My brother, cousin, and best friend had all shown up and helped me remove everything from the house that she wanted.
We didn’t bother taking the furniture since I was sure that the Shields would lay claim to that as well. Sevyn didn’t need or deserve the headache, and I promised her that when the time came, I would assist her in getting new furniture.
I had explained to Blake exactly what was going on, and my best friend had shown up fifteen minutes after my brother and cousin, laden with moving boxes. We had all packed as much as we could in those boxes and placed them in our trucks. They transported everything to my place and left with a promise from Frost that he would be paying a visit to Liam. Although I warned him not to waste energy on that man, I knew my cousin would do whatever he wanted anyway.
I sat with my elbows resting on my knees and my hands clasped as I watched Sevyn work with her physical therapist. Over the last three weeks, she had made great strides during therapy and her everyday movement.
“Come on, Sevyn. You can do this,” I encouraged from where I sat when her shoulders dropped and she appeared to be stressed out.
She looked over her shoulder at me with a glare. I knew she probably had a harsh word or two to share with me, but I didn’t care. I was going to stay on her, to keep her encouraged, throughout her trials. I believed that she had what it took to reclaim her physical mobility and mental health, and I would be her number one champion. After all, I was the one who robbed her of her life.
I hadn’t gotten around to telling her what happened that night. Initially, it was because the doctors encouraged us toallow her to regain her memories on her own. She had done that for the most part, but the details of that night were still sketchy in her mind. She had no idea that I held the key to her unlocking the last pieces of the puzzle, and I was so torn about withholding that information.
Sevyn meant the world to me, and she was becoming a crucial part of my life with every passing day. I was afraid of losing that. Without her, I would be empty, forced to recall how I had lost Lena and my child. Sevyn gave me hope for a brighter future, and she made coping with my grief easier. I didn’t sit around depressed and plotting revenge. My attention was focused on helping her heal.
“It’s too hard,” she whined after a few minutes.
“Don’t get stressed, Sevyn. You’ve got this. Take one day, one step at a time.”
“Easy for you to say,” she muttered.
“You wanna enter my boot camp?” I teased.
“Screw you,” she shouted over her shoulder and resumed her intense exercises again. Sweat dripped down her back and from the sides of her face. I wanted to go and cradle her in my arms and promise her that I would be her legs and her feet, that she didn’t have to worry about that anymore. But I knew that wouldn’t do her any good.
She continued working, and eventually, she fell. I knew she was growing tired, but I also knew she would have to push through the exertion to reclaim what had been taken from her.
I stood and walked to where she was gripping the rails, and her physical therapist stood in front of her. He looked at me and shook his head. I knew he didn’t want me to interfere, but I also realized that I could get things out of her that others couldn’t.
Sevyn had grown comfortable in my presence and in my home, and I loved that. She relied on me in a way that I figuredshe had never relied on anyone else other than her grandmother, including her husband.
I walked in front of her so that she could see me and look into my eyes as I spoke. “You can get up, Sevyn, and you will. I’m not about to pick you up, and neither is Derek,” I stated, jerking my head at her physical therapist. “So, you can lie here feeling sorry for yourself until you’re ashamed of people walking by and watching you. Or you can reach deep down and summon the strength to get up. No one is gonna do it for you.”
“I fell, Deuce. It’s embarrassing, and I’m tired and weak.” Her voice came out bitter and exhausted.
“You’re not the only one who fell. Other patients have too.”
“I’m drained, Deuce. I’m mad.”
“Fine, be mad. But use that madness to get your ass up. Be mad at your body for failing you, and kick your ass into submission so that your legs listen to you.”
“What do you want from me?” She sobbed.
“I want you to prove to yourself that you can do this. We already know you can, so it’s not to us that you have anything to prove.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“No, it’s not. I have no idea what you’re feeling or going through. But I know that I hurt every time I see you go through it. I hurt that I cannot be your feet or legs or make this easier for you. You’ve got to keep it real with yourself and stop getting angry because you’re not making the progress at the rate that you want to. It’s been one month since you’ve been immobile; give yourself grace to heal in time. It won’t happen overnight. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. Most people would be crushed by what you’ve been through. Get up, Sevyn.”
I stood, tucked my hands into my joggers, and I walked away and took my seat on the far side of the room again. She cried for a couple of minutes, and Derek allowed her to. When she wasfinished, I saw the determination in her shoulders and the set of her jaw as she worked to get up again. When she did, she was drenched in sweat but more determined than ever.
I watched as she made it down the ramp with slow, steady, and awkward steps, but she did not give up.
“This isone of my favorite restaurants,” I professed as we pored over the menu at The Oyster House.
“I’ve been here a couple of times. They have great food,” Sevyn declared, toying with her bottom lip as she stared at the menu. “And excellent service. What are you getting?”
She looked up at me with genuine curiosity.
