Bright Lights

Chapter 4-Surgery

Today was the day. Ben would be going under the knife in attempt to fix his damaged spine. I always joked about how Ben was just asking to break his back when he did stupid things.

Now it's all too real.

Even up to his last moment of consciousness Ben was fighting me about the surgery. He feels bad but he needs this.

You have to understand something about Ben. He is such a typical guy. He is too proud to borrow money, ask for directions or admit he is wrong (even when everyone knows he is wrong.)

Benjamin Mason didn't have what you would call a "normal childhood." He was basically raised in a barn. He was tough, never complaining, even when he was thrown from his horse and broke his ankle it didn't hurt enough to stop him from loading bales of hay into a pick up truck for a friend.

When he was fourteen he lost his Mom. She was always a nice lady. There were complications with Christie's pregnancy that left Christie born a month early and Ben without a Mother.

Ben's father, Mac, is a truck driver. He is gone most of the time, even more so after his wife's passing. He was a high school drop out going no where fast, like everyone else in this town.

Ben basically raised Christie, and now they are attached at the hip. I met Ben at thirteen only nine short months before his mom died.

We were best friends instantly so naturally when I got the news I ran to the barn, the only place Ben would go. I found him in the hay loft, our usual hang out. We didn't say anything that day, I just hugged him and let him cry.

"Charlie, is Ben going to be okay?" Christie's sweet voice breaks my train of thought.

"Of course," I smile hugging her. She nods going back to playing with her doll. We had been waiting for a little over four hours, it seemed more like four days.

"Christie, come on let's go get a snack," Mac orders taking the hand of their stepmother, Linda. Christie reluctantly gets to her feet following solemnly behind them.

The wait was long and I perked up ever so slightly when a doctor or nurse would enter the room. By two o'clock in the afternoon there was no news.

The clock struck three and a nurse in green scrubs and white tennis shoes marched into the room clipboard in hand.

Mac, Linda and Christie had filed back in awhile ago. Mac and Linda seemed disinterested about their son, Christie was solemn and would often ask where her big brother is. My eyes fell back to the nurse, her eyes scanning the clipboard.

I drummed a beat on my leg trying to pass the time. It took forever for the nurse to speak. "Is there anyone here for Ben Mason?" the nurse asks looking at all the people.

I jump to my feet grabbing Christie's hand and running to the nurse. "That would be us!" I exclaim a grin sprouting on my face.

"I am happy to say that the surgery went well, and he should be waking up in just a few minutes. You can go into see him now if you'd like," she smiles going back to her clipboard. Christie squeals with excitement taking off down the hall.

When I get to the room, Christie sits by Ben's bed quietly talking to his sleeping body. "Ben, I know you lied to Charlie. You weren't goin' about a new colt, although he is mighty fine. When they gave dad your clothes I found this," she says pulling out a little black box and placing it in his hand. "Ben were you going to propose? Cause I would like that a lot and I know Charlie would too. It would be like my very own big sister! Please wake up soon, I miss you already," she says laying her on the bed next to his arm.

I slip into the room quietly taking a seat on the other side of him. I take hold of his hand. A small smile spreads across his lips and his eyes flutter open. "Hey stranger," I say kissing his hand.

"Hi," he strains his voice gravely. "did it go well?"

"It went great! You should be out in a couple days! And, uh, I should tell you something," I say nervously.

"Babe, what is it?" he asks giving my hand a loving squeeze.

"I'm moving."

"Where to?"

"Back here so I can be right next to you, home," I smile.

"Aw for little ol'me?" he smiles cheekily.

"Speaking of old don't you have a birthday coming up?" I laugh already knowing the answer.

"Yep!" he smiles.

"Your right you are old," I laugh sticking my tongue out at him playfully.

"But you're older!"

"Please I don't look a day over twenty three!"

"That's cause you're only twenty two!" he laughs tugging my arm. I get up crawling into bed next to him. "If you want to move back, then maybe we should look for a place...together?"

"Seriously?" I ask sitting up so I can see his face.

"Seriously," he confirms kissing me softly.

I smile and play with his hair as he drifts back to sleep a small smile playing on both our lips.