Elizabeth

20: One Call

Romeo

I wake up to sharp pains in my stomach. When I wake, I immediately sit up. I look for anything to get me out of here. Instead, I see my Elizabeth sleeping in a chair. She's curled up in a sweatshirt and some blankets. There's a gun on the nightstand.

The light from the hallway allows me to see her. She sleeps with a little furrow in her brow. What's making her uncomfortable?

Outside, I can see two guards stationed.

Fuck.

What the hell happened that I couldn't predict?

I need to go to the bathroom. I slowly swing my legs to the side of the bed. I'm already out of breath. When I stand up, I immediately fall. I hear the click of a gun.

Oh, Elizabeth, you've been taught well.

"Romeo!" She gasps. She tosses the gun to the ground and rushes to my side. "You're not supposed to be out of bed," she reprimands. She puts one of her little hands on my chest as she grabs my arm with her other. "What are you doing?"

"Bathroom," I grunt. It's embarrassing.

"I can get one of the nurs—"

"No, baby," I mumble. I lean forward and rest my head on her shoulder. "That's humiliating." I can hear her sigh in frustration. She stands.

"I can't carry all of your weight," she huffs. "But I can try." She extends her hand to me. I use all my strength to get up, but as I stumble, she's prepared to catch me. I try not to hurt her.

...

In five minutes, we reach the bathroom. She turns on the lights. "Can you stand on your own?" She asks me. She leads me to the toilet. I stand for a minute. I'm dizzy and exhausted. "That's ok," she whispers.

I use her to balance as I go to the bathroom. She doesn't complain. She just waits for me.

Elizabeth

When he's finished, I bring him back to the room. He sits on the bed and looks at me. He touches my waist and pulls me to him. "Lay with me now. Lay with me forever."

"No. You need to sleep well," I whisper. "I'll be right here the whole time." I help lay him down in the bed and put the blankets on him.

"Please, Elizabeth. Just fucking lay with me." He grabs my arm so that I can't move. "Please."

I lay next to him. Immediately, he lays his head on my chest and wraps his arms around me. I can feel his weight on me, but I don't care...because in the last twenty-four hours, I didn't think he'd make it. 

...

In the morning, I hear the door open. "Ok, Mr. Bianchi," says the nurse. "It's time for breakfast." She has a tray of food on a cart. Romeo doesn't look at her or acknowledge her. "You must eat, Mr. Bianchi. I'll help you."

"Romeo," I whisper and brush my fingers through his hair.

"Mr. Bianchi." She tries to touch him. I slap her hand away from him.