Oh, shit. His leg! “Come in, sorry! You should be sitting down.”
I rushed forward and moved right in beside him, letting him lean on me.
“I’m okay.” He laughed “You go in and fluff the pillows.”
He pushed me forward and I did as he directed. Ran inside and moved the pillows around, and got a chair from the kitchen so that Brad could rest his leg easily.
“What’s that smell?” Brad asked with another big grin as he hobbled inside and set himself up on the couch where I’d arranged everything for him.
Grayson and Aaron came in too, but they didn’t speak and I began to worry.
“It’s, ah… I brought some dinner. I wasn’t sure what you guys like, so I got a little of everything.”
Brad took my hand and pulled me down next to him. “I’m starved after a day on that hospital food. Grab me some pizza, would ya?”
I did. I grabbed one of the three boxes and brought it over to the couch.
Aaron and Grayson continued to stand near the door.
I swallowed hard and turned to study them.
They were looking around the room, probably noticing the little things I’d brought with me.
“Are you guys hungry too? Can I get you something?”
Grayson sighed. “What’s this about, Nevaeh?”
“I told you. I wanted to bring you dinner, but… you should know, I don’t cook.”
Aaron glared at me. “We don’t need you to cook. We’re not looking for a housekeeper. We’ve gotten along very well without you for all these years.”
Panic hit me and I swallowed hard.
I should have known this wasn’t going to be easy, but I hadn’t thought my courage would dessert me so quickly.
“Okay…”
Grayson put a hand out as though to ward Aaron off.
“Nevaeh, why are you here?”
Panic bounced down my spine with the force of a bowling ball.
“Because I want to be here… with you all.”
“Do you, now? Since when?” Grayson crossed his arms over his massive chest and I had an overwhelming urge to fall to my knees and service him.
But there was so much more to be said.
“Since… the moment I left.” I looked around the room, trying to connect with them all at once. “I’m so sorry I ran out on you the other day. I… behaved badly. I was scared, and overwhelmed, and I over-reacted.”
Aaron walked closer; his aura soft for the first time. “What’s there to be afraid of?”
I laughed, tears filling me eyes. “Are you kidding me? Everything. How I feel about you guys, what it will mean for my life. What I’ll lose. What I’ll gain. I’m… terrified.”
I laughed and hiccupped and wiped away the tears that fell.
Fuck it. I’m all in.