Page 89 of A Me and Him Thing
Ren sits close to me. Not too close, but close enough for comfort. Close enough for my heart to beat double time. Because that’s what he does to me.
A small smile overtakes my face. It won’t go away for anything.
A WEEK LATER, I’m back in my townhome. I still have a cast on my arm, but my ribs are left free to heal on their own. Evidently, wrapping them with an Ace bandage for support constricts deep breathing, which isn’t healthy for the lungs. Sorry, ribs. You’re on your own to heal naturally.
That being said, I’m basically recovered, but I still need to be careful as my bones mend.
I’m continuing to work from home, which Mandy loves. She won’t leave my lap. What happened to my independent cat? Now she’s my constant companion.
I’m not complaining, though. She loves me. I’ll take all the love I can get.
After three days stuck at home, I’m about to go stir crazy. I decide to visit Allison again. I miss the connection I was creating with her. I love that Ren not only approves of me visiting her, but he appreciates my efforts as well. Doing something for her is the same as doing something for him. Such a sweet concept.
Quinn was right. Ren’s the best of the best, and I need to recognize his strong qualities, not turn away when those qualities don’t go along with my agenda.
I’m going to hold on tight to him. There aren’t very many Rens in the world.
Allison does stand between me and Ren, yet I feel for her situation. She doesn’t spark jealousy in me. Instead, she’s my soft spot. She deserves love and attention. She’s the weakest of the weak, relying on other people for her mere existence.
I actually am becoming a better person. The old Bree would’ve written them all off and walked away without looking back. Instead, I’m invested.
Of course, once I’m sitting across from Allison, there’s no recognition in her eyes. She does look at me with her strange deep stare, like she’s trying to communicate. But I’m still convinced I’m imagining it.
I tell her all about what happened with Quinn, with the accident, with saving Jordyn. About feeling loved by my tribe and how it has changed me.
She barely blinks, and her stare is vacant. It doesn’t matter. I still feel a strange connection to her. Maybe it’s because we both love Ren.
Jack arrives to feed her dinner. I’ve stayed for far too long. I try to avoid running into Jack. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because he’s a bit intense when he’s with Allison.
I get it. It’s not an easy thing to witness.
For the second time, Allison grabs my wrist as I lean down to give her a quick hug. I look into her face, but it’s still as blank as an erased chalkboard. Yet her grip on my wrist is iron-like. At least as iron-like as her insufficient strength allows.
When I straighten, she doesn’t release her grasp.
Jack grabs my arm and peels back each one of Allison’s fingers. “Now, Allie. Bree can’t stay all night. It’s dinnertime. Your favorite time of the day.” He laughs a little too loudly.
A chill runs up and down my spine. There’s something off about Jack’s tone of voice, his wild laughter. It’s so unlike him. Again, I chalk it up to the difficult situation.
“I’d better go. You’re a brave man to take on the task of feeding her every night.” Although I don’t blame her for hating the food. Even when her brain won’t work properly, she recognizes distasteful food. Poor thing.
Jack shrugs. “Allie and I have come to an understanding. If she eats her dinner like a good girl, then I’ll stop pestering her.”
I force a smile. What a strange thing to say. Jack might be a doctor, but his bedside manner around a woman with brain damage leaves a lot to be desired. Although she does need to eat to survive. Ren refused to take away water and food, which would allow her to pass. He said he couldn’t watch her die from starvation. A natural death, yes. But not a forced one.
Ren’s a special guy. I’m all in, whether I have to wait a year or even two. I want him in my life. I don’t know who I am anymore. But I like this person.
I give Jack a quick hug. “See you soon.”
“Sweet Bree. I look forward to it. Ren’s lucky to have you.” Jack says the last sentence while looking at Allison.
Suddenly everything about this situation feels creepy. I leave in a hurry, eager to escape. It’s not until I’m outside of the building that I realize I left my purse in Allison’s room.
I trudge back inside, feeling anxious to return to the safety of my townhome. I enjoy my peaceful visits with Allison. Once Jack arrives, the mood in the room changes.
I enter the foyer to Allison’s room. Patty is placing a large bib on her. Jack’s standing at the counter where the microwave and small refrigerator are located. There’s a mirror lining the wall behind the microwave, probably so nurses can see what’s going on behind them
I can see what Jack’s doing. Allison’s tray sits on top of the microwave. The microwave beeps, then Jack pulls out the bowl of pulverized food.
