I'm glad I met you

CHAPTER 16

I wake up the next morning to Saoirse shaking me awake.

"Happy 20th birthday! Come on wake up!" She's way too excited.

I grumble and turn over. I don't want to get up. She stops shaking me. I feel a different set of on me now. These are more gentle. Bigger too.

"Come on love, you can't just spend your whole birthday stuck in bed all day. That's no fun."

I sit up immediately. "Kal?! I though you were still at the hospital!" I pull him into a hug. He lands on top of me with a small 'oof' but I don't even care. I just hug him and kiss him, happy he's here.

He laughs. "I got discharged early. I had to come see you on your birthday."

I notice something on his face and feel it. It goes from his nose to his ears and connects back in front of his chest and continues to go down.

He takes my hand. "It's a tube that helps me breath. Doctors said it has special medicine in the air that keeps my airways from closing and my lungs from collapsing."

"Be careful of this then. Got it." I kiss him.

"Camrynn's back in town now. Did you know that?"

"Yeah. I ran into him at the park."

"He came to visit me. Called me a bastard then gave me a big hug and started crying and then called me a bastard again. I was getting really mixed signals but I think he cares."

I can't help but laugh.

He plays with a small strand of my hair. "You have lovely bed head my dear."

I swat his hand away. "I just woke up. Leave me alone."

He kisses my forehead. "Why don't you get ready and we'll start the day yeah?"

"Okay."

I get up and go to the bathroom and brush out my hair then change as quickly as possible. I walk out and Saoirse immediately drags me back into the closet.

"No. You are not wearing purple and red. Try this. Much better." She hands me clothes and walks out.

I change into those instead. It's the form fitting shirt and the slightly baggy pants we got at the mall a few months before. I come out and hear Saoirse snicker.

"You did this on purpose." I hear Kal whisper to her.

She only giggles.

I frown. "Is something wrong?"

Kal pulls me to him by my waist. "Not at all." He kisses me.

"Kay, well I'm gonna go get breakfast. Try not to undress him so fast ok? We just got him dressed."

"Saoirse!"

She just walks out cackling.

I just bury my face in Kal's chest with a sigh. He wraps his arms around me and I wrap mine around him, being careful of the tube. I wonder how much longer I have with him. How many more months? How many more days? How long until my love is ripped cruelly from my arms by death? And how much longer will I live after him?

He pulls back and tilts my head up a little to kiss me. I take in the warmth of his lips and smile. I can feel him smile too.

"Let's go get breakfast yeah?"

I nod and we go to the kitchen.

"Nice of you to join us sleepy head," I hear Ma say to me.

I grin and sit at the counter. I hear a plate being set in front of me.

"Here. Grits and eggs and a biscuits."

I smile. "Thanks Ma."

"Of course sweetheart." She kisses my head and I hear another plate being set down beside me. "Here you are Kal."

"Thanks."

"Mhm."

We eat and put our plates in the sink. After, I go and get my shoes on and harness up Rogue.

"Where are you going?" Kal asks me.

"I was thinking we could go to the park for a bit. It feels nice outside today."

"Alright."

I grab my cane and we head out. I smile at the sun on my skin and the soft breeze. We get to the park soon enough and Kal leads me excitedly to some swings. I set my cane to the side and tell Rogue to stay before finding the closest empty swing and getting on. I feel Kal start to push me.

"What- Kal. Are you not gonna swing?" The swing squeaks ever so slightly.

"No. I'm content with pushing you. Or watching you swing. Your hair looks adorably hilarious every time you swing forward."

"I'm sure it does." I swing for a bit before planting my feet and slowing myself down and getting off.

Kal hands me my cane and I fold it up and put it in my pocket. I call Rogue to me and grab a hold of his harness handle and find Kal's hand and hold that too.

"Where do you want to go now?"

"Maybe just for a walk, then we can start back towards home."

He swings our hands a little. "Alright."

We walk around the park and talk about anything and everything there is to talk about. I'm mostly listening though. I'm content with listening to him talk. He tells me about the nurses at the hospital and the food there and how Mari came out to their parents and the cute puppies he saw on the way to my house this morning. I tell him about my dream. How it was about him and how we ended up getting married and adopting two little boys coincidentally named Eoghen and Eiran. We talk until we get back to my house.

When we get inside I take off Rogue's harness and hang it back up where it goes. I go to my room and Kal follows me. I sit on my bed with a small sigh. Kal sits next to me and grabs my hand. I feel him pull it up and gently press his lips against my knuckles. I kiss him and he pulls me into his lap. I laugh as he kisses my neck and jaw. I feel him trace his fingers along my back. They go from there to my stomach and up my chest to my face, cupping it. I wrap my arms around his neck as I kiss him.

"I love you so much.." he mumbles against my lips and kisses me again.

I rest my forehead against his. "I love you more than you could ever know or imagine."

He hugs me and I bury my face in his neck, taking in his warmth and scent. I don't want this to be taken from me.