when; after the accident and all the drama with literally everyone 🧡
After dumping several reusable grocery bags filled with snacks and miscellaneous treats on the passenger seat of his obnoxiously red refurbished 1977 Ford Bronco, Declan sent Aggie a quick text. The clunky two-door truck had been the last vehicle his grandfather had worked on and it'd been Declan's favorite. It was loud and rumbled beneath him when he drove it. But he was convinced it made him love it even more.
After turning over the engine, he let out a sigh. The sound was swallowed up by the trucks’ familiar roar. He was exhausted. The whole town was. Too much heartache for the small community. Leaning his head against the steering wheel, he let the tremor of the truck soothe his worries.
This would be the first time he was seeing Aggie since she was discharged from the hospital. He'd visited her when she was still groggy and incoherent and he couldn't get the image of her tattered body out of his mind. He knew yummy sweet treats would lift both of their spirits. Pulling out of the parking lot, he took the shortcut to the Cove.
She’d left the door unlocked for him. He tried not to think about the fact that just anyone could have snuck in before him. Aggie was bundled on the couch, doctor's orders. An affectionate smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Hey, Aggie,” he greeted, waving an arm so he wouldn't startle her.
Declan carefully placed the reusable grocery bags at her feet sunk into a squat before her. He unloaded every sweet treat imaginable for had to choose from. “I bought quite literally everything you like,” Declan said, signing along with his words. He'd spent the last decade learning ASL with his friend in mind. The language had helped him cross language barriers with so many clients. And he was grateful she inspired him to put in the work. He was almost, almost jealous that March had picked the language up so effortlessly in high school. It made him work even harder. “How are you? Can I get you anything?”
