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The nurse’s sigh draws my attention. She shrugs. “I hate kicking visitors out. Especially when they look like that.” She winks at me, and I laugh.
All the energy I have left saps out of me after she finishes checking my vitals. My eyes are heavy, and I dose off. When I wake, I feel a bit more alert, though in more pain. I press the nurse button for some more pain medicine, and as I wait, I check my phone.
There is a text from Duke.I love you.
It’s short, sweet, and to the point. But it’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and all I need. I respond.I love you, too.
Duke
Junecomeshometwodays later. She tires easily, and she’s in some pain. But her medicine helps. I read all the discharge instructions carefully. We’re following them to the letter. I make sure she walks some and rests, just like it says. When I’m not with her, Nancy or Violet are.
By the third day, all of the fussing irritates her. She says she feels good, so she spends a lot of time on her feet, insisting on making dinner. It’s not until the next day when she’s exhausted and hurting that she admits she might have been wrong. I manage not to say “I told you so” to her face.
I spend a lot of my spare time snuggling with her. Tabby’s thrilled to have her back home, and I catch them cuddled up together, too. Nothing fills me with more happiness than coming home to find them curled up in the chairs in the library, reading.
The Tyrants have a week of away games in Canada right before Thanksgiving. I’ve always hated being away from Tabby, but now it’s almost unbearable to be gone. We do video calls and text, but it’s not the same. From all indications, June’s almost back to normal. The color has returned to her face, and she tells me on the Wednesday before the holiday that she went all day without a nap.
“Pulled an all-dayer, did you?” I tease her as we video chat on our phones. I’m waiting for our plane. We’re on the red-eye home. I’m looking forward to spending the holiday with my girls.
“It’s practically like a workout.” She nods with satisfaction, and I laugh at her. “How’s Huck?”
Last night, Huck pulled his right hamstring. “He’s sore and bitchy.” I’ve played with Huck for years, but I’ve never seen him like this.
“How long do they think he’ll be out?”
“Not sure yet. They’re going to run more tests when they get him back home.” I sigh. “If he’s out for a while, I’m not sure what we’ll do.” They’re talking about calling up the goalie from our minor team, but we’re on a winning streak. We need someone formidable in the net, and I don’t know if the kid from the minors is ready.
“I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me, too, Freckles. I’ve missed you like hell.”
“Same.” She smiles, and I love the warmth in her eyes. Hell, I love everything about her. “What time does your flight get in?”
“Five o’clock. I should be home around six.”
“Okay. I’m going to bed so I can spend as much time as possible with you when you get here.”
“I love you, June.”
“I love you, too, Duke.”
The flight gets delayed, though, thanks to some snow in Vancouver, and I don’t pull into the driveway until almost ten the next morning. Though I only managed a few hours of sleep on the plane, I’m wide away as I hurry inside.
The smell of turkey hits my nostrils, and I breathe deeply. “I’m home,” I call.
“Daddy!” Tabby races from the kitchen and hits me at a run. I sweep her up, twirling her around. I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I think she’s grown since I left.
She’s also covered in flour. “What are you doing?”
“Apple pie,” she answers. Her face glows. “It’s June’s recipe.”
“Of course it is.” I kiss her cheek. We’re still waiting for some of her testing to come back, but they've discovered she has dysgraphia. It's a disorder characterized by writing disabilities. This past week, she worked with an occupational therapist. Her teachers and June seem hopeful about therapy's ability to help her.
I carry my daughter into the kitchen. June’s drying her hands, and when she turns to face us, her face lights up. She joins us, wrapping her arms around us both. My universe contracts. These two people are the most important things.
“I’ve told your girl to take it easy,” Nancy says, coming out of the living room. “She’s a stubborn one.” She shakes her head at June, but I don’t miss the affection on her face. I wouldn’t have expected them to become close, especially after their first meeting ended so badly. But they seem to have bonded since then over their love for Tabby. I’m not surprised Nancy came around. It’s hard not to fall in love with my June.
June throws up her hands in surrender. “I promised I’d take breaks. This crust is almost done.”
