Love’s Suicide(37)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I covered my face with my hands, feeling frustrated and cornered. “I can’t give him what he wants. We all know that.”

She motioned around the room. “Katy, look around you, darlin’. Brooks isn’t here and he’s never goin’ to be. You have a man that loves you and your daughter. Isn’t it worth it to try and save the family that you have right now? After all you’ve been through, wouldn’t it be nice knowin’ you’re not alone?”

I hated that she was trying to make me feel sorrier for Bobby, so I finished our conversation by saying goodnight to her.

Within minutes Bobby was coming inside and sitting across from me in the kitchen. He was just as handsome as he’d ever been and it hurt me more knowing how wonderful he was when his head was on straight. “I want to go to a meeting with you. Can we arrange that?”

He perked up. “Does that mean there’s a chance that we could get back together?”

I placed my hands flat on the table and took a couple deep breaths. “I’m not making any promises. I think we should take it day by day and see how it goes.” I looked down at his hands and saw his wedding ring. He was swirling it around like he was nervous. “Bobby, we never should have got married when we did. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but rushing into it hurt us. Now we have this mess that we have to clean up before anything can be settled.”

He was starting to cry. I reached over and put my hands in his. “We both made mistakes.”

“I’ve hurt you. I know that.”

“One day at a time, Bobby. Okay?”

He smiled and agreed.

By no means was I inviting him back into my bed any time soon, but I was willing to mend fences to see if he’d changed, and if there was a way that we could get past it.

Chapter 21

November 2012

I was doing good, standing on my own two feet and not letting Bobby’s guilt trips get the best of me. Though he still tried to make amends, I’d come to the conclusion that I didn’t really want to take the chance of him hurting me again.

Then it all changed.

It wasn’t long after our little heart to heart that things went awry.

I got the call at nine in the morning from his shop cashier. She worked three days a week for him, and if she wasn’t there, I don’t know how long he would have been stuck with no one to call for help.

Bobby was working on an oil change for one of our neighbors. On the mornings that he would do things like that, he’d pick up their cars and leave his truck for them to use.

Sally, the cashier called, speaking so frantically that I couldn’t understand what she was saying. “Bobby’s gone to the hospital in an ambulance. It’s so bad. You have to go there, right now!”

In complete worry, I grabbed my keys, left B with Sarah and drove as fast as I could. Again, with Sally’s vague details, I had no idea how injured he was or what could have possibly happened. My worst fear was that he’d spilled some kind of flammable chemical on himself.

When I arrived at the hospital, I found out that one of the lifts in the shop had malfunctioned. While he was under the car, it collapsed. He managed to try and move out of the way, but landed on his side and had both of his legs crushed in the process.

I was told that he was sedated due to the extreme amount of pain he was in, so I wasn’t going to be able to have a conversation with him to find out more details, like if I needed to contact the insurance agency for the business.

Bobby was casted from his chest and then down both legs. They had his lower body elevated, I assume to prevent clots. He looked terrible and I felt horrible for what had happened to him.

Since he was in the intensive care, he was only allowed one visitor and I knew I couldn’t leave him there by himself. I had to be at his side to let him know that I cared.

Because I did care.

Bobby’s anger problems didn’t change the fact that he’d taken care of me for so long. He’d provided comfort when I felt all alone. I needed to give that back to him, for as long as it took.

He was released two weeks later, in which I’d already moved his things into my place, since it was easier for Dave to come over and help me with getting him up. Bobby wasn’t happy about not being in his own home, but I think once he realized that we’d be living together, he never said another word about it.

B was happy to see him all of the time, even though she didn’t understand that his boo boo couldn’t get better from a simple kiss.

Bobby would have a long road ahead of him to rehabilitate and the doctors had already scheduled him for his first surgery, requiring a rod to be placed in his back.

The shop closed for three weeks before the insurance company could deem it safe. Thankfully, his employees could work even if he wasn’t around, so once they’d reopened he’d still get a check to pay some of his bills.

In the meantime, I kept the construction going on my new house, including ramps for Bobby’s wheelchair. They’d be temporary until he would no longer need them.

I know it was wrong to think it, but I knew he couldn’t hurt me if he was helpless. It was game changing, giving me that last push to let him back into our lives.

I’d always believed that things happened for a reason. Bobby getting hurt was as if someone was telling me that we needed to stay together.

By Christmas Bobby was mobile in only a wheelchair. He spent a lot of his time propped up in bed and had lost twenty pounds since his accident. On most days he was in good spirits, considering that he could have lost his life.

He liked to read and play with B. She enjoyed pointing to pictures and having someone tell her what it was.

Things were good for us.

I don’t know what made me do it, but I made a call without thinking it through, not knowing that it would set things into motion that could change everything.

I’d been thinking about Melissa and how I’d missed her. Since I was at a good place in my life, I felt that it was finally alright to reach out to her.

“Hello.”

“Merry Christmas, stranger.”

“Katy? How are you?” She seemed happier to hear from me this time.

“I’m doing well. How are you?”

“Actually, I’m really good. I got engaged last night.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s amazing. Congratulations.”

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting it.” I could hear the excitement in her voice.

“So, who’s the lucky guy? Do I know him?”