The Open Window

Chapter 10: part 2

         The doctor told me that it would be good to go back home. She got in contact with my doctor over there and they assigned me to a psychologist. I'm going home in the morning. You may ask yourself why would I get on a plane after what just happened...my life is over anyways. The doctor walked in a few times to check on me and ask me if I wanted to go for a walk, but I didn't want to. I stayed in bed all day, I didn't want to get up or see anyone, not Lani or Chica or anybody in Spain, they all remind me of my mother. I didn't want to see anyone. I told Chica that I would be ok and the reason for not wanting to go to Spain. "You know, Lani is pretty upset. She does feel guilty, she feels like she took your life away along with your mom's. The girls are staying with her husband and she staying in a hotel alone for awhile." Chica says. " I don't care Chica." I said looking straight into her eyes.

           "I'm going to New York with you. At least help you get settled and I won't take a no." She says. "How about four no's. No, no no no. If you get on a plane with me, it will feel the same all over. What happens if the plane goes down again and you're sitting right next to me and I can't save your life like I couldn't with my mom or my dad or even my own. So no Chica, no you're not coming because I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't care about me but about you because you are still my—my family. I still have family—and honestly it kinda hurts because now I got to be worried of what happens if one of you gets on a plane, so no you will not get on a plane with me." I said persuasively. She looks down and then looks to her side to find the ring and a letter. "Was this for Lani? Cameron! She needs to see this. You don't know how much this girl still loves you. Even if she is married, Lani is still in love with you, do you know what she named her second baby? Cammari...a mix of your name and your mom's. That girl thought you wouldn't come looking for her and then she thought you were dead; and like any other girl we were hurt a lot in the past by guys by waiting for them to come back so don't blame her or be upset with her because her heart got tired of hurting. Give her this letter and if she doesn't come back then you know it wasn't meant to be and weren't you always saying how she really is the one no matter what. So go and give her the letter." She says. " Ok, what are like her best friend or something? I'm going to go give her the letter, I still am in love with her."

             By the time we sat there and talked it was already sun down. I had asked my doctor if I could go on that walk now, you should of seen how happy she was. I got up from bed and I didn't think that my legs would be so wobbly. "Since you didn't walk for four years it will take some time for your legs to start recovering." Doctor. N says. I get up in excitement to walk finally, but my excitement was truly from seeing Lani. I was mad but not at her, I was mad on what was going on but I had forgotten how in love I am with Lani. I have been sitting in the hospital bed for an entire four years and all day in the dark. Chica goes over the window and opens the shades. The sun set was orange and pink. I...on the other hand look like an old man with this cane in my hand. That reminds me, I haven't looked in the mirror in—awhile. So I go up to the mirror without looking and then...I actually don't look older. I look almost the same, just less muscle structure on my body. Chica helped me get nice and ready, "Chica, ok leave my hair alone, Chica, Chica!!" I said slapping her hand away from my hair. She mouths, "Ok ok I'm sorry." She says laughing. "I went Mom mode for a moment." Mom... "Sorry, Cam. I didn't mean too— "Its fine..."

          Then we went to a Hawaiian flower shop and I bought Lani's favorite flowers, peonies, with the letter in my hand and the ring in my pocket. I was still debating if I should show her the ring or not. I'm mostly on the "not" part because I was so nervous and shaking. I really did look like an old man and couldn't get over it. We got to the hotel, which was actually like an outside hotel. You know, like outside malls, more outside then inside. "It's room 204 up stairs, the one we are parked in front of." Chica says. "How do you know she's home?" I asked. "I texted her." She says sarcastically. I walk up to her room and I see her at the window with Julie next to her. Every time I see Julie, she reminds me of four years ago. When I first fell in love with Lani. She looks so, beautiful, Hawaii suits her more than Spain. She sees me and is surprise to see me standing. She comes and opens the door. "Mama, who this." Julie asks. Sometimes it's hard to read lips but my mind puts the pieces together. "This is an old friend of mine Julie, a man I—I um—" "A friend from high school who helped her out when she was younger." I said finishing the sentence.

           "Julie go take care of your sister while I talk with my friend." Julie runs off and Lani closes the door behind her. She glows in the sunset and as the breeze blows all I want to do is hold her and kiss her. She looks at the flowers and the letter and into my eyes. "You remembered, even after being in a coma you remembered my favorite flowers?" She says trying not to tear up. "Ya. And this letter is for you. I wrote it when I planned on coming here. I came to give it to you and wanting you to know that I am still in love with you Noelani Perez. I'm going back to New York tonight. If you come out to New York and find me it means you want to spend the rest of your life with me but if you don't come by my graduation time, which is iin May then I'll know you love your husband and want to stay with him. So read the letter and it has my address in it just in case. Goodbye Lani." I said giving her a kiss on the forehead and I walked away.

           Then she grabbed my hand, turns me around and pulls me in for an actual kiss. It all happened in slow motion. I held her and her arms held on behind my head. We couldn't help but smile and look into each other's eyes. I got my girl back. She invited me inside to talk but I would be doing all the talking, obviously. I go inside and Julie is sitting there with a big smile on her face. She writes in her coloring book, "Are you the friend mommy always talked about, who took care of me when I was baby?" She swings her feet while sitting on the kitchen chair while baby Cammari is throwing oats in the air. "Yes I am that friend." I said smiling and squatting to her level and she came and hugged. Then writing, "Thank you friend." Lani smiled and I haven't seen her smile in forever.

    And that is the ending of part 1 of "The Open Window".  There will be a second book in a month or less thank you for reading.😁