Powerful (The Driven World) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,72
looks at my chest. “I think you broke her, Kris.”
Tears spring to my eyes, and I nod. “I-It’s why I came.”
Dad backs up and shuts the door. “You get him to her. Maybe then they can both heal.” My father shakes Clive’s hand and steps away from the vehicle. “I’ll be along later. Get comfortable. Look after yourself and our girl. I’m ringing the Boswells.”
Dad turns around and jogs back into the house. Clive turns the car around. When we arrive at Athena’s, I look up the pathway to her home.
“That is a fucking death trap.”
Clive looks up and agrees with my assessment by nodding.
“Clive, you never met Athena, did you?”
“No, I was hired after she left.”
“Sue, did you meet her?”
“Yes, she was there every day. She met most of the medical team who took care of you.”
I glance up the path. “Clive, with your help, I can make it up the path.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Clive opens the door and helps me out. Standing on shaky legs, I slowly put one foot in front of the other.
“This is going to take a while.”
“Who the hell lives like this?” asks Clive as he looks up the hill.
“Athena.” A smile forms, and I shake my head. “You ready?”
“I’m coming,” announces Sue.
“Good, ‘cause I think I’m going to have a heart attack getting up there.”
Sue shakes her head and positions herself on one side of me. “Come on, Clive. Let’s do this.”
It takes the better part of half an hour to reach the top of the hill. Clive knocks on the door, but there’s no response.
“You gotta be kidding me? We made it all the way up here, and she’s not home?” asks Clive with a shake of his head.
The side gate is unlocked, and I gesture with my head. “Through there.”
Clive and Sue help me through the gate.
“Okay, you two, take a seat.”
“You can barely walk,” states Sue.
I grin at her. “Nothing is stopping me from getting to Athena.”
“Right, so muscle atrophy is all in your head?”
With my lips set in a firm line, I walk, or should I stay stagger, to the hole in the wall that leads out to the bluff.
“Any minute now, he’s going to run,” says Clive with a chuckle.
Making it to the wall, I lean against it and hold up my middle finger to Clive.
“Hey, there’s a lady present.”
“I think you deserved that, Clive.”
I hear Clive laugh, but I don’t turn around. With determination, I make it through the wall and see Athena out at the bluff, just past the fire pit. The wind has caught her hair and blows it sideways. She has her arms wrapped around herself as she stares out at the sea.
With renewed strength and my eyes fixed on my prize, I walk, limp, and stumble out to her. The wind masks my movements, or maybe it’s because she is so caught up in her own thoughts, either way, I’m glad she doesn’t see me. I sit on the bench near the fire pit and watch her.
After some time, she drops her head and turns around.
Athena is almost to me when I say, “Where you go, I follow.”
Her head snaps up, eyes wide, and she runs the short distance to me. Athena launches herself, her arms wrap around my neck, and her legs straddle my lap.
“You’re real?”
Cupping her face, I kiss her. “Did you miss me?”
“How are you here?” Her eyes search my face.
“I had some help.”
“When did you wake up? Who helped? Does your dad know?”
I hold a finger to her lips. “None of that matters.”
Athena looks past me. “Who are they?”
Not taking my eyes off her face, I say, “The big guy is Clive, and the woman is—”
“Sue.”
“Yeah.” I grin at her. “She offered to help me. Well, sort of.”
Athena climbs off me and looks me over. “Are you okay? Should you be out of the hospital?”
“That’s why Sue is here. My body isn’t working quite the way it should.”
Athena stands. “Let’s get you inside.”
“Will you help me?” I push off the bench seat, and she puts one of my arms over her shoulders.
Clive comes jogging out and grabs my other arm. With their help, I make it back inside and into Athena’s bed.
“I just need to rest.”
“Is he okay?”
Sue smiles at Athena. “He checked himself out of the hospital. But yes, in time, he’ll be fine.”
“Should I call a doctor?”
“No, you shouldn’t.” Everyone looks at me. I pull back the covers on one side of Athena’s bed. “Join