Lucky Bounce: Game On, Part 2 by Jennifer Lazaris

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Eli took the steps to her apartment two at a time and banged on her front door, praying she was awake.

When she opened the door, his stomach turned when he saw that she'd been crying. Her eyes were red and watery, and she looked scared.

"Holly, what's wrong?" He didn't wait for an invitation as he stepped inside and grabbed her hands. "Talk to me."

"It's M-Miss. She's sick. I was just going to call an Uber to take me to the emergency vet. She started throwing up a half an hour ago, and now she's all curled up and won't move." Her lower lip began to tremble as she sliced a hand through the air. "I'm so stupid. I should have known this would happen with all the upheaval. I haven't been giving her the probiotics regularly because I've been dealing with my own crap, and now this happens. She had a bit of diarrhea yesterday. I just... I should have known."

"Hey." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Stop beating yourself up. Come on, let's get her to the emergency vet. Where's her carrier?"

"You'll take us?" She looked surprised. "Eli, you don't have to."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'm taking you. I'm not going to let down my favorite fuzzball. Let's get her checked out."

"Thank you," she said, her voice wavering.

Holly put a small towel into the carrier, then gently lowered a very lethargic looking Miss into it and closed the hatch.

"I'll bring an extra blanket, and one of my t-shirts. I like to cover the carrier. She feels more secure that way."

"Whatever helps. Are you ready?"

"Yeah." She grabbed her purse. "Let's go."

Once they were in his SUV, Holly kept the fabric carrier on her lap and talked to Miss the whole time.

"Have you seen her like this before?" he asked, pulling up to a red light.

"Yes, she gets this way when she has a flare. I feel so guilty. I know the signs. I've just been so distracted. She usually doesn't vomit as much as this though, so I'm concerned."

"We'll get her looked at, and she'll be feeling better in no time," he assured her.

Once they arrived at the vet, the staff took Miss up to a little station where they assessed her condition.

"It won't be a long wait," one of the vet techs told them. "There's only one person ahead of you."

The tech carefully put Miss back into her carrier, and Eli followed Holly over to a row of plastic chairs.

"It's going to be okay, sweet girl," Holly cooed. "I promise."

He leaned over to look at the cat. Her eyes were scrunched shut, and she looked uncomfortable. "Poor fuzzer."

"I didn't even ask you why you came over," Holly said, looking up at him. "I was so distracted."

"I just wanted to talk. Don't worry about that now, okay? We can do that later. Let's get her seen. That's what's important."

"I really thought she was doing okay, you know? It just snuck up on me. There's been so much change."

"Lil' Miss Wilkes?" a woman called from one of the open doors. "The vet is ready to see her now."

"Will you come in with me?" Holly asked. "You don't have to, but—"

"I was planning on it."

The vet, a short woman with blonde hair and pink glasses, peered into the carrier. "What's going on with your kitty tonight?"

Holly filled her in on what had happened and explained her medical history.

Next, the vet took Miss's temperature and did a quick exam, listening intently as Holly explained what usually happens during a flare.

"I think you're probably right regarding the flare," the vet said, scratching Miss on the head gently. "However, she's very dehydrated and has a fever, so I'd like to keep her overnight to keep an eye on her. We can give her some fluids and some medicine, then reassess tomorrow.”

Holly bit down on her lip. "She hates staying overnight. She gets so terrified that she shakes for a half an hour or more when she finally comes home."

"Don't worry. We can give her a small sedative to help keep her comfortable."

"Also, she won't eat when she's away from home," she fretted. "It's just her way."

"I don't think that's an issue right now," the vet said. "I'm not sure she's going to want to eat feeling like she does right now anyway. When was her last meal?"

"Around 4:00 pm."

"She's not going to be in danger if she doesn't eat tonight, but we want to make sure that tomorrow she starts slow. We don't want her not eating, because fatty liver syndrome is always a possibility when cats go off their food, especially ones with some heft to them like Miss. But it hasn't been long enough for that yet," the vet explained. "We'll get her started on the medicine she usually takes during her flare-ups and go from there, okay? I'll call you in the morning, and then we can reassess."

"I brought a t-shirt with me that has my scent on it," Holly told her. "I know that can help comfort a nervous cat. Can I leave it for her?"

"Of course. Don't worry. We'll take good care of her. We have a cat section that's quiet, so she won't be bothered by the noise of barking dogs."

Eli gave Miss a few pets on the head, but she really didn't look well. Her eyes were still closed, and she wasn't moving much.

"I love you, Moo," Holly whispered, kissing her on the head and the nose. "I'll be here tomorrow. Don't be scared."

The vet picked her up and nodded to the carrier. "You can take that for now. I'll call you in the morning. Take care."

Eli placed a hand on Holly's back, trying to offer her some comfort. She looked so worried that it was making him worry.

"It's going to be okay," he said gently. "Don't go down a road of worry. It's a flare, and they suck, but you said yourself that they happen. She's going to be fine."

"I always think that this time is going to be the time that I lose her."

"No. That's not happening."

"How do you know?" she asked, wringing her hands.

"I just do. She's a tough little fuzzball. She'll be giving you the 'talk to the paw' against your nose for years, don't worry."

"I'm sure you're probably right. It's just always scary."

When they went to the reception desk to pay, Holly dug through her purse as he handed the woman his credit card.

"Eli, no," Holly protested. "You can't pay for this."

"Yes, I can. You don't need to worry about money on top of everything else. I've got this."

"Congrats on the Cup win," the receptionist said, handing him back his card. "My husband and I are big Kingsnakes fans."

"Thank you." He shoved the card back into his wallet. "Just make sure the vet takes good care of the calico, okay? Whatever she needs. Money's not an object."

"Absolutely," the woman replied, handing him the receipt. "The doctor will call tomorrow morning. Have a good night."

Holly sighed as they walked outside to the parking lot. "Why do they say that? I don't know how I'm supposed to have a good night."

"It's just polite. Do you need anything before I take you home?" he asked as they climbed into the car. "Any stops you need to make?"

"No. Thanks, though." Holly closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. "I hate this. I hate that she has to stay here."

"It's the best place for her right now, though," he countered. "It sucks, but she's getting the care she needs, and that's what's important."

"I know." She covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a yawn. "Logically I know that. I still hate it, though."

* * *

When they arrived back at the apartment, he grabbed the carrier from the backseat, along with two plastic bags, filled with stuff he'd gotten at the store earlier, and followed her up the stairs.

She was moving slower than usual, and he felt a tiny prick of panic. Was she just tired? Or was it her MG acting up?

Once inside, Holly flicked on the living room lamp as he closed the door behind him.

"Where does this go?" he asked, holding up the carrier.

"Just leave it by the door. I'll need it tomorrow anyway, provided she is well enough to come home." She sank down onto the couch, looking so exhausted it alarmed him.

He dropped the carrier and bags down next to the door and walked over to her.

"Thank you for paying," she told him. "You didn't have to do that."

"It's not a big deal. I know things are tight right now for you financially. And I like that little fuzzer."

"She likes you, too." A curious look crossed her pretty face as he took a seat on the other end of the couch. "Eli, why are you here?"

"We can talk about stuff tomorrow. Holly, you look beat."

"I am. My MG is kicking my ass today," she admitted. "I could barely get up the stairs. I forgot to take my medication when Miss got sick, and now I'm paying for it."

"I can go get it," he said, standing. "Where is it?"

"No, no. That's okay." Holly shook her head. "I'll take it in the morning."

"Do you want a cup of tea or something?"

"Eli, you don't—"

"Stop," he said quietly. "Just let me do this, okay? Let me do something."

"Okay. Well, I would like some tea. There's an electric kettle on the counter. Tea bags are in the first cupboard on the left."

"Good. I'll be back in a few.”

He filled the kettle with water then flicked it on before going back to the living room.

"Mind if I use your bathroom?"

"Down the hall, first room on the left," she said, flicking on the television.

He opened the door of the bathroom, cringing as it banged off the sink. Jesus, how did she even fit in here? The bathroom was the size of a broom closet. He stared in horror at the shower, which he knew he'd never fit in. If she could turn around in there, it would be a miracle.

After taking a piss, he washed his hands and looked down at the bottles on top of the tiny sink. One was a container of prenatal vitamins.

The sound of the teakettle got him moving, and he quickly dried his hands and went to fix the tea. When he carried it out into the living room, he found her fast asleep on the couch.

It was chilly with the air conditioning on, so he went to her bedroom to find a blanket. She'd curled up into a ball, and he carefully covered her with the comforter.

Not wanting to wake her, he went to her room to crash on the bed.

The emotional exhaustion of the day had caught up to him. His limbs grew heavy, and he closed his eyes for a moment to rest.

When he opened them again, the clock on the nightstand read 4:00 am. Holly was curled tightly against his side, and they were both underneath a blanket and her comforter.

Eli wrapped his arm around her, a sense of peace washing over him. This was how it was supposed to be. Him and her, together, against the whole fucking world.

He buried his face against the top of her head, inhaling the light scent of lilies that always seemed to envelop her.

She stirred when he pulled her closer but didn't pull away.

Fuck, he needed this. So, so, much.

He'd planned to come over here and beg her to forgive him for being such an idiot. For making her feel like she was alone in all of this. The idea of her heading off to California... he couldn't even stand to think of it.

She deserved a grand gesture, like the one he'd done when he'd begged for forgiveness at the hotel. But he'd been exhausted and fresh out of ideas. So he'd run to Target and wandered the aisles, trying to find something that would help express how sorry he was for everything.

He still had no idea what the hell he was going to say to her tomorrow. All he knew was that he wasn't walking out of this place without laying everything on the line.

* * *

At 8:00 am, he woke to the sounds of tortured retching and leaped from the bed. He ran down the hall and found Holly in the bathroom, kneeling over the toilet, her head in her hands.

"Holly! What—"

She waved a hand. "It's just morning sickness."

A massive wave of guilt washed over him. "How long have you been like this?"

"Not long. The past week it's kicked in." She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and took a swig of water from a bottle on the floor nearby.

Getting to her feet, she swished the water around and spit in the sink, then flushed the toilet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"How could you?" She brushed her teeth as he went back out into the living room.

She came back into the room a few minutes later and took a seat on the couch.

"Why don't you just sit and rest a bit?" he asked. "Can you manage anything on your stomach?"

"Maybe some dry toast and some tea."

"I'll make that."

"Eli, I can make it myself."

"I'm sure you can, but today you don't have to, so just rest. That's an order."

She gave him a pointed look. "I'll do as you say, but only because I'm too damned tired to argue."

"So stubborn."

He went into the kitchen and made the tea and toast, then brought everything out to her on a tray, along with cream and sugar.

"Thank you. Sorry I fell asleep before I could drink last night's tea," she said. "I do that a lot lately.”

"No big deal. I was wiped out, too."

Holly took a sip of the tea, then glanced over at him. "I have stuff in there for breakfast. Feel free to make yourself something."

"Maybe later. I'm not hungry right now."

"Thanks for covering me up last night." She paused. "You didn't have to stay, you know. I wouldn't have climbed into bed with you, but I was uncomfortable."

"Holly, it's your bed. You should have been pissed off at me for using it." He studied her for a moment. "Why aren't you angry at me, Wilkes? Why haven't you given me shit? Lord knows I deserve it."

She stared at him, then opened her mouth to respond just as her cell phone vibrated on the coffee table.

"It's the vet!" She snagged it off the table. "Hello? Yes, this is Holly. Okay." She was silent for a moment as she listened to the doctor. "Great. I'm on my way. Thank you."

"Her fever's gone," she said, ending the call. "She wants to talk to me, but it looks like I can bring her home."

"That's great news. All right, let's get going."

"Eli, you already took me there once," she protested.

"And I'm taking you there again. Come on." He grabbed the carrier. "Let's go get your fuzzball."

* * *

An hour later, they were back at Holly's apartment with a content Miss, who seemed much more like herself. They'd given her fluids at the vet, plus an anti-nausea shot. She'd had her first dose of medication at the hospital, and Holly would give her the second dose tonight.

The doctor had also given Miss a mild sedative, since she usually had a stressful reaction after an overnight vet visit.

"I'll have to remember to ask for the sedative when she has her next flare. Normally, she comes home and pants and cries for an hour. Then she shakes. It's pretty miserable."

"She seems normal now," Eli observed, watching as the cat ate a small serving of the food Holly had prepared.

"Thankfully. It's one less thing to worry about."

Miss stretched, then looked over at Eli and mewed.

"Hey, Miss." He smiled at the calico. "Are you doing better?"

She flicked her tail and turned around, settling down on her cozy cat bed.

They both started laughing at her snub.

"I guess that's all the thanks you're going to get," Holly told him. "But remember, she's drugged. Don't feel too bad."

"I'll try not to be offended."

She glanced down at her watch. "I know you said you wanted to talk, but I have an interview in an hour. I need to shower and get ready."

Eli ran a hand down over his beard. "Holly, I know about the interview. Penn told me about it."

"She did?" Holly brushed a lock of purple hair behind her ear. "She wasn't supposed to do that."

"She wanted me to convince you not to go to California."

She swallowed as she met his gaze. "Is that why you're here? Because of Penn?"

"No," he murmured. "I'm here because of me. Because of us. You can't move away, Holly."

"Well, I can't stay here." She held her arms out at her sides. "Eli, I can't find a job here. I've sent tons of résumés, but Lyla's blackballed my name all over the place. I've tried to drum up interest in my cat health articles to get some freelance gigs, but that's not working, either. The job in California would give me health care and benefits. I need those things. Especially now."

Eli dragged his hands through his hair. "You know, I came over here last night, full of fight, determined to beg you to stay. I was going to get down on my fucking hands and knees, Holly." He paused for a moment, then drew in a breath. "Before I got here, I had a lot of shit go down. I was exhausted as hell, and as much as I would have loved to make some grand gesture to get you to forgive me, I didn't have the energy or the mental capacity to organize anything."

He scratched his jaw, then gestured at the grocery bags near the door. "So I went to Target and tried to find something meaningful that would convey how fucking sorry I was for being an asshole. I didn't know what flowers were safe for Miss, so I didn't get any. Then I wandered the aisles for an hour, trying to figure out what to do."

He walked over and grabbed the bags, then placed them on the couch. He dumped the first one out on the coffee table. "So I did this."

Holly gasped as fifty candy bars hit the table and spilled over the edges and onto the floor.

"Eli, what in the world—"

"I know how much you love these things. You're always eating them, and you had an endless stash in my fridge. I'm just sorry it couldn't be something better."

She gaped at him. "Eli, you didn't—"

He held up a hand, then grabbed the other bag and pulled out a container of strawberries and handed them to her. "And I know how much you love strawberries, too." He waved a hand. "Fuck, this is so pathetic."

Holly stared down at the box with a bewildered look on her face as he handed her the bag. "There's a little more. The last of it. I should have wrapped them, but all I could think of was getting over here as fast as I could."

She set the box of strawberries down on the coffee table and opened the bag. She pulled out a tiny shirt with a Kingsnakes logo on the front, and "Donnelley 52" emblazoned on the back.

"I figured the kid should have a t-shirt with their old man's name and number on it, right?" He nodded at the bag. "There's one more thing in there."

She glanced down at the bag, then took out a baby bib with a bunny on the front that read, "My Daddy Loves Me."

Holly lifted her tear-filled gaze to his face. "Eli?"

"I'm so fucking sorry," he blurted. "You don't know how much, Holly. I shut you out because I was terrified at the thought of being a father. I spent the past three weeks totally fucked up, Wilkes. Fucked up because I was scared I wouldn't know how to be a good father because I never had one."

He closed his eyes, giving his head a quick shake. "You should hate me. You should hate me for letting you think that you were all alone in this. I wouldn't blame you if you did. But I needed to wrap my head around everything. You need to know I'm in this one hundred percent, and I have no doubts. Not anymore."

"I thought you hated me," she told him, wiping her eyes. "I thought I didn't have any choice but to move on."

"That was my fault."

"I'm not blameless, either. I didn't mean to hide so many things from you. I guess I'm just used to handling things alone." She put a hand on her still flat stomach, then looked away. "I'm not sorry that I didn't tell you about the pregnancy before the series was over, though. I didn't want you focused on me when you needed to be focused on winning a Cup. I couldn't live with myself if I screwed that up for you."

"I know your intentions were good," he said, taking her hands. "But Wilkes, you can't move to California."

Holly sighed. "It's not that simple. I still need a job, Eli."

"True, but right now, staying as healthy as you can to deliver our child safely is your most important job. We can figure out everything else after that. We can figure it out together. But you can't leave. You're my family, Holly. You, me, this baby, and that little fuzzball over there on the cat bed. We're a family. You're all mine, and I need you here with me."

Holly bowed her head, staying that way for so long that he began to worry. When she finally met his gaze, her eyes shone with unshed tears, but a smile played around her lips. "Is this just another one of your lines to get your way, Donnelley?"

Eli tugged her into his arms. "No lines, just truth. I love you, Holly."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and this time, her smile was full and bright. "Yeah?"

"Crazy about you," he assured her. "Seriously, I'm a lovesick idiot. Who else would bring you a box of strawberries and fifty candy bars? That's pure class, baby."

She snorted with laughter, then glanced down. Miss had plopped down next to his foot, then rubbed her face against his leg with a loud purr.

"Even drugged, she's still Team Eli," he said, grinning.

"That's because she loves you as much as I do." Holly ran a hand down along his jaw. "You know I've been on Team Eli for years."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "Can I interest you in a lifetime membership package?"

Holly grew still in his arms as she searched his gaze. "Lifetime?"

"Absolutely."

"Hmm." She tilted her head and smiled at him. "Are there special perks with this membership?"

"Tons of perks," he said huskily. "Too many to count."

She pressed a kiss to his lips. "Then sign me up, Donnelley."