“I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you, too.”
We kissed again.
“How do you feel?” I asked while tugging on his beard.
“I felt this,” he said rubbing his face full of hair.
“We didn’t want anyone trying to shave you. Are you in any pain?”
“I feel weak but good.”
“That’s to be expected after being in a prone position for so long,” Doctor McIntyre answered.
I jumped a little because I forgot we were not alone.
“Oh, my goodness. Doctor McIntyre, I’m sorry!”
“Don’t be sorry. I understand. We are all happy to see Mr. Valentine awake.”
“I will move over here out of your way.”
“Don’t go far,” Samuel said before releasing me.
“I’m standing right over here,” I pointed to the corner of the room where I could still see but be out of the way.
I remembered standing in that corner when the doctors rushed in that first night to save him. Now the doctors were examining him, and he seemed to be okay.
“Blood pressure is one twenty over eighty,” Victoria called out as she removed the blood pressure cuff from Samuel’s arm.
“That’s perfect. Are you experiencing any double vision, headaches or aches of any kind?” Doctor McIntyre questioned.
“I have some pain in my side. My leg hurts some,” Samuel answered.
“Those are your wounds. They are still healing, but the staples and sutures have been removed. On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain in those areas?”
“Maybe a three.”
“Good, that means…”
The door burst open. Vivian, Torrey, and Roc all spilled into the room. All three doing exactly what I’d just done and pushed past every obstacle in their way to get to Samuel.
“Hey Momma,” Samuel smiled at Vivian who made it to him first.
“My baby!” she cried while she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
She released him and did a quick once over.
“Are you feeling okay? Does your head hurt? Are you cold? Did they feed you yet?” Do you need…”
“Momma,” Samuel interrupted her. “I’m okay. I know my name, what year it is and everything. I’m just behind a few weeks on current events.”
“Okay. You sure?” she looked at Doctor McIntyre.
“He seems to be okay. We will run some tests in the morning to be sure.”
“Hey Sis,” Samuel smiled at Torrey.