Seven (10 page)

“What do you mean? It’s Netflix…like on the cable box you know? Like, movies, or binge-watching episodes of
Breaking Bad
. Why? Does it mean something else?”

“Hahaha! Yes, it means something else. You really don’t know?”

“Obviously not douchebag, so tell me. What did I say?” I swat his arm as I begin to laugh with him.

Bryant shakes his head in amazement…at my naivety I’m sure. “Seven, ‘Netflix and Chill’ is code for ‘let’s have sex’.”

I gasp and try to hide my embarrassment. “It is? Since when?”

Bryant chuckles and runs his hand down the back of my head. “Since you clearly don’t get out much.”

“Well you’re right about that.”

“Yeah well as soon as you’re feeling better we’re going to rectify that situation. I’m going to take you out and you’re going to have fun. Just you and me.”

What?

“You mean like a date? Are you asking me out on a date?” I ask playfully.

He narrows his eyes slightly. “If I did, would you say yes?”

I shrug teasingly, but try to remain as serious as possible. “I guess you won’t know until you ask me.”

Bryant smirks but shakes his head knowing that I’m playing with him now.

“Seven, will you go on a date with me?”

I give him a seductive look. As seductive as one can be in sweatpants and a tank-top. “Because you want to ‘Netflix and Chill’?”

My joke backfires though when without hesitation Bryant pulls me into him, our bodies as close as they can be to one another. I squeal in surprise.

Damn…his body.

“Baby, I’ll ‘Netflix and Chill’ with you anywhere, anytime…” He tilts his head just enough so that he’s speaking softly in my ear. Mother trucker…this is…he is…I’m melting like butter in his arms. I can feel myself giving into the temptation that is Bryant Wood and I’m not even feeling guilty about it. What the hell?

Oh my God, this is hot.

Please just lay me down right here right now.

“…But I really think we should kiss first and I can’t kiss you until I’ve taken you on a proper date so please, for the love of my now fifty shades of blue balls, will you please do me the honor of joining me on a date?”

That earns him a hearty laugh and a confirming, “Yes, Bryant. I think a date sounds nice. I would love to.”

If there’s one thing that the last eighteen to twenty-four hours has taught me, it’s that Mr. Bryant “The Giant” Wood is not at all the douchebag I remembered from my childhood. I guess people really can change. At least I hope I’m right. I guess it’s time to take that leap of faith that Mama talks about all the time.

Chapter 13

Bryant

January 2, 2013

After a relaxing morning of snuggling on the couch with Ivy, watching episode after episode of
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
, I make my way to the kitchen to get us both some lunch. It’s time for Ivy’s medication as well.  I open the refrigerator door when my cell phone rings loudly in my pocket. I don’t usually jump and fumble for my phone when it rings, but this ringtone is different. Motley Cruë’s “Doctor Feelgood” only plays when one person calls. It’s a sound I haven’t heard in a while and now that I’m hearing the hard core guitar sound, my adrenaline is pumping. Ivy’s doctor, and surgeon at Kosair Children’s Hospital, is calling me. It’s now that the thought crosses me mind that my daughter’s life or death may be one finger swipe way.

“Hello?” I answer quickly and quietly so I don’t alert Ivy in the next room.

“Hello, Mr. Wood?”

“Yes. Speaking.”

“Mr. Wood, it’s Dr. Fellgud from Kosair Children’s Hospital. I’m calling with some great news that I think you need to hear.”

Oh shit!

This is it.

Is this it?

Please, God let this be it.

I can’t swallow. My mouth has gone dry. I’m backing up in my kitchen until the backs of my knees feel the chair against the wall telling me it’s okay to sit down. I can’t make words come out of my mouth because me entire body has been overtaken with nerves.

“I…oh…is it…um…?” I clear my throat hoping to be able to focus more on saying actual words.

Please save my baby girl.

There’s a pause on the other line that feels like six hours when really it’s probably only been six seconds. A very faint chuckle comes from the other line before I hear “Mr. Wood. Are you there?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m here. I’m sorry.” I clear my throat again. “What is your news, sir?”

“Mr. Wood I’m happy to report that we have a liver for Ivy.”

HOLY SHIT!

This isn’t happening!

It’s happening!

He said a liver!

“A liver, right? You said a liver?” Damnit I’m choking on my own fucking tears. “You have a liver for Ivy? This is really real? I’m not having another fuckin’ dream, am I? Oh sorry about that Doc., excuse my language. I just…oh God.” I try to catch my breath when I lean over and place my elbows on my knees. One hand shaking as it tries to hold the phone, the other on the back of my neck.

“Yes sir. I did say a liver. It’s a perfect match for Ivy and lucky for us, it’s close by and won’t take long in transport. We would like to have Ivy with us this afternoon for pre-op testing and preparations. Can you do that?”

Can I do that?

Is the Pope Catholic?

“YES!” I shout way louder than need be, and nod my head, wiping the tears that are flowing like a damn river down my face. “I mean, yes. Yes of course Doctor. We’ll leave right now. Holy…I…oh my God this is happening. You’re going to save my little girl.”

I’m crying like a baby and don’t fucking care.

I can tell Dr. Fellgud is smiling on the other end of the line. “Yes Mr. Wood, we are definitely going to do our best. As long as this liver is accepted by her body we should see a good future for young Ivy. I’ll see you when you arrive. Please drive carefully.”

“Yes, yes sir. Will do. Goodbye.”

Words cannot explain the emotions going through my head at this very moment. Elation that finally, after such a painstakingly stressful wait, my baby girl is going to get what her body needs to survive. Fear that the girl I love the most, the girl I’ve committed my life to, the girl that my world revolves around is about to undergo a huge surgery that could end with her little cold body left alone on a table.

What if she doesn’t make it?

What if her body doesn’t accept the liver?

What then?

I jump up from my chair and make it just in time to the sink before I lose everything I’ve consumed so far today.

She has to make it.

Lord, please, this has to work.

Don’t take my sunshine away.

On top of the excitement and the fear, there’s the knowledge that my kid is getting an opportunity to live because another set of parents out there just lost their reason for living.

I can’t stop the tears from welling. My baby girl has gone through hell in the last fourteen months and now, now she’s finally going to get a damn fighting chance!

“Daddy, sad?” Ivy walks in holding on to her favorite Minnie Mouse doll. “Daddy, sad? Minnie bettew.”

“No Ivy, Daddy is not sad. Daddy is so happy!” I pick her up and squeeze her little body in my arms. I kiss her cheeks so much that she giggles wildly. She holds Minnie out to me and says “Bettew, daddy. Daddy aaaall bettew.”

Laughing at the ridiculous piece of cute I’m holding in my arms, I grab Minnie Mouse and squeeze her extra tight as well. “Thank you Minnie for making me feel so happy. Minnie, I need your help finding Ivy’s shoes because we have to go for a ride to the big doctor place now.”

She gasps and her eyes grow three sizes before I hear Ivy exclaim “Pwize? Pwize?” She’s referring to the huge toy box filled with toys donated by local area organizations from the area. The nurses make sure that each patient receives the toy of their choice while staying in the hospital; a little something to bring a smile to their faces, when some are there for not-so-happy reasons.

Oh you sure are getting a prize this time.

“Ivy we’re going to go get you the biggest prize of all. Let’s go get your stuff.”

The doctors and my family had always told me to have a bag packed just in case, for the good or the bad. Finding a donor for Ivy means that somewhere out there another family has lost a family member and since nobody knows when that will happen they tell us to be prepared for anything at any time. I keep an extra bag packed in the truck as well, in case we’re out when we get the call. I don’t even have to check them since it’s what I do every night before I go to bed. I help Ivy into her shoes and winter coat, grab her favorite stuffed animals and favorite pink blanket and we’re out the door.

*****

Friday, April 10, 2015

It’s been a week since I’ve gotten to spend time with Savannah. Business is picking up at the bar with the late spring season. Tourists are starting to roll in to visit all the distilleries in the area. Between having to cover hours at the bar and life with Ivy, I haven’t gotten to see her this week at all. We’ve communicated via text a few times, enough times to confirm that today is the day, our first real date. I couldn’t be more nervous but excited at the same time. The music of Blake Shelton is on a constant repeat in my head. “Gonna” is a catchy song and he’s damn right when he says I’m gonna hold her tight all night long, one day, or in my dreams at least. I have no intention of overstepping any boundaries today but damn if I’m not praying that this first date is followed up by a second, and then a third, and then a seventh, and one day, a seventy-seventh. I’m beginning to forget how she felt in my arms when I held her in her apartment. I can’t wait to have her hand in mine for the whole afternoon.

Since Savannah hasn’t really gotten out much in the past few years I decided today will be spent completely outdoors. She’ll either love it or hate it, but it’s supposed to be a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine, so I’m taking advantage of it to show Savannah a nice day with an even nicer guy. I’m just putting my arm through the hole of my t-shirt when I hear the movement of little feet outside my door.

“Daddy!” she exclaims in her biggest princess voice. “You in there?”

With a smile on my face that can’t ever go away when I hear her little voice I reply, “Sure am Princess!” I walk over to the door and in true royal butler fashion open it to see my baby girl all dressed in her sparkly blue Princess Elsa nightgown. Her messy head of curls hangs loosely around her face. It’s probably time for a haircut but I just can’t stand cutting those beautiful curls. She has her mother’s pretty hair but those big greeen eyes are mine. I see myself every time I look at her.

God, she’s just a beautiful little Princess.

Clearing my throat, I try to rid my voice of any country accent I may have to make way for my poor attempt at sounding like Sven, the Reindeer.

“Good morning Ivy-Elsa. I was just heading out to work on the ice.”

Giggling, Ivy bounds into my room leaping onto my bed. “Silly daddy. There’s no ice out there today. Look,” she says, pointing out my bedroom window. “It’s super sunny outside today.”

“Oh. So you don’t want to build a snowman?” I sneak up behind her and tickle her until she falls over in a fit of giggles. “No daddy. I get to see Pappy and Nana today. Pappy said…he said…umm he’s gonna make me pancakes for SUPPER!” I watch as her arms flail out to her sides like she’s showing me the entire world, but then I playfully gasp in horror as if I don’t approve. “He’s what? He didn’t ask me if he could make you pancakes for supper! I’m going to have to have a talk with that man…”

“NO DADDY!” She says covering my mouth with her hand. She whispers, “Conceal, don’t feel! It’ll be ok. Princess Elsa says I can have pancakes for supper.”

Shaking my head in awe of my flesh and blood I grab Ivy and swing her around in my arms. “Well if Princess Elsa says it’s okay, then it must be okay. I hope you have the yummiest pancakes ever. Eat one for me too okay?”

“Okay but Daddy, where are you going?”

“I’m spending some time with an old friend. Her name is Savannah.”

“Subannah…” I watch Ivy’s expression as she thinks about that name. “Is Subannah a boy or a girl?”

“Savannah is a girl. We used to go to school together when Daddy was young.”

“Does Subannah like Princess Elsa, Daddy?”

“Oh…yes! I’m sure she loves Princess Elsa, but just in case you’re not convinced, maybe you can ask her yourself someday.”

“Yeah. Maybe when I’m bigger like you I’ll be friends with Subannah too and we’ll be princesses together.” She jumps up and down on my bed in excitement and even though I shouldn’t let her, she’s so damn cute I can’t stop smiling at her. My heart grows about ten sizes bigger at the thought of Savannah running around my house with Ivy as her princess.

Let’s not get ahead of yourself, cowboy.

“That’s right Princess. Maybe you will be friends with Savannah one day. Now let’s go get your clothes changed and your shoes on so we can go see Pappy and Nana. Pappy’s gonna need your help mixing up those fishcakes.”

“No,
pan
cakes, Daddy! Pancakes!” She giggles.

“Oh yeah. Right. Pancakes. I forgot.” I wink at her as I shuffle her down the hall to her room.

As we walk down the hall to Ivy’s bedroom, she grabs my finger and wraps her hand around it. “Do you love me okay, Daddy?”

I stop walking and crouch down to be at her level so I can look into her beautifully happy eyes. “Princess Ivy Lynn, on a scale of one to four I love you…one hundred and ten! So of course I love you okay! Do you love me okay, Princess?”

Her smile grows larger as she wraps her hands around my neck and places the sweetest wet kiss on my chin. “YES Daddy! I love you one hundred and eleventy nine!”

“Whoa! That’s a lot of love Princess. Are you sure you can handle that much love at one time?”

“Yeah Daddy. Can I wear my Elsa nightgown to Nana’s house for pancakes?” A three-year-old can’t focus on one subject for too long. Her response makes me chuckle.

“Well I think that’s the perfectest idea I ever heard, Princess Ivy-Elsa. Now let’s go get your shoes.”

*****

Once Ivy is easily settled at my mom and dad’s place for the day, I get back in my truck and head back into town to pick up Savannah. My nerves are running wild now with every mile I drive closer to her place.

Do I look alright?

Do I smell okay?

Is my truck clean enough?

It’s been a damn while since I’ve really tried to impress a girl. My past is admittedly splattered with an array of different women over the years. I wouldn’t say I was an addict back then but damn if I didn’t like to fuck a nice piece of ass whenever one walked into my bar. Looking back, I know I should’ve said “no” to Samantha the minute she waltzed into the bar, but something about her just said I wouldn’t have any trouble helping myself so I did, and a month later I received the biggest damn cock block a man’s ever seen. “Pregnant,” she says. “It’s yours,” she says. Fuck.

Who knew that day my biggest nightmare and my wildest dream were all going to come true. I knew one day I wanted to be a daddy and settle down with a family, but I wasn’t ready just yet. Regardless, I wanted to do right by Samantha and my soon-to-be child. I worked my ass off to finish the bar renovations so I would have steady income to help her out with the baby. I wasn’t going to let her be a single parent, even though we both knew marriage wasn’t an option for us. We didn’t love each other and in my future I want to be married to the girl I can’t live without. A girl I’m head over heels for. I want to marry for love, not out of obligation.

I pull into the parking lot of Savannah’s complex and hop out of the truck. It’s mid-morning so there’s still a bit of a chill in the air, but the sun is shining brightly and promising a beautiful afternoon. We should be plenty warm enough by the time we get there but I try to remind myself on the way up the stairs to make sure Savannah brings a sweater or a jacket. I knock on the door three times and wait for her to answer. “Coming!” I hear her yell excitedly from inside. Sweet Jesus, hearing her voice yelling that word does something to my insides.