might have been my hazy, sleepy state,
but I was starting to get annoyed with him. We had a lot to look
forward to, and a lot of things to do to get ready for our wedding.
I wanted him up. I needed him up.
“You’re awake.” A woman’s voice came from
the far corner.
My pulse quickened, and I saw a nurse
tearing something off an IV bag to replace his almost empty fluid
pouch
“How’d he do through the night?” I
asked.
“Very well,” she said, not offering any
other hints. “You certainly needed the rest. You didn’t wake up
once last night, even when we came in to poke and prod.”
“And I still feel exhausted.”
“Would you like anything like orange juice
or oatmeal?” she asked.
She switched out one bag for another and
looked over at me as I tried to drag my arm away. The sensation of
a million sharp needles poking my entire arm was less than pleasant
as I swung it in front of me.
“I don’t feel like anything, but I probably
should eat something.”
She nodded. “I’ll bring it in after my
rounds.”
“Thank you.”
She turned and walked out of the room,
leaving me with some version of Ayden I still didn’t
understand.
“Well, I have to confess.” I stood up and
rolled the chair back a few feet. “I’m a little annoyed with
you.”
I placed my good hand and arm on his
leg.
“You promised that tonight we’d be in front
of the fire in the family room, and so far, it doesn’t seem like
that’s going to happen unless you speed things along.” I rubbed my
hand up and down his thigh as I kept rambling.
“Not to mention we’re supposed to get on a
flight to New York and hop on one to Bermuda in a couple weeks.” I
let a few minutes of silence pass between us.
“I called my mom yesterday about the wedding
to see if she was going to come. And yes, I know we already figured
out she wasn’t coming, but I think I wanted to test her and I have
no idea why. She’s failed every single one I’ve flung her way so
far. Anyway, my dad’s got some country-club dinner that he’s
hosting, so yeah…” I rested my hand on the thin blanket near his
waist. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for allowing me to be part of
your family. It’s an honor and I’m really grateful, and soon we’ll
have our own to add to the bunch.” My voice cracked, and my eyes
ran along Ayden’s torso to his neck and face. I took a couple steps
toward the head of the bed and rested my fingertips on his
shoulders.
“I love you, Ayden Rhodes. Now wake the hell
up.”
I saw a slight tic of his jaw muscle.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” I slid my fingers along his
shoulders and took a deep breath. “I need you, Mr. Rhodes. I need
you to wake up so we can begin our life together as husband and
wife.”
The nurse walked in with the tray of food
and drink.
“As I was talking to him, his jaw muscle
kind of clenched.”
The nurse set the tray down on the rolling
cart and glanced at Ayden.
“That isn’t unusual,” she replied.
Whoosh. The wind was completely knocked out
of my sails.
“Does it mean something?”
“It can but not always.”
I stared at the plastic-wrap covered oatmeal
and nodded. “Well, thank you for this.”
She pressed her lips together while I stood
drowning in emotion, mainly discouragement. I know it’s their job
to be realistic, but it’s mine to be hopeful.
I reached for the orange juice and tore the
top off when a startling honking sound blasted through the air,
resulting in my dropping the open container on the tray. Panic
started flooding through me as another long and drawn out honk
echoed into the room.
I looked at the nurse for some sign and she
smiled. “Now that is a sound you want to hear.”
“Why? What does that mean?” I asked.
“He’s fighting the ventilator and attempting
to breath on his own. I’ll go page the doctor.” And like that she
left me alone in the room with a flock of geese and Ayden. My
entire world went from despair to cautious
but I was starting to get annoyed with him. We had a lot to look
forward to, and a lot of things to do to get ready for our wedding.
I wanted him up. I needed him up.
“You’re awake.” A woman’s voice came from
the far corner.
My pulse quickened, and I saw a nurse
tearing something off an IV bag to replace his almost empty fluid
pouch
“How’d he do through the night?” I
asked.
“Very well,” she said, not offering any
other hints. “You certainly needed the rest. You didn’t wake up
once last night, even when we came in to poke and prod.”
“And I still feel exhausted.”
“Would you like anything like orange juice
or oatmeal?” she asked.
She switched out one bag for another and
looked over at me as I tried to drag my arm away. The sensation of
a million sharp needles poking my entire arm was less than pleasant
as I swung it in front of me.
“I don’t feel like anything, but I probably
should eat something.”
She nodded. “I’ll bring it in after my
rounds.”
“Thank you.”
She turned and walked out of the room,
leaving me with some version of Ayden I still didn’t
understand.
“Well, I have to confess.” I stood up and
rolled the chair back a few feet. “I’m a little annoyed with
you.”
I placed my good hand and arm on his
leg.
“You promised that tonight we’d be in front
of the fire in the family room, and so far, it doesn’t seem like
that’s going to happen unless you speed things along.” I rubbed my
hand up and down his thigh as I kept rambling.
“Not to mention we’re supposed to get on a
flight to New York and hop on one to Bermuda in a couple weeks.” I
let a few minutes of silence pass between us.
“I called my mom yesterday about the wedding
to see if she was going to come. And yes, I know we already figured
out she wasn’t coming, but I think I wanted to test her and I have
no idea why. She’s failed every single one I’ve flung her way so
far. Anyway, my dad’s got some country-club dinner that he’s
hosting, so yeah…” I rested my hand on the thin blanket near his
waist. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for allowing me to be part of
your family. It’s an honor and I’m really grateful, and soon we’ll
have our own to add to the bunch.” My voice cracked, and my eyes
ran along Ayden’s torso to his neck and face. I took a couple steps
toward the head of the bed and rested my fingertips on his
shoulders.
“I love you, Ayden Rhodes. Now wake the hell
up.”
I saw a slight tic of his jaw muscle.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” I slid my fingers along his
shoulders and took a deep breath. “I need you, Mr. Rhodes. I need
you to wake up so we can begin our life together as husband and
wife.”
The nurse walked in with the tray of food
and drink.
“As I was talking to him, his jaw muscle
kind of clenched.”
The nurse set the tray down on the rolling
cart and glanced at Ayden.
“That isn’t unusual,” she replied.
Whoosh. The wind was completely knocked out
of my sails.
“Does it mean something?”
“It can but not always.”
I stared at the plastic-wrap covered oatmeal
and nodded. “Well, thank you for this.”
She pressed her lips together while I stood
drowning in emotion, mainly discouragement. I know it’s their job
to be realistic, but it’s mine to be hopeful.
I reached for the orange juice and tore the
top off when a startling honking sound blasted through the air,
resulting in my dropping the open container on the tray. Panic
started flooding through me as another long and drawn out honk
echoed into the room.
I looked at the nurse for some sign and she
smiled. “Now that is a sound you want to hear.”
“Why? What does that mean?” I asked.
“He’s fighting the ventilator and attempting
to breath on his own. I’ll go page the doctor.” And like that she
left me alone in the room with a flock of geese and Ayden. My
entire world went from despair to cautious
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