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Chapter Seven
Back inside, we both unload the boxes onto my bed, still crowded with books and supplies, and I thank Ash for his help.
"Not a problem, Cora. Do you need help unpacking or hanging anything?" I shake my head no, and he almost reluctantly leaves after reassuring me I can come get him if I change my mind.
I start the daunting task of putting everything away, emptying the clothes and toiletries out of my suitcases and boxes and moving onto the books and laptop. By the time I'm done, the bookshelf is half-full, the laptop is almost done updating, and the dresser and closet are no longer empty. My leg aches, and dimly my ribs, but at least having it done makes me feel more on solid ground and not so uncertain of my place.
There's one big box with keepsakes and pictures and knick-knacks as well as one small box, the one I'd carried, left. I sit at the desk and peel the tape off the smaller box. The tears instantly begin to flow as I open the cover on the pink memory book. Inside, on the left page are the tiny footprints, and on the right, a picture of Kael's hands cradling the little feet that made them.
Before I can fully immerse myself in the box and its contents, there's a tap at the door followed directly by it opening. "Cora, I'm sorry about Blaise, I--" Drake stutters to a stop within arm’s reach, holding a tray of food. He takes in what I have open on the desk and my, yet again, wet face. "Oh. I'm so sorry for barging in; I just wanted to make sure you eat. If you need anything, please let me know." He sits the tray on the bed and rushes directly back out, shutting the door behind him.
His reaction had been stiff, but genuine, I think. With a heavy sigh, I close the box back up, storing it on the shelf in the closet. Tired and still needing to go over the syllabi before classes tomorrow, I put the other on the floor in the closet to deal with later.
I'm halfway done with the reading prep for tomorrow's classes when my phone buzzes. A reminder for my physical therapy in two days pops up, and I know I'll need to coordinate that with one of my keepers. If I can't leave the suite without one, I highly doubt leaving campus without an escort will be permitted. This time I go straight for Ash.
He opens his door shortly after I knock and steps back, motioning me to come in. A scowl takes over my face when I find both Jag and Drake are in the room, and now I'm thinking maybe I should have waited until he was alone.
"Hello, princess," Jag greets me, earning himself the middle finger. I don't bother to address him.
"Ash, I have PT on Tuesday. Do I need an escort, or can I get a pass to go by myself?" Just pretend the asshole isn't here.
Ash instantly turns to Jaeger for an answer, absolutely not helping me ignore him. I fume at the smirk my step-brother gives me, and of course he's the one that answers.
"We'll arrange for one of us to accompany you." One of them. That's not gonna work.
"Really? I can't even go to an appointment on my own? Or ask for one of you specifically? Is everything your say, Jag?" This confinement is ridiculous and makes no sense to me. I don't bother to wait for an answer and back out of the room. If it turns out Ash, or even Drake, can't take me, I'll reschedule the appointment.
I'm on autopilot for the rest of the day other than going over my books and making sure my schedule is memorized. I find some granola bars in the cupboard of the kitchenette instead of having to go ask for an escort, not very hungry after what Drake had brought me. Before bed, I pull up pictures on my phone of me and Kael. Getting lost in the past feels easier than facing my future right now, and when my scrolling lands on a particular happy moment, I'm sucked into the memory.
It was Valentine's Day, and I was on pins and needles waiting for Kael to text that he'd arrived in town. It had been hard adjusting to living on my own and breaking the news to everyone that I was pregnant once I couldn't hide getting ill every morning. Now, with the thickening of my waist just beginning to become apparent, the reality was really setting in.
Kael wanted to take me out to dinner, and I'd dressed for the occasion in a knee-length sweater dress that was just bulky enough to hide my tiny bump. It seemed I'd been waiting for ages, checking and rechecking that my phone had service. A knock sounded at the door, and I was hoping it wasn't one of the other residents needing a sitter. I'd been making a little extra cash on the side and getting some practice with watching the kids, but tonight was for me.
My surprise turned to joyous excitement when I opened the door to find Kael waiting in the hall with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. A laugh escaped him when I threw my arms around his neck, squashing the blooms and releasing their fragrance between us.
"You were supposed to text me! I'd have met you downstairs." I hated that he had to come here, but on the other hand, I was just too excited to see him.
"I wanted to surprise you. And you deserve to be picked up at the door, not having to meet me outside. Are you ready to go, or do you need to finish anything up?" Kael pecked my lips, uncharacteristically shy. It made me wonder what he was thinking.
"Yes, I'm ready. Let me put these in the kitchen before I damage them any more. They're lovely, by the way. Thank you for bringing me flowers." Thankfully, the Shasta daisies he'd brought had their own vase as that wasn’t something I had on hand, and they were too pretty for the Mason jar I'd have had to use.
Soon enough, we were in Kael's rental car and on our way to a local steakhouse.
During dinner, I kept half-expecting Kael to get down on one knee and propose, and even though I knew my wish was outlandish, I was still a bit disappointed that it didn't happen. After dinner, we went to the movies and found an old showing of Casablanca. We settled in our seats, loaded up with popcorn and drinks, to watch the old-timey reels that advertised the concessions. In the middle of them, a message popped up on the screen. "Cora, will you marry me?" When I looked back from the screen to Kael, he was holding out a ring box that held a wedding band and engagement ring, and of course, I said yes amid the applause of the sparse moviegoers. It had been hard to sit through the rest of the movie, but I did it, beaming from ear-to-ear until well after the final credits rolled, and we were on our way back to my apartment.
The memory fades as I come back into the real world, rubbing a thumb over the jewelry on my finger, and I wonder if the thought of Valentine's Day will always be so bittersweet.
