Page 73 of Inherited Light
He clapped me on the back and kept his arm around my shoulder. He told me about this time a young guy, barely out of college, fell in love with a beautiful Hispanic woman who captivated him in a way no other had. It was his way of telling me he understood on a deeply personal level where I was at in life. I was relieved to know he would always support me, no matter what I chose to do for a living, and who I chose to share the rest of my life with.
By the time I got to see Cat four hours later, they had repaired the laceration on her head and removed the piece of disc compressing the nerve. They removed the jagged piece where the disc broke and replaced it with a new synthetic disc. Within a few hours she was awake and sitting up. Since she couldn’t walk, the physical therapist used a standing brace they strapped her in to get her upright. She had to use it four times a day for as long as she could before it became painful. She had progressed quickly and now she used the device four hours a day at home. It had a large tray which allowed her to draw while she stood. The last week I’ve witnessed her blossom since the pain in her back dissipated. She’s vivacious, upbeat, and ready to take on the world.
Since the stander was on rent from the hospital I asked her physical therapist to help me locate one to purchase for the house. They called a few days later to tell me they had one someone had donated. If I was willing to pay the cost to repair it, I could have it. I jumped at the chance and when they delivered it yesterday Cat clung to me with tears in her eyes. The joy on her face knowing she wouldn’t have to give up such a simple independence once she healed was like no other feeling in the world.
As suspected, her van was totaled. The insurance company wouldn’t pay her much for the twelve-year-old van, but since her hand controls and lift system were salvaged, I could afford to buy her a smaller van with only a few thousand miles on it. I installed the hand controls and lift system with the help of my dad and she was back in business. She insisted she would pay me back someday, somehow, but I told her seeing her sleep through the night without worrying about how she would get around town the next day was all the payment I needed.
Noah called me the day after the carnival to tell me Monica had confessed to the whole sordid affair. Apparently, she had been stalking me for months, which meant the person who put Cat at risk wasn’t Xavier, but me. The idea was hard to swallow, but Cat smiled, caressed my cheek, and told me I was still her hero. It was enough for my heart to forgive itself, because I haven’t thought about it much since. Monica pleaded guilty to a basketful of charges and would only have to appear before a judge for a sentencing hearing.
Noah let me read her written confession where she wrote she had been stalking me for years, as far back as my last year of college. She moved to Little Ivywood after the guy she ran off with had been killed in a skydiving accident. Whatever happened was more than she could bear because it stole her mind. The psychologist believes the trauma was too much and her mind took her back to a time when she had been happy. She would receive intensive therapy in a mental institution before being transferred to a women’s prison, if she could ever be transferred. All I cared about was she would never impact my life again. I had too much to look forward to, and didn’t need to focus on the past.
The last week together had cemented Cat and mine’s relationship. She learned to trust me with her needs and I gained confidence in knowing how to take care of her. She has changed in many beautiful and wonderful ways since the day we reconnected. She has confidence now, not only in her professional life, but her personal life. She believes in herself and her ability to live whatever life she wants. She knows I will love her forever and trusts she deserves my love. The changes in her heart show up in everything she does from painting to lovemaking. She’s also come to realize she deserves a family. And boy, does she have family. As always happens, when a Dalton is in need, the rest of the family steps up to the plate. Tabitha moved the rest of my things into Cat’s while she was in the hospital, cleaned the house, and even made some meals for the freezer. Those were a lifesaver for me the first few days home.
Cinn and Foster made sure her van was towed and notified the insurance company. They met the adjuster, so I didn’t have to leave the hospital, and Foster even negotiated a bit more money out of the insurance company since the van was totaled because of a crime. It was an unforeseen circumstance even the insurance guy couldn’t ignore.
My parents have come around, too. It took me awhile to see the reason they balked at the idea of me being with Cat had nothing to do with her. It had everything to do with me being their baby, and once I became a husband, I wouldn’t need them anymore. All the kids were truly on their own now, and they both had a hard time letting go. Cinn, Tabitha, and I got some cash together and paid off the rest of their Alaska trip. They would leave next month for a four-week vacation, something they’ve never had, and more than deserve.
The door to the bathroom opened and I rubbed my hands together, nervousness filling my belly as I strode to the bathroom door. She was flipping off the light when I arrived.
“Hi,” she said, gazing up at me. “I’m exhausted, but I’m thrilled we were able to go tonight.”
I rubbed her cheek with my thumb. “Me too, baby. It was beautiful to see Mabel’s legacy come alive.” I pushed her into the bedroom and helped her into bed, positioning her legs to take the pressure off her back. “Not just in the building either,” I said, kissing her forehead, “but in the people who have joined our family since she left us, and the things we’ve learned about her the last few years.”
The grand opening for Dalton’s Doggy Daycare was tonight instead of two weeks ago as originally planned. When word got out Cat had been injured, not only did we have an influx of well wishes from the community, but Foster pushed the opening back so we could both attend it together.
She nodded as she ran a hand down my cheek. “The framed images of Mabel and the dogs you hung over each daycare stall was a beautiful tribute.”
I laughed softly. “It was all Cinn. I can’t take credit for it.”
“Aren’t you coming to bed?” she asked and I glanced out the door and back to her again.
“In a minute. I picked something up tonight and I want to give it to you. Would it be okay?”
She cocked her head at me. “Lorenzo, you’ve given me so much already. The stander and the van. I’m already indebted to you more than I can ever repay.”
I shook my head a little bit. “You’re not indebted to me. We’re a team, and I love you. I want to help you feel better and stay independent.” I picked up her hand and kissed the knuckles. “Besides, this gift is something we’ll both be able to enjoy,” I promised. I held up my finger and left the room, going to the small porch at the back of the house. I lifted the gift into my arms, then closed and locked the door.
I took a deep breath. “It’s now or nothing,” I murmured, carrying the bundle down the hall to the bedroom. Cat had closed her eyes, but when she sensed me by the bed she opened them, her lazy smile turning into shock and then awe.
“Lorenzo, what have you done?” she asked as she held her hands out for the wiggly pup in my arms.
I sat the golden retriever puppy on her lap and tears fell from her eyes as the little girl licked them from her face. Cat laughed with each lick of her tongue. She put her arms around the dog’s neck and hugged her, burying her face in her soft fur. “I can’t believe you got me a dog,” she said softly.
I sat on the bed and stroked the dog’s back. “I noticed how this little girl gravitated to you tonight. Did you notice she never left your side?”
She nodded, new tears falling as her lips quivered. “She wanted to be under my wheels until I taught her to jump up on my footplate. She’s such a doll.”
“I asked Foster about her and he told me she was the runt of a litter from a neighboring town. She had only been at the shelter a few days, but all the girls were already in love with her. I asked him if we could adopt her and do you want to know what he said?” She nodded her head and I grinned. “He said, ‘You better adopt her, I’ve been saving her for Cat.’”
She put her hand to her chest after she wiped her eyes. “She’s perfect. What’s her name?”
I rubbed the dog’s ears and she licked my hand. “She doesn’t have one, though the girls at the shelter have been calling her—”
“Mabel,” she whispered.
I laughed and fought back tears at the same time. “You guessed it. They said this little girl reminded them of her, because she liked to be naughty, but her heart was pure and she would help anyone who needed it.”
“I guess that about sums it up, doesn’t it?” she asked.
