Comeback (Sequel to 'Before the Storm')

Chapter 7: Back Home

Ally's POV

The car ride from the hospital to Dani's house was quiet, filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension. I will be staying with Dani and Kevin until I recover a bit more.

As we pulled into the driveway, Dani turned to me with a small smile.

"Ready?" she asked gently.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "As I'll ever be."

As we approached the front door, I leaned heavily on Dani, still weak from my hospital stay. The house however seemed unusually quiet.

"SURPRISE! WELCOME HOME, ALLY!"

The chorus of voices startled me as we stepped inside. The living room was filled with familiar faces - Kevin, Nick, Priyanka, and others from the family. Colorful balloons and a "Welcome Back" banner decorated the room.

My eyes were immediately drawn to two little figures pushing their way through the crowd.

"Ally!" Willa's voice rang out, her eyes wide with excitement and concern.

"Al-ly!" echoed Delphine, her little face beaming.

They rushed towards me, but stopped short, clearly having been warned to be gentle. My heart swelled at the sight of them.

Willa, ever protective, spoke first. "Are you all better now? We heard you were very sick."

"I'm getting better every day," I assured her.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I slowly knelt down, ignoring the pain that shot through my body.

"Come here," I managed to say, my voice breaking.

That was all it took. Both girls rushed forward, all caution forgotten. Delphine threw herself into my arms with a sob, while Willa wrapped her arms around both of us, tears streaming down her face.

I hugged them back, tears pricking my eyes.

"I missed you, both of you, so much."

"We thought you went away forever," Willa cried, her little body shaking, "Daddy was so sad, and we were so scared."

At the mention of Joe, I glanced up, finally noticing him standing a bit apart from the others, his eyes red-rimmed, his expression a mix of love, worry, and uncertainty.

Before I could dwell on it, Delphine looked up at me, her chubby hand touching my cheek.

"No more ouchies, Ally."

I held them tightly, my own tears falling freely.

"I'm so sorry I scared you, but I'm here now. I promise."

As Willa and Delphine clung to me, I became aware of movement nearby. Three more little figures approached cautiously.

Alena and Valentina, took a tentative step forward.

"Aunt Ally?" said Alena softly, her voice trembling slightly, "Can we hug you too?"

Before I could answer, Malti, rushed forward with less restraint, throwing her arms around me.

I felt fresh tears spring to my eyes as I opened my arms wider, inviting Alena and Valentina into the group hug.

"Of course. Come here, all of you."

As the five girls surrounded me, each offering comfort in their own way, I was struck by the depth of love I felt for this family.

"We missed you so much, aunt Ally," Valentina said, her voice muffled against my shoulder, "We've been praying for you every night."

Malti nodded vigorously.

"Mommy said you had a big ouchie, but that you're also super strong!"

I hugged them all tighter, overwhelmed by their innocent love and concern.

"Thank you, my sweet girls. Your love has helped me be strong."

I looked up to see Joe still standing beside us, his eyes now filled with even more emotion at the sight of all five girls showering me with affection.

Behind him, Kevin, Danielle, Nick, and Priyanka watched the scene unfold, their own eyes glistening with tears.

"Group hug!" Willa suddenly declared, and the adults took that as their cue to join in.

"We're all here for you, Ally," Joe said softly, his eyes meeting mine, "Whatever you need, however long it takes."

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

"Let's get you settled on the couch," Dani said, helping me up.

As I was guided to the couch, Willa and Delphine stuck close, clearly reluctant to leave my side. They climbed up next to me, Delphine curling into my side while Willa held my hand.

The party continued around us. Plates of food were passed, stories were shared, and for a moment, it felt almost normal.

As the last guest left, a hush fell over the house. Joe, Kevin, Dani and I remained. Willa and Delphine were already asleep in Valentina and Alena's room as they were having a sleepover.

"Ally I-," Joe began, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Could you help me to bed?", I interrupted, not ready for whatever he might say.

A flicker of something - relief? disappointment? - crossed his face, but he nodded.

Dani, who had been quietly tidying up, caught my eye.

"We'll leave you two alone," she said with a gentle smile, "Ally, everything you need should be in the guest room. Call if you need anything, ok?"

I nodded gratefully as she slipped out of the room. Joe approached me carefully, as if he was afraid I might break.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice soft.

I nodded, bracing myself for the pain I knew would come with movement. Joe slipped one arm around my waist and took my hand with his free one.

Slowly, we made our way down the hallway to the guest room, my body leaning heavily against his.

The short walk to the guest room was silent, filled only with the sound of our breathing and my occasional wince of pain.

Each step seemed to echo with the weight of all we weren't saying, all the questions left unasked, all the explanations left unspoken.

When we finally reached the bed, I sank onto it with a mixture of relief and reluctance. I wasn't ready for him to leave, despite knowing he had to.

Joe knelt in front of me, his eyes level with mine.

"Can I help you change?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

I nodded, suddenly acutely aware of every point where our skin might touch. Joe moved gently, helping me out of my clothes and into my pajamas.

As he helped me slide under the covers, I caught his hand. Our eyes met, and for a moment, it was as if everything we couldn't say aloud passed between us in that gaze.

Joe squeezed my hand gently, his thumb tracing small circles on my skin.

"I..." he started, then stopped, seeming to think better of whatever he was going to say.

Instead, he simply said, "I'm glad you're home, Ally."

I wanted to say so many things. I wanted to ask him why, to demand explanations, to tell him how much he'd hurt me. But I also wanted to tell him I loved him, that I was scared, that I didn't know how to move forward.

In the end, all I managed was a quiet, "Me too."

He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering a moment longer than necessary. When he pulled back, his eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Get some rest," he murmured.

He moved to the door, turning back to look at me one last time.

"Goodnight, Ally. Call if you need anything, anytime."

"Goodnight, Joe," I whispered.