Are you tough enough?

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I'm back with an update 🙌🏻 I'm sorry it's been so long I've been struggling to write this. Keep in mind that not everything will add up! I haven't done too much research on recovery from open heart surgery as it's very complex.
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Robert closed the front door behind Andy. She took a deep breath in and it still felt so amazing to be able to do that again. She was home, finally home.
"Welcome Home babe." Robert said and gave her a short kiss.

"Bed or couch?" He asked then. "I wanna say couch because I've got enough of beds but I'm gonna go with bed. I- you- can you help me with the stairs?" Andy asked.

It was weird but that question filled him with so much pride because she was able to admit she needed help which she never used to, like ever.

"I got you." He said and helped her up the stairs and get settled in bed. "Do you need anything else?" He asked her. "Not right now, I'm really tired from the trip home honestly, so I just need a nap."
"Maybe some food after?" He asked knowing she still didn't have much of an appetite and hadn't eaten much.
"Uh I don't know, not really hungry right now."
"Okay, sleep a little." Robert said leaning over to give her a kiss.

Robert left The bedroom, not closing the door completely so he could hear when she got up. Even though she said she wasn't hungry he went to the kitchen and cooked her favourite pasta, hoping that would ignite her appetite.

It felt so good to have her back home and even when the worst was behind them Robert knew there was still a lot ahead of them. Recovery would be a long process and he was unsure how Andy would handle it.

He put the food away and was unsure what to do now. Everything in him wanted to go check on Andy but he knew she was getting annoyed with him being overprotective. But how could he not be after everything that happened? After almost losing the love of his life. When Andy was in a coma he was sure he had lost her forever and it had completely broke him, leading him to stupid choices and mistakes he wishes he could undo. To distract himself he decided to read a book.

When he heard noises he turned around and saw Andy at the top of the stairs coming down. "Hey Hey wait, I'll help you." He said quickly jumping up and making his way to her side.

"It's alright Robert, I got it." She assured him but he still walked down right beside her. "Here sit down, I'll heat up some food." He pulled out a chair for her and Andy sat down. "I'm not really hungry." She mumbled. Andy knew Robert would still make her eat so protesting wouldn't help.

"I know babe but you missed lunch, you need some energy." He said putting a plate in the microwave and then turning back to her. "What?" He asked. Andy smirked at him. "I knew you wouldn't let me get away with not eating." She chuckled. "And you know that I am right." Robert got her food out and sat it down in front of Andy.

"I'm about to explode." She sighed shoving away the plate with the leftovers. "I'll clean it up." Robert took the plate and went to the kitchen. "You know I could do that myself right?" She asked a little annoyed. "I know you can Andy, it's just ... you don't have to because you got a great husband."

"That I do." She smiled letting her eyes wander over his back. She really had won the lottery. Yes he was overprotective and it annoyed her but the way he cared for her the last weeks and just the fact he was still here amazed her.

A lot of men would have run when faced with a situation like this but he didn't. He never left her side and was there for her every step. She got teary thinking about the last weeks, it had been a lot and even when she had her fare share of near death experiences, this one was probably the closest she ever gotten and somehow it was scarier than the other ones.

She got up from the chair and went to the door to their backyard. Andy didn't want to him to see her cry, he had seen her at her most vulnerable but right now she just wanted a moment to herself but when she reached for the door handle Robert was quickly by her side stopping her.

"Let me, you know you are not supposed to do things like that with one arm. Your sternum won't heal that way." He opened the door for her and she walked by him with her head down. "Andy, you okay?" He asked. "Fine." She sniffled walking on to the grass.

Robert walked in front of her to stop her, he tilted her head up and gently wiped away some tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "This is not because of the door is it?" Andy shook her head looking by at the tree in the corner of their yard.

"It's... I just-" she sighed, "it's been a lot and I don't know I think it's just catching up to me now." Robert had his hands on each side of her. "I almost died and now everything is different. I don't want to sound ungrateful or something but it's just- I can't do anything and everything is exhausting and it hurts and I just want to go back to the way things were, I want to go back to work and I just want us to be happy again." She wiped away more tears.

"It's been a lot...and we were so focused on your physical Heath I think we forgot about how this is affecting you mentally. You are just starting to process it all and it will take some time. Recovery is going to take the time it takes and you will be back at work before you know it and I for myself... I am incredibly happy. My wife is alive, she's home, she's getting better. I couldn't be happier to have you here." He leaned down and let their lips connect.

„You took your meds right?" Robert asked when they entered their bedroom. „Yes I did." Andy said rolling her eyes. „Okay so we just need to change your dressing."
"You can go get ready Robert, I got it." Andy said laying out what she needed to redress her wound. "I know you got it but..." he decided he'd be better off to stop, Andy was stubborn and as hard as that was sometimes he also loved her stubbornness.

He leaned against the door frame of their bathroom watching her. "Ugh damn it!" Andy said and Robert walked over to her. "Come on lay down, I'll do it." He said determined. Andy wanted to fight back but when he spoke in that chief voice he could still pull off she knew she couldn't win.

She laid back and Robert carefully pulled off the old dressing, cleaned around the wound and put a new dressing on. "Thank you, but I could have done that too." She said looking in his eyes. "I know okay but there's no shame in letting me do it. I'm gonna get ready and join you then."

He was quickly done in the bathroom and joined his wife in bed. It felt so good to have her back here, the bed was way too big for just him but it was weird as well. Robert was worried he would throw his arm on her and hurt her while he was asleep so he kept his distance which annoyed Andy.

Robert fell asleep quite quickly while Andy laid awake. Ever since the surgery she had trouble falling asleep so she laid in the dark staring at the ceiling. She turned her head to her husband and took his hand in hers which woke him up. "You're not sleeping?" He asked with a groggy voice. "I can't sleep like this, always on my back... it's uncomfortable! I just wanna roll to my side and sleep in your arm." She whispered.

"I want you to sleep in my arm too babe and you will gain soon." Robert said getting a little closer to her. "Soon" she laughed. "It's not soon, it's not even been two weeks yet, so like at least uhm.. another 4 weeks." She said desperate.

"I know patience is not your thing." Robert chuckled, he rolled to his side laying right next to her. "But this is all you'll get for now." he said putting his arm over her hip. „I hate this." she scuffed.

„I know." he whispered, he wanted to comfort her but there was nothing really uplifting he could say. Healing would take its time and it sucked but at least she got to heal, she was here in his arms, she was home.