Chapter 15

S everal days later Talia stopped in Xavier's room and asked, "Hey, how about dinner on the deck tonight?"

"Sounds good," he replied.

She smiled at him. "You seem to be a lot more adjusted. As a matter of fact," she murmured, "a lot more at peace."

He nodded. "Absolutely. Definitely more peace in my world now. Thanks for noticing."

She eyed him. "You can't be at peace without someone noticing it?"

"Well, I wasn't there before, but it's coming on now."

"Good, and that's all your doing."

"I don't know," he said, with a big smile. "I don't think I'm quite that good at it."

"You'll get better as time goes on."

"That's definitely happening," he agreed, "and it's interesting to see the change."

"Good," she murmured. "I'll meet you back here at your room at the end of the day." And, with that, she dashed off.

Work was crazy busy with patients coming and going. One thing that she did get set up was an interview for Yvonne. It was a couple days off yet, but Talia was looking forward to meeting her. Anyone important to Dennis was somebody who Talia wanted to see. She was sorry it hadn't worked out for them. Yet she didn't really want to spend too much time dwelling on that because she was too busy dwelling on spending time with Xavier, hoping their relationship would work out. Maybe it was selfish of her, but it was hard to think of anything else for most of her day. So it was a good thing that she was always just busy, busy, busy.

At the end of the day she walked down the hallway to see if Xavier was ready.

He looked up from his bed and smiled at her. "Hey, I've been waiting for you."

"Sorry, it's just been completely nuts today."

"Hey, no problem," he murmured. "Remember? I get it."

"You do get it." She laughed. "I'm grateful."

He smiled and stood up, grabbed a single walking stick she hadn't noticed propped up beside him, and waved her toward the door. "Let's go."

Talia gasped. Went to hug him but stopped midstep. "Wow."

He gave her a huge grin and took a few steps in front of her.

She frowned. "Are you supposed to go straight from a wheelchair to walking? Just like that? No crutches?"

Xavier laughed. "Shane okayed it. And of course I've been doing a lot of practicing during our sessions. This is my maiden voyage to the dining room. Then I eat and rest and walk back to my room, hopefully without falling or tripping. Plus, report back to Shane of course."

"I'm so proud of you. Wow."

"I didn't want to tell you and then get so nervous that I couldn't carry out this exercise in full. Is that okay with you? Do you understand why I did that?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. You do what works best for you. You've really come back around, after a few setbacks. Wow."

As they headed down the hallway, he grabbed her hand in his.

She smiled, tears in her eyes. When he saw them and seemed worried, she added, " Happy tears."

They headed hand in hand down the hallway, enjoying each other's company.

Xavier shared, "Shane was saying that some new staff members were coming in."

"I'm not surprised," Talia muttered. "The work is pretty steady, and we could all use some additional help."

"I get it," he murmured.

"How about you?" she asked. "So more progress?"

"Definite progress now," he replied, "and all because of Shane."

"And Shane would say it's all because of you."

"Exactly," Shane agreed, from behind them. "I mean, look at him. His strength is coming back. He's walking easier. He's standing easier."

"I know," Xavier agreed. "I'm starting to sleep now too."

"And you're eating," Dennis added in a crowing tone, as they all got in line at the buffet. Dennis was so proud, as if he'd single-handedly turned around all of Xavier's food issues.

"Stress," Shane noted. "It'll get you every time." And he quickly separated from them and headed over to meet a group of people who were waiting for him.

"He's really busy, isn't he?" Xavier noted.

She nodded. "Very," she murmured. "And he doesn't begrudge the time. He knows that he just has to apply himself a little harder in order to get everybody the way he wants them. He doesn't want to see anybody get shipped out in less-than-perfect condition."

"Oh, I would be happy with even close to perfect," Xavier said, with a laugh.

"Don't tell him that," Talia said. "Shane will think you're cutting yourself short."

"Not intentionally," Xavier replied. "It's just you don't know what to even ask for or what you can have after these injuries. Then, all of a sudden, everybody here tells you how you can have the world, and it doesn't even seem possible. Then you see others who are getting it, and you want it yourself."

"Sounds as if you're almost there," Talia pointed out, smiling.

"I'm certainly a lot closer than I was. I think I've only got another month or two here."

She stopped in the line and turned to look at him. "What?" she asked, her voice shaky. She hadn't realized that his time was coming to an end so soon. They'd been in this little la-la land of their own making, not even understanding that this was coming to an end so fast.

He smiled at her gently. "Yeah. It kinda came as a shock to me too. I have to settle up all kinds of issues, like where I'll go from here."

She nodded slowly. "And where do you want to go?"

"I'll stay local. I'm signing up for their weekend program that goes on after this," he added. "I don't dare not continue with my PT training—at least for a while."

"Of course," she said, the relief in her tone obvious.

He chuckled. "Yeah, we haven't exactly discussed what comes after this, have we?"

"No. I was quite happy to be blinded by the fact that you would always be here."

"And yet that can't happen."

"Of course.… Of course I know that. I mean, intellectually I know that."

"Hey, I'm in the same boat. It just hit home when we turned the page on the calendar."

She nodded. "Funny how time goes by, and you don't even realize it."

"And then all of a sudden you look up, and it's September, and I've been here some four-plus months."

"Wow, she whispered.

*

Xavier smiled gently at Talia and added, "But I'm not leaving anytime soon."

"I don't know," she muttered. "The time goes by so fast."

"Maybe," he murmured. "But, if I'm only moving into town, it's not bad."

"That's true," she said, brightening.

"I presume we can still see each other."

She nodded.

But she knew, and he knew, it would be different because how could it not be? Here, they saw each other multiple times a day. Once he left, that couldn't continue. Once he was good enough to go, he had to go. That was a fact of life. But he also knew it would be hard to leave her, something that he wasn't necessarily ready for. But, if it was time for him to leave, then it was time. He had to trust the process that there was something else afterward for him. For him with Talia.

"I'll be working with Lance in town for a while," he told her. "See what I want to do. I have benefits for quite a while. It's not as there's an end date on them. I just want to figure out my next career, something that I'll enjoy doing."

"And I certainly agree with that," she said. "I would love to think of you doing something that would make you smile every day."

" You make me smile every day," he replied, chuckling.

She flushed. "And I'm really glad to hear that, but you do need something more too."

"Ooh, trying to get rid of me already?" he teased.

"That is the last thing I'm trying to do," she stated. She grabbed his hand. "I'm really happy with the way things have turned out for you."

He smiled at her and looked down at their joined hands. "Me too. I just hope that you're not too anxious to see the end of me."

"No, not at all," she declared. "I'll probably burst into tears when that day comes."

He looked at her. "Why?"

"Because things will change," she said. "Everything will change."

"Everything always changes," he replied gently.

"I know that, in theory, and I'll be gloriously happy for you,… but that won't mean that I won't be sad at the change in our own circumstances."

He nodded. "Which is also another reason why I'll stay in town. I really don't want to lose touch with you."

She smiled through her suddenly blurry eyes.

He gently wiped away a tear. "No tears," he whispered. "I'm not leaving for quite a while."

"I'm glad to hear that, and I'm hoping your friend will make it here before then."

"If I stay close, and Zander does get in, then I'll see him and help him in any way that I can. And, if he doesn't make it in, I've done everything I can for him, but obviously it was time for a change."

She smiled at that. "That's definitely a change of attitude."

"Only out of necessity." Xavier chuckled. "Now look. Dennis is waiting for us."

And they stepped up to grab their dinners.