Page 132 of Healed Hearts

I cover his hand with my own. “I’m the lucky one. What time is it?”

“Almost three in the afternoon.”

I glance at him. He went back at 8:00 a.m. “I can’t believe I slept so long. I slept through you being stuck in recovery and everything. Worst boyfriend ever.”

Moving his hand from Wren’s back, he brushes my hair back off my face, and grins. “I can. You’re run down, darlin’. Hell, we all are. And you’re not a bad boyfriend at all. I’m glad you slept through it. Otherwise, you might have been stressed the entire time.”

I most definitely would have been stressed the entire time. “I need to go find out what time we’re doing the infusion.”

Julian shakes his head. “No need. Lydia stopped me in the hall and told me they’d be in within an hour to get her set up.”

I hum, tugging Wren a little closer to my chest. I’m thankful all over again that I’m not expected to be her nurse right now. I know this isn’t a huge deal, and it’s not even as invasive as what Julian went through today, but it’s still going to suck.She’s my little girl. And I don’t want her to be in pain. Ever. For any reason. And that lets me know just how fucked up my parents actually were. How fucked up Roman’s dad was. I mean, I already knew, of course. But still. Knowing how far I’d go to keep Wren safe from harm, knowing how much damage our parents caused us? It’s fucked up. I don’t understand how they could treat us the way they did.

“Are you okay, darlin’?” Julian asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

I grin at him. “Yeah, I’m just thinking about how happy I am that I’m not like my parents.”

He gives me a soft smile. “Yeah, I don’t even have to know them to know you’re nothing like them.”

“Yeah, I know.” I sigh, then carefully adjust until I’m on my side and Wren is tucked against my chest between Julian and me. “Let’s just snuggle with Wren until it’s time, yeah?”

Julian’s eyes light up and he nods. “Sounds perfect, darlin’.”

He moves a little closer, and wraps his arm around my waist. His eyes fall closed within seconds and in no time at all, I’m staring at my entire world sleeping peacefully.

The peace is interrupted close to an hour later when Lydia comes in with Dr. Mays, and they have Julian and I get up so they can start Wren’s infusion. Lydia has pulled up a chair and is smiling at Wren, while monitoring her vitals.

And once again, Julian and I are cuddled up together, holding hands on the love seat, inches from Wren’s bed. She sleeps through the entire thing, which is probably for the best. Every once in a while, Julian squeezes my hand, and I squeeze his right back. Trying to let him know without words that I’m here.

It’s been three weeks since Wren’s transplant, and so far, things seem to be going well for her. She hasn’t had any adverse reactions. She’s been sleeping a lot, which is to be expected. She’s getting a little stir-crazy, though. Which is why I’m extra excited about today.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Julian says, blowing up yet another balloon.

“She can’t just skip her birthday because she’s in the hospital, Julian.”

He laughs. “I know. But we could have celebrated when we got home. She’s not going to know the difference.”

I set down the banner I’m holding and turn to him with a glare. “Julian Foster, I am excited about throwing her a birthday party. It’s herbirthday. The first birthday I get to spend with her. So you better just blow up those balloons and let me have this.”

He holds his hands up in supplication, clearly trying to placate me. The laughter dancing in his eyes gives him away. “Yes, sir,” he says, giving me a mock salute. Hedoesgo back to blowing up the balloons, however.

As he should.

“Real talk, though. I probably should have planned it better. With your doctor’s appointment today, it’s not the best timing.”

Julian ties off the balloon he just finished blowing up and leans down to kiss the top of my head. “Don’t worry about that, darlin’. I do want to talk to you about that, though.”

“Your appointment?” I clarify as I step back to make sure the Happy Birthday banner I hung up is straight.

“Yeah, I’m thinking about telling the doctor I don’t want any medication.”

That stops me short. “Yeah?”

He nods. “Yeah, my anxiety is very situational, right? So I don’t feel like I need to have something all the time. I’m not sure a daily pill is something I really want. I’ve been doing pretty well since Wren has been in the hospital.”

He really has. And Lydia and I taught him some breathing techniques that he can try, and he’s really only needed them a couple of times. I nod. “Yeah, I think that makes sense. Can I offer a suggestion?”

“Of course.”

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