For Shits and Giggles [2024]

Chapter 38

The first few nights at the hospital were pure, unadulterated bliss. A decently comfortable bed, large windows with plenty of sunshine in the mornings, the food wasn't all bad, and the nurses were kind and attentive. But best of all was Santiago. For four straight days Santiago spent the night in her room, sometimes on the too-small couch, other times with Gracie in her bed. Two kisses had turned into three, and three into four and four into five, until they both lost count. During the day, he only left to use the restroom or to pick up one of Gracie food cravings.

There were moments he did want to leave. He wanted to go find Camilo, wring him by the neck, and then leave his body for the rats to pick apart. But he didn't. At least not yet. Gracie needed him by her side.

"I got you something," he smiled, walking back into her room with a white paper bag stuffed with burgers, fries, two vanilla milkshakes, and an apple pie.

"My food," Gracie sang happily and sat up in the bed. She felt great. The only thing lingering before she could be discharged was the IV in her arm. She'd been severely dehydrated, but after three days of mostly liquids and close monitoring, she was feeling more hydrated and alive than ever.

The first two days it was extremely hard to eat anything solid, her stomach wouldn't keep it down. It would have been faster, easier even, to just let herself die. To let the magic of the Tree restore her body to normalcy. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence anymore—medically assisted suicides. Two or three simple injects and then broken bones, debilitating migraines, undiagnosable aches and pains, all went away overnight. People woke up feeling refreshed.

Some were scared to die and opted for the traditional Hospital routes, others welcomed the accelerated recovery. For Gracie, the more time she spent away from home, away from the real world where consequences were waiting for her, the better. So she chose the traditional route, cloistered in a hospital room sheltered and protected. Secretly, she wanted to extend her pain. The guilt didn't hit so hard here.

She hadn't asked Santiago how he found out about her affair with Felix. If Santiago knew, surely Fior did too. But she didn't ask. And Santiago didn't bring it up again. He believe her, and that's what was important. Nothing mattered while she was in the Hospital.

What mattered now was the juicy burger waiting for her to take a bit.

"This ish sho good," she said through a mouthful of salty fries. She washed them down with a gulp of milkshake, then bit into the burger. Ketchup dripped onto her lap.

Santiago laughed at the delightful expression on her face and sat on the cushioned chair next to her bed. "The food goes inside your mouth," he teased, reaching up to pluck a small piece of lettuce from her lip. He watched her blush and then giggle, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Sorry," she laughed, taking another sip of milkshake. "I was really hungry."

"Don't apologize," Santiago chuckled, lifting his body off of the seat so he could lean in across the bed. He planted a kiss on her lips.

Gracie blinked, swallowed the leftover milkshake in her mouth. She tried hard not to blush as he settled back down into his chair. Her heart was racing—this felt like a dream. It was something she'd wished for since college. She had almost given up on it over the years. But there he was, casually kissing her lips as they laughed over cheeseburgers and fries.

"I got you something else," Santiago smiled wide from ear to ear. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small, rectangular box with a green bow on top.

Gracie took it, "What is it?" She shook the box lightly in one ear, smiling.

"Open it and find out."

She did. Inside was a new, shiny, cellphone.

Her eyes widened. "This is... Santi, you didn't have to."

"Of course I did," he leaned forward again, still smiling ear to ear. "How else are you supposed to call me when you're in trouble?"

This time, Gracie kissed him. "Thank you, I love it."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and they hugged. He pressed his nose to her cheek, she kissed him again. He kissed her. Her hands wandered to his hair, then his cheek. She brushed his arms with the tips of her fingers, he pulled her in closer.

He pressed his forehead to hers so he could look into her eyes, "I'll never let anyone hurt you again. I promise."

Gracie looked into his eyes. She had told him everything about the night Camilo kidnapped her. She told him how violently Camilo had thrown her phone when he heard the two of them laughing together. She never meant for Santiago to blame himself.

"Listen," Gracie began, sitting up again. She took both his hands into hers. "I've decided... my eyes. I'm going to do it."

Santiago's face fell, "What?"

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to give the Tree my eyes so we can finally be free of this."

"But," he pulled back. "Gracie you can't, you don't even know if what he said is true."

"It's the best we've got," she looked down at her lap. "I talked to one of the doctors here. Enu... Enucleation she called it, I think. Surgically removing my eyes."

He was speechless, his face frozen in shock.

"The doctor said the procedure itself would be painless, just some discomfort as the sedation wears off."

Santiago stood from his chair, paced the hospital room, "That's insane!"

"What have I got to lose," she exclaimed as she watched him, "If it fails, I'll just kill myself and then I'll have my eyes back!"

He kept walking, "But what if it doesn't? What if you're stuck like that forever?"

Gracie was taken slightly aback, "That's okay. It's worth it to me. I want to break this curse, even if it means losing my eyes forever. You'll still love me, won't you?"

At that, he stopped pacing completely. "Of course I'll love you," he sat back down in his chair, took Gracie's hands. "I'll love you until the day I die. It's just," Gracie felt his hands tensing. "I can't stand that it's you who has to sacrifice something. Because of him," he spat.

Her eyes softened, she wrapped her hands around his. "I'm not the victim in all of this," she whispered. Santiago glared at her. "What I did... to Fior, I'm not a good person, Santi. Maybe this is my punishment."

He didn't say anything.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door. Felix's foot poked through the door first, then Fior's. His arm was wrapped around Fior's shoulders. Behind them followed Henry, and then Paola with flowers in her delicately gloved hands.

And all at once the sanctity of her Hospital room, the serenity she and Santiago had cultivated, completey vanished.