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CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: FOREVER
ANTHONY HAD CRIED so much in the past week, he didn't think he could cry anymore. But seeing Val's eyes open, and her lips turned up in a soft smile, that's all it took to bring him back to tears.
"Val!" he gasped, and the next second, he was kissing her, and crying into her shoulder.
She draped her good arm over his back and ran her fingers through his hair. Her mother had started sobbing, and Anthony could hear her saying a prayer of thanks in Spanish.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he sobbed, and Val's hand moved to the back of his neck.
"Anthony, it's ok," she whispered, her hand sliding under his shirt, her fingers tracing circles on his back.
"I thought- I didn't think- I'm sorry," he stammered before burying his face in her chest again.
Val shook her head and looked at her mother, who was still crying. She rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "Mom, stop." She looked down at Anthony, who was still crying, his face pressed into her chest. "Stop crying, both of you."
"I'm just happy you're ok," Sara sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"Yeah, me too," Val agreed, and Anthony lifted his head. His hands framed her face, and his thumbs lightly traced her cheekbones. She could see the dried tear tracks on his cheeks, and his eyes were bloodshot, but she couldn't help but smile.
"I should get a doctor." He suddenly pulled his hands away, and sprang to his feet. She saw him wince, and he grabbed onto the chair for support.
"Sit down," Sara ordered, her voice stern but he didn't listen.
"I'll be right back," he told her, and left the room, his steps unsteady.
Sara rolled her eyes and went over to her daughter, who was smiling after him. Val could feel her mother's eyes on her, and slowly turned her head. She raised her eyebrow, and her mother shook her head, a smile on her face.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing," Sara said, leaning over to kiss her daughter's forehead. "I love you."
"Love you, too, Mommy," Val replied, and then her attention was back on the doorway, waiting for Anthony to return. He came back with a doctor a couple moments later, and a nurse who had a big smile on her face.
They began checking her vitals and asking her questions, and she was able to answer almost all of them. Her father and Lila showed up a few minutes later, both of them crying. After they managed to pry Lila off her best friend, the doctor finished his exam, and announced her condition was good, and she would likely make a full recovery.
