Rescue Me

Rescue Me | Chapter Twenty - Nine

A/N: Hello and happy Friday!! Hope you all had a great week and have an even better weekend! I hope you enjoy this update, please let me know your thoughts! 

Andrea exhaled, finding the sound escaping the handsome man beside her very pleasant. She wanted to ask him so many questions but felt awkward doing so right away; instead, her fingers picked at the hole in Jared's shirt as he navigated the hospital parking lot. 

"Can we turn on some music?"

"Absolutely babe, whatever you want to hear." he replied, easing into freeway traffic. Pulling his phone from the center console, he called their favorite pizza restaurant and placed their order.

After flipping through all the pre-set dials, Andrea settled on a random commercial. The mind-numbing advertisements on the verge of driving her insane, finally morphing into a lovely tenor voice. She rested her head against the seat absorbing the sound. Goosebumps littering her arms as the lyrics hit her ears for the first time.

"When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks."

Jared gently tapped his right index finger to beat, quietly humming along. Never being one to listen to many love songs, he felt a connection to this one as it played.

"Who is this artist?"

Turning toward her, "Uh, I believe its Ed Sheeran? Not certain actually."

"Ironic how fitting the lyrics are, huh?"

"I was thinking about that too." Jared mused.

"I realize it isn't your song, but would you please sing to me? I love hearing you sing."

Jared grinned, "I'm sure I'll butcher the lyrics, but what the hell." lifting her hand to his lips kissing it. He placed her hand on his thigh.

"When my hair's all but gone, and my memory fades.
And the crowds don't remember my name.
When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm.
I know you will still love me the same."
​
She closed her eyes as emotion swept through her. He sang those words with conviction. As if he knew they were right, that she would love him again, and love him for the rest of her life. Their eyes met, Jared squeezed her hand and winked making her shake her head. It seems he was reading her mind yet again.

"Stop that; it's creepy." tearing her eyes from his she focused on the traffic ahead of them.

"It isn't creepy; we do it all the time. Don't you think it's neat we can communicate silently?"

Andrea didn't reply; she wasn't sure how she felt about it honestly, so she shrugged. Stiffness was beginning to take over her body. Shifting her hips carefully she lifted her left leg into the seat with a groan when Jared drove over a pothole.

"Sorry, couldn't avoid that one." he apologized, putting the vehicle in park. "I'll go get the pizza. Hang tight." he said, leaning into her and placing a kiss on her temple. Andrea smiled weakly at him, watching him exit the truck and walk inside.
--
Jared pulled into the driveway of their home and killed the engine. Exiting the vehicle, and walking around the back he opened the passenger door. Andrea had freed herself from her seatbelt. Taking in the sunny yellow stucco home blanketed in ivy before her. She found it very inviting and loved the privacy of the surrounding cement wall provided.

She was wincing as she lifted her right leg out of the truck. Jared grabbed the pizza box from her lap placing it on the dashboard. Knowing her well enough to realize her stubbornness wouldn't allow him to carry her he waited patiently as she exited the truck. Once Andrea was on her feet, he looped his arm around her waist as they walked inside.