Page 96 of Kylie

“No. Not yet. I want one for my birthday, but it’s okay if I don’t get one.”

“Why’s that?”

She looked up at me, so much love in her beautiful face. “Because you’re home. That’s the best birthday and Christmas present ever.”

Kate sounded so sincere as she said it, and it was then that I found the section of the puzzle where I was supposed to go. Where I fit. I wasn’t quite in the place I belonged, but I sensed I was inching closer.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Kylie

“So what did the doctor say?” Jessie asked as we sat on the front porch the following afternoon.

“That it’ll take time, but I’ll be fine.” At least that was the answer I was going with.

Of course, it wasn’t nearly that simple. However, Dr. Hendricks was content with my progress. After I told her that I’d been under a doctor’s care for the past two months, ever since Kieran took me out of the house, she’d started to assess me differently. When she asked to speak directly to the doctors who had treated me—both in the beginning and after my rescue—I had to tell her that I had no idea who they were, nor would I likely get that information. I honestly didn’t know their names. Probably by design.

She had left it at that.

Since there weren’t official notes, I had shared with her the various stages I’d undergone to get to where I was today. Due to the severe malnutrition and dehydration, I had been on IV fluids and antibiotics for the first couple of weeks after my rescue. The antibiotics for the infection in my foot had continued with oral medication, as had my reintroduction to food. It had been a slow process, and Dr. Hendricks had been impressed with how it was handled.

Dr. Hendricks had been my doctor since I moved to Coyote Ridge years ago, so she was familiar with my health prior to my death (as I had come to reference it) and could see the drastic difference between the before and after. According to her, it would take time for me to get back everything I’d lost physically, but she was convinced I would make a full recovery. In time.

Her biggest concerns, aside from the infection from where the shackle had cut into my foot, were my low blood pressure, anemia, and vitamin deficiency. According to her, that was what was contributing to my fatigue, which was what I had told her seemed to be my biggest issue. I figured telling her I had nightmares every night or that I was constantly checking to see where my kids were wasn’t what she needed to hear in order to help me in the physical department.

On a positive note, she said my foot would heal, though I would likely have some permanent nerve damage, but probably not anything that would affect my ability to get back to a normal life. And the other things would improve with time, vitamins, and self-care.

I also told her that I found myself always keeping a water bottle with me and hiding a couple of snacks to ensure I had something to eat when I got hungry. She informed me that it was normal for someone who’d been deprived of food and water, especially so soon after the ordeal.

“I’m sure it wasn’t that simple,” Jessie noted, clearly not fooled by my brush-off.

“I’ll get back to normal eventually,” I assured her, not wanting to talk about it.

She continued to stare at me, so I forced a smile, then turned my attention back to the kids. My brain instantly tracking each one, noting their presence.

When Jessie spoke next, her tone lacked the cheer from a moment ago. “Mom is back.”

My gaze snapped to her. I couldn’t possibly have heard her right. “What?”

“Yep. Can you believe that?”

No. No, I couldn’t. “What do you mean she’s back? Like back where?”

“Here, I think. Or close by.”

When Travis mentioned my mother yesterday, he hadn’t said anything about her being here, in town.

“What do you mean you think?”

“I haven’t actually talked to her. Apparently, she showed up at some point last week. I don’t really know.”

“Why is she here?”

Jessie shrugged, her attention on the kids playing in the yard. Rhett and Kade were half an hour into a football game. Or rather, they were trying to play football. Their version, of course. Since they were both six, it was more of a game of keepaway than anything else. One would toss the football to the other, then give chase. Meanwhile, Zach and Avery would run around them, yelling for them to throw them the ball. From what I could tell, this wasn’t a new game, but rather one they were attempting to perfect.

While they did that, Haden, Maddox, and Waylon were coloring the sidewalk with chalk. Considering how close they were in age, I had expected Haden to boss Maddox around. Nope. Haden was helping his baby brother, showing him what to do.