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That was a sad day for Maggie and me. Our mother was a beautiful woman, one who didn’t deserve the ending she had.
I roll up the tape and pack away the scissors before wiping down the bed. After everything that happened, I couldn’t return to the hospital. The high energy of an ED department was too much, and after nearly losing Ivy, I wanted more time with her. So Carter asked me to manage the medical clinic here at the gym. I expected to see men with lots of bruising, needing ice and painkillers, and I do see that, but there is so much more.
As soon as he announced free medical, the gym clinic has been a revolving door of a variety of ailments. So much so that we brought Ian with us too. So when I'm not here, he is. I can bring Ivy as well, make my own hours, and I feel good for doing something for the community.
“How is your homework, Ivy?” I ask as I peer over her shoulder, seeing her coloring in, rather than doing the maths that she is supposed to do.
I purse my lips in question, because this is not like her at all, but before I can say anything further, the clinic door opens.
“Cat, got a minute?” Carter asks as he closes the door and locks it.
“What’s going on?” I ask as I see Ivy turn in her seat and look at Carter.
“Ivy,” Carter starts, and he looks a little pale. “Did you know that the Macaroni penguins mate for life?” he asks her, and I wonder if she has yet another project on animals that I don’t know about.
“Yep, they do!” Ivy says in glee, her smile wide, and I can’t help but smile too at the way she lights up at seeing Carter. I also don’t miss the small nod she gives him, and I wonder what the two of them are up to.
“How about it, Cat?” Carter says to me, making me whip my head back around to look at him. He looks weird. Almost nervous, and it takes me a moment to register that he asked me a question.
“What?” I ask, confused, not sure what I missed.
“Want to be my Macaroni penguin?” he repeats, looking like he is about to throw up, and I wonder if he got hit in the head or something.
“Carter, what’s wrong? You don’t look so good. What do you mean about penguins?” I ask as I take a small step toward him, stopping when I see him get down on one knee and pull out a small black velvet box.
“Want to mate for life?” He opens the box and the large yellow diamond sparkles in the light.
“Carter!” My hands fly to my mouth, my eyes watering, and my voice gets lodged in my throat.
“I thought about taking you to a fancy restaurant or somewhere nice, but in a medical room is where we first met, and I wanted Ivy with us so, yeah... How about it, Cat? Are you going to be my Macaroni?” he says, fear now totally overtaking his features.
“Oh my God. Yes! YES! I will be your penguin!!!” I squeal and hop from one leg to the other, excitement making my palms sweat as I rub them on my jeans before he slips the ring on my finger. He is quick, the color now back to his face as he jumps up, grabbing me in his arms, kissing me long and hard.
“YES!” I hear Ivy say next to me, before Carter places me back on the floor and looks at my daughter.
“Ivy, I have this for you.” He produces some paperwork from his back pocket.
“What is it?” she asks, grabbing it from him.
“It is an amendment to our contract. I have rewritten the contract to promote us from Best Friends to Family. You just need to sign the bottom,” he says, his face serious, and a tear runs down my cheek as I watch them.
My breathing halts as I look at Ivy, whose small face, which was full of a watermelon smile just moments ago has taken on Carter’s previous pale color as shock settles on her features.
“That would be awesome,” she says quietly, and I see her eyes welling up as well.
“Good, now come here,” Carter says, opening his arms wide, and she runs into his embrace. He hugs her for a beat before pulling me in close, and my new little family has a special moment together that we will surely never forget.
“I'm going to find Benji. Maybe I can promote him to Best Friend status now!” she says before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Carter pulls away from me slightly, looking deep into my eyes. “I’m so fucking glad I found you, Cat. We talk a lot about the night that I saved you, but really, you are the one that saved me. The moment you walked into my hospital room, the moment you touched my body, held my hand, walked into this gym, looking like every inch the beautiful woman you are, so much so that I wanted to strip down and make mine the minute I saw you... you changed me, baby. You are everything to me. You and Ivy have both made me a better man, and I never ever want to let you go,” he whispers, his hand cupping my cheek, pure love and joy in his face, and I melt further into his touch.
This man. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I wanted and more.
He was worth the fight.
He was worth it all.
