Strong enough to leave the house.
Grabbing my towel, I made quick work of having a shower. I applied a light layer of makeup. I tied my unwashed hair back in a side bun, my white bow firmly in place. I dressed in a hunter-green dress, sliding a white sweater over the top.
I was placing my infinity earring in my earlobe when my bedroom door suddenly opened. I caught the buzz of raised voices, my daddy’s voice in particular.
Turning my head, I smiled when Rune entered, his blue eyes immediately colliding with mine. Searching, checking, before brightening with relief.
Rune silently cut across the room, only stopping when he had threaded his arms around my shoulders and pulled me to his chest. I let my arms hold his waist and breathed in his fresh scent.
“You look better,” Rune said above me.
I held him a little tighter. “I feel better.”
Rune stepped back and placed his hands on my face. He searched my eyes, before his lip curled up and he pressed the sweetest of soft kisses to my mouth. When we broke away, he sighed. “I’m glad. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to go.”
“Where?” I asked, my heart kicking into a steady run.
This time Rune smiled and, moving his mouth to my ear, announced, “On another adventure.”
My racing heart increased to a gallop. “Another adventure?”
With no more explanation, Rune led me out of my bedroom. His hand, so tightly gripping mine, was the only indication he gave of how concerned he had been over the past few days.
I knew though. I saw the fear in his eyes every time I moved in bed and he asked if I was okay. Every time he sat with me after school, watching me, studying me … waiting. Waiting to see if this was it.
He was petrified.
The progression of my cancer didn’t frighten me. The pain and the near future didn’t scare me. But seeing Rune look at me this way, so desolate, so desperate, had begun to make me afraid. I loved him so much, and I could see he loved me beyond measure. But this love, this soul-searing connection, had begun to anchor the heart I had set free to this life.
I had never feared death. My faith was strong; I knew there was a life after this. But now fear had started to creep into my consciousness. Fear of leaving Rune. Fear of his absence … fear of not feeling his arms around me and his kisses on my lips.
Rune glanced back as if sensing my heart beginning to tear. I nodded. I wasn’t sure I had been convincing; I still detected concern in his expression.
“She isn’t going!” My daddy’s forceful voice carried down the hallway. Rune pulled me to his side, lifting his arm until I was safely underneath. When we arrived at the doorway, my mama, daddy and Aunt DeeDee were standing at the mouth of the living room.
My daddy’s face was red. My aunt had her arms crossed over her chest. My mama ran her hand down my daddy’s back, attempting to calm him.
My daddy lifted his head. He forced a smile. “Poppy,” he said and came closer. Rune didn’t let go of me. My daddy picked this up and shot him a glare that should have eviscerated him on the spot.
Rune didn’t even flinch.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, reaching for my daddy’s hand.
My touch seemed to have rendered him speechless. I glanced at my mama. “Mama?”
Mama stepped forward. “It’s been planned since your aunt came a few weeks ago.” I looked to Aunt DeeDee, who smiled mischievously.
“Rune here planned to take you away. He asked your aunt to help plan it.” Mama sighed. “We never expected your levels to fall this soon.” Mama placed her hand on my daddy’s arm. “Your daddy doesn’t think you should go.”
“Go where?” I asked.
“It’s a surprise,” Rune announced from beside me.
Daddy stepped an inch back and met my eyes. “Poppy, your white blood cell levels have dropped. It means the chance of infection is high. With your immune system being at risk, I don’t think you should travel on a plane—”
“A plane?” I interrupted.
I looked up at Rune. “A plane?” I repeated.
He curtly nodded his head once, but didn’t explain any further.
Mama placed her hand on my arm “I asked your specialist and he said,”—she cleared her throat—“he said, at this point in your illness, if you want to go, then you should go.” I heard the underlying current of her words. Go before it got too late to travel anywhere.
“I want to go,” I said with unwavering certainty, gripping onto Rune’s waist. I wanted him to know I wanted this. I glanced up at him; he met my eyes. Smiling, I said, “I’m with you.”
Rune, surprising me, but at the same time not surprising me at all, kissed me. Kissed me hard and quick right in front of my family. Rune broke free from me and moved next to my aunt. Beside DeeDee there was a suitcase. Without another word, he took the suitcase to the car.
My heart was beating a staccato rhythm of excitement.
Daddy squeezed my hand. His touch brought me back to his worry, his fear. “Poppy,” he said sternly.
Before he could say any more, I leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek. I looked him in the eye. “Daddy, I understand the risks. I’ve been fighting this a long time. I know you’re worried. I know you don’t want me to be hurt. But staying trapped in my room like a caged bird for one more day … that is what will hurt me. I’ve never been one to stay inside. I want this, Daddy. I need this.” I shook my head, feeling a sheer sheen of water fill my eyes. “I can’t spend whatever time I have left locked away for fear it’ll make me worse. I need to live … I need this adventure.”
He sucked in a stuttering breath. But, eventually, he nodded his head. A light dizziness flooded through me. I was going!
Jumping on the spot, I wrapped my arms around my daddy’s neck. He hugged me back.
I kissed my mama then looked to my aunt. She had her hand held out. I took hold of it, just as my daddy said, “I’m trusting you to look after her, DeeDee.”
My aunt sighed. “You know this girl is my heart, James. You think I’d let anything happen to her?”
“And they stay in separate rooms!”
I simply rolled my eyes at that.
My daddy began talking to my aunt. But I didn’t hear it. I didn’t hear anything as my gaze went through the open door, and down to the boy dressed all in black who was leaning against the railing of our porch. The boy in a leather jacket who was casually bringing a cigarette to his mouth, all the time watching me. His crystal-blue eyes not once straying from mine.
Rune blew out a cloud of smoke. Casually tossing the butt to the ground, he flicked his chin and held out his hand.
Releasing Aunt DeeDee’s hand, I closed my eyes for a brief moment, committing to memory how he looked, right at this moment.
My Norwegian bad boy.
My heart.
Opening my eyes, I rushed through the door. Reaching the top step, I then jumped into Rune’s open arms. He enveloped me in his embrace. I giggled, feeling the breeze on my face. Holding me tightly, my feet still off the ground, Rune asked, “You ready for that adventure, Poppymin?”
“Yes,” I replied breathlessly.
Rune pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. “I love you,” he whispered after a long pause.
“I love you too,” I said, just as quietly.
I was rewarded with a rare smile.
He carefully lowered me to the ground, took my hand and asked again, “You ready?”