The doctor cleared his throat and said, “I’m assuming this is your partner? He’s very protective.”
“Oh no, no, we aren’t—”
“Yes,” Rip said. “I am.”
My eyes widened. I would have 100 percent remembered that, head injury or not. “Rip, what are you—”
“We have two kids.”
Tears spilled over my cheeks. It was true. All of it, except the whole asking to be my boyfriend or partner thing. We did have two kids. Two beautiful kids. Two gorgeous kids we couldn’t even take credit for but would raise the hell out of.
More memories assaulted me until I started seeing spots.
“They’re ours,” he continued. “We’re a family. Or we will be, once Colby gets better and can come home. She’s literally the worst cook on the planet, despite her uncanny ability to blog about food and shovel it down about as fast as she can type. At least she has mean coloring skills.” He took a breath and kept going as tears ran down my cheeks.
I cried harder.
I’d colored with Viera after they died. After Monica and Brooks left us.
After the fights with Rip.
After the making up.
The horrible chicken.
The lovemaking.
“The youngest likes to draw pictures of killing the cat. Don’t worry, they just have a weird war going on, may the strongest survive and all that.” He smiled at me while the doctor moved to check my IV.
At this point I couldn’t stop staring at Rip. My forever.
Mine.
A year ago I would have asked if this was some cruel joke about the life we could have if he pulled his head out of his ass.
“I didn’t realize I would be that protective of a dad until the oldest had a jujitsu match and I felt the need to go talk some sense into the little shit that was mean to him.” He smiled at the doctor, who looked at him with polite awkwardness.
The memory of Rip running out onto the mats flashed into my head.
Rip running through the gym.
A kid having attitude.
Was it a dream?
It felt like a dream.
But I knew it was true.
After all, hadn’t I been the one trying to film it on my phone?
I laughed despite the tears. “Still going to post that video.”
“Thank God.” Rip reached for me, doctor be damned. “I finally found you, Colby. Please,” Rip pleaded. “Please remember us. Remember your forever.” He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me.
It was a small picture of demons.
It said, “my family.”