Jack was dead. She wanted him out of her life but, dead? She pondered the idea of life with him always around the corner and the reality of getting bulldozed and ending up in the hospital and having Jack dead. She loved this risk better. Each time she woke up from surgery her first thought was 'if I survive I want to be with Evan.' She didn't think about Jack and his violent tendency, she didn't think about him at all. Scarlett only thought of Evan, when she got better she wanted Evan and only Evan for the rest of her life. Knowing Jack was out of the way entirely though, Scarlett felt a wash of relief. As if God put Jack there to rob the bank, to overdose, and placed Scarlett at the green light that she at first thought ruined her life, she would have gladly had him run into a pole and not her but God works in mysterious ways. Maybe God did have a plan for everything because dumb luck didn't seem plausible for this situation.
River and Mollie came to visit Scarlett in the hospital. Even Dr. Anne came in seeing as though both Evan and Scarlett missed appointments, which wasn't like them, she investigated and was glad she did. It made Scarlett realize how loved she was. She had her parents, Liz, River, Mollie, Vinny and Skippy and Evan, her wonderful perfect Evan. As they all surrounded her, she thought that this must be what heaven is like, minus the pain radiating her whole body.
Scarlett was able to go home after almost two weeks in the hospital and Evan didn't want to leave Scarlett's side but that was unrealistic because he had a dog and work. He brought his computer so he could do his transitions at her bedside, and picked up Vinny and Skippy for Scarlett's pet therapy for a few days. Otherwise Scarlett's parents, Liz and Evan took shifts suffocating Scarlett with love.
"Go home and get some sleep... on a real bed." Liz had said when she came in with an ice cream cone. "She's asleep her parents went home to get some sleep, they said she can go home soon." Evan didn't like the idea of leaving, what if something happened? What if something went wrong? "You can't watch her like a hawk her whole life Evan." Evan knew he should get some sleep but he knew that when his head hit the pillow he was lay wide awake and unable to think of anything but Scarlett.
"I will sleep when she is home." Evan said while getting settled on the couch, Liz tapped her heals as she went to join him.
"I talked to River and she made sure everything is set for Scarlett to go home,"
"She's not going home. She's coming back with me." Liz's raised brow and tight lipped smile told Evan it wasn't a good idea. "I love her and she is coming back with me. I will sleep on the couch and she can take my room."
"Like a hawk." Liz warned.
"Just until she's able to take care of herself again." Liz nodded in agreement. River had two jobs and Liz already took off so many days so she couldn't take off a lot more to take care of Scarlett. "It's what's best. I work from home, I can get her medications, clean, cook, do everything until she is able to them herself." Liz nodded once again, Evan thought this through.
"She is really lucky she found you."
"I'm the lucky one."
"Morning gorgeous" Scarlett's smile made all Evan's worries go away.
"Hi handsome." Evan still thought the idea of him being called handsome was ridiculous, but she said it anyway. Even with her short hair, tired swollen eyes and stitches that covered her body, Scarlett looked beautiful to him.
"The new Sarah J. Maas book came out..." Scarlett said as Evan walked through the door with her tea. "Do think that we could-" Evan pulled out the book from behind his back and Scarlett's tired eyes lit with joy. The golden spark Evan used to see every day was slowly coming back.
After the procedure she was not herself. She was tired and weak and couldn't sit up for more than 20 minutes before she needed to lean back. But each day Scarlett got stronger and stronger and the light in her grew with it. "I love you" Scarlett said down to the book as she flipped off the dust jacket examining the cover and spine.
"I love you" Evan said sitting down on her bed. Scarlett looked up trying to withhold a laugh, her lips puckered, kissing the book.
"Yeah... I love you too."
"You were talking to the book?" Evan asked laughing reaching for the book.
"No I do love you, I love you," Scarlett used all her energy to push her forwards and kiss Evan's cheek. Evan handed her back the book "I just love this too" Evan squinted at her, "it's a different kind of love." She stated as she ran her hands over the cover. "No embossment," Scarlett said in disappointment "But the purple is pretty" she knocked on the hardback. Scarlett put the dust jacket carefully back on the book, a frown covered her face.
"What?" Evan asked leaning into her.
"Can we go home?"
"Just waiting on discharge papers." Evan said as Scarlett rested her head on his chest. Evan brought Skippy and Vinny back to his house the night before. Evan packed up her books and clothes from the past two weeks and Scarlett was ready to start her new life.
"How have you been getting home?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't have a car." Scarlett stated, her car was destroyed and Evan only had a bike. He couldn't have biked this entire time back and forth.
"My dad gave me his car." Scarlett looked up at him surprised. "We patched things up while you were in surgery."
"I'm glad my injury brought you together with your family." Evan kissed her head, she was too good. She cared more about him and his family being together then the fact that she had to stay in the hospital in pain for the past two weeks.
"My head hurts, "Scarlett said softly.
"Do you want me to get a doctor?" Evan sat up and started to move off the bed but Scarlett put an arm on his.
"It's a different kind of pain."
"You had surgery, brain surgery Scar. I think it's going to hurt for a while."
"No it's different."
"Different how?" Evan was confused, and frustrated. He couldn't deal with Scarlett having more surgeries, having more problems. She needed to be healthy again. He loved her sick or not but he prayed since that first day, he vowed that if God saved Scarlett he would go to church he would find his way to God. Scarlett survived but there was a loop hole in Evan's plan, if Scarlett got worse after this...
"Better. A different kind of better." Better? Evan couldn't fathom better, Scarlett had been sick for so long and the idea of better was a miracle. Especially after what she went through the past two weeks. "Hurts, but better."
"Hurts but, you're feeling better." Evan repeated.
"Morning sweetheart," Brandon said when he walked through the doors with a blueberry muffin in hand. "I signed the papers and you are set to go home."
After another week of resting and medications Scarlett was walking again, slowly but walking. Evan put minion tape on her cane and made it look beautifully funny. Scarlett's parents had finally went home and Scarlett stayed with Evan, he took care of everything. Cooked, cleaned, fluffed her pillows, made sure she took all her medications, he was perfect. On Sunday morning Evan got dressed for church. He wore his light blue shirt again and kissed Scarlett goodbye but she stopped him.
"I want to go to." Scarlett had prayed during her stay in the hospital as well. She prayed that she would live for starters and then she prayed that she would be able to go back to church. That the microphone would not cause her tremors and she prayed that Evan would feel the same.
"Okay" Evan lifted her off the couch and got out an outfit. "This good?" he asked holding out a light pink shirt and jean shorts. Scarlett nodded and he closed the door waiting for her. Scarlett could pick out her clothes but she thought it was cute that he wanted to. The door creaked open and Scarlett came out slowly cane in hand. "Ready?"
"Yeah" she said softly as she shoved her phone in her pocket and headed for the door.
Once in the building they found the left corner row to be vacant as suspected but within 10 minutes of the sermon Scarlett started to tremor. She sat eyes scrunched closed, tears starting to fall. God didn't listen. Evan helped Scarlett up and they walked back out through the atrium.
"Scarlett?" a voice called and she turned just slightly. "Scarlett" the voice said again as she walked towards them. Scarlett's lips pulled into a smile but dropped almost instantly. "It's been a long while. I heard what happened, your mom has the whole church praying for you."
"Thank you" Scarlett said simply clutching on the Evans arm for strength.
"And who is this?" She tried no to stare at Evan's misshapen frame but it was impossible.
"This is my boyfriend, Evan" Evan let out a sigh, as if he hadn't taken a breath since entering the church.
"Nice to meet you." Evan said sticking out a hand.
"Yes, a real pleasure. I'm Katy, I'm a greeter but I didn't do to good today because I missed greeting you in here." Katy tried to pry her eyes away from Evan and focus on Scarlett. "So how are you feeling?" Scarlett hated this question but she answered it politely anyway.
"I'm not the greatest but, I've been worse."
"Poor thing" Katy moved a high heeled step forward to hug Scarlett. "The microphone still bug you?" Scarlett's mom really did tell people everything.
"Yeah."
"You know my niece was trying to start a small group. So if you can't go to church's big group time maybe you would like to try a small group." Scarlett and Evan shared a glance, small groups meant no microphones and less people for Evan to have to explain his appearance to.
"That sounds like a great idea," Scarlett started "can you give her my number? And tell her we would love to join her group." Scarlett took a few shaky steps towards a table and grabbed a pen and extra sermon notes for today's lesson and wrote her name and number. "Miranda right?"
"Yes, oh she will be so happy! I will tell her to call you soon, you two have a blessed Sunday."
"You too" Evan said as she turned Scarlett towards the door. "Small group?"
"It could be what we both needed." Evan nodded in agreement and started up the car.