Free Left to Love (The Next Door Boys) by Jolene Perry

you. She needs to have plans for after treatments are done. She needs to feel like you and everyone knows she’ll be okay. I would say that keeping her from any kind of sickness or infection is the biggest deal.”
     
    “I want to do more, I just want…”
     
    “You want to make it go away.” A short pause. “You don’t get to do that. Don’t waste your time with it, Brian. You’re going to have to get good at taking care of her without hovering over her, unless she asks to be hovered over. Call me. Anytime .”
     
    “Thanks.”
     
    And then I heard the doctor’s footsteps fade into the busy hallway.
     
    When Brian walked back in, his smile looked slightly more genuine. “I got word from your nurse. Your vitals look good which means we’ll probably be back home tomorrow night.”
     
    “Great.” I smiled. “Maybe you could call my mom? Tell her what’s going on. See how she’s doing with Nathan?” My insides were suddenly shaking apart. Dr. Watts words, paired with Brian’s need to leave my room, and again the knowledge of what I was about to go through, all hit me.
     
    “Okay. I’ll be back in a few.” His eyebrows pulled together. I didn’t know if it was awkward for him, or if he was afraid to leave me. Either way, I needed to be alone.
     
    He walked out and I turned my head on my pillow and let the tears flow. I probably had five minutes to myself before Brian got back. None of this was fair to him. None of it. I wiped the last of my t ears just before Brian stepped back i nto the room.
     
    “Nathan’s okay. Your mom’s fine. I think it’s making her crazy to be there instead of here, but I kept telling her how happy it made you to know that Nathan was with his Grandma. I think she really liked that.”
     
    “You’re a good man, Bri.” He wasn’t just taking care of me —he was taking care of my mom and Nathan, too. How much more would be have to shoulder?
     

He came over and took my hand. “I love you, Leigh.”
     
    “I love you.” I wanted to make up for my rant about chemo treatments from a few minutes ago. “You know what’s good about all of this?”
     
    “What?” He cocked his head to the side and looked at me carefully.
     
    “Neither of us cares that I did a dress for Noah’s bride, even though you were right about that one.” I smiled. “And I don’t care that I feel left out of the argument between you and Amanda.”
     
    “And who knows, maybe you’ll prove me wrong in the end on that one.”
     
    “Maybe I will.” I sighed. “I’m tired.”
     
    “Go to sleep.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
     
    He’d be here. Brian would be here. The thought felt good. I slowly drifted back off.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    TEN
     
     
     
    I got to go home Friday night as promised. With all the painkillers they’d gotten for me, I actually didn’t feel as bad as I expected. It felt good to give my mom a hug and give her that reassurance. Nathan gave me the most gentle hug. He must have gotten a lecture from my mom, Brian, or both.
     
    “Can I walk you to our room?” Brian smiled down at me. He was already half holding me up.
     
    “Do I have a choice?” I asked.
     
    “I’m trying to make it feel like you have one. D oes that count?”
     
    That was really sweet. “It does count and I’d love for you to walk me to our room.”
     
    “Can I see your new scars?” Nathan asked from behind us in the hallway.
     
    “They’re not scars yet,” I explained. “They still have big band aids on them.”
     
    “Oh.” He frowned in disappointment.
     
    Brian lowered my body slowly onto our bed.
     
    “Nathan. I promise that as soon as the band aids come off, you can see them, okay?” Nathan felt like the brightest spot I had in that moment. So simple, he just wanted to check out the new scars. I wanted to pull him into bed with me, to wrap my arms tightly around him, and feel him fall