Harry pov
"I can't believe you are here!" my girl whispers. I'm so glad to see her beautiful smile. Kate throws herself in my arms, it almost pushed all the air out of my lungs.
"I missed you so much." I mumble with my head buried in the nape of her neck. People who pass us in the big hallway stare at us but I don't care, one of the nurses, Sophie, smiles fondly and gives me a thumbs up.
"Come let's go inside." I let Kate go, take her hand and we go inside her little hospital room. I take a seat on the big blue armchair next to Kate's hospital bed, immediately Kate positions herself on my lap, takes my face in her small hands before she searches my eyes. When I find her gaze I immediately feel calmer than I have been since I left her a couple of days ago. I lower my head and brush Kate's lips, a loving kind of energy is radiating from the both of us.
"I missed you so much." Kate admits when she lets my lips go. "I don't know if I would have survived if you would have been away till I am allowed to go home." I laugh but not with her,
"I would never have stayed in London that long." I don't refer to London as my home because, my home is Kate and not a place or a building. Kate says nothing but I feel she is smiling against my chest.
For a while we sit in silence, just holding each other, being close together, savouring each other and the loving moment.
"How come you are here? Didn't you have to stay near the hospital?" Kate wonders out loud.
My body stiffens, I know Kate feels guilty so I don't like to talk about the whole affair but I know she won't let it go.
"The day I had that meeting I made sure all paperwork was in order so if they kick me out, I don't have to do it then and I don't leave a big mess for Katia.." Kate nods and looks into my eyes pushing me to go on.
"The next day I cleaned the apartment and went shopping so the pantry is restocked and we only have to go shopping for the fresh food ingredients. I tried to keep myself busy, but my mind was here with you all the time. Then the third day I went to see my mum, we had a long talk and she said something that I realised is true.
She said "Harry, now you have seen how short life can be, we have to live to the fullest because it can be over tomorrow. You love Kate and you almost lost her, you can find a new job anywhere you want, but you will never find a new Kate." and that's true, if I had have lost you, my world would have been crushed. So I went home and booked a seat on the first plane. Called Katia to ask if she would keep me updated and here I am. Katia sends you her greetings and says she will visit you when you are back home." Kate's pointer finger traces my jaw and she kisses me sweetly on my cheek before is looks up.
"That's sweet of her, you're lucky to have someone like her. The hospital won't fire you. You are a great doctor and an amazing person, they are crazy if they let themselves lead by lies." Kate whispers softly. I swallow, I don't know if I'm ready to admit this to her but I will have to at some point.
"Honestly I'm not sure if I still want to work there. After all that has happened and how they've treated me... At that conversation earlier this week, they had already judged me, they looked at me like I was trash. I don't want to work with people who behave like that, besides there will always be people who will say there will be some truth in the things that were said. I will always have that sticker of sexual harassment on my forehead." Kate sighs,
"I'm sorry for all this. I feel a little guilty." I caressed her back and closed my eyes for a moment to let Kate's intoxicating smell infiltrate in my nose. She smelled heavenly, it was addictive.
"Don't feel guilty, beautiful. I met you and if I ever got the chance to do it over again there is only one thing I would change. I would started to date you lots sooner. I was so stupid I thought I could fight it but the more I fought the more I got drawn to you." Kate looks up with a smile and pecks my lips.
"Come baby, you're tired, let's have a nap together." Kate climbs off my lap and positions her under her white hospital sheets. She still gets antibiotics through an IV and we struggle for a moment with her IV pole. I snuggle in bed next to her as the little spoon, her face buried in my back, arms securely around my chest, soon I let out a content sigh and close my eyes, in no time I'm in dreamland.
Three days later we decided to go outside for a walk what Kate doesn't know is I have a surprise for her. She is looks so cute sitting in an old hospital wheelchair bundled up in a big coat, an extra blanket and a beanie. It's a nice day outside, it's cold but the sun shines brightly.
"Where are we going for a walk?" Kate looks up to me with a big smile.
"Maarten told me they made a nice garden here behind the big parking lot." not telling we are going somewhere else too. Kate hums while she looks around, it's probably nice for her to be outside after all these time inside.
After a short walk we arrive at the garden.
"It's really beautiful here. With the ice covering the plants and bushes but I think it will be a fantastic garden to walk around during the summer. When the flowers are in bloom." Kate musses while she looks around.
After awhile I sit down on a wooden bench, with Kate next to me in her wheelchair we make some small talk.
"What would that building be?" I ask Kate about the large building with the picture of a dog on the front of it.
"I have read about it. People who are here for a long time can have a visit with their dogs there. Also, often dogs from kennels or breeders visit so the kids who are here for months can play with them. Apparently being around animals helps the healing process." Kate explains.
"Come on, lets go take a look." I get up, take the wheelchair and start to walk to the building.
When we walk in I approach a bubbly young blond woman at a little red desk and say who we are.
"Hallo, I'm Nadine. Come with me please, they are eagerly awaiting you." the woman smiles while she comes from behind her desk. Kate eyes me suspiciously when she notice they knew we were coming
We follow Nadine to a white door, she unlocks it and we all go inside. Kate gasps when she sees a bunch of extremely cute puppies sitting, laying and sleeping on their benches. Shocked she looks at me but then a smile covers her face
"You arranged this?" She questions.
"I had some help" I say and Nadine fondly smiles at us.
"Do you want to keep them company?" Nadine asks. Kate nods eagerly and starts to pull off her blanket and beanie and take off her coat. She steps out of the wheelchair to a bench with two puppies.
"What breed are these?" Kate asks Nadine curious. Nadine opens the bench with a key and when the little door opens the puppies enthusiastically run out, curious who their visitors are.
"This are Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies" Nadine says while she picks up a cute little ball of black and with fur with brown eyebrows. Kate carefully sits down on the ground and immediately a pup with brown and white fur climbs in her lap.
"Hi, little one." she coos and start to cuddle the little dog.
"Cavaliers are very friendly dogs, they are also always very kind with kids. The person who breeds these dogs has been coming here since the centre opened. He always says he never had a cavalier who wasn't friendly or would hurt someone.
"They are adorable, I want to take one home!" Kate says while she picks up a black and white pup with brown eyebrows. You've used this description twice, might want to change one of them.
"You are adorable, yes you are." she says in a funny voice. My stomach flutters, I don't know which is cuter, Kate or the dogs.
Nadine says we just have to call her when we need her and leaves us with the puppies. I sit down with them on the ground and immediately I get company from a puppy who is hopping up and down enthusiastically. We play for awhile and give them all imaginary names There is Bob, Jo, Happy, Joey and Kacey.
"Look at Bob, he has a key on his collar but I'm sure it wasn't there before." Kate looks a bit confused.
I put my puppy on the ground before I crawl to Kate and sit in front of her, I start to pet Bob.
"It wasn't there before, I put it on the collar when you weren't looking.." Kate looks questionably at me but before she can open her mouth I blurt my intentions out.
"It's the key to my place." I scoot closer to her and hold a puppy against my cheek and I look at Kate with begging eyes.
"I love you Kate and I know it's fast but after everything that happened I know I'm sure, you are the one I want to grow old with. So I want to ask you, do you want to move in with me?" Kate smiles widely, tears are streaming down her cheeks and a puppy put his paws against her chest and start to lick away the tears. Kate giggles while she nods. I finally breath, I didn't think I was nervous but it looks like I was holding it the whole time.
" Of course I want to live with you, forever and always." Kate put her hands on my cheeks and kiss me tenderly while we are surrounded by cute little dogs
🎉🎉We're celebrating 8k reads🎉🎉
An extra update to thank you all for reading, voting, for all the support and the nice words.
I hope with writing this story I managed to show how difficult it is to live with pain 24/7, how it affects every aspect in a person's life and how it affects not only the person who is dealing with the pain but also the people around them.
I hope Kate and Harry's story gives strength and courage to people who are having a hard time physically or emotionally.
All the love,
K. x