Hearts and Other Breakable Things

chapter twenty-three ✔️

katie porter
- january 30, 2020 -

STRETCHING UNDER THE BLANKET, I rolled onto my side. I barely got my eyes open before a wet nose was in my face. I laughed, grabbing at the dog trying to stop him, but that just started the barking, licking, and nipping like all puppies do.

"Kevin!" I laughed again, finally getting the dog in my arms. I tried to get the puppy to stop wiggling and smacking me in the face, but I had a feeling that would be nearly impossible.

            "Sorry about that." Max smiled over his cup of coffee, "He gets a little crazy in the mornings."

            "Just the mornings?" I joked, putting the dog down and wandering into the kitchen. My head pounded, but not from the night before. There seemed to be too much to simply focus on one thing at a time. So instead, I chose to focus on the smell of fresh coffee.

            I stood next to Max at the kitchen bar, "I talked to the guy who runs the Lonely-Hearts Auction the other day. He says his club has to vote on whether or not the bakery can have a booth there, but I'm almost positive they'll say yes."

            He slowly nodded his head, "That's great. We're incredibly thankful for you, Katie. At least I am."

            "I'm really sorry about all of this."

            Instantly, Max shook his head, "No. It's not your fault. We had all these medical bills piling up that needed to be paid. We just lost focus for a little bit there, but we're finding our way back now, thanks to your help."

            My brows knitted together, "What medical bills?"

            He closed his eyes and sore under his breath, "She's going to kill me. I thought you knew already."

            "Max, what do I not know?"

            "I'm sick. As in really sick, but the doctors... They can't seem to figure out what's wrong. I feel like I've been poked more times than a pincushion, you know?"

            "How can they not know what's wrong? I mean, they're doctors."

            Max chuckled more to himself than to anyone else, "You sound just like Elisha. It's really been taking a toll on her and now all this stuff with the bakery. I think it's just too much."

            I stopped with my cup only centimeters from my lips. The realization finally hit me, "Kevin. You got Kevin. How did I now see this?"

            "I just—" he breathed, "I don't want her to be all alone if something happens to me. Most of my days are good ones, but the bad days are really bad. Elisha's been happier since we got Kevin, but sometimes I wake up and she's crying. And, I don't know how to comfort her without making it worse. I think it's hard knowing your husband is probably dying right in front of you."