Page 116 of Rematch
Please let it be good news…
He sighed. “This one showed that they’re finally shrinking.” A smile bloomed on his face as we all let go of our breaths, hitting the room like a wind of relief. “The doctor said the tumors on my liver are small enough to operate on. They’ll be able to get it out in one procedure. The others are still a work in progress, but he said if I keep up with my treatments, there’s a good chance they’ll continue to shrink.”
“Oh thank the Lord,” Tatianna said, holding her hand to her chest. “You had me sitting here thinking you were about to be knocking on heaven’s doorstep.”
Papa grinned. “I was going to text all of you, but Benny wanted to be dramatic.”
Dad threw his arms around Papa and pulled him close. “What can I say? I’ve been hanging around you too long not to be.”
Papa rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Dad away. “Alright, alright,” he said. “Enough of this. Let’s eat!”
“More like, let’s drink,” Tatianna said, putting her mouth to the wine glass and chugging the contents.
I giggled, reaching for my own glass. “Now, that I can get behind.”
The chatter at the table overtook the silence. Dad and Max talked sports over the wings. Papa and Tatianna swapped gossip between bites of pizza.
And I sat there in the middle of it all, watching quietly, relishing in the warmth the scene bought. Although there will always be seats that will never be filled, our family almost felt like it was whole again. And now, there was a chance it’d never break again.
Chapter 50
Max
Audrey’s shoulders fell as we crossed the threshold into my apartment. Sighing, she shrugged off her jacket and made a beeline for the couch.
“Aht, aht,” I said, grabbing her arm before she could flop onto the couch. “You can’t fall asleep yet.”
“I wasn’t going to sleep,” she lied. “I was just gonna lay down for a little while.”
My lips curled in disbelief. Her work days alone usually left her running on empty by the time she got home. I was surprised she still had the energy to hold herself after working her shift and wading in the anticipation of Benny’s news. She deserved a little pampering tonight.
She groaned, but let me tow her down the hall towards the bathroom. Her brows rose as we walked inside.
Since I knew she wouldn’t do any self-care on her own, I decided to clean and prep the bathroom into a mini relaxation zone. I set up her favorite candle in the window, placed her favorite bath bomb on the edge of the tub, and lined the sink with her favorite skincare products. With all she’s done taking care of me with my healing injuries, making sure she spent one night taking care of herself was the least I could do.
I made her sit down on the toilet while I ran her bath water and lit the candle. In minutes, the soothing scents of lavender and sage filled the room.
Once the bath was ready, I shut off the water and kissed her temple. “Take your time,” I whispered against her skin.
“Wait,” she whispered, grabbing my hand before I could step away. “Join me.”
Smiling, I bent down on my haunches. I reached for the hem of her scrub top. “Arms up,” I commanded gently.
Audrey wearily raised her arms and let me pull the top over her head. Her bra quickly followed, leaving her torso bare. Rising to her feet, she wiggled out of her pants and underwear.
As she climbed into the tub, I stripped my own clothes off and put on an R&B playlist. Soft crooning and steady beats quickly filled in the silence.
Audrey smiled up at me from her spot in the tub. The sudsy water covered most of her body, only leaving her shoulders bare. Some of her curls escaped her high bun, now falling around her temples and neck. Her amber eyes, filled with so much anxiety and uncertainty lately, seemed lighter now that she was able to set down some of the weight she was holding. I was glad that she’d found some peace - even if it was only for this moment.
The water was pleasantly scalding when I stepped in behind Audrey. I pressed my back against the wall and stretched my legs out in front of me.
Audrey scooted between my open legs and leaned her body back against mine.
I wrapped one arm around her while the other reached for a washcloth. I bundled the fabric up under the water and drizzled some on her chest and shoulders.
Her eyes fluttered shut as she relaxed in my hold.
I squeezed some soap onto my bare hands and laid them on her shoulders. Clouds of suds formed as I rubbed the soaparound her soft skin. Gently, I pressed my fingers around her shoulder blades and the back of her neck.
