With Open Arms

Kaleb stared at me from the door way of the kitchen with a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips. He took a step into the room and walked towards me at human speed and leaned against the counter casually.

“Good morning.” He greeted touching my shoulder lightly.
“Morning.” I said softly.

He smiled at me and dropped his hand.

“How did you sleep?” He asked.
“Ok, I guess. Hows was you hunting trip?” I asked though I’m not really interested in knowing how many animals he had killed.
“The same as usual.” He shrugged.

I simply nod my head.

“At dawn we found a huge group of kangaroos. It’s too bad I couldn’t take you, I think you would have enjoyed seeing the joeys jumping around.” He smiled.

I smiled lightly too. He was right I would have enjoyed seeing that. Baby kangaroos were so cute.

“That’s would be awesome to see.”

Kaleb then smiled like he had an idea. I looked at him confused.

“Maybe I could take you one day at sunrise, it’s beautiful then.”
“That would be great.” I nodded.

Just then Rose and Alec appeared in the room holding hands. They both smiled at me and Kaleb. Rose then leaned forward a little and looked around where Kaleb stood, at the dish rack. Her lips flattened into a straight line.

“Sweetie, you didn’t have to do the dishes.” She stated.
“I know, but I wanted to, since you made me breakfast.”

She opened her mouth to say something but Kaleb cut her off.

“Would you like me to drive you to the hospital?” He asked me.

I knew he asked that to keep Rose off my back from doing the dishes. She is always so willing to do anything for everyone.

“Sure, that would be good.” I said.

Kaleb took my hand very, very gently. He is always so afraid to hurt me, when I know he never would.

“Are you staying the night again?” Alec asked nicely.

I nod my head.

“As long as I’m aloud.” I said.

He and Rose smiled.

“You always are.” They both said at the same time with their voices twinning together.

Their voices mixed together sounded like music. I smiled lightly at them and me and Kaleb started walking towards the back door, which was already open showing the light drizzle of rain.

“Our hopes are with your father.” Rose said.

I looked over my shoulder at her and Alec. I nod my head.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

Then me and Kaleb walked out into the light drizzle. We walked quickly over to the car, which actually probably would be slow pace for him. He opened the passenger door for me and I got in the car. Less then a second later the drivers’ door opened and he sat down.

I clicked in my seat belt as he started the car. I looked out the windscreen and up at the dark sky. As the weather man said we might be having that storm later tonight. Kaleb put the car in drive and sped down the front drive way of their property.

*~*~*

Me and Kaleb stood outside of the hospital as the front doors, which had jammed up with a lady’s scarf was being fixed. In the car Kaleb had asked me if he could come with me into the hospital. I said it was fine as I knew he would hold his breath if he smelt any blood and from hunting this morning he shouldn’t be that thirsty to loose control if he smelt blood at all. Normal he would avoid hospitals because of that.

The light drizzle of rain had picked up now and was poring cats and dogs. And the wind made it worse. It’s completely freezing; I can’t even feel my face, hands or feet.

I shivered violently in my thick long jacket. Normally it always kept me warm in cold weather but it wasn’t helping now. I shoved my hands into the pockets but that didn’t help either. Then suddenly I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. For a moment I froze still in almost shock.

I looked over my shoulder to see it was Kaleb. I looked at him wide eyed. He had never done anything like this before. Normally he wouldn’t even give me a simple hug. He smiled lightly at me and pulled me very gently against his chest. I couldn’t feel his cold skin at all from the thick clothes he was wearing.

“I’m not making you colder am I?” He asked unsure.

I shook my head.

“No you not, you’re keeping me warmer actually.”

And he was. From that huge thick jacket he was wearing it was like a blanket wrapped around me. I leaned back against his chest more and he held me just a little tighter. For a moment to me he was fully human.

Then there was a loud crunching sound and the doors of the hospital opened. All the people that were standing in the cold like me and Kaleb cheered. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy to get inside from the cold and see Dad but sad to move from where I am. It felt so nice to be in Kaleb’s arms...

He unwrapped one of his arms from around me but kept the other one around my waist. He led me inside with the rest of the people. We walked up to the elevator and got in, so did a few other people. They pressed the buttons for their floors; none of them were heading for floor 2.

“Which floor is he on?” Kaleb asked.
“Two.”

Kaleb pressed the button for the floor. The elevator moved and then opened on our floor first. We walked out the elevator quickly. I looked down the hall and I remembered which room he was in this time.

“This way.” I said to Kaleb as he was looking the other way.

He looked at me nodding his head. We turned and walked down the hallway to Dad’s room. Kaleb opened the door and I took a deep breath before walking in. Kaleb drooped his arm from around me as we walked around the white curtain around his bed.

A lady nurse looked up at us from the monitors. She looked sadly at me; she has seen me in here a lot. But then her eyes widen when she sees Kaleb. He just walked passed me not looking at her and sat down in the chair. She kept her eyes on him.

“Has their been any change?” I asked her, making her look at me.
“Oh, um...No there hasn’t sorry.” She said.

I nod my head slowly and look down at Dad. Is it just me or is her even more paler then yesterday?

I look back at the nurse. She was looking at Kaleb confused and in a bit of shock. I sighed.

“He’s a friend of the family.” I said sitting down on a chair next to Kaleb.

She nods her head.

“Well I’ll let yous be alone for a while.” She said quickly.

She then turned and walked out the room quickly. I sighed again and took Dad’s hand. Kaleb took my other hand.