4 Days

Day 1: Lucky

-Ana-

7:42am. May 21st

My head was fucking throbbing, and my eyes were burning like they we're being dropped into a vat of acid. The sun shined through the thin, silky curtains and illuminated the room, blinding me by shining on my white comforter. I stretched out my arm and leaned over to feel if Jake was there. The spot next to me was empty, but his scent lingered on the bed. The familiar warmth of his body hadn't radiated off the sheets yet and I indulged myself. I wrapped up all of the covers and breathed him in.

Last night was incredible. Of course, there was alcohol involved and everything was a blur, but it was phenomenal.

Jake picked me up from work and took me to this cafe down on Sunset and surprised me with two tickets to our favorite band. They almost never perform anymore and I nearly began crying then and there. He took me home to change and I got all beautiful, dressed in my favorite sexy red dress with the heels that are his favorite. I had to marvel at myself. My dark, golden skin radiated underneath the smooth, tight fabric and highlighted my every curve. His pale hand contrastred against mine and we held onto one another for dear life.

I remember getting out of the car, I had no idea where we were and he blindfolded me, and feeling my heels slowly sink into the ground. He told me to kick them off and I did. He took off the blindfold and the band started up, playing one of our favorite songs. They were on a small platform on my best friends beautiful backyard that overlooks the ocean. The backyard was lit up from tiny twinkling lights and several picnic tables were set up around a small fire pit. It was beautiful, spectacular, absolutely wonderful. Our friends and family came from behind the bushes and shrubs that enclosed the space, and out from the house. It was so much perfection wrapped into one small moment. We danced for what felt like hours and we drank until we couldn't drink anymore.

Then the band quieted down and played an acoustic version of our song, and Jake pulled me out to the middle of the open space, looked at me with his hazel eyes and grabbed ahold of my hands. "I know you've been waiting for a long time, but I needed to see how committed you were. But after the first four years, I didn't believe it. I could understand how a creature so perfect, caring, hilarious, could stay with me for this long. So I waited another year. And you're here now and we are stronger than ever."

He began to choke up and his eyes started to glaze over with tears. "Ana, I love you with all of my heart and so much more. I want you to be my partner in crime, my wife, the mother of our children, and the most perfect thing a man could ever ask for."

He dug into his pocket, dropped to one knee, and held up a small, black box, "Will you marry me?" The golden diamond ring glittered from underneath the lights and lit up the box. I felt the hot tears run from my eyes and roll onto my cheeks, the answer dancing upon the tip of my tongue.

"Yes."

My family erupted into applause and laughter. I don't remember how we got home, but I was too blissed out to care.

I was wrapped up in him.

The alarm clock blasted a screech, fully waking me up from the memory. Underneath my arm I felt a piece of paper crinkle and crumble under my weight. I flipped around and grabbed the message and read it. 'Hey babe, breakfast at Lucky's at 8 ok? I've gotta drop some paperwork off before so I'll meet you there. Love, your fiance Jake x'

I blushed bright red at the last line and grinned from ear to ear. I love him. He's the first thing I want to wake up to even when I'm feeling like crap. His scent drives me wild. His warmth keeps me going. I could get used to forever.

I set the paper on the nearby nightstand and stretched again. Then I saw the clock, and my revelry was cut short. 10 minutes to get to Lucky's.

-Jake-

8:04am. May 21

'Yes.'

Her voice repeated and danced around my head all night and day. For once everything was perfect. I didn't have anything to dream about; my reality was better than anything my nocturnal mind could come up with. I slept contently and woke up feeling great. I had to drop off my paperwork from last week's meeting at Roy's office, hopefully his hangover wasn't too bad. He drank quite heavily last night, and I didn't get a chance to catch up with him.

'Yes.' Oh, Ana.

I was about to pull into Lucky's and I saw Ana come from out of her car. She was putting on sunglasses and I could tell her hangover was killing her. But she looked better than chocolate ice cream on a hot day. She flipped off a guy, even though he had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting her. She was so fearless or maybe out of sorts, but I like to think she was so fearless that she didn't even flinch. She's so perfect.

I was distracted by it all and it was all my fault and oh Ana I'm so sorry, you don't deserve this, this is all of my fault, I love you so much.

-Ana-

8:05am. May 21

No. No. No.

I recognized the small and sporty, black Kia wrapped around the grill of the grungy semi-truck that plowed through the intersection.

Everything was frozen for a moment, yet everything moved so fast. I wanted to drop to my knees, thrash around, tangle my hands in my hair, and scream at the ground until I couldn't anymore. But Jake was still in there.

Now was not the time for tears. Now was the time to get him out of there and get him safe and help him.

I dropped everything in the middle of the parking lot and sprinted to the wreckage, jumping over bits and pieces of the two vehicles. I nicked the edge of the grill of Jake's car and my shin began to bleed deeply. I fell to the ground, narrowly missing the shard of glass centimeters away from filleting my cheek. I heard liquid splashing to the ground and I began to panic.

I shot up and ran as fast as I could to get Jake out of the car. People from the restaurant began to pour out and move the wreckage. Some braver ones went to check on the semi-truck driver. Jake was mangled up against the door. But his eyes lit up once they were laid upon mine. I had to get him out and the tears began to burn my eyes once again. By some grace of a god or a miracle or my sheer strength, I opened the door. I dragged his feeble, motionless body out from the car. I checked to see if there was anything protruding out from his body and there wasn't anything besides a broken arm from all I could tell. I set him on the ground and saw his eyes begin to flutter.

"Jake! Jake! Speak to me, baby, please!" I screamed as I shook his body. He gave me a small smirk.

He slightly shook his head, and whispered, "Ana."

I laughed, not from humor, but from sheer irony. He was almost perfectly fine and this has to happen the day after he proposes. I let the tears flow, but I try not to let him see them.

Then he stops talking and smirking, and starts convulsing. The EMT's arrive at this time and rush to my frightened side. I tell them all I can manage.

I can't get the memories of our first date out from my head. It starts to mix with last night. I'm feeling woozy. But I have to stay calm. For Jake.

For him.

8:34am

I ride in the back of the ambulances and make phone calls to his family and mine. Many will meet us when we get to the hospital. But Jake starts to shake again and his vitals start to go nuts and I blank.

I try to stay calm but all I hear is him saying, 'Will you marry me?' over and over again. The same glazed over hazel eyes that looked at me on our first date, last night, and half an hour ago flashed in my mind.

Please stay with me Jake. I said yes.