He slowly looked up at his sister, his eyes were full but he refused to cry. Truth was, he was in awe of her efforts. She believed in him. Believed he was a survivor as much as he believed it.
There were no words. He reached out for her. He felt Cara slide off the bed and then Sam leaned over him and he took her in his arms, hugged her with all his might
“Thank you.” He whispered hoarsely. He held her for a moment before pulling back and brushing back her hair that had fallen in her face. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“Always.” She whispered and kissed his cheek. They both turned when they heard their mother let out a sob, and simultaneously they laughed at her.
“She’s such a good girl, my Samantha.” Deb said as she cried. Luke handed her the box of tissues that sat on the table beside Jake’s bed, thankfully the hospital was equipped to handle their mother’s emotions.
“That’s because she takes after me.” Joe said as he closed the newspaper and placed it on the table. He winked at his daughter. “Good job, daughter.”
“She does not we just let you think she does.” Deb said before she blew her nose.
Joe waved his hands at his wife, ignoring her and stood up. He held his hand out to his daughter.
“Dad?” Sam asked questioningly, but placed her hand in his and let him help her to her feet.
He took one of her hands in his and wrapped the other around her and began to sing. Joe sang as he began to spin his daughter around the hospital room. Each one of them knew the Buddy Holly, classic. Many a day’s were spent dancing around the Lanza home as Joe played his vinyl records. Rave On, was Joe Lanza’s favorite song, and when all was right in the household he’d play it loud and each and every one of them would sing and dance along with him. His love for the song was contagious and it proved so at that moment. Luke brought the portable table in front of Jake.
Jake grinned at his brother and began to tap his hands against the table to the beat of the song. He looked over at Cara, who was watching the scene unfold around her. She looked at them like they had all lost their minds, but couldn’t contain her laughter.
Jake smiled wide at Cara, and urged her to bring the beat to life with her hands. She laughed at him as she joined him, tapping the beat. Luke grabbed Deb and began to spin her around as they chimed in with the singing. Joe dropped Sam’s hand and began to play air guitar as Sam grabbed Jake’s Gatorade bottle and used it as a microphone. Laughter echoed through the stale hospital room, and the door opened. Two nurses and a doctor raced into the room, skidding to a halt when they saw the family dancing and singing around Jake.
Jake laughed when he looked over at the doctor who looked flabbergasted. Jake shrugged his shoulders and continued to tap his hands. They may not be the most conventional family, but they were his. They were his support system. They had rallied around him and given him the strength to be the fighter he was. He turned his gaze to Cara and watched her laugh through the words she sang with his father. It was moments like this that made the struggle worth it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
One Month Later…..
Jake stood in front of Rudy’s holding Cara’s hand, his eyes roamed around the parking lot that was filled with motorcycles. There were all types, from classics to motorbikes. The sound of the engine’s purring was like music to his ears. He took careful notice of the people that all nodded and clapped their hands to his back, some of them familiar faces, the rest strangers. All of them there for him, and he was completely humbled by each of them. He felt Cara squeeze his hand, and he diverted his attention to her. She smiled up at him like he was the man of her dreams. The feeling in the pit of his stomach that he got, whenever she looked at him like that, was one he’d never get sick of.
She was wearing her “Team Jake” T-shirt, and her curly hair fell wild around her face. He stared into her hazel eyes, trying to figure if they were green or gold today. It didn’t matter, whatever color they were, they were mesmerizing and he could lose himself in those eyes. She didn’t look so tired and drained anymore, he concurred.