Her vision is blurred as she streams in and out of consciousness. Poppy's eyes slowly adjust and sees a halo of bright light. Am I dying? Is this heaven? She passes out. A familiar, acrid odor fills her nostrils - Ammonia. She opens her eyes and bolts upright. She assesses her surroundings and notices people in white coats. I am in the hospital. I am alive. Ouch. A bandage on my stomach. What happened?
"Miss Pride, this is doctor Egret and I am doctor Tutman. Do you know where you are?" He shines a tiny light in her eyes and she blinks.
"I am at the hospital." She said.
He uses his stethoscope and listens to her heart and lungs. "Do you know why you are here, Miss Pride?" Dr. Tutman asked.
"What happened? "I can't remember." She replied.
He shines a light in each of her ears and then her throat. "How is your vision, Miss Pride? Is it blurry? Are you seeing double? How many fingers am I holding up?" Dr. Tutman asked.
"Four." She said.
He looks at Dr. Egret. "Vision is good." He takes her temperature. "Ninety-eight point six. Temp is normal."
When is he going to tell me?
"You were a hero today, Miss Pride. You took a pretty nasty hit, but your major organs were spared." Dr. Tutman said.
She looks at him, confused. "I don't remember why I am here. Please, tell me why I am here. Where is Jake? Where is Seth?" She asked, frantically.
A nurse walks up and holds a warm compress on her forehead.
"Miss Pride, you are here because you received a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The young man who shot you did not fare as well." Dr. Tutman chuckled.
"Did I... Did I kill someone?" She stammered.
He smiles. "No, Miss Pride. You didn't kill anyone. However, that young man had a bullet in his knee. I will assume that was from you."
Wait. Dr. Tutman. Holy crap. "Dr. Tutman, do you have a son named..."
"Seth?" He said, finishing her thought. "Yes, I do. You can see him shortly. I told him to wait until I performed an examination. I am satisfied that everything is normal."
She grabs the doctor's coat. "Why can't I remember anything, Dr. Tutman?"
He smiles. "You hit the back of your head on the floor pretty hard. Luckily, you landed on carpeting. Rest assured, your memory will return in a week or so. Until then, enjoy the peace of its absence."
As the doctor leaves she hears, "All right, Son, you may go in now."
How can I forget a six-foot, four, muscle-toned athlete with a smile hot enough to melt titanium? His eyes light up the room.
He stands at the end of her bed studying her face. He winks and she winks back. He maneuvers himself around the nurses prodding at her. He squeezes her hand and kisses it.
"Poppy, I am so glad... I was so worried..." Tears fall from his face. He glances around, then raises his voice, "Can everyone please leave the room and give us a minute?" White uniforms scatter like moths touching a hot light bulb. He leans his head back. "Sweet, sweet silence." He said. Then, pulls up a chair and sits next to her. "I was afraid... I couldn't help... I thought you were..." He stammered.
She reaches for his hand and he obliges. "Seth, please don't. It hurts my heart to see you like this. I am here. We are together. Everything will be all right."
He gazes into her eyes. "Poppy, I..." A crowd begins to gather at the doorway to the room. Seth gets on his knees in the chair. He takes her hands in his and kisses them. He releases her and reaches into his pocket.
"Poppy, I have never loved, honored or cherished anyone in my life until you smiled your way into my heart. I knew the moment I held your helpless body in my arms, that you were the woman I would love the rest of my life. Poppy Catori Pride, will you marry me?"
Her mouth drops open as she stares at him. Her throat tightens as she feels the tears welling up inside. "Seth, I..." He slips a white gold band with a large, cushion-cut, London Blue Topaz in the center. She stares at the stone, then into Seth's eyes.
"Seth, I care for you with all my heart. I just... Can I think about it?"
He cups her hand in his. "I promised you no pressure. I meant every word. I don't care if you take the next ten years to decide. My arms and my heart will forever be open to you."
"Seth? Where is Jake? Is he okay?" She asked.
"I will take you to see him, just give me two seconds." He said.
He jets out of the room and returns with a wheelchair. He releases the I.V. Bag and hangs it from the bar attached to the chair. He is careful there are no wires or tubes tangled around her then races through the hallway of the hospital in search of Jake's room.
The room is dark when they arrive, so they stay silent as Seth wheels her close to the bed. She lightly touches his hand.
He turns his head and whispers, "Hey, Li'l Sis. What happened to you?"
"Me? What about you?" She exclaimed.
He laughed. "We can be wrecked together."
Poppy has never seen Jake so helpless. He has always been her protector. More tears stain her watered-down cheeks.
"Jake... I am a curse. Look at you. Because you were looking out for me, you're all mangled and bruised. This... this is my fault."
He closes his hand on hers. "Li'l Sis, what have I always told you?" She shakes her head.
"No, you're wrong. You were there to keep me safe, how is this not my fault?" She snapped.
He wipes a tear from her cheek. Remember that day in the coffee shop after we ran out of the auditorium?" She nods. "You told me something that changed my life and my attitude toward Max forever. Do you remember what it was?" He asked.
"Just because you share DNA doesn't mean you share a brain." She replied.
He smiles. "From that day on, I looked at things differently. I looked up to Max for so long, I was blind to his true prism. I started paying closer attention. I realized he was everything I never wanted to be, and that's when I joined the Police Academy. Poppy, you saved my soul that day." He said.
"But you did the same for me. You saved me - even if only a moment - from the demons you would later send to jail. You cuffed and hauled your own brother the day you busted down his door and found me." She said.
"I have always loved you like the sister I never had, and I always will." He lifts her chin with his finger. "Poppy, don't cry over this. I save complete strangers because it's the right thing to do and because it's my job. I am happy you are all right."
Poppy lowers her head. Jake looks over at Seth with questioning eyes. Seth sadly nods from side to side.
"What? Poppy Catori Pride, I am ashamed."
She perks her head up. "Why are you shouting at me?"
He looks over at Seth. "Hey, Seth, can you give us a minute?" He steps out of the room.
"Li'l Sis, what are you doing? Why did you say no?" He prodded.
She lowers her head. "Jake, I... I don't know if it's the right thing for me - for him."
"God, Li'l Sis. Why wouldn't it be the right thing?" He asked.
"My career is over. What about the years of therapy? And, kids? I don't even wanna talk about it. I'm paranoid that I will be one of those parents that treats her kids like caged birds." She said.
"Poppy, stop punishing yourself. You deserve to be happy just as much as this guy who's battered and bruised." He said, making her smile. "Does he make you happy? Does he treat you well? Is he willing to die for you? Wait, I know the answer to all of these - YES. Spread your wings, Li'l Sis and grab life by the cahonays. You can change your whole world, don't let it skate by like a hockey puck. Score your winning goal and have what you always wanted - a normal life."
She rests her head in Jake's lap and sobs. "I'm scared, Jake."
"You, scared? Until I saw your reaction to Max at the prison, I thought you were fearless. Listen, those butterflies you feel in your stomach?" She nods. "You feel them because you love him. You're only afraid because of the outcome you created in your head. Sit back and look at the bigger picture. Go back to that first date, that first kiss. Why was it special then and why is it special now?"
She holds his hand. "Thank you, Jake. You always were able to unscramble the alphabet soup in my head."
He laughed. "Ow, don't make me laugh too hard. I love you, Poppy, and I want you to be happy the same way your parents would want when they were alive. Now, get outta here and let me sleep." He grumbled.
He shouts toward the door, "Hey, Seth. Come collect my Li'l Sis. I need some sleep."
Seth grabs the wheelchair and races her around the hospital. She stares at beautiful, blue gem on her left hand. She focuses on every sparkle as the light touches it from different angles. She pictures the first time he smiled. The first time he kissed her. The first time he defended her. The first time they made love. Each moment fills her heart with joy. Seth is roaring as he spins the wheelchair in circles.
"Yes." She whispers.
Seth halts. "Sorry, Poppy. I could not hear you over all this fun I am having."
She looks up at him and smiles. "Yes. A million to the Nth, Yes."
He kneels in front of the chair and leans up to kiss her. Cheers echo from the nurse's station. Even Doctor Tutman stopped to congratulate them as he finished his rounds.
"Seth, I need you to do something for me." She said.
"I will do anything for you, My Greatest Love." He smiled.
YOU ARE READING
Poppy's Pride
ChickLitPoppy was just eighteen when she was abducted. Years later she isn't sure who to trust. Then, she meets gorgeous entrepreneur, Seth Tutman. When her captors return, will Seth's love be enough to save her?
