Saving Her

Chapter 32

Shawn's POV

After breakfast we all get ready for the day. Camila and Sinu are going over to my parents house for the day to help my mom paint Aaliyah's room. Camila has offered to help her paint it whatever color she wanted. My sister had decided on four different paint colors, one for each wall, something only she would do.

After I showered I called my mom and talked to her about last night. She was obviously heartbroken, as was my dad, but they promised to take care of her today. I'm so grateful for my parents and my sister. They've embraced the Cabello family with open arms and I'm pretty sure my mom loves Camila more than me sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I promised once Sofi and I were done at the hospital, we'd meet them at the house.

Grabbing my keys, wallet and phone I head downstairs only to be met by Camila at the stop of the steps. She looked refreshed and beautiful. I mean she's always beautiful, but she looks like the shower helped. Her scent of lavender and honey fills my senses and I can't help but smile.

Pulling me out of my thoughts, I feel her take my hand. "Thank you for last night Shawn. I'm sorry I'm such a mess." She says weakly.

"Mila, you have nothing to be sorry for. I promise! And no need to thank me, you know I'd do anything for you. I love you Banana." I smile down at her, gently guiding her into my arms to give her a hug. She hesitantly steps forward but eventually fully commits and I'm pretty sure if we squeezed any harder we might both pass out.

"I love you too Shawn." She says as she reaches up on her tip toes to kiss my cheek, only I turn slightly and her lips collide with the corner of my mouth. Heat courses through my veins and I'm pretty sure she feels it too because she fumbles out of my arms with one of her hands touching her lips like she's just been shocked.

Woah....

In an effort to decrease the awkwardness, I grab her hand and lead her downstairs. We take the steps slowly because I'm pretty sure we feel weak in the knees.

"Can we talk later?" She looks up at me expectedly when we reach the bottom of the steps.

"Sure thing" I say as I wave to Sofi that we need to go. Giving her a quick kiss to the forehead, Sofi and I walk to my truck and head for the hospital.

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What feels like hours later, was actually only a matter of an hour. The meeting with Dr. Story went extremely well. It was decided that Andy's old office would be closed permanently and once it was sealed off, that wall would be an open canvas for Camila to create something magical with her artwork. Her therapist was also part of the meeting and actually came up with the idea. She said it would be a good healing exercise for her when she was ready. Something positive for her to hold on to when she would walk by that area in the future. Her therapist said it's like creating a new memory to replace an old one and it would be important for Camila to feel some sense of "victory" or closure by letting her have free reign on that wall.

Sofi was extremely satisfied with how the meeting went and I'm so proud of her. She's really stepped up in a big way for Camila and it makes me so happy to see that she's taking this leap to help her heal. I think this will be healing for all of us.

On the way to my house we stop by the local flower shop at Sofi's insistence. We pick out sunflowers for Mila, roses for our moms and daisies for my sister to match the flowers Mila is painting on one of the walls in her room. We also stop for coffee because it's been a long morning and lets face it; hospital coffee sucks!

Pulling into my driveway, we grab the flowers and head inside. Our noses are met with the strong smell of paint fumes and our eyes see my mom frantically opening the windows to help disperse the smell. 

It's a warm late summer day in Toronto today.  It's almost August, which means my birthday is coming up.

"Hey Shawn, hey Sofi...come on in. Sorry for the smell.  We didn't think it would be this strong." My mom says.

"No worries mom." I say as I pull her into a hug.  Handing her the roses I picked out for her, she kisses my cheek "These are beautiful baby! Thank you."  She says as she turns to go find a vase in the kitchen.

Aaliyah comes down the stairs with paint all over her.  "Hey sis, did any paint get on the walls?  You know the object is not to paint yourself." I tease her and Sofi hands her the daisies we picked out.

"Very funny brother!" She snaps back and I can't help but laugh.  She's so cute when she's mad. "Camila asked to see you." She adds.

Sofi and Aaliyah migrate to the kitchen where our moms are as I proceed up the stairs and walk into Aaliyah's room.

Staying in the doorway I admire Camila painting.  One of the walls is painted a grey color and Camila has managed to paint little white and yellow daisies all over the wall. It looks amazing. She's so talented.

In an effort not to startle her I knock on the door holding the sunflowers. "You wanted to see me Mila?"

Turning to face me I see that she too is covered in paint. She's so cute with little white paint streaks on her cheeks and nose. Her eyes widen at the sight of the flowers in my hand.

"Yes I did" she says as she puts her paints down and walks towards me.

Gesturing for me to sit on one of the sheet covers chairs, she takes the one next to me and turns to face me. I reach out and give her the bouquet. I'm rewarded with a huge, beautiful smile. It's been so long since she's smiled that big and it makes my heart quicken slightly.

"So I have an idea" she says.

"Ok"

"I want us to take a trip for your birthday. I need to get out of here for a few days and I think you do too."

"Like...just you and me? Or....or everyone?" I ask.

"Well.....that's what I'm debating, but I think I'd like it to just be the two of us. We haven't taken a trip together since college and now seems like as good a time as any to get away."

"A trip sounds fun! Where would we go?" I ask.

"Well I was going to leave that up to you." She says. "You don't have to decide now, just think about it."

I nod before we both stand as the smell of pizza fills the air from downstairs. We both love pizza.

Stepping towards her, I tentatively pull her into my arms for a hug which she returns with no qualms about it.  I'm secretly very glad she doesn't flinch when I touch her, or deny my hugs.

I can feel her heart beating against my chest and in that moment, I realize this trip is the perfect time to tell her how I feel. I don't want much more time to go by wishing I would've said how I was really feeling.

If the almost kiss this morning is any indication of how things might be, I want to explore that, while we literally explore wherever I decide we should go for our trip.