Page 23 of Unloved

I’m sorry. I didn’t think he would mind.

Rhys peeks at the board, shrugs, then points at the word “sorry.” He follows it up by rubbing a fist over his chest, allowing us all to put two and two together.

Remy and Clem follow his actions, apologizing to him. He just smiles, completely unbothered.

Noticing the hospital room door open, I watch Arlo and Frankie walk inside the room, pizza boxes stacked in their hands, both of them light on their feet. The sight of them at ease together, makes my chest squeeze with happiness. It’s obvious whatever ended between them four years ago is far from over. They’d loved one another then, and there is no denying they still love one another now.

The stacked pizza boxes are on a spare chair at the end of my hospital bed, and when Remy opens up the first box with a huge chunk taken out of a slice, I can’t help but laugh.

Rhys looks between us, and I realize we’re all laughing and it’s not me who’s left out in this moment.

“When we were younger, whoever went to pick up the pizzas would bring them back with a huge bite taken out of one slice in every box. It became a tradition of sorts.” I point at the open boxes. “As you can see, it’s still going strong.”

Rhys nods and laughs, or so I assume by the shake of his shoulders and widening smile. When I turn to look at Frankie, he’s watching me with comfort and relief, and I’m thrilled with the idea that when he returns to Seattle, he’ll be leaving without the worry he arrived with.

Over the next fifteen minutes, everyone keeps busy, feeding their stomachs and quenching their thirst. Everyone takes their time, sitting and standing, spreading themselves out across the room. They all take turns to quickly check in with each other while I just soak everything in.

Clem and Remy are the first ones to rise up from their seats and announce their departure. While Remy clears up their plates and napkins, Clem grabs the whiteboard and marker to tell me of their plans to leave.

When I read her words, I wink at her, and she bends over to kiss me on the forehead.

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

I love you.

I return the sign and then sneak a peek at Rhys from the corner of my eye. It was the first thing Clem asked him to teach her, and a wide smile of pride stretches across his face as he watches us sign to each other.

Clem waves to Samuel and Rhys and then makes her way to Frankie and Arlo, where I guess she’s explaining the sign, because they both immediately raise their hands, telling her they love her.

The three of them laugh, and I almost want to cry from the emotional whiplash that is today. There is no way I could’ve ever anticipated today ending like this.

When Remy leaves, it’s just Samuel and Rhys on either side of me. It feels natural, sitting with them, watching Samuel and Rhys talk like old friends. There’s an ease between them that I acknowledge to be the same ease between Samuel and me when we first met.

They go back and forth with the whiteboard, the whole concept feeling more like a game, especially when we all have cell phones that make the non-verbal communication process infinitely easier.

It isn’t till I notice Arlo moving closer to the bed, that I realize the three of us are not alone in the room.

Arlo places his hand on Rhys’s shoulder, startling him.

They exchange a few words, and when Arlo gestures to the door, I assume he’s telling him he’s leaving. Disappointment rises in my chest at the thought of Rhys leaving, almost like if he goes, he’ll take the lightness of the mood with him.

Samuel interrupts their conversation, and that intrigues me. Considerate as always, he grabs the whiteboard, scribbles something on it, and shows it to me.

I’m going to drive Rhys home later.

I nod vehemently, loving that Samuel is in tune with me and not ready to say goodnight to him either.

With all plans being settled, Arlo looks at us, eyeing the three of us with curiosity, before announcing his departure. He points at himself and then back to the door.

Understanding him, I nod and watch him raise his hand.

I love you.

After returning the sign, my eyes find Rhys’s. It was the smallest gesture, teaching us all that tonight, maybe even inconsequential to him, but it makes my heart expand to an impossible size.

I watch as Frankie follows Arlo out the door, and I don’t even think twice about whether or not he’s returning. Instead, my gaze returns to Samuel and Rhys where they flank me, both looking at me expectantly.

They are the complete opposite of one another—Samuel like the sun and Rhys reminding me of the moon. They’re night and day. Samuel’s eyes are bright and completely transparent—what you see is what you get. While Rhys’s are overshadowed by the dark circles surrounding his eyes, hiding as many secrets as I had been.

---