Famously Yours - Sequel to A Famous Affair

Famously Yours chapter 31

I wake with a jump, startled by the sound of one the machines beeping. With heavy eyelids, I sleepily look over at Jonny. Our fingers are still intertwined on top of the crisp cotton hospital sheets. Sighing, I bring his motionless fingers up to my hand, brushing my lips gently across his warm skin. "Morning, Handsome," I whisper, desperately wishing he could hear me. Resting my chin on our joined hands, an emotional smile pulls faintly on my mouth. "This is your daily, 'I love you,' from me," I say with a lingering kiss to his knuckles, breathing in the scent of his hand with a sorrowful sigh.

It's then that I feel a twitch from his finger. I look at his face with wide eyes, but it remains deathly still. You're just imagining it, Jessica. It was probably your own finger you felt! I scold myself for allowing myself to believe that Jonny had just moved his, stiller than still, finger.

Suddenly, the machines start screaming at me and Jonny is jerking and making a choking sound. I'm about to run from the room, when a stream of doctors and nurses come rushing into it.

Pushed to the side, I yell over the gut wrenching noise. "What's happening?"

"He's waking up!" someone yells back.

With my back pressed against the wall, I'm engulfed by the largest wave of relief. Glued to the spot, I see Jonny's hospital bed surrounded by doctors and nurses. I can't even see him. I just watch with tears in my eyes as I'm told that the man that I love is waking up.

The medical pandemonium soon dies down. One by one, the staff leaves the significantly quieter room, leaving only one doctor standing over a groggy and confused Jonny. "Mr. Riley, glad to have you back with us." The kindly doctor rests his thin hand on Jonny's forearm, with a pleased smile across his face. "Can you remember what happened?"

Jonny manages a tiny nod from his weak neck muscles. "Well, you've had an operation to your liver, which was lacerated during the incident. The operation went well, but you did suffer substantial blood loss, which is why we are giving you blood transfusions. As long as we can keep on top of infection and clotting, with plenty of rest, you should make a speedy recovery." The doctor smiles more broadly now.

Jonny tries to speak, so the doctor leans in closely to listen to him. I don't hear what is said but the doctor looks straight across at me, still stupidly glued to the same spot against the wall. "Jessica? Yes, she's right here."

That's my cue to move my shocked legs. I hurry to the side of the bed, elated to be able to now see Jonny's face without anything covering it. "I'm here," I reassure him, clinging onto his weak hand.

Jonny's eyes drowsily widen when he sees me, his fingers weakly squeezing mine. "J . . . Jess . . ." He tries to speak but is just too frail.

I bring myself closer, hovering right over his pale and unusually stubbly face. "Shhh, my darling. You need to rest." His squeeze on my hand is stronger this time. His glazed eyes express so much relief to have me beside him. Bending right over, I lovingly kiss his parched lips in the gentlest of ways. "I love you," I whisper just above his still mouth, showing him the very same relief.

Looking relieved too; the doctor gently interrupts. "Do you want a drink of water?" he asks Jonny, holding a cup with a straw in.

Jonny nods, so I politely take the cup from the doctor's hand. Bringing the straw to Jonny's mouth, he gently sucks with closed and exhausted eyes. As soon as he's had enough water, he removes his weakened lips from the straw, softly sighing as he does so.

I quickly place the cup on the cupboard beside the bed, needing to have my full attention on Jonny again. Now he's awake, I don't want to miss a second with him. He's barely able to keep his eyes open, so I want to be with him for every single moment that he's awake.