An Unfinished Painting

20- Welcome Back

    The three weeks I spent at the hospital were painfully long. I had physical therapy every day for a couple hours, the doctors annoyingly checked up on me twice a day, the shower was too small, and when I finally looked at myself, I realized how pale and skinny I had become. I almost look vampire like. The only thing I enjoyed was being able to see May, even though I told her she did not have to visit me every day, she still came. Which somewhat relieved me. In the three weeks that I was in the hospital, May and I did not talk about anything serious and neither one of us brought up our relationship.

My house looked the same, I do not know why this surprised me as if I was expecting it to look different. I was walking on crutches at this point, still trying to learn how to walk with this stupid metal prosthetic leg.

"Want a drink?" I asked as I crutched over to the wine cellar.

May followed behind, "It's ten in the morning Augie" I looked back, "You haven't even ate yet, let me make you something." I ignored her and grabbed a bottle of wine then sat at the dining room table watching May cook.

"I haven't been home for four months, how is there fresh food in the house?" I asked while I started drinking from the bottle.

"Jesus christ Augie, at least use a glass." May grabbed a wine glass in the cupboard, pouring the wine into the glass cup for me. It has been like this for the past three weeks, the only 'heart filled' conversation we had was the first day I saw her when I finally woke up from my three month coma.

"Jeez, what are you? My mother?" I sighed and leaned back into the chair, "Hey May, how is your mom? I remember your house was so bright, it was quite repulsive."

"She still lives in the same house." May set a bowl of ramen in front of me, "She's doing good, remarried some wall street guy."

"Maybe we could go see her soon."

May looked at me with excitement, "Really? She would love that" May smiled and leaned her elbow on the table as she sat right next to me, "Augie, I'm sorry. It was all my fault, the car crash."

"May stop." I looked down at the ramen bowl that I had yet to touch, "Don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault." I looked over at May who looked as if she was about to cry, "The car hit me because I wasn't paying attention, that's it. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"But maybe if I didn't answer the phone call, then-"

"May." I cut her off, "Stop with the 'what ifs,'" I placed my hand on her thigh and leaned in to her, "it's been almost four months since I've had sex, wanna do it?"

Her body felt more muscular than it had felt before, as if she started going to the gym more while I was in a coma. I gently caressed her stomach, feeling the outline of her abs. Her hot lips kissed their way down my frail body. I missed the feeling of her tongue as it melted into my mouth and the feeling of her hands as they made their way down my stomach as she kissed me.

"Augie what are we?" May asked as she rested her face on my shoulder, her chest pressed up against my back while her arms tightly wrapped around me. Meanwhile, I was staring off into the night sky as we lied in bed.

"What do you mean?" I did not know how to answer this question or what would be the right thing to say. I have never dated someone, a thirty one year old who has never dated. I turned towards her, but stopped mid way when I felt my prosthetic leg. Staring up at the ceiling I said, "I've never dated anyone before. Have you?" I turned my head towards May, who was staring right at me.

She smiled, "I have some dating experience."

"You probably have way more dating experience than me, and I'm thirty one years old."

"You never been on even a little date? How did you meet people then?"

"At the gay bar."

"You didn't go on dates with the people you met?" I really do not know why May was so curious but I answered honestly.

"I slept around every weekend for twelve years May, all while avoiding dating. Impressive right? Oh wait I did go on one date with that girl a couple months ago." May's face was flushed as she stared right at me in shock. "But that's all in the past now" I turned over facing May, tucking her blonde hair being her ears. "What I'm trying to say is that I've never dated anyone before so I really don't know how this whole works. I'm not sure if you even want to be with me, I guess I'm just assuming this."

"I want to be with you." May pulled me closer to her, "I like you so much Augie."

"I have to call my publisher tomorrow and restart on my novel." It all felt so overwhelming, "I don't even know what is happening with my current job. I heard you were frequently stopping by my apartment, was it because you were working on the painting?"

"I haven't worked on the painting since" May's voice slowly got quieter as she said this with a sad look on her face.

"It's been hard for you, hasn't it?" When I asked this, tears started running down her face. May turned over with her head on the pillow so I could not see her while she cried. I started laughing, "May don't hide your pretty face from me."

She slowly turned her head over towards me and smiled as tears were still rolling down her face, "I'm pretty?"

"Very much." I wiped the tears off of her face, "So beautiful." Kissing the top of her forehead, I asked, "So does that mean you're my girlfriend?"

May giggled, "Yes and you're my boyfriend." I stared at May's dark blue eyes, noticing the small freckle she had on the top left of her forehead. May moved her body on top of mine, "I'm joking" She said as she started kissing me.

"My lovely girlfriend," She whispered into my ear.