Page 74 of Ky
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Chris
“The doctor said I was good to go,” I said as I stared down Ky. “I’m ready to go already. I don’t care that you’re being all caveman and willing to shell out money just so I can stay an extra day—which, by the way, I appreciate but don’t need you to do. And even if I did, I just want to go home, please, Ky, please.” Sure the last part came out with a tinge of whine.
He grunted at me. Yes, actually grunted. Like he had heard my words but didn’t care what I thought or wanted.
“Kynaston,” I snapped trying to get his attention. “Let the nurse give me the discharge papers so that I may sign them. Move out of the way.”
My parents were sitting on the mini-couch along the wall, their eyes bouncing back and forth between us in amusement. I could tell that my mom was trying her best to hold back her laughter as she squeezed the life out of my dad’s hand.
With a heavy sigh, Ky’s body sagged and he stepped out of the way. The nurse gave me a sweet smile and explained everything I needed to know before leaving. It sounded like I had a lot of fun times ahead, sarcastically speaking. Mostly, it sounded like I was going to be sitting and laying around for the next couple of weeks. Yay for me.
Okay, so maybe I could have used another day, but Ingram was set to head home today as well and I didn’t want her at home all by herself. Not that I didn’t trust her, it was more that I wanted all of us to be there watching and helping her out because I knew it was about to get insane. I didn’t want her to feel overwhelmed or like she had to do it all on her own—even for one second. So I might have been pushing it a little, but I didn’t really care.
It wasn’t like I’d be able to help out all that much but if I knew Ky—and I was pretty sure I knew him well at this point—he’d feel torn in two on where he needed to be. He wouldn’t want to leave me yet he would want to be at home with Ingram. Just the last two days had shown me that he wanted to be everything for everyone. With the constant running back and forth between our rooms and the non-stop text to either me or Ingram when he was with the other. Yes, he had gotten a little…how should I put it? Neurotic. Add mix that with all the other things he was normally—like overprotective and commanding, and well, it just wasn’t good. He was honestly a stressed out mess, but he was holding it together really well. I was sure I was the only one that could tell what was going on in his head.
And maybe I kind of loved him for it.
But that didn’t mean that I was going to let him boss me around when I knew what was best for all three of us.
So I signed the papers and slowly tossed my legs over the side of the bed. I’d gotten up and walked around a few times but it had really been exhausting. Ky had been there, holding onto me for every step. And as he dropped everything he had been attempting to pack up, I knew he was about to dash to my side. It was hard not to love it but at the same time, I wasn’t really that kind of guy. I wasn’t saying that I was all tough-as-nails-and-nothing-can-get-me-down but I definitely wasn’t the weak-can’t-handle-shit-myself type either. I’d get through this, I knew I would. And I wasn’t saying that I didn’t need or want his help, I just didn’t want to be babied.
“Ky,” I said in a soft but firm tone as I looked up at him. He was already in that half bent over position, arms out like he was ready to wrap them around me to help me get off of the bed.
“Shit,” he mumbled straightening to his full height. “Okay, sorry. I’ll back off.” And he did, literally, taking two giant steps back but his eyes were on my every movement.
“We’ll meet you at your house. Dad already put your address in the GPS in the rental car, so don’t worry,” Mom said giving me a knowing smile. “We’ll stop and pick up some groceries on the way.”
I didn’t bother telling her that they didn’t need to do that, she’d just ignore me anyway.
“Love you,” I said as they made their way out.
“I think I’ve got everything packed up,” Ky said as he did a slow scan over the room.
That was when the nurse came in, pushing the dreaded wheelchair in front of her. I didn’t even grumble as I lowered myself down into it because I knew I wouldn’t make it out of this room on my own.
“Wait, I was going to go see my friend. I won’t be leaving until she’s discharged,” I told the nurse.
“Actually,” Ky cut in before she could say anything. “Mouse just texted, they are loading up right now and the SUVs are outside waiting for us.”
“Well, then. Let’s roll!” I said with way more enthusiasm than necessary. “Get it? Because I’m in a wheelchair…”
Ky looked at me without an ounce of amusement on his face. No, there was something else there in his eyes, and before I could take in a breath, he swooped down and kissed me. His big hand cupped my jaw as he nibbled on my bottom lip. Then he pulled away and his eyes were doing that twinkle thing that I loved.
“What was that for?” I asked and it came out in a harsh whisper. I had not only been surprised by it, but was also currently dizzy and lightheaded from it.
“Don’t change,” he said. “Ever.”
Then in a blink, he straightened and nodded at the nurse letting her know that we were ready to…roll.
Outside, Mouse was loading up Ingram and all the baby things into the back of the first SUV, B-ry perched behind the wheel, waiting to go.
“Ready to go home?” I asked Ingram. She looked up from Chry and gave me a shaky nod. “Hey, we got this,” I added a wink just to help ease her fears.
Ky loaded up Chry—wow, that was fun to say. It took him a good ten minutes to do, it was obvious that he hadn’t done it before and he wanted to make sure that his nephew was rightly secure. I couldn’t blame him though, I would have done the same. Then he helped Ingram up and into the seat. She was walking around a lot better than I was. Mouse climbed in behind Ingram and shut the door.
“Let’s get you in,” Ky said to me and did his best to let me crawl and hobble and grunt my way to the second SUV and into the seat.
