Chapter 69 • In The Way

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"Goodnight, peanut. We love you very much."

"Love you all. Thanks again for coming," I blow a kiss one last time to my parents and Anne as they leave my room and it's quiet again after an hour of chatting. I push the thick sheet off of my belly now that they're gone and I sigh out a relieved, and thanks to my mum helping me, a minty breath.

While I had a lovely time visiting with them and I appreciate their support, I'm even more exhausted now. I inhale a deep breath that turns into a yawn and I exhale slowly, feeling myself sink deeper into the bed.

I turn my head on the pillow towards the window and I place my hands on my belly, careful not to move the monitors. With it being dark outside now and the overhead lights dimmed, I could fall asleep right this instant, but I have to wait for Harry so I can help him get settled.

The muffled sound of the toilet flushing lets me know he's done getting ready for bed and the door to the loo opens, capturing my attention. I watch him walk across the way to the sink with the help of his white cane and he leans it against the counter so he can wash his hands.

He's dressed in his blue striped pyjama set complete with his house shoes that his mum picked out when she got our things. If we were at our own home, he'd be in just his boxers, but that wouldn't be appropriate for a hospital stay, although I think a few nurses here wouldn't mind.

"Has everyone left?" he mumbles with a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Mhm. It's just you and me now, and the beeping machines," I reply, shifting my leg on my body pillow to get more comfortable.

He leans over the sink to spit while cupping his hand under the faucet and he drinks some water to rinse out his mouth. As he feels around the counter for a paper towel, I find myself smiling at him.

"Ahhh. Much better. Are you as tired as I am?" he asks with a little chuckle.

"Yes, but we can't go to sleep just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because my nurse said she's going to check on me before nine and according to the clock on the wall, it's five minutes till."

"You've got to be joking. It's not even nine and we're this tired?"

"Well to be fair, we've had quite an eventful and stressful evening."

"True. I say we deserve a pass," he says, walking over to me with the help of his white cane.

"I'm over here. That's it. Almost. There. Oh, shoot, my dad moved the chair. It's to your left. Sorry, on your right. Ugh, I think I'm directionally challenged."

"It's okay, love," he says, feeling around with his free hand and he grabs onto the back of the chair. "This it?"

"Yeah, that's it. You might have to move when the nurse comes in, though."

"That's not a problem, but for now, I'm sitting with you," he says and I smile, reaching my hand through one of the openings through the bed railing and I pat his knee. "Are you sure?"

"Don't worry; it's not my hand with the needle stuck in it."

"Okay good. I just don't want to hurt you."

As our fingers lazily fumble around, I exhale a deep breath and finally relax. My fingertips brush over his wedding band and it makes me smile over all that I have now.

"What would I have done if you hadn't asked me on a second date?"

He tilts his head in my direction, "What would I have done if you hadn't agreed to it? I know I wouldn't have learned what true love is, and what it means to love someone with my whole heart. I know I wouldn't be this happy. I mean, it's ridiculous how happy I am with you, JJ. You make me so happy. I still can't explain it."

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