Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-One
John reached for Johanna as Julia offered her to him, smiling when he noticed just how big she'd gotten. "Hey there, Cupcake." He whispered, handing her a small gift and helping her open it. "Merry Christmas."
She pulled out the stuffed Pit Bull toy, giggling as John squeezed the chest and it barked. "Woof!"
John grinned, looking up at the family with shock in his eyes. "Is that her first word?" He asked, laughing when they nodded.
Clarissa picked up a tiny box from under the makeshift tree, placing it on John's lap. "I hope you like it." She smiled, watching as he clumsily opened the gift and pulled out a key.
John's brow furrowed, turning the key over in his hand. "You… got me… a car?"
Thomas nodded, pushing John's wheelchair toward the window and pointing to the blue Chevy truck in the parking lot. "It was supposed to be for your birthday, but we thought it would work for a Christmas present just as well."
John smiled, taking Phoebe's hand as she stepped to the window beside him. "Just being alive is enough."
Claire changed John's sheets, wrinkling her nose as the smell of his sweat reached her nose. She didn't mind his scent, but when he hadn't showered for a few days and was sweating profusely, the smell could become a little much. "Does it still hurt?" She asked, turning to speak to him until she saw that he was passed out in his wheelchair.
She sighed, stepping over to the chair and pushing John to the bed. She lifted his upper body into the bed, following closely with his legs. She covered him up, her lips brushing over his before she turned to leave.
His hand gripped her wrist, his eyes barely cracking open as he looked at her. "Stay…" He rasped, aching to have her close after so long apart. "I miss you…"
She smiled, laying beside him in the bed. "I miss you too." She breathed, gasping as her hand brushed over the bandage on his side where the heat was more like a fire than his skin. "John… I'm getting worried about this. What if… what if it gets worse?"
He closed his eyes, resting his cheek on her head. "I'm too tired to worry about that…"