“You said so yourself.”
He sighs, his breath tickling the front of my exposed chest. “Maybe I changed my mind.”
“I won’t blame you if you don't. You could hate me forever and I'd understand.”
“Is that what you want?” He strokes my arm and I relax into his touch.
“Of course not, but I wouldn't be mad at you for it.”
“I think I'm too tired to hate you any longer.”
My face leans forward and I breathe in the only comforting scent I had when I was suffering the worst days of my life. I wrap my arms around him and he quietly sings the lyrics to “All I Need” as if every word he's saying is meant for me, his lips emphasizing every part of the song as his hand moves from my arm to my neck.
What would people say if they walked in on us this way? I shouldn't let him stay but I'm worried that if I force him to go, I'll never see him again. We're no longer being held against our will and yet it doesn't stop me from worrying someone will come in and take him back tothe other room.
Eight
Ignacio
Wheels roll against the floor and light from the open door has me shielding my eyes when I look up from Everett's chest.
“What do we have here?” a woman dressed in scrubs asks, holding a blood pressure cuff in her hands. “Are you supposed to be in here?”
“Probably not, but I'm not leaving,” I say firmly.
She chuckles and lightly shakes Everett awake. “Well lucky for you, I'm not going to fight you on it. I have a feeling I'd get nowhere, anyway.”
“You'd be right.” I lay my head back down, getting myself comfy again.
Everett's eyes flutter open and he turns in the direction of the nurse aide. “Did something happen?”
“Nope. I'm here to get your nightly vitals and since he's not in his room, I'll get his while I'm in here, too.”
Everett's eyes shift to me. “Yeah. I don't think he'll be going back anytime soon.”
She nods, smiling wide as she wraps the cuff around Everett's muscular arm. “I didn't think so. You two shouldn't be bothered again until morning unless you need pain meds. I'll let the nurse know you're in here in case she has doctor's orders for anything.” She sticks a pulse ox on his finger and a thermometer in his mouth.
“Okay. Let her know she won't get me to move either and neither will the doctor or anyone else.” I bury my face in Everett's chest again, no longer wanting to acknowledge the other person in the room.
Her laughter echoes around us and after the machine beeps, I become her next victim. She frowns at my numbers. “Your BP is a little high. Are you hurting?”
“A little,” I say.
“I'll tell the nurse to bring your pain meds. How about you?” I don't have to look up to know she's talking to Everett.
I can hear his head move against the pillow and I know even if he is in pain, his pride is too big for him to admit it. “I'm fine, thank you.”
“Okay, see you two early in the morning.”
“We can't wait,” I say sarcastically and Everett tickles me in the side. Giggling, I shove his hand away.
“Stop that.”
“No. You're being a brat.”
The nurse aide exits the room, leaving the door cracked open.
“You act like this is some new development,” I say, tugging at his gown.