I smiled, grateful for her understanding. “I will. I promise.”
***
Later at Kevin’s…
When I arrived at Kevin’s house, the familiar sound of video game music blared from the living room, mingled with the competitive banter between Kevin and Lexie.
They were, as usual, deeply engrossed in their game, seated on the footboard bench, eyes glued to the massive 120-inch TV. Kevin had an ottoman in front of him to elevate his leg, his crutches resting nearby.
Despite everything he’d been through, he still managed to look like he was having the time of his life. I’ve never been a fan of video games.
Kevin had tried countless times to win me over, coaxing me into playing with promises of fun and bonding time, but it didn’t work.
I found them frivolous, a waste of time that could be spent doing something more meaningful. But I did enjoy watching Kevin and Lexie’s reactions.
That was the real entertainment—seeing the way their faces lit up with excitement or scrunched in frustration, hearing their playful insults and bursts of laughter.
“Licia, you’re just in time to witness the greatest win of all time,” Lexie bragged, her eyes darting across the screen as she maneuvered her character with quick, practiced moves.
“I don’t see Kevin letting that happen. Or would you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at Kevin, who was concentrating hard on the game.
“Trust me, Licia. This win is mine,” Kevin replied, though the tight set of his jaw hinted at the effort it was taking him to keep up with Lexie.
“Want to grab a seat and join us?” he asked, glancing at me briefly before refocusing on the game.
“No, thank you. You know how I feel about this.” I leaned against the wall, watching them.
“Oh, come on, Licia! Just one round?” Lexie chimed in, giving me her best puppy dog eyes.
“Maybe some other time.” I smiled, shaking my head.
“She’ll never do it,” Kevin said with mock defeat, earning a triumphant grin from Lexie.
“Not today, but don’t lose hope,” I teased.
“You’re going to make me lose focus if you keep distracting me, Licia,” Kevin chuckled, his eyes never leaving the screen.
“Don’t blame me for your poor gaming skills,” I retorted playfully, crossing my arms as I leaned against the back of the couch.
“I never lose to Kevin, and today won’t be any different,” Lexie bragged, making Kevin shake his head.
“Oh, really? We’ll see about that.” Kevin narrowed his eyes, a determined look crossing his face.
I watched them for a few more minutes, chuckling at their playful banter before deciding to leave them to it. I headed into the kitchen to grab some water, but as I passed the hallway, I noticed Kevin’s crutches leaning against the wall, his physical therapist’s notes stacked neatly on the counter.
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. He was doing so well, but I knew how much he hated being limited by his injury, how much it ate at him to be sidelined from his usual activities.
When I returned to the living room, Lexie was beaming with pride, clearly having won the match, while Kevin looked defeated but good-naturedly so.
“Told you I’d win,” Lexie said, nudging him playfully.
“Yeah, yeah. Enjoy it while it lasts,” Kevin replied, rolling his eyes but unable to suppress a smile.
“You guys are too much,” I said, shaking my head with a grin.
Kevin shifted slightly, wincing as he moved his injured leg. I immediately went into caregiver mode, my eyes narrowing in concern.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” I asked, moving closer to him.
