“Yeah, well, I thought it was best to keep everyone busy. The first few days, it was so quiet and uncertain.” His eyes closed, and he got a pained look on his face. “I really thought I was going to lose you too. They came in and said that you were getting stronger and doing better. Everyone was so happy, but I was still not sure.”
“Because of what happened with Bryan.” I remembered our conversation just minutes before the wreck.
“At times, we all laughed together, but it didn’t last. We’d look over and see you. Your mom would try to tell you what was going on, and I’ll admit it. A few times, I had to leave the room.”
I didn’t know how to feel about that. I couldn’t help what happened—no one could—but I felt like I had put them all through it.
“Your mom came out and talked to me. I told her about Bryan and what happened and how I was just telling you about it. She listened.”
“Mom’s pretty great actually, when she can keep it together.”
“Well, I kept imagining you and Bryan together, like he was looking over you.”
I wished he had. I wished I had my own story to tell from that time.
Seth chuckled, softening the heavy mood a bit. “Your dad gave me a talk as well.”
I covered my face. “Oh no, you mean like a sex talk or a keep your hands off my daughter talk?”
“No, he just told me how much he loved you and that I better take care of you. He said he fucked up with your mother, and not a day goes by that he doesn’t regret it.”
“Really?” I had never thought my father regretted anything he did. He had moved on to a much happier life from what I could tell, and he didn’t ever burden himself with us other than with his wallet. But now maybe I understood. Maybe it was too painful for my father to be around. To see everything he had lost and everything he’d given up. “He said that?”
“Yeah, but he also told me two things. One, if I ever told anyone that he admitted that, he’d kill me. And two, if I ever hurt you, he’d kill me.”
I burst out with laughter. “I’d love to see him try.”
Seth nudged my leg. “So, what do you think?”
My mind was reeling from processing it all. “I think it’s a big step.”
His chest swelled with a deep breath, which he quickly let out. “Is that a no?”
“Not at all. I just feel like you might be rushing things to hold on to me. You don’t have to do that.” The disappointment was clear on his face, and that was the last thing I wanted. “Don’t get me wrong. I want to move in, and I really hope it’s going to work, but I want you to ask me for the right reasons and because you’ve thought it out.”
“That’s easy. Every night, I wish you were next to me, and every morning, you’re the first thought in my mind. I look around for you, and when you’re not there, I can’t wait to get to you. That’s why this past week and the whole time you were sleeping were hell. I don’t need to think about it, Avery. I have already made up my mind.”
Without a word, I got up from his bed and went to the other room.
“Where are you going?” he asked, getting up to come after me.
When he saw me on my phone, he looked a bit confused. “What are you doing?”
“Calling my dad. If he says it’s okay, I know Mom will agree.”
Seth’s eyes lit up with his smile. “I’ll talk to them if I need to. And tell them you can ride out the lease or whatever needs to happen. I don’t want them to think we’re rushing things.”
“Oh, wait,” I said. “Let me get a picture of my ring. They might as well know how serious we are, right?”
“Just don’t get the fact that we’re both naked. This could turn into another disaster.”
“Oh no, don’t even say that,” I said. “We’re all done with disasters. From here on out, everything is going to be perfect.”
Seth smiled. “As long as we’re together, there isn’t any other way it could be.”
My mother’s voice answered the phone.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. Is everything okay?”
“I have something to ask you.” I smiled, already knowing the answer would be yes.
The End.