A Life I Only Dreamt Of [ON HOLD]

Chapter 14

   I woke up before Gabbie did, and I realised that we were still in the same position as we were when we fell asleep.
   I needed to use the bathroom, but I didn't want to wake up Gabbie. I tried to slip out from under her carefully without tubbing at her IV tube since it was laying right over my stomach.
   After a few slight movements, I freed myself and got off the bed slowly, making sure I wouldn't make any noise and wake the sleeping angel.
  I walked to the bathroom that was on the other side of the hospital room and went in. Before I used the bathroom, I put my hands on the sink counter and stared at myself in the mirror. My hair was a bit of a mess, and there were large bags under my eyes. I tried to rub them away, but that just made it look worse. Rolling my eyes, I walked away from the sink and to the toilet.
   I didn't even need to use the bathroom anymore, so I sat down on the closed toilet and put my face into my hands. I thought living with Gabbie would be easy, and I didn't know why I thought that. It's not like famous people have easier lives than the rest of us. I just didn't want so much stress connected to it.
   I went to the sink again to wash my hands and face. I wiped my hands onto my pants and walked out to go back to laying down with Gabbie.
   When I got out there, Gabbie was already sitting up in her bed, rubbing her eyes and stretching carefully.
   "Oh," I said. "Good morning, love. Did you sleep alright?"
   She looked at me with a sleepy smile painted onto her face. "Not the greatest, but I finally got sleep. I'm happy about that."
   "That's wonderful."
   I walked over to the bed and held my hand out to help her out of the bed and to the bathroom. She still couldn't walk too great, and whenever she tried, she would waddle and topple over. It was cute, but it could tug at the IV.
   She took a hold of my hand and scooted out of the bed. I grabbed her IV pole and walked slowly next to her.
   I asked, "Do you think you can walk in there alone, or do you want my help?"
   She looked at me for a moment before responding, "Come help me."
   I nodded at her response and walked in there with her.
   I felt her stop and tug at my hand, making me turn and land a few inches in front of her face.
   "After this, I want a good life. One with you in it. I want you to stay. I can tell in your eyes that you want to move, but please don't leave. I need you here more than anyone else. I mean, shit, you saved me. You helped me through a lot. More than Carly has honestly. So, please, stay with me."
   Instead of giving her a response with words, I leaned in and kissed her. I kissed her gently and kept my hand interlocked with hers as I brought it up over her head and leaned it against the wall.
   I felt her smile into that kiss, but I pulled away so no one would suspect anything.
   I muttered into her ear, "Another time."
   We both nodded. I knew she didn't have to use the bathroom because she would have asked me to sit outside and wait.
   I opened the door and let her out first, and I followed soon after with her IV pole.
   We made it back to the bed, and she sat down in it and I sat on the chair placed next to it.
   "So, after this, what's going to happen?" I asked softly.
   She giggled. "Why worry yourself? Live in the moment!"
   I huffed. "Why would I want to live in this moment? We are in a hospital."
   I saw her clasp her hands together in her lap and smile sweetly. "No, baby, I meant to live in the moment of us. We are both here. We are both still alive and well, and everything will be okay. There's no need for worry now."
   I recognised the sudden change in Gabbie's attitude, but I went with it. I quite enjoyed it.
   Right as we stopped talking, a doctor walked it.
   "Gabrielle Hanna, correct?" he asked as he looked at his clipboard and adjusted his glasses.
   "Yep. That's me."
   The doctor looked at me up and down quickly, holding the arm of his thick black glasses. "This your sister?"
   Gabbie laughed. "Oh, no. This is my, uh, girlfriend. She's the one who saved me."
   The doctor nodded and turned around to put his clipboard down. Then he walked over the the side of Gabbie's bed that I was at to look at the monitors.
   "Everything seems to be alright. At this rate, she should be able to be sent to the mental hospital tomorrow," he told us.
   I looked at him with fright. "Does she have to?"
   He saw the look in my eyes as he responded, "I'm afraid so."
   I knew that the mental hospital wasn't that big of a help most of the time because I had been to one before when I tried to commit suicide. I didn't want her to go and be alone, and I didn't want to be without her.
   "Please, sir, I'll do anything. Just don't make her go. I'll watch over her. I just don't think that'll help her."
   The doctor looked at me, then her, then me again. "I'm sorry, but it won't be for long. Maybe a week or two. It'll be alright. You can visit her and call her. We are restricting contact."
   I rolled my eyes subtly. "I know. I've been before for the same reason."
   He heard the attitude in my voice. "Well, ladies, I have to go visit other patients. I'll be back with a psychologist later so they can ask Gabrielle some questions. See you later."
   He walked out, and Gabbie and I both looked at each other with the same expression. Niether of us wanted this.