Remember Courage

by Ginny Sterling

  They were doing the grilling at Daisy’s house this time, which meant there would be a little more space and room to lounge around. John and Lily’s place was gorgeous – but extremely tiny due to the age of the home.

  After they’d separated after their kiss in the parking lot of the theater, he’d been pleasantly surprised to have her text him. She’d sent him a quick note that simply said, ‘I had a great time’. A few messages back and forth, he received their photo she’d taken – and her address.

  Dylan realized Eva was a little shy when it came to how she felt. The more they talked, the more he realized that she reminded him of himself. They were very brash and outgoing, but only as a cover for who they truly were. Both were old souls when it came down to what was important.

  He could tell in what she said or how she acted. She wouldn’t let him kiss her on the first date and truthfully, that had been a huge plus in his book. He opened the doors for her and saw that she was already waiting on him to do it – not rudely by any means – but because it struck her as proper. His first move was to hold her hand and he felt like a dolt realizing how hard his heart was beating with excitement. Gosh, he really admired her and couldn’t stop thinking about her.

  As he drove out to Daisy’s, Dylan found himself glancing at her repeatedly just because her smile made him feel good. Eva looked breathtaking in something as simple as black jeans and a form fitted t shirt that was covered by a cardigan. She even had a pretty pin on her sweater. Modern yet traditional, fire and ice, shy but bold – all combined into one, making her utterly enchanting to him.

  Sure enough, when Dylan pulled in front of the house, he saw that it was obviously full of people. He could already smell the scent of the grill out back and knew that was where he would find several of his friends milling about.

  “There sure are a lot of cars here,” Eva muttered, looking nervously at him.

  “Usually when they do a get together – everyone’s invited.”

  “Everyone in the city?”

  “No, but it probably feels that way,” he admitted, seeing children playing in the yard and some guys throwing a football not far away. Out of nowhere, he saw Colin come rushing out the front door with a panicked look on his face, running to one of the cars parked nearby in the string of vehicles.

  “Dude, are you okay?”

  “Nope. I forgot to refill the diaper bag before we left the house and Aurora just decimated her last one. I think that stuff is more potent than battery acid and not sure how Ava does it,” Colin said in panic, grabbing a handful of diapers from the center console of the car and standing up. Eva smiled, covering her mouth with her hand delicately as she realized the huge man in front of them was afraid of a tiny baby’s dirty diapers.

  A bright green dog toy went flying, followed by a slew of animals ranging from large to tiny. Dylan saw Eva’s face light up when she spotted the tiny dog trailing the pack. Reaching over, Dylan scooped up the dog playfully. She immediately squirmed and started licking him on the chin.

  “C’mon little lady, let’s get you a treat from pretty Eva,” he teased, winking at her where she stood beside him, tentatively petting the bundle of fur. The little dog just couldn’t keep up with some of the others due to its shorter legs but she was heartily trying. She wanted to play with the toy just like the others and obviously craved attention.

  “What’s going on, sweet girl?” he crooned, opening the front door to the house for Eva and carrying the dog inside. The tag around the dog’s neck was swinging hitting his knuckles, as he cradled the little dog to him. He walked into the kitchen and put a small box in the fridge. Swiping up a bag of dog treats that he spotted on a table nearby, he handed it to Eva.

  “Let’s find us a seat and say ‘hello’.”

  It was just as much of a madhouse inside as it was outside. People were seated everywhere, children were playing with blocks on the floor, and they managed to walk through a path out to the back where his friends were sitting just as he thought. They were all parked around a massive picnic table exchanging pleasantries.

  Eva felt out of place.

  She didn’t know anyone there other than the officer she’d seen come into the café a few times with Dylan. Thankfully, with all the smiling faces and avid conversation, they didn’t pay much attention to a new person arriving at the crowded house.

  Dylan looked extremely comfortable and was obviously making himself at home, walking right through the middle of the house like it was nothing. As they stepped outside, several people looked their way and began speaking all at once.

  “Hey! Hey! Look who decided to make an appearance – it’s Luka himself and well, hello there! Who’s this? I’m Mike… oomph!” as his wife, Cora, immediately elbowed him and he collapsed on the ground theatrically.

  “Ignore him. I’m Cora, Mike’s wife, and you must be Dylan’s girlfriend, Eva. Oh, this is going to be a little challenging. Eva, meet Ava… her husband, Colin, and their daughter Aurora.”

  “Oh yeah! The big guy terrified of dirty diapers?”

  “Yep. That’s Colin,” Cora grinned, extending out her hand, before turning around to swat away one of Mike’s roving hands. He’d been climbing back up to his feet with the most playful, in love, expression as he stared at his wife. He was being polite and a flirt, Eva realized now, because he only had eyes for his wife.

  She breathed a sigh of relief, having felt extremely nervous at one of Dylan’s friends flirting with her. She didn’t want to have to dress him down verbally or make a scene. She wasn’t interested in the slightest. Glancing at Dylan, she saw he had a lazy, contented smile on his face and his eyes were on Eva.

  “Ignore him. He’s a dork.”

  “Done,” she whispered behind her hand, making both Dylan and Cora laugh amicably. Dylan slipped a hand around her waist and made the rest of the introductions as the other couple went back to cooking the brats.

  There were so many people there, Eva wasn’t sure how she would remember all their names. They grabbed two folding chairs since the benches were almost full. Sitting nearby, she was more than content since Dylan maintained holding her hand. She sat there quietly, listening to everyone talk about their past and swapping stories. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and the weather was amazing.

  The little dog that Dylan had picked up was obviously fond of him. She realized now that he actually recognized the dog and she him. As he set her down, the animal wouldn’t leave his side. Instead, she jumped on her back legs and put her front paws on his knees, rubbing her nose under his hand to get attention.

  “Is she yours?”

  “She thinks that she is,” he amended, grinning. “Eva, meet Sweet‘NLow, my little mongrel.”

  “Hey! She’s not a mongrel and her name is Sugar,” Daisy chimed in, laughing.

  “Nope. It’s Sweet‘NLow,” Dylan whispered stubbornly to Eva.

  “I’ve gotta watch my sugar and this little mongrel is awfully sweet with some stubby legs. She’s my sweet and low friend when I come over… and has taken a liking to me.”

  “Cute name. It kinda fits her, doesn’t it?” Eva said chuckling, petting the dog. It was obvious the tiny mutt had some corgi, terrier, or something awfully short in her bloodline, because Dylan was right – she had some tiny, squatty legs and was terribly sweet on him.

  “I bet she wouldn’t adore you so much if she didn’t know that you didn’t have those doggie treats.”

  “That’s why I gave them to you,” he admitted. “She can get to know you too while you are here.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t need to get attached to someone else’s dog.”

  “Sweet’NLow is up for adoption. They all are. Daisy does group counseling and part of it has to do with animal interaction as a form of therapy.”

  “Have you been here for therapy?” Eva asked, feeling a keen sense of dread hit her. Maybe Dylan was single for a reason, and she was walking into an emotional mess.

  It felt like
the carpet had just been pulled out from under her and that her nagging self-conscious had been right all along. Someone so perfect, so gorgeous, couldn’t be interested in her and she was just going to end up being hurt.

  “He’s nuts,” John said quickly, hoisting a beer bottle up in the air as a salute towards Dylan in a teasing fashion.

  “No, I’m not,” Dylan protested, looking horrified towards Eva. She quickly realized that they were teasing him, making a show in front of the person Dylan had brought with him to embarrass him – something close friends or family did easily and without thought to the repercussions.

  “Don’t tell her that – it’s not true.”

  “It’s actually not,” Ethan said quietly, rolling his eyes at John. “Unless you count an overly clean, stodgy, old-fart mentality. It’s hard to have a roommate that insists on cleaning all the time.”

  “My health is important. I clean everything for a reason - I have to be careful. In fact, I think I need to get ready to eat. Is it almost done, Cora?”

  “Yep. Go ahead, we’ve got about ten minutes left,” Cora said easily, not even bothering to look over her shoulder away from the grill as she turned the brats over.

  “Wait,” Eva said quietly, putting a hand on Dylan’s arm as he got to his feet. She felt like an outsider and nervous at being left alone. “I’ll come with you.”

  “Are you sure? I’ll be right back. I won’t be gone two minutes.”

  “Yep.”

  Eva got to her feet and immediately followed Dylan through the house as he stopped at the refrigerator before continuing back towards an empty hallway towards the rear of the house. She was unsure of where she was going and assumed this had to do with his diabetes since he’d asked about the food.

  “Eva, I’ve got to test and give myself insulin. Just wait here or…”

  “Do you not want me to come with you?”

  “It’s not that,” he said looking surprised.

  “If we are going to try making a go of us dating,” Eva hedged, feeling her face flush nervously as she realized they were completely alone and he was standing so close to her, “…and this is a big part of your life, shouldn’t I know what is going on or what happens? I mean, what if something ever…”

  “You’re right,” Dylan admitted in a low voice; his face had a strange look to it that made her catch her breath and the emotion in his gaze humbled her.

  “You are so incredibly smart. I guess that I assumed you would think badly of me or be weirded out by the needle. I’m usually very private about this and leave the room because I feel like sometimes people tend to stare. It makes me uncomfortable, like something is wrong instead of just taking care of myself.”

  “If I make you uncomfortable…” Eva began and Dylan stopped her, laying his hand on her cheek immediately in a caress.

  “I’ve shown John, my mother, and my captain - I’d be happy to show you. I just don’t want to put you in a position where you would feel uncomfortable if I ever needed help someday.”

  “Dylan,” Eva breathed, staring up into his eyes silently for what seemed like forever. She reached up to touch his face in the same fashion he was doing and swallowed hard at the intensity in his gaze.

  “If you ever need help, I would be crushed if I couldn’t be there for you,” she admitted truthfully in a soft, intimate voice. “I really like you and don’t want you to be afraid to show me something that’s so important.”

  “I really like you too,” he breathed, leaning down to kiss her.

  His lips touched hers and she felt herself melt against him as his arms wrapped around her. There was no hesitation this time between them, it was more of an unspoken pledge in that moment. She really did like him a lot and could see herself falling for this man so easily.

  A bitter chill finally pricked her conscious, dragging her lips from his painfully and gasping at the sensation. His pack from the fridge was in his hand and apparently touching her side by mistake.

  “Oh my gosh, that pack’s cold!”

  “Whoops!” he said as an apology, “I’m so sorry.”

  “That’s okay,” Eva admitted, shyly, “but you might need to finish that kiss later on when we are alone again – with no chilly interruptions either.”

  “With pleasure, my lady,” Dylan breathed, smiling at her.

  Stepping into the restroom with him felt oddly personal as they hid in the small space together. She watched fascinated as he explained how he tested his blood sugar. Eva couldn’t help the fact that she jumped at the click the tester made and saw that he was quick to put it on the small strip in the machine.

  “If I’m ever having problems – you’ll need to access my log on my phone. My password is my thumbprint or just type 911 for my passcode. I use that code for everything to keep it simple,” he said easily and Eva was stunned that he was sharing his information with her so readily.

  He held up his phone and showed her the small square on the front screen of his phone that was located next to several other apps. Apparently Dylan tracked everything. There was a food log, an exercise app, a carbohydrate app, and the one he was pointing at apparently was very important.

  “This one,” he instructed softly, “Open it. It will ask the reading from the tester and calculate the insulin for me. It also uploads to my endocrinologist’s office so they can see if I’m having any issues.”

  “There is one of these bins at every one of my friend’s houses so I can toss the needle out when I’m finished,” He reached under the sink to pull out a small disposal container and dropped the lancet from the tester inside. Pulling out a small clear vial, he swiped his phone to the right.

  “The app will tell you where to inject it and keep track so you can rotate injection sites,” he explained quickly, pulling up his shirt just enough to show his midsection. He grabbed an alcohol pad and tore it open without looking at her, cleaning his skin and pinching it.

  Eva tried to distance herself from the sight of his tanned abdomen. This is business! Shame on you, Eva! she chastised herself for the surge of desire that coursed through her. Swallowing hard, she watched as Dylan quickly poked himself with the needle and was done in no time flat. He held a cotton swab to the spot for a few moments and smiled up at her, depositing the needle into the receptacle.

  “…And we are done,” he grinned.

  “Now, I need to eat something within thirty minutes so I don’t go too low. If you ever see me sweating, slurring, or out of my mind – get my tester and something with sugar, preferably juice. If I’m ever passed out? Call 911 - and inject me with a glucagon pen right in the thigh, arm, or my backside. I plan for the worst and hope for the best. I keep a pen with me at all times in my pack.”

  “Could that really happen?”

  “It has happened,” he nodded, not looking at her. She saw the embarrassed flush on his face and immediately wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. She felt him tense up immediately at the unexpected show of affection before cradling her to him.

  “Thank you for sharing with me,” she whispered softly against his shirt, listening to his heartbeat. She felt his arms tighten perceptibly around her, as he kissed her shoulder.

  “Thank you for caring and for being here with me.”

  They returned to the rest of the group once Dylan had deposited his small case back into the refrigerator safely. She’d seen the small container a few times with him but didn’t think twice of it. She’d assumed it was a case for his phone or Gameboy, not even considering it was his tester and supplies.

  Making their plates, they returned to their seats as the group talked easily among themselves. As they ate, Eva found herself smiling at the outlandish tales of Luka overseas. He was trying not to react or get upset about them discussing him; instead she caught him watching her for a reaction.

  “Man, you must be something because he never dates a girl more than once and I know we’ve been to that same café over ten or fifteen times,” John teased, only to end up
being poked in the side by his wife who sat beside him.

  “I hope you can join us again sometime,” Ava said gently, putting a spoonful of baby food in her daughter’s mouth. The child’s delighted coo’s were adorable and she could see how much the parents loved their little girl. Instantly, she had flashbacks of her own childhood as her eyes filled with tears and her throat closed with emotion.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Eva said quickly, wiping her eyes with a napkin. “I got a piece of something in my eye.” Sweet’NLow immediately moved from Dylan to Eva, pushing at her hand and whining softly. Her pink tongue began lapping at her, in silent comfort. Dylan leaned towards her, whispering in her ear.

  “Sometimes you can’t hide it from people who care about you. Do you want to leave?” he whispered softly to her. Eva glanced at him in surprise and saw the concern on his face.

  “No. I’m fine,” she admitted, shaking her head. “Just kinda hit me.”

  “I know what you mean,” he admitted, grabbing the leg of her chair and pulling her a little closer to him. The chair skidded noisily on the concrete, surprising her by his obvious attention.

  “There,” he said satisfied, smiling tenderly at her. “Now, if I need to talk to you, comfort you, or kiss you absolutely senseless – it’s easier on my neck if you aren’t so far away from me.”

  “Our chairs were two feet apart.”

  “Two feet… and too far,” he whispered vehemently, picking up her hand. He brought her palm to his lips, kissing it before glancing down at the dog and making a scrunched-up face at the animal.

  “Dang! I think there was still dog slobber right where I kissed you. Did you drool all over my Eva, Sweet’NLow?” The dog barked immediately in response, causing the two of them to look at each other and burst out laughing.

  She glanced over at Dylan and caught her breath.