Chapter 122 Bringing Leo Home
Chapter 122 Bringing Leo Home
The early morning air is cold against my face as Klaus parks the car outside the hospital entrance. The sun is just starting to clear the tops of the buildings, casting a soft yellow light across the quiet street. I look over at Klaus, who is reaching into the back seat to grab a small cardboard box filled with Leo’s favorite snacks—mostly pretzel sticks, orange juice boxes, and those tiny fruit chews he always begs for at the grocery store.
"Ready to go get our boy?" Klaus asks, turning to me with a small smile.
"More than ready," I say, taking a deep breath. "I’ve been waiting for this morning for months."
We walk inside together, our shoes quiet on the clean floor of the lobby. The hospital is usually loud with machines and busy nurses, but at seven in the morning, the hallway leading to the pediatric wing is peaceful.
When we step into Leo’s room, he is already sitting up in bed, fully dressed in his favorite gray hoodie and a pair of dark jeans. His small black duffel bag is sitting right beside his feet. The second the door opens, his eyes light up, and a huge grin spreads across his face.
"Liam! Klaus!" he calls out, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
"Hey there, buddy," I say, rushing over to give him a tight hug. I hold him close, feeling the warmth of his skin and the strong beat of his heart. He smells like clean hospital soap, but he feels so real and solid in my arms. "How did you sleep?"
"I didn’t sleep at all," Leo says, pulling back to look at me. "I was too excited. Is Dr. Reed coming soon?"
"Right here, kiddo," a deep voice says from the doorway.
Dr. Reed walks into the room with a thick yellow folder in his hands. He looks tired, but his eyes are warm as he looks at Leo. He sets the folder down on the small table near the bed and pulls a pen from his front pocket.
"Everything looks perfect, Leo," Dr. Reed says, signing his name on the final sheet of paper with a quick swipe. "Your blood work is completely clear. You are officially free to go home."
Leo lets out a happy cheer, tossing his hands in the air. "Yes! No more needles!"
Klaus chuckles, stepping forward to shake Dr. Reed’s hand. "Thank you for everything, Doctor. Really. We will never forget what you did for him."
"He’s a strong kid," Dr. Reed replies, giving Klaus a firm nod before turning back to Leo. "You take care of yourself out there, alright? And make sure you eat all those snacks your brother brought."
"I will!" Leo promises, grabbing his small bag from the bed.
Klaus picks up the bag from Leo’s hands, swinging it easily over one broad shoulder, while I grab Leo’s hand. We walk out of the room together, saying goodbye to the nurses at the front desk who wave at Leo as we pass by.
When we step through the double glass doors of the main entrance, the cool morning breeze hits us. Near the front gate, a small group of around ten people is standing behind the low fence. They are holding up simple homemade signs painted in bright colors. One of them reads, WELCOME HOME LEO! while another says, KRAKEN FAMILY STRONG!
Leo stops in his tracks, his wide eyes looking at the crowd. "Are those for me?"
"They sure are, buddy," Klaus says softly, standing close behind us. "The whole city has been pulling for you."
A few of the fans cheer as we walk toward the car, but they keep a respectful distance, giving us room to move. A young girl in a team jersey steps forward slightly and waves. "We're happy you're feeling better, Leo!"
Leo waves back with a shy smile on his face, his small fingers tightening around mine. "Thanks!" he calls out before Klaus opens the back door of the car for him.
We double-check his seatbelt, making sure he is buckled in tight, before Klaus gets behind the wheel and drives us away from the hospital.
The drive across town is quiet. Leo keeps his face pressed close to the window, watching the trees, buildings, and streetlights pass by. It feels so surreal to see him sitting in the back of a regular car instead of lying down on a narrow hospital mattress.
When we arrive at Klaus’s high-rise apartment, Leo takes three small steps into the bright living room and stops. The sunlight pours through the large windows, showing the whole city skyline below.
"Whoa," Leo whispers. "It’s so big."
"Come see your room," I say gently, leading him down the hallway.
Sunlight fills his new bedroom, lighting up the soft blue walls and a small bookshelf lined with colorful book covers. Leo walks over and touches them one by one. They are all his favorite hockey stories from our old apartment.
Tears spill over his cheeks. "You saved them," he cries, turning to hug me tightly. "I thought we lost all my stuff."
I drop to my knees, holding him close. "I kept them safe for you, Leo. We're never going back to those hard times."
Klaus kneels beside us, placing a warm hand on Leo’s back. "You're home now, buddy. This is your space."
Later, Klaus brings a tray of sandwiches and juice boxes into the living room, setting it right on the big rug. We sit cross-legged on the floor, watching Klaus teach Leo a silly game using juice boxes and a pretzel stick as a hockey stick.
Leo laughs out loud—a rich, full sound I haven't heard in months. Sitting here in the quiet sunlight, I know we are finally home.