Chapter 21
Gavin
Flyinghasneverbothered me, and I’ve often enjoyed it, but flying without my eyesight is another story.I'm thankful to have Lauren and Graham with me. Graham keeps my mind off what’s going on. He brought a book full of facts on Australian animals, and every time he reads something new, he asks about it. He's such a smart kid.
Lauren's been holding my hand as much as possible, but she’s across the aisle from me. Gem has her own seat at the window, and she’s the star of the show because the flight attendants have been spoiling the crap out of her.
Navigating the airport is surprisingly easy. I have Lauren and Graham with me, but people see Gem and are more than helpful and understanding. Now the only worry I have as we make our way to the small apartment the military is letting us stay in is that Lauren's mom is coming to help watch Graham on my surgery days. I haven't faced her parents in over seven years, and I'm sure they're not thrilled to have me back in the picture.
"All right, we’re home for the next few weeks," Lauren says as she opens the door.
"Wow! This place is nice. Can I see my room? When will Grandma be here?" Graham rapid-fires questions.
"Slow down, buddy. Grandma's already in town, although she’s staying at a hotel to give us some space. She's only a few minutes up the road. And yes, you can go check out your room. It's the one with the smaller bed," Lauren says, and I hear Graham run off down what I assume is a hallway.
"Now, let's get you settled. The front door leads right into the living room. In front of us is a kitchen, and slightly to the left is the kitchen. It has a dining table with four chairs. To the right is a small hallway with a bedroom on each side. Our room is to the left, and the bathroom is right in front of the hallway door." Lauren gives me the lay of the land, but she seems more nervous than I am.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her into me for a kiss. A soft, sweet kiss to stop her mind from racing.
"I'm glad you're here," I tell her as I continue to hold her close, not ready to let her go.
"Me too. My mom said she'll bring dinner over, so we don't have to worry about cooking tonight. She'll be here in about two hours."
I finally let her go, taking a deep breath. The last thing she needs to worry about is why I'm so nervous about being around her mom again. I’ve tried to let my anxiety go because Graham is so excited to sightsee with her during the day while Lauren goes with me to the hospital. I don’t want Graham to worry, and he sees this as a vacation with his grandma here. Honestly, I’m grateful for that.
Lauren takes her stuff to our room while I get to know my way around the apartment. I don't want to have to rely on Gem the entire time we're here, as I want her to be able to have some downtime too. Another thing to be grateful for is being on the ground floor because it will make things much easier when I have to take Gem outside.
The living room has a basic setup with a couch, two chairs, and a TV stand. The kitchen is L shaped, so it's open to the living room, and the dining room table is right where Lauren said it would be. No sooner do I sit down on the couch than there's a knock on the door.
"Grandma!" Graham’s footsteps run toward the door, followed by Lauren.
The door opens, and Lauren's mom enters. Graham is excited to see her, and there's lots of hugging and asking how the trip went.
The smell of burgers and fries fills the air as I stand and hesitantly walk over to join them. When I'm close enough, Lauren’s hand grips mine, and I squeeze it, letting her know I'm fine.
"Graham, why don't you take this stuff to the table? We’ll be there in a moment,” Lauren’s mom says.
I hear the rustling of a bag and then quiet, but I can feel her eyes on me.
"Gavin. It's good to see you again." Her voice isn't friendly, but it's not as cold as the last time we talked.
Not knowing what else to say, I nod. Now isn’t the time or place to say anything.
Thankfully, Lauren steps in. “Let's go eat before Graham finishes all the food."
We head to the table and sit down. While we eat, Graham and Florence go over all the things they want to do in Baltimore. After listening to their plans, Lauren also insists a little educational activity be added.
"So, if this surgery works, what happens to the dog?" Florence asks.
"She remains mine. She was trained for me, and even if the surgery works, I’ll still be considered legally blind. Since my eyesight will be limited, I’ll need her assistance, so there’s no question she’ll continue to be mine."
The conversation continues, and if Lauren notices my lack of participation with her mom, she doesn't say anything. Maybe she chalks it up to nerves.
After dinner, we get Graham in bed, leaving the three of us in the living room. Now, there is no hiding the tension.
"All right,” Lauren says. “You can cut this tension with a knife. It's not good, especially as we’ll be together over the next few weeks."
I keep my mouth shut.