“Mattie, why? Did something happen? Why didn’t they call us? We have to go!” I tried to jump up, but he held me to the chair and waited for my outburst to be over.
“Honeybee, listen to me. Nothing happened. They just lied about the date of the surgery.”
“What? Why?” I asked, hurt tinging my words. “Why would they lie to us?”
He smiled ruefully and rubbed my legs up and down to quell my trembling. “Because they didn’t want us to sit there worrying through the whole thing. They told us it was tomorrow so we’d be oblivious to the whole thing until it was over. They were protecting us, love.”
I frowned while tears filled my eyes at the thought of not being there. “But Far had to sit by himself the whole time! I wanted to be there when Mor woke up! I wanted her to know I love her!”
“Shhh,” he whispered and kissed my lips until I was quiet. “Mor knows that, sweetheart. You gave her the best gift you could ever give her when you called her mom. She would have died a happy woman if yesterday had been her last day on earth, but it wasn’t. What you did yesterday was more than you even knew you were doing. You gave her hope the moment the word Mor fell from your lips. She needed hope and something to look forward to more than she needed us sitting and fretting for hours in the waiting room. Far sat in the chapel the whole time and prayed. He said being alone made it easier for him to handle his own fears and be strong for her when she woke up. I guess we can’t be mad about that.”
I caressed his face and wiped away a tear from his cheek. “No, I guess not. I still wish they hadn’t tricked us. They could have talked to us like adults. We aren’t children.”
He tapped my nose once with his finger. “In their eyes, we are, so we forgive them and try to understand what they’re going through, and that their subsequent actions won’t always be logical to us.”
“I guess you’re right. How is she?” I asked, my voice scared. “I was ready to be worried tomorrow, not today.”
He chuckled and kissed my lips. “Which was exactly their point, now you don’t have to worry. Mor is good. She’s awake. I even talked to her.”
“You talked to her? I want to talk to her,” I whined, but he shook his head and kissed me again.
“Tomorrow, when we go for your tests. She’ll be more with it and be able to visit with you longer. Far sent me this,” Mattie said, taking his phone out and showing me the screen. It was a picture of Mor giving the camera a double thumbs-up.
My chin trembled when I took the phone, hugging it to my chest. “She’ll be okay now?” I asked with tears in my eyes. “I just want to run to her.”
He cupped my chin and ran his thumb over my cheek to wipe away a tear. “I know, sweetheart, I understand. She’s getting excellent care, so let’s give her a day to feel a little better before we see her. Okay?”
I nodded my agreement because my voice was going to break if I spoke.
“Far reports the doctors said the surgery was a success. She’s going to be just fine.”
I let out a relieved sigh. “Thank God. Maybe she chose the most radical option, but it paid off.”
He smiled and I saw the relief he was trying to hide. “Mor is the bravest woman I know next to you.”
I shook my head with adamance. “I’m not brave. I’m stupid and lucky, that’s all. She’s always been brave.”
He lowered his brow and held my chin tightly. “We’re going to have to discuss the words you’re allowed to use to describe yourself, Honey. Stupid isn’t one of them. Got it?”
“I’m just all upset now,” I said with exasperation. “Can I at least text Far and tell him to tell Mor that I love her?”
He kissed my forehead and held tight to the back of my neck. “I already did, and she already knew.” He winked, and my heart relaxed a tiny bit in my chest. “You can tell her yourself tomorrow morning too. We’ll go up after the ultrasound and spend some time with her. I’ll take you to lunch, then we’ll go back again later, just to prove to you she’s on the mend.”
I chuckled as I turned my face to the sky. “You know me well.” I let out a breath and sucked one back in. “I’d say we should cancel the tests now that she’s not having surgery, but I know you won’t allow it.”
“See, you are smart. Incredibly smart.” He laughed and hugged me while his fingers trailed up and down my back. “We aren’t canceling the tests. I’ve got you on the insurance now, so the tests are covered. If you need the EEG, it’ll pay for that too.”
“Have you noticed I’ve been okay since we’ve been careful about the heat and stress?”
He rested his hands on my thighs and held my eyes. “Yes, but you’ve also been on the medication for longer too. You’re having the test. We’ll decide with the doctor what to do from there, agreed?”
I held my hands up in defense. “Fine. I’m not arguing. I was just saying that I feel better. Maybe it’s the medication and knowing what the triggers are. It makes me less stressed to know that I have some control over it.”
“Good, because we both know stress is one of those triggers. If my suspicions are correct, that’s another reason they didn’t tell us about the surgery. They didn’t want you there worrying yourself into a seizure.”
“They are parents, after all,” I sighed. “You’re probably right.”
I was about to say something else when his phone rang in my hand. I handed it over, and he answered, standing to take the call while I took a moment to thank the good Lord for keeping Mor safe through the surgery. While he was talking by the firepit, I picked up my phone and typed out a text, sending it off to Far. I wanted to be there for him as much as for Mor. If I knew Theo, and I knew Theo, he needed to hear someone was thinking about him, though he would never admit it. He would be strong for her and fall apart in private. I just wanted him to know I loved him.
