Blind Date

Sleepy Conversations

"Charge it to three hundred."
The doctors and nurses are running in and out of Kyles room; trying to bring our friend, her brother, back to life again.
"No.." Grace keeps mumbling in my chest. All I know to do is hold her, like I'm always doing. She is so strong, but she doesn't like to be clinged to; that's what I've learned.
Her crying hasn't stopped, and I don't expect it to. I kiss the top of her head.
"I would say everything's going to be alright-" I breath deeply, "But I don't- I can't lie to you."

••|••

"He can't leave me. Not now, not like this." I pull away from Matt's chest as everything around us falls apart. "He's supposed to outlive me. He's supposed to die of old age, with the love of his life." Matt's hands rub my back in soothing rhythms. "He can't do this." I repeat. "I won't let him." I let go of Matt and grab ahold of whatever doctor is around; clutching his shirt with my life.
"Ma'am-"
"Please let me in there." I cry, and I feel Matt touching my arm.
"Grace-"
"No, Matt, I can't live without him; he's my best friend, he's my brother."
"Grace-"
"Just let me do this.." I snap but he grabs ahold of my hands.
"I'll walk you in!" He strengthens his voice and clearly states.
"Time of death-"
"No!" I yell, stopping everyone from calling it. Matt walks me into the room.
"Ma'am, you're not allowed in here-"
"This man, right here, is my best friend." I touch the bottom of his toes. "He has been through adoption houses with me, crazy ex boyfriends, period talks, and shopping sprees. I need him. Do you know why? Because I'm blind. This man is my eyes. He has always protected me from what I can't see." I move closer to Kyle's side. "Now I know it's your job, but this man is cared by someone, by more than someone. You can't just give up." I lean over close to where Kyle's face should be and whisper, "I love you. Now get your lazy butt fighting!" As soon as I grabbed his hand, his monitors started making the off and on beep that makes my heart fill with joy.
"Grace! You did it!" Matt yells as everyone else starts cheering.

***

"Mrs. Davidson, there are plenty of doctors and nurses here to keep an eye on Kyle." Holly enters the room that was officially assigned to Kyle. "You can go home, take a shower, get some sleep; he will be fine here."
"I don't want to leave him alone.." I whisper, still holding his hand. It's been about eight hours since we moved out of the emergency room. We are just waiting for his repaired knee to heal from when the doctors came in and fixed it.
"We will check in on him about every thirty minutes, I promise."
"Okay, okay." I stand and kiss Kyle's forehead, collecting everything. I leave Matt a message, he had an emergency at the clinic. After I get home and take a shower, I crash on my bed. I don't even unwrap myself from my towel..

***

"Kyle, I'm back." I whisper, almost as if he was actually sleeping. "I have been trying to call Matt, but he isn't answering." I slept over, waking up around nine in the evening. I go out to the nurses desk and ask if they've seen my "husband"; we have both gotten used to it.
"He is in the waiting room around the corner of Mr. Barns room." After the kind nurse guides me to the waiting room, she leaves me there to find him myself.
"Matt?" I whisper, confused as to why he would be in here. Then I hear a very fimilar snore. I sit next to Matt, tapping his hand gently. "Wake up, Matthew."
"Grace?" He murmurs, sounding still half asleep. "Is something wrong?"
"Yeah, you're sleeping in a chair, when Kyle's room has a perfect couch, which is calling your name."
"The monitors, and the constant nurse checks were getting to me." He sits up more and I take his hand in mine.
"Well, I slept for a good two hours. You want to hold me while we both pass out?"
"How could I turn down an opportunity like that?" He kisses my cheek and we make our way into Kyle's room.

***

I lay there on that uncomfortable couch, feeling my shoulder going stiff; but I hear Matt snoring behind me. I don't want to move because I'll wake him up, but my bones are begging me to move. His arm is lying along my torso, applying his warmth onto my body. This couch is very small, and is about as hard as a rock. I shift really lightly, trying to get my weight off my shoulder, but instead Matt shifts; I woke him up. I try to play it cool, by closing my eyes and hoping he just falls back to sleep.
"Must have just moved." He murmurs. He kisses the top of my head, "I love you." He whispers before falling asleep again.
I love you...
I don't know know what to think..
It just rolled off his tongue, like we are some old couple celebrating our tenth year anniversary...
I guess the real question is: do I love him?

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Thank You for Reading!

The big "L" word 😎

- Emuna_Jasmine