True Love Waits

Chapter Twenty Four

       "Cody McClain! What on earth happened to you?!" Suellen said in her panicked motherly voice. Crossing the living room in two steps, she was beside Cody. Carefully, she reached up and poked at Cody's shiner with one finger. "Did someone hit you?!" 

       "Ma'am, really, I'm fine." Cody let out an awkward chuckle. He wasn't used to folks caring this much about him just being a little banged up. Pulling back, Cody tried not to wince at the pain Suellen was unintentionally causing.

      "Dillion was at the auction." Maleena interjected in a cold voice. She folded her arms over her chest as she shook her head with the memory. "And he basically challenged Cody to a fist fight. So, Cody did the gentlemanly thing and put Dillion in his place." Looking over at Cody, who was being checked out by Suellen, Maleena couldn't help but smile at her knight in shining armor- er,- cowboy in faded Wrangler jeans, that is. "He really stood up for me, and was really there for me today." 

        A smile rose on Cody's lips right before Suellen carefully grabbed his chin in two of her fingers, tilting his face to look at it better in the light. 

       "Well, Cody, thank you for stickin' up for Maleena, but really, this bruise looks bad." Suellen stopped her fusing momentarily, dropping her hands from Cody and taking a step back. 

       "Really, ma'am, it isn't a big deal. I have gotten banged up way worse, I am a rodeo cowboy." Cody teased, but turned serious. "But I really appreciate you carin' about me gettin' banged up. And, I just want to apologize for Maleena havin' to see me punching Dillion." 

       Suellen stood with her hands on her hips. "You're the most chivalrous man I know, Cody, I just want you to know that." 

       "Well, thank you, ma'am, I appreciate it." Cody replied, looking over at Maleena again.

      "Oh, mom, why did you have such a freaked out look on your face when we got back?" Maleena asked, remembering how worried her mom looked when she first saw Maleena and Cody.

     Suellen drew her eyes from Cody to look at Maleena. Letting out a slight chuckle, she replied, "Oh, I saw how banged up Cody was and was just really concerned that something really bad happened. Well, I mean getting punched out isn't good, but you know what I mean." Suellen waved a hand in front of her face. 

      "But you were on your phone. I thought something bad happened." 

      "No, not at all, honey. Everything is fine. That was just your father sayin' he is bringing supper home." Suellen turned her attention back to Cody. "Now, what do you say we go get you fixed up?" 

       "I got it, mom." Maleena rolled her eyes at her mom, grabbing Cody's hand and leading him out of the living room, towards the stairs. 

        Once in the upstairs bathroom upstairs, Maleena partially closed the door, turning to Cody. "I apologize for my mom. She tends to get kinda overly protective sometimes." Maleena stated, motioning for him to take a seat on the bath tub ledge.

       Reaching into the cupboard above the toilet, Maleena pulled out a wash cloth, then escaped into the hallway where the linen closet was, grabbing all the medical supplies she needed to patch up Cody's roughed up hands and his bruised face.

       Walking back into the guest bathroom, Maleena left the door only slightly agape, setting her arm full of supplies down on the sink counter.

      "Dadgum, darlin', are you fixin' to do surgery on me? I mean it's only a couple scrapes and cuts is all." Cody chuckled.

        "Very funny. Give me your hands." Maleena said after wetting the towel, pulling up a stool to sit in front of Cody's spot on the edge of the tub.