Page 65 of Escape
With that admission in hand, I couldn’t argue with him. Even if I was a little slower to move or felt pain in several spots on my body, there was no question that being with Huck was the most enjoyable experience of my life.
So, I settled in and enjoyed the rest of my morning on Huck’s deck with a cup of tea in my hand and undeniable warmth in my heart.
It was several hours later when a knock came at the door.
After spending our morning outside on his deck, Huck and I came inside, where he made lunch for the both of us.
I was feeling particularly exhausted afterward, likely the result of having spent so much time in the sun while still trying to heal. So, Huck didn’t hesitate to usher me into the living room, where he made up a comfortable spot on the couch for me to rest and relax.
We wound up spending the better part of the afternoon there, and Huck even gave me full control of the remote. My eyes had drifted shut at some point, but I’d woken up the moment I heard the knock at the door.
As I peeled my eyes open, I found Huck already walking toward the door. Three more knocks sounded before he made it there, and I attempted to get myself upright again.
Huck hadn’t mentioned he was expecting any visitors, so this was completely unexpected. Maybe it was just a delivery driver needing a signature for a package.
I’d just barely gotten myself upright again when I heard voices approaching. Frantically, I glanced around and felt my nerves ratchet up. Who was Huck bringing in here when I looked like such a mess and felt so unprepared?
A moment later, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Bonnie?”
Huck’s mom tipped her head to one side as her eyes roamed over me. Huck was holding two reusable grocery bags in his hands. “How are you doing, Josie?”
“I’m okay. It’s been a slow process. Is everything alright?”
She moved toward me and sat down. “Everything is perfectly fine. I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things for the two of you.”
“Do you have more in the car, Mom?” Huck interrupted.
“Yes, there are two more bags of groceries there as well as the dinner I prepared for you and Josie,” she said.
“You made dinner for us?” I asked.
Bonnie reached for my good hand, took it in hers, and said, “Dessert, too. I wanted to do something to help. And since I had a feeling my son wouldn’t be interested in having me take care of you in the physical sense, I figured making a meal was the best bet.”
“That was very sweet of you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It doesn’t feel like enough, though.”
I was so caught up in the conversation I was having with Bonnie, I was startled when Huck declared, “I’m going to run out and grab everything from Mom’s car. I’ll be back.”
“She’ll be fine with me for a few minutes, Huck. Go do what you need to do,” Bonnie ordered.
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling, loving the way she was with her son. It didn’t matter that he was a fully grown man. She wouldn’t hesitate to order him around, doing it in a way that was only ever loving.
Once Huck turned and moved toward the kitchen to unload the bags his mom had already brought in before heading back outside to grab more, Bonnie focused her attention on me and asked, “So, how are you holding up? Did you sleep okay last night?”
“I did,” I assured her. “I’m not sure there’s ever going to be a time when I say it’s wonderful sleeping with this sling on, but aside from that, everything was wonderful.”
“And what about my son? He’s taking good care of you, helping you, and getting you whatever you need, right?”
For several long moments, I simply stared at Bonnie, trying to determine if her questions were serious. Surely, she couldn’t believe that Huck had been anything less than amazing. But the expectant look on her face indicated she was waiting for an answer, hoping I would tell her what she wanted to hear.
After all that she’d done for me, I couldn’t stand to make her worry any longer. But I couldn’t bring myself to share the specifics of just how sweet and tender Huck had been. Although she was a nurse and likely wouldn’t have thought twice about it, something made me want to keep what happened yesterday when I’d take a bath between Huck and me. It felt too private, too intimate.
So, I found a way to give Bonnie what she needed without revealing the details and said, “I’m not sure I’d be doing half as well as I am now if it hadn’t been for Huck. He’s gone beyond the call of duty to care for me. I don’t think I could ever express to you just how fortunate I feel to have him in my life right now.”
Pride filled her expression as she offered a slight nod of understanding. “I’m glad. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Bonnie, you went grocery shopping and made dinner for us,” I reasoned. “What else could I possibly need other than food and a safe place to stay?”