Page 38 of Unwanted

Frankie is watching Lennox with comfort and relief, and I’m filled with the exact same feelings for him, glad that the concern and uneasiness and blame from this morning has dissipated into almost nothing.

The room hums with content silence as everyone keeps busy, feeding their stomachs and quenching their thirst.

It’s obvious that the dynamic of the group has changed due to Lennox’s hearing loss, but it amazes me how quickly everyone has chosen to adapt and discard the need for mindless chatter and allow themselves to enjoy the quiet.

We each sit or stand, spread out across the room, Lennox’s good mood and impending release from the hospital in the morning making the hard and painful previous forty-eight hours everyone had endured a thing of the past.

Clem and Remy are the first ones to break the silence, throwing away their napkins and empty cans. Clem grabs the whiteboard and marker and tells Lennox of their plans first, and my heart warms at the action, at her instinct to put his needs first.

When he reads her words, he winks at her and she bends over to kiss him on the forehead.

She raises her hand, which is closed in a fist, and then releases her thumb, forefinger, and pinky all at the same time.

He returns the sign, and I watch a smile of pride spread across Rhys’s face. He must’ve taught them a few things while we were out.

Clem waves to Samuel and Rhys while Remy is still scribbling away on the whiteboard.

When Clem reaches Frankie and me, standing closest to the door, she answers our unspoken question almost immediately.

“It means ‘I love you,’” she informs us.

Without hesitation, Frankie and I both hold our hands up and replicate the sign.

The three of us laugh as Clem puts her hands on either of our shoulders and squeezes.

“I love you both too,” she whispers. She then rises onto the tips of her toes and speaks directly in my ear. “Thank you for coming tonight. And for bringing Rhys. He’s kind of awesome.”

My eyes dart to my new friend, who is now light years away from the helpless-looking man who felt so alone in the gym earlier.

“See you at home,” she says and then looks at Frankie. “Remy and I will skip the hospital visit and be waiting for you to bring Lennox home tomorrow, okay?”

“Got it, boss.” He leans in and kisses her cheek and then we both step away from the door so she can exit the room.

Remy eventually follows, giving both Frankie and me a one-armed hug before racing to catch up with Clem.

It takes only a few minutes for the room to return to quiet, but without Clem and Remy, the vibe of the room has shifted.

Samuel and Rhys are sitting on either side of Lennox, however Samuel has moved from the chair to the bed and Rhys has moved so close that, if there was room on the bed, he would be sharing it with them too.

I nudge Frankie and whisper, hoping he can hear me, “Is it just me, or do you feel out of place all of a sudden?”

He tips his chin forward to the three men. “So it isn’t just me noticing that?”

They were like three pieces of a puzzle that just fit, talking without words, their actions and body language expressing their interest and comfort perfectly.

“Should we leave them?” he asks softly.

“I’m Rhys’s ride,” I tell him. “Maybe I should see what his plans are?”

I push myself off the wall and take a few steps forward.

“Rhys.” I place my hand on his shoulder and he startles, almost like he forgot there was anybody else in the room besides the three of them.

“I’m going to go soon—”

He cuts me off. “I’m going to stay here. Is that okay? I can call an Uber or whatever.”

“I’ll take him home,” Samuel interrupts eagerly. “I don’t mind.”

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