Don't Forget Me

Chapter 9

“I need to find Maggie…” Bruno said placing his hands on the nurse’s station’s counter.

“Lyndon?” the nurse asked.

“Who the hell else?” he snapped. “She’s my girlfriend. I need her…” he said holding back the tears. “Please…just tell me where she is….”

“Bruno!” he and the confused nurses heard Maggie’s sister Megan shout from the side. “Come over here!” He turned to the nurses pointing toward Megan.

“Wait…squeeze the lotion….” Megan told him. “And put this on…she’s really sick.” She said handing him a mask.

“Oh my god…” he said shaking his hands as he grabbed it following behind Megan.

“She’s been asleep for a while…” Megan said. “We’re taking shifts. We said you could stay with her as long as you need to…” Megan said leaning down to kiss her sister on the forehead. “He’ll take care of you.” She whispered to her sister. “You can lay with her, Bruno. She’d like it. I know it.” Megan told him watching him hesitate.

“Okay…” he said softly looking down at her. “Bye, Megan.” He said watching her walk out the door. He took Maggie’s hand not saying anything. He felt her hand move a little and a slight cough escape her lips. “Don’t say anything, Mags. I’m right here. I’m here.”

“You didn’t go to San Francisco like I told you to. I’m mad.” She whispered.

“Shut up.” He laughed a little.

“You should listen to my sister she’s usually right…” Maggie whispered back trying to move over a little in the small awkward bed. He didn’t say anything keeping a hold of her hand moving his body carefully onto the bed. He took off his baseball hat laying it on the table across from her moving his legs around her cold feet.

“You’re so cold, Mags.” He noticed.

“I’m burning up though.” She said softly coughing. “Take off your stupid mask, Bruno. I want to feel your lips.” She said through a sneeze.

“Bless you.” He said to her sweetly moving in to kiss her lightly.

“Thank you.” She said to him as he pulled away. She held onto him feeling her tears meet his.

“You know, this isn’t how I envisioned us sleeping together for the first time.” He said to her.

She let out a small laugh coughing in between. “I didn’t either.” She moved over a little coughing loudly. “Oww.” She said letting go of him sitting up. “Oww, owww. Owww.” He moved off the bed over to her side rubbing her back like he had read on his way to the hospital. The articles he had read said the best way to help was to sooth the person.

“It’ll be okay, Maggie. “ he said leaning his head on a tube kissing her on the shoulder feeling her eyes close. “It will be alright.”

“I know it will.” She said laying back down curling up in a ball. “I’m so cold.” She said to him. He moved back on the bed wrapping his arms around her laying near her ear singing in her ear. He moved his hand over to her chest feeling her shallow breathes as he continued singing the same song he had sang to her just months before. “I love you.” He said to her feeling himself start to cry against her shirt. “I love you so much, Maggie.” He repeated to her.

“Don’t forget me, Bruno.” She got out in a soft whisper taking a deep breath in and out letting go of his hand.

“Mags….” He whispered moving his hand back to hers. “Mags….come on…wake up….please….” he pleaded with her not feeling anything against his hand as he moved it to her heart. “Maggie….please…..” he continued to plead starting to cry even more against her lilac smelling hair. “I love you so much…” he repeated. “I didn’t know I could love anyone this fast…” he said to her looking up at a brightly lit monitor with a red continuous beep that he had ignored for quite some time. He kissed her head again telling her that he loved her looking up to see Carmen walk in to the room. He sat up slowly looking at Carmen with tears in his eyes.

“She’s gone.” He told her seeing her nod her head.