His hair has started to grow back and it’s the same shade as mine. It’s a beautiful dark brown, shiny, and right now it looks a bit fuzzy, but it’s progress. It’s fucking progress, and it means he can live the life the way he wants to.
“Go on, ring it!” I say as Dillon stares at the bell on the wall like it contains the secrets to life.
His hand reaches out, shaking, and he grabs onto the string and slams the metal ball against the side. Everyone cheers, the nurses, the doctors, but especially my family. Everyone is hollering, whistling and this time, I’m not crying.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Dillon is ringing the hell out that bell, and he doesn’t seem to want to stop anytime soon. Doctor Gladstone is smiling too. Happy faces all around. Even Maggie. She made a special trip to see his ceremony.
Without her, none of this would have happened.
The bell finally stops ringing, and Dillon runs to me, arms spread, and I wrap my arms around him, swinging him back and forth. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Dillon.”
“You said a bad word,” he scolds.
“I think for right now, it’s okay to say.”
“Can I say that I finally fucking beat cancer?” he asks with big eyes.
Finley chuckles, and Heaven sticks out his bottom lip and gives me a supportive nod.
“Okay, but just this once because you did beat cancer.”
He tilts his head back and screams, “I fucking beat cancer!” and throws his fist in the air. There’s roar of laughter and another round of applause. There are a few judgmental patients looking our way since I allowed my kid to curse, but fuck them.
They have no idea how monumental today is. He did fucking beat cancer, and after everything—the sickness, the hopelessness, the fear, if the kid wants to say the word fuck, I’m going to let him.
But just this one time.
“That was awesome,” he says, red in the face from all the cheering and yelling.
I point a finger at him. “No more cursing. That was your wild card, okay?”
“Yes, sir.” He giggles. His eye fall to Maggie. “Maggie!” He wiggles to be let down, and I drop him to his feet, and he runs over to her with his arms wide.
I stand next to Doctor Gladstone and cross my arms. “Thank you for saving his life, for dealing with things you typically wouldn’t have to deal with.” I hold out my hand in a grateful gesture. “He wouldn’t be here without you.”
He meets my palm with his and squeezes. “Just doing my job. I’m happy. I don’t see this near enough,” he says on a long, tired sigh. “It gets draining.”
“I bet. I don’t know how you do this every day,” I say.
“Well, this. This is the reason.” He juts his chin toward Dillon. “All these happy faces. This little boy is going to grow up happy and healthy. All the sadness is terrible, but then there’s that rare percentage that survives, and the feeling is so damn good. It makes me never want to stop being a doctor.”
“Well, you’re more than welcome to work for us whenever you want,” Jaxon says. “You can move in and work part-time and keep your job at the hospital. I’d hate to see your patients lose an incredible doctor.”
“I’ll think about it,” he says. “Thank you.” He turns his wrist over and pushes his foot off the wall. “I have a patient to go see. I’ll see you guys around later,” he says, his white coat floating behind him like a cape. A true superhero.
“So I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but Richard is asking questions, and he’s searching for Heaven. He isn’t going to stop until he gets him either,” Zeke says through a tight smile, watching Dillon hug the nurses.
Dillon stayed with us as long as he could, but was admitted into the hospital again for the transplant. It was better that way. He had round-the-clock care. And in that time, he became very close with the nurses. They love him to pieces too.
“Well, they are going to have to go through us,” Owen says.
“I swear I didn’t fuck his daughter,” Heaven states, scratching the area above where his cast stops.
“Bet you a hundred bucks you did. Maybe you need to learn to keep it in your pants.”
“You keep it in your pants, Sebastian!” Heaven throws back at him.
“He better not,” Gabriella wraps her arms around Sebastian’s waist and cuddles her cheek against his back.
“Hey, Sebastian?” Finley asks from the nook of my arm.
“Yeah?”
“I’ve been wondering and forgetting to ask with everything going on, but did the headline about the murders in Kentucky just stop? It was like my face disappeared from the news. Authorities were no longer interested.”
“Oh, that.” Sebastian chuckles. “Well, I called a friend of mine in that tiny town, Dixie. She said she met up with you. She said she killed them because they attack her. She isn’t in trouble. We cleaned up the mess.”
“You know Dixie!” Finley gasps. “What a small freaking world. That town was so barren, I didn’t think anyone knew it existed unless they accidently stumbled upon it. How do you know her?”
“I stumbled upon it one time,” Sebastian says. “A long time ago. She gave me a beer when I didn’t have a dime.”
“Yeah, she’s good at that,” Finley says, fondly. “I hope she stays safe there. The men in that town are aggressive.”
“Dixie can take care of herself. She’s a badass, like you,” Sebastian compliments Finley, and she blushes. “We saw how you—”
“Let’s not discuss that here,” I interrupt and clear my throat when a nurse gives us a funny look. “Dillon! Come on, let’s go home.”
“Can we go bowling! I’ve never gone bowling before. Oh, I want to ride a horse. Can we get one? Oh, I want to see a waterfall. Daddy, there are so many things I want to do. I read them all in this book—”
“Slow down, buddy. We will do all the things your heart desires. I promise. I’m okay with us going bowling; who else wants to go?” I ask, knowing damn good and well not a soul is going to deny Dillon a chance to go bowling.
“I’m going to kick your butt, little dude,” Heaven says, flexing his arms. “I’m the bowling champ.”
“Maybe, but not with that bum leg,” Dillon whips back.
“Oh!” everyone sings, and Heaven places his hand on his chest, pretending to be heartbroken.
“Wow, that hurt, kid. That really hurt.”
“You’ll be okay, Uncle Heaven.” Dillon runs down the hall with more energy than I’ve ever seen since he has come into my life.
Finley loops her arms in mine and lays her head against my chest. “I hope you’re ready for a newborn too.”
“A newborn? That could only happen if—” I stop speaking and walking, spinning her in my arms to see if she’s telling the truth. “You’re pregnant? You’re sure?”
“I’m sure!” She nods with a wry smile, waiting to see my reaction. “Are you okay with it?”
“Am I okay with it?” I smash my lips against hers and lay my hand on her belly. “I’m going to be a dad, again. Dillon is going to be a brother.” I swing her around, and she slaps my shoulder and shakes her head.