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Axur chuckled. “Of course she did.”
“This way, we don’t have to keep watering them. And these won’t die!”
The girl began taking out the withering flowers by his bedside and replacing them with her paper flowers. Axur decided he liked these much better, too. They had that personal touch from his niece. And, like she’d said, these would last longer.
“Those turned out great, Ayla,” Katie said, entering the room with a tray.
Ayla beamed at her. “Thank you.”
Katie set up the tray for him, and he sighed. “I really am going to try to eat at the dinner table tonight. I think if I stay in this bed too much longer, I’m going to go mad.”
She laughed. “You acted like we keep you strapped down to the bed all day.”
They had taken walks around the house for short periods of time which had been wonderful. Never too long, though as it put a lot of pressure on his ribs. But he felt like he could at least go down for dinner now.
It also helped that Katie and Ayla would snuggle up in bed with him while she read the young girl her bedtime story. That at least didn’t make him feel like he was still stuck in a hospital room, bored out of his mind. Sometimes, they’d even bring their dinner up here to eat with him.
“Well, I suppose I shall prepare something excellent for your grand return to the dinner table this evening,” Katie said, a teasing smile on her lips.
He shook his head and stroked her hand. “I’d be happy to eat whatever you make.”
The warmth in her eyes made his heart melt.It’s very good to be home.
That night, he did make it to the dining room, and they all shared a meal together again around the table. He even felt well enough to help tuck Ayla into bed that night.
“Do you still want to go for our nightly walk, or do you feel like you’ve reached your limit?” Katie asked once Ayla was asleep.
Axur considered it for a moment before nodding. “I’m well enough.”
She gave him a hard look. “Don’t push yourself. I know you’re a renowned, tough-guy general and all, but a limit’s a limit. We want you to get better.”
The side of his mouth twitched up. “Yes,NurseKatie, I know my limits. Believe me, I have no desire to go back to the hospital. I’m well enough.”
She rolled her eyes, but a smile formed on her lips. “All right then, let’s walk.”
The two of them shuffled along the halls in amiable silence for a while. Axur simply relished the fact that he was back in his own home with the two people he cared for most. It would have been a very difficult, very lonely few weeks of healing alone. But with them by his side, he’d be well enough to be back in service in no time.
Leaving them again made his heart clench, but he had a duty. He couldn’t just turn his back on it. For now, he just wanted to enjoy what he had.
Katie looked at him, and she smiled. There was so much relief and happiness in that look that he knew she was just as grateful for this moment.
“You’re mending really well,” she murmured.
He nodded. “Indeed. At this rate, I should be able to start physical therapy by next week. Then there will be the exams to make sure everything’s back in order …”
She laughed, and he melted at the sound. Katie shook her head.
“You don’t have to worry about rushing it. Take your time. You’ve got all the time in the world now.”
He gave her a curious look. Taking time to recover was one thing, but what did she mean by all the time in the world? Command would certainly not agree with that sentiment.
Her fingers brushed his, and he threaded her fingers with his. It was so good to have her next to him. Everything else, all his worries, his injuries, the future seemed to vanish. There was only the here and now with her.
“I know how rattled you must be by this whole thing,” Katie continued. “But we’ll get through it together. Sure, you’ll probably be tense about it all and not know quite what to do, but everything will work out as long as we’re all together.”
Axur furrowed his brow. Now, he really felt like he was missing something here.
Katie moved closer to him. “I’m sorry that it had to happen this way, but I can’t say that I’m not happy that you’re here with us. I know Ayla will be happy to finally have a permanent parental figure in her life again.”
