Unexpected Love

by J. O Mantel

  Hunter wasn’t worried. Judith loved Andy’s parents as much as she loved Andy, and there was always room in their lives for all of them. Jack was the best substitute father he could possibly ask for.

  “How long will you be gone?” Hunter asked, pulling away from Jack.

  “At least a month.”

  “A month?” Hunter swallowed.

  “Is that going to be a problem?” Jack questioned.

  “No, it’s no problem, I just … I just want Andy to get better, that’s all.”

  “And we want that too, which is why we know Andy will be in the best possible care with you.”

  “Then you have my word. I won’t let you down,” Hunter assured Jack.

  Hunter looked up at the taller man who towered over him with a smile, and the two of them went back into Andy’s room.

  It wasn’t long before Jack and Marion said their goodbyes to Hunter and Andy, and with much hesitation and resistance, Marion finally left the room. Hunter grabbed the chair he’d become accustomed to over the past forty-eight or so hours, and pulled it closer to the bed. Andy was sound asleep, so Hunter figured he’d take the opportunity to quickly grab a coffee and a bite to eat. As he walked out of the room, he felt his phone buzz, so he pulled it out of his pocket and saw that it was— Mom?

  “Mom? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” Hunter asked in a panic.

  “Hello, dear, everything is fine. I was just preparing breakfast for Lili when I noticed a note on the fridge. Did you realize she has a dentist appointment today?”

  Shit!

  “Um … no, Mom, I’d actually forgotten. What time is the appointment?” he asked.

  “It’s at five. If you like, I can drop Lili by the hospital later this afternoon,” Judith suggested.

  “No. I don’t want her coming here and seeing Andy like this, she’ll only start asking questions.” Hunter stopped walking and pressed his back against the wall of the corridor. He sighed and lowered his head. “I’m sorry to ask, Mom, but I’m going to be caught up with Andy today. Jack and Marion have asked if I can take care of Andy while they’re away on a business trip. Would you mind taking Lili to the dentist for me? I’ll have my cell, so you can call me from the clinic if you need anything.”

  “Of course, sweetheart,” his mother’s gentle voice reassured him. “Give my love to Andy, and we’ll see you when you get home.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Hunter put the phone away and continued walking to the cafeteria. He’d seen his daughter briefly last night when he returned from the hospital, just before he’d hauled himself to bed. He felt horrible for having dumped all this on his mother at such short notice, but she’d already agreed to take some time off work to help any way she could. He knew she didn’t mind spending time with her granddaughter, but it wasn’t about that … he missed her, he missed both of them, and when all this with Andy was over, he was going to make it up to them, big time.

  Hunter returned to the room a couple of minutes later to find Andy awake and sitting upright on the bed. Hunter slumped into the chair and stared at his silent friend. Andy still hadn’t said anything, and for Hunter, it felt like being in a room with a total stranger. He didn’t know what to say, or do, but then he remembered what the doctors told him all the times he was in the hospital with Bree after they’d pulled her out of the rubble on that horrific day.

  “Talk to her, let her know that you’re here.”

  Although Bree was unconscious at the time, Hunter spent every hour, of every day, talking to her, hoping and praying that she would wake up. He’d known that somehow, she could hear him.

  “Do you remember the first time we worked together?” Hunter asked, staring at Andy. “You were the new recruit, and I’d just finished my shift for the day. Your uniform was so big the suspenders couldn’t even help you from tripping over your pants, and you kept tripping over your own feet because your boots were too big. They didn’t have your size, so Carter said it would have to do until a new uniform was ordered. I don’t know why, but for some reason you reminded me of Krusty the Clown in that outfit. You were so nervous and naïve, and a little cute too, and all I wanted to do was pull you in for a hug and let you know that everything was going to be all right.”

  Hunter noticed Andy’s eyes flicker slightly as he spoke the words, but still didn’t say anything. He wasn’t sure if Andy was listening, but at this point, he was prepared to continue talking regardless.

  Andy blinked a few times and scanned the room, turning until their eyes locked on each other’s.

  “Andy?” Hunter asked.

  “You … you’ve been here the whole time, since I arrived?” Andy finally spoke.

  “Oh. My. God. Yes! Of course I’ve been here, Andy. Other than going home to sleep, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. How … how are you feeling?”

  Hunter knew it was the dumbest question he could have asked, but the words had tumbled out of his mouth so quickly he hadn’t had time to think what he was saying.

  “I … I’m okay, I guess,” Andy said.

  “It’s so good to finally hear you talking again … you scared me … you scared everyone. We didn’t know—”

  “I’m sorry,” Andy quickly cut in.

  “What? Don’t you dare say that. You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I should be the one groveling at your feet, begging for forgiveness. It’s because of me that you’re in here.” Hunter tried to hold back the emotional feeling in his gut, and the tears that were starting to form in his eyes. “We never should have gone to that stupid club, and I never should have left you outside all alone.”

  “Stop!” Andy ordered. “In case you forgot, it was my idea to go to the club, not yours. I was the one who said that we needed to go out and have a great time.”

  “But I should have stopped you. I shouldn’t have listened,” Hunter protested.

  “And what good would that have done? You and I both know that I’m stubborn as shit.”

  It was true, Andy was stubborn, but that sure as shit didn’t mean anything to Hunter. He couldn’t help but wonder how all this could have been avoided if he’d only tried harder to stay home and not go to the club.

  “Stop doing that,” Andy cut into his thoughts.

  “Doing what?” Hunter asked.

  “Blaming yourself. I swear I can see the inside of your brain right now and I want to grab a jackhammer and let it loose in there. Hopefully then you’d wake the fuck up and realize this isn’t your fault. It isn’t anyone’s fault, Hunter, and just like everything else, I’ll get through this.”

  “I just want you to know that I will never leave you alone again, ever. And you don’t have to talk about it, unless you want to.”

  Hunter had barely functioned for the last forty-eight hours, and it was true that his emotions were all over the place. Seeing Andy like this for the first time since the ordeal was a sign, a sign of hope that everything really would be okay, that they would be okay. Finally, things were starting to fall back into place.

  “Yeah, you’ll get through this … we will get through this, together,” Hunter told Andy.

  “What do you mean, ‘together’?” Andy questioned.

  Hunter raised his head and smiled at Andy. “Your parents were here until a short while ago. They’re leaving on a business trip to France tomorrow, and they’ve asked me to take care of you while they’re away.”

  “A business trip? For how long?” Andy questioned.

  “Your dad said they’d be gone at least a month, maybe longer.”

  “A month?”

  Hunter nodded his head. “Which is why I assured them that you would be safe in my care, under my roof.”

  Andy sighed in frustration at the fact that they thought he needed babysitting. “Wait a second, your place?”

  “Yup! I promised Marion and Jack that I’d take you in while they were away. So, you’re moving in with me until they get back.”
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br />   “I don’t—”

  “Don’t even think about going all stubborn ass on me, Andy. It’s done. As soon as the doctors tell us we can get out of here, we’re going to your place to pack a few things, then we’re heading to my house. And don’t look at it like you’ve been betrayed, Andy. Your mother and father are worried about you. They didn’t want to go unless they knew you were going to be okay, so I offered to take you in. You weren’t forced upon me.”

  “But what about Lili?”

  “What about her? She loves it when you come over, you get along great together. This isn’t negotiable, the discussion is over,” Hunter ordered.

  Nothing more needed to be said, since Andy had no choice. For as long as Andy was in his care, Hunter was going to make sure his best friend was well looked after.

  “I’m going to speak to the nurses and ask them when we can get out of here, but I don’t want to rush you if you’re not ready yet.”

  Andy wasn’t sure about anything at that moment, but the thought of leaving the hospital and living with Hunter was so welcoming it made Andy’s mouth curve for the first time in days.

  “Awesome. Now you just lie back and relax, I’ll do the rest.”

  With that, Hunter walked through the door and over to the nurses’ station to finalize the necessary paperwork to have Andy released. Marion and Jack had given full consent for Hunter to organize Andy’s release when they were ready.

  Although still slightly on edge at the mere thought of being in unfamiliar surroundings, Andy soon warmed to the idea of seeing Hunter and Lili’s faces every day. That thought was all it took for Andy’s head to tilt back onto the pillow and to drift back to sleep.

  “WOULD YOU STOP it already, I’m not an invalid,” Andy snapped as Hunter grabbed Andy’s bags from the trunk.

  “I … I’m sorry, it’s just ...” Hunter didn’t finish his sentence, instead he turned his eyes to Andy who was looking at him through glistening eyes.

  “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. I know you’re only trying to help, but seriously, I’m fine,” Andy told Hunter.

  They’d left the hospital a few hours ago, and after a quick stop at Andy’s place to pack some clothes, they’d arrived at Hunter’s earlier than expected. Meaning his mother wasn’t back from the grocery store with Lili yet. After walking through the front door, Hunter bypassed the living room, taking Andy straight to the guest room.

  “This is your room,” Hunter said, placing the bags on the floor beside the bed.

  “And where do you sleep?” Andy asked.

  “Lili is in the room next to yours and my room is down the hall.”

  Hunter couldn’t help but allow his eyes to run over Andy’s form. It wasn’t the first time Hunter had… what? Am I ogling Andy? He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head, remembering he’d promised Andy’s parents that he’d look after his friend. Yet somehow, Hunter couldn’t quite bring himself to leave the room.

  “Can … can I ask a favor?” Andy asked suddenly.

  “Of course.”

  “I want you to promise me that you’ll forget what happened to me, that you’ll never ever think about what it was like to see me in that hospital bed.”

  Hunter wasn’t sure that was a promise he could keep. “I … ah … I don’t ...” He couldn’t find the words to form a sentence. Andy took a step toward him and reached out to touch his arm. “Wait … what are you doing?” Hunter asked, taking a step back.

  “Hunter, I … I know what happened to me, and what it’s done to my mind, but I won’t let some sick fuck destroy my life. I live in New York City. I can’t exactly walk around continually looking over my shoulder, and quite frankly, I don’t want to. I don’t want to live my life in fear, wondering if someone is going to come out of an alley with a knife, or a gun. I won’t stop living my life because of one sick bastard. Yeah sure, I was in a state of shock for a while, but who was the one person who never left my side and reminded me what it felt like to be safe again? It was you, Hunter. You were the one who pulled me out of that hole and reminded me that it was okay to live again, to not be afraid, because we were going to be there for each other. So, how about you start being there for me now and forget all this ever happened.”

  Hunter had no words, and he couldn’t believe how brave Andy was to get over such a horrific ordeal so quickly. Seeing Andy in that hospital, as a result of that attack, was a picture that had been imprinted in Hunter’s mind since the moment Andy had come staggering through the doors at— Holy shit! “Stephanie!” he whispered.

  “What?” Andy looked at Hunter with a confused expression.

  “Stephanie. She’s the owner of the club that we went to the other night. God, I forgot to call her and let her know you’re all right.”

  Reaching for his wallet, Hunter pulled out the small white card Stephanie had handed him before she left the hospital. Realizing he’d left his phone in the other room, he walked through the living room to get it.

  “Hello?” Stephanie’s familiar voice carried through the phone.

  “Stephanie?” Hunter asked.

  “This is she,” she replied.

  “This is Hunter, the guy from the other night, at the club.”

  “Oh my god, I was getting really worried when you hadn’t called me. Please tell me, how’s your friend, Andy?”

  “That’s the reason for my call, actually. I just wanted to let you know that Andy is out of hospital and staying with me.”

  Hunter could hear the crack in Stephanie’s voice, and knew she was as relieved as he was about Andy’s prognosis.

  “Um … I know this may be a strange request, I mean, we don’t really know each other that well …”

  “You want to come and visit Andy,” Hunter said, interrupting her. He turned to face Andy who gave a nod of approval, then Hunter gave Stephanie his details before hanging up the phone. He turned and walked back to the bedroom where he saw Andy— “Jesus Christ, what the hell are you doing?” Hunter asked as he saw Andy trying to lift a bag of clothing onto the top of the closet before placing a hand over the ribs which were still covered in bruises.

  “The doctors released me from the hospital, which means I’m all clear to do things on my own, Hunter. I told you to stop making a fuss over me. I can lift a small bag of clothing and put it away, you know.” There was slight irritation in Andy’s tone.

  “Yeah … I can see that,” Hunter replied, sarcastically. “Put it down on the bed and I’ll put it away in a minute.”

  Andy didn’t argue and placed the bag on the bed as Hunter requested. “You don’t need to smother me,” Andy told him.

  Hunter sighed, knowing how frustrating this was for Andy. He knew he needed to lighten up and not treat Andy like an invalid, but it was proving difficult.

  “I—”

  “I don’t want to hear it, Hunter, I don’t want to hear the ‘I’m sorry’ part. I keep telling you this is not your fault. And didn’t you just say, not less than five minutes ago, that you were going to forget what happened and move on.”

  “I can’t just forget about it.”

  “Well, you need to try, because otherwise you’re going to drive me completely insane.”

  “Stephanie’s coming over,” Hunter said, quickly changing the subject. “She wants to see you.”

  Andy figured that perhaps Hunter needed a hug, to be told that everything was going to be okay and to stop fussing over everything, but it’s who he was. He was a devoted and loving father, a determined, hardworking firefighter, and a loyal friend. It was in Hunter’s nature to worry about people, but this was one time when he had to stop worrying about others. Andy placed a hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “It’s okay, you know,” Andy said.

  “What?” Hunter asked.

  “It’s okay to let other people care about you, Hunter. You know that you don’t have to be Dr. Phil for everyone.”

  Hunter tensed for a moment befor
e he relaxed. He knew Andy was right, but he also knew that people weren’t always okay all the time.

  Reaching for Hunter’s hand, Andy gave it a gentle stroke. “I know what you’re thinking, and you need to stop. I’m fine, I promise.”

  That was the best Hunter could hope for, and in all honesty, he knew it was the best he was going to get, from Andy anyway.

  There was a noise from outside in the hall, prompting Hunter to his feet as he heard his five-year-old running through the house, and a smile brushed over his face. He walked out into the living room and saw Lili with a grocery bag in one hand and a lollipop in the other. In front of her was his mother, who had just placed the groceries on the counter. Hunter walked over to them and scooped Lili into his arms.

  “Hi, Daddy.”

  “Hello, angel,” Hunter replied, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Hello, darling. Is everything okay? Did you manage to pick up Andy?” she asked.

  “I did. Andy’s in the guest room, settling in,” Hunter told her.

  The three of them put away the groceries before Judith took Lili to her room and helped her change out of her clothes. As Hunter was about to pour himself and Andy a drink, there was a knock on the door.

  Hunter pulled the door open and smiled at the woman standing outside. “Stephanie!”

  “Hey, I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” she asked.

  “No, not at all. Please, come in.” Hunter moved to the side, making room for Stephanie to enter.

  “How’s the patient?” Stephanie asked.

  “Just settling into the guest room. Can I get you a drink while you wait?”

  “Sure. Coffee would be great, thank you.”

  She placed her purse on the couch and sat down while Hunter went to the kitchen to prepare their drinks. As he waited for the kettle to boil, he walked into the guest room, where Andy was still fumbling through bags of clothing.

  “Stephanie’s here,” Hunter said.

  “Okay, I’ll be out in a moment,” Andy replied and continued unpacking the suitcase.