by Emma Woods
I took my time walking down to the vending machine nook. Even this small distance between my family and myself was a relief. Fiddling with the change in my hand, I contemplated the choices. A diet soda would appease my brothers somewhat, though Gus would prefer the full-sugar version.
“There you are!”
Surprised, I turned and found Rosa striding down the hall, chunky turquoise heels clicking. In this beige environment, she looked like something Dorothy would have experienced in Oz.
“How are you holding up?” my aunt asked.
“The family got here about half an hour ago,” I said as explanation.
Rosa’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see. I’ll go check on Gus.”
I watched her go with a little smile on my face before making my selection. The can rumbled down the chute, and I pulled it from the slot, then turned back to Gus’s room. Now that Rosa was here, things might be easier.
She greeted her nephews and sister-in-law with her usual warmth and enthusiasm. For their part, Charlie, Quinn, and Mom kept scanning her bright vintage dress with barely-concealed disapproval.
I sidled up to Gus and opened the soda can for him, then popped in a straw.
“Thanks, Corinne,” he said with a tired smile.
I bent down and kissed his cheek, whispering, “We’ll be going home soon.”
There was a gentle rap on the door, and we all looked over to find Matt looking around with uncertainty. Considering that he’d stayed here for hours yesterday, I was touched that he’d returned so soon.
“You’re looking better today, Gus,” Matt said and strode over to the bed. He pulled a bag out from behind his back. “I got something for you.”
Gus reached for the bag, a happy smile lighting his face. I held onto the shiny package while Gus reached in through the tissue paper and pulled out a thick newsprint book. Craning my neck, I saw that this was a reprint of an entire series of early X-Men comics.
“Wow, thanks!” my brother chortled.
Matt leaned down and gave Gus a very careful hug. From my angle, I had a clear view of Gus, who was grinning and laid his head on Matt’s big shoulder as he reached up to pat the older man on the back. When Matt didn’t quickly pull away, something inside of me pinged with joy.
I blinked at the sudden, unexpected feeling and paused to peer closely at it. It was the craziest thing, but in that moment, I had gone from admiring and being attracted to Matt to falling in love with him. Just like that! I glanced around the room to see if anyone had noticed the sudden change, but everything was as it had been before my world shifted.
I looked back at the man I loved, who was smiling lovingly at my brother. Matt was the sort of man who took time to know what gift would mean the most to a special-needs employee. He not only hired such a person, but truly befriended him, too. Matt didn’t just go to church or talk big about God. He humbly tried to be godly in his speech and his decisions. Matt was a protector and a provider, a creator and a listener. If I spent the rest of my life searching, I would never find a man like him again.
It was wild to think that I was standing there in a crowded hospital room, and my heart had taken an irreversible step forward. I wanted to throw my arms around Matt and tell him what was in my heart. But at the same time, I wanted to cherish the knowledge, keeping it small and safe for a little while longer. Everything had changed in an instant, and no one else knew.
I could have gone on staring at Matt and wondering at my love for him for hours, for days.
Charlie got to his feet and shattered the loveliness of the moment. He squared his shoulders and strutted up to Matt, putting out an accusing finger. “I don’t want to be rude, but I hold you responsible for Gus’s accident. I’m going to have to talk to the family about this.” Here, he looked around at us impressively. “However, don’t be surprised if we take legal action.”
Matt’s mouth fell open, shocked by this turn of events. Rosa pushed to her feet, hands instantly on her hips, an argument ready to burst out.
But I was there first. I stepped in between Matt and Charlie and shook my head.
“Don’t be silly. We aren’t going to pursue legal action, Charlie. If you’re going to threaten people, you might as well leave.” I crossed my arms determinedly.
Quinn got to his feet, coming to Charlie’s aid. “We can sue this guy if we want, Corinne. I wouldn’t expect you to understand that, though. Leave it to those of us with a college education.”
My eyes narrowed at his condescending tone. I took a single breath, making sure my motives were right before I started talking.
“That’s enough,” I said firmly. “I’m done listening to you look down on me because I didn’t go away to college. I’m not going to listen to you making fun of my weight or the fact that I’m a secretary or that I’m single. You are never going to bring those things up in order to make me feel bad about myself. Not ever again.”
Charlie began to speak, but I cut him off with a glare.
“Maybe Dad never told you this, but I think it’s been kept quiet long enough. When I graduated high school, he came to me and told me that I couldn’t go away to school. He needed me to stay home to look after Gus and do the housework because Mom was sick. And I did that, because I love my family more than my dreams.” I paused and watched them digest this news. “I don’t want anyone else to know that story. It’s this family’s private business and no one else’s.
“The two of you have spent your lives pretending you’re not a part of this family. As soon as you were able, you disappeared. You have never been there for Gus or Mom or Dad, or me, for that matter. You have no idea what Gus wants or needs. You don’t have a clue about how our day-to-day lives operate. So stop butting in. I don’t care about your opinion of the choices we make. You hardly know Gus, and you hardly know me.
“And, no, Quinn, you can’t sue whomever you want. Mom and Dad made me Gus’s legal guardian when he moved in with me. I still have power of attorney over him. You can’t sue someone on his behalf, because you have no legal right to him.”
My brothers’ faces grew redder and redder as I talked. Steam was practically pouring out of their ears.
I knew I wouldn’t have the floor much longer, so I forcibly calmed myself down and went on. “If the two of you want to have a relationship with us, we’d love that. You can start calling or Skyping us. But if all you want is someone you can complain about, don’t bother.”
The two of them spat out a few empty words that sounded like, “Well, really!” and “Totally off base!” Several awkward moments passed before Charlie turned to Mom and said, “I’m ready to leave. Sounds like Corinne doesn’t want our help. Let’s go.”
Mom looked between us with wide eyes. A few tense moments stretched before she leaned down and kissed Gus. “Looks like we need to hit the road. Bye, baby.”
She gave me a very tentative hug, clearly wary of my outburst, then gathered her purse.
Dad came in, looked around, and said, “Is it time to go?”
Neither of my brothers even looked my way as they bid Rosa and Gus good-bye and scurried out the door. Once they were all gone, I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding.
“Corinne! I’m so proud of you!” Rosa gasped. She crossed the room quickly and pulled me into a hug. “That was wonderful!”
I beamed, my heart light. It was disappointing, though unsurprising, that Charlie and Quinn had reacted the way they had. Still, I’d set a new boundary, and it felt great.
I looked up slowly at Matt, my heart in my eyes. Sure enough, he was looking at me as though I’d hung the moon. My heart sighed happily.
“Um, I need to talk to Matt alone. We’ll see you in a few minutes,” I said, and then grabbed his hand, pulling him behind me to the vending machine nook.
I turned and looked up into his beautiful, intense gray eyes.
“You stood up for me,” he said, delighted.
I nodded dumbly.
“You were brillian
t. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say it, but I was really proud of you.”
Before I spoke, I think I meant to thank him or say that he was allowed to have pride in me. However, the words that came out of my mouth were, “I love you, Matt.”
My eyes widened, and I clapped a hand over my mouth.
Matt, though, looked as though I’d given him the most precious gift. “You do?” he whispered. “Really?”
“Oh, yes,” I assured him as my lips slowly stretched into a radiant smile.
He pulled me into his arms and said, “That works out really well, since I’m in love with you.”
When our lips met, the whole world fell away. I didn’t want to be anywhere else other than in Matt’s arms. Even as his strong hands spread over the lumpy parts of my back, I just leaned into him a little closer and kissed him again. Matt wasn’t going to be scared off by my unsightly bits. He was a real treasure, and he was mine!
We stood smiling at each other until someone came and needed to get to the vending machines. Then we walked slowly down the hospital hallway, hand in hand, hearts linked together forever.
Thank You
Thanks for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, or even if you didn’t, it would be awesome if you left a review for me on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It really helps me know how I’m doing.
The next book in the Triple Star Ranch Romance series is in the final stages of editing now and will be available soon. You will definitely want to find out who falls in love next, so keep your eyes peeled :)
Until then, if you’re interested in historical western stories, you should check out the Rushing Into Love series which takes place during the California Gold Rush. The first story in that series is called More Precious Than Gold.
Get More Precious Than Gold here:
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