“Baby,” he says, opening his eyes and blinking profusely. “You’re here?”
My immediate reaction is to throw my hands over him, and he winces. “I’m so glad you’re okay, but damn you. Why would you go and do that? You could’ve been killed.”
Of course my voice did go up an octave, but he didn’t seem to mind. He squints, trying to get used to bright lights right above his bed.
“I was just doing my job. There were people still inside... You know the person I am...”
I sigh, knowing full well. Selfless or not, I love this man, for everything he encompasses. That’s why it’s called unconditional love. You love every part of them, flaws and all. “I’m just glad you’re going to be okay. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
His left hand pats the bed, inviting me to come up and lie next to him. Although my butt hung off the side, it is still more comfortable than the hospital chairs. I try to be careful not to hurt him, and even though I have to keep inching closer to him to avoid dramatically falling off, he doesn’t grimace once. “Please promise me you’ll be more careful. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you...”
His face turns toward me, and his eyes bore into mine. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you, Tess.”
My face smothers into his chest, the warmth seeping into my cheek as a couple tears escape. All my life I’ve dreamed of finding the perfect man, and here he is, lying next to me in a hospital room. A man that breaks the only rule I set for myself a long time ago. The day after agreeing to stay with him, things began to show. How selfless he is, what a great father he would be, and just amazingly passionate about everything he does. I never thought it would take me almost dying to find the man of my dreams, but it did. Fate pushed us together, and even though the circumstances were unorthodox, we have grown to love each other. Even after all my baggage has been exposed with Chris, my stubborn mother, and being a single mom. He never lets that falter him from wanting to be with me. Why should I let my rule, his career, jeopardize the love we share? Like everything else, sometimes you must compromise on things, and this is just that.
I pull out my phone from my back pocket and text Liam to let him know Damon’s awake. His reply is a smiley face and a picture of him and Emily playing Candy Land. He’s got this babysitting thing down pat. Emily loves Candy Land almost as much as Animal Planet specials. It’s a close call.
Not wanting to miss a single moment, I slide the phone back into my pocket and go back to nuzzling into his chest while his eyes remain closed. The nurses come in about once an hour to check on him and ask him if he needs anything, but besides that he mostly naps.
Being this close to him only reminds me of all the precious moments we’ve shared. Scary things like this in movies always lead the two characters to get married quickly and pushes them to realize they are made for each other. I agree, the thought crossed my mind, but that’s just not who I am. Of course I want to marry him someday and have the perfect house, with kids running around, and a marriage full of love and respect, but not just yet.