassie’s. Then we made fun of it,” Bryanna logically answered.

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