Vulnerable

Twenty-two- Rye

Wrapped in a warm embrace with the two people who love me most in the world, the fathers who cast shadows over our lives were gone. We could just start to move on. The faint smell of coconut in Andy's hair crept up my nose, mixed with the smell of my mother's jasmine body spray. It smelt like home and family. I couldn't be more grateful to have someone as amazing and supportive as my wonderful mother, and someone who made me a better person like my boyfriend. Someone who was broken, like me. Someone who held my broken pieces together.

I knew I had lost a member of my family today, but I did not feel like I had lost. I felt like I had gained, Andy was going to be a member of my family. He was going to be a huge part of my life eternally. I felt more whole than I had felt for a long time. Nothing was going to change that, nobody was going to remove my blue skies or cast clouds over my new beginning. Nobody was ever going to take my Andy away from me, ever again. If they even tried they would regret it.

NEXT MORNING

The nurses said they would let Andy go earlier, they were going to discharge him today. Sarah was checking over him just to make 100% sure he was going to be completely fine. To say I was anxious to get out of this place would be a huge understatement. I would, in fact, be happy to never ever have to go in this place again. Mum was on her way to pick us up from the hospital in an hour, she wanted to give us time to get out and relax in the fresh air outside the hospital for a bit.

I looked into Andy's room, I saw a smile spread across his face as his cheeks flushed. Sarah laughed and marked a couple of things down onto her clipboard before signing the bottom of it, telling me that he had been given the okay to leave and he would be absolutely, completely okay. Look at me, so protective. I was so worried he would slip back into his coma last night, so I stayed awake holding his hand. Due to that choice, I was now absolutely exhausted. I have not actually slept properly for a very long time. So tonight I just wanted to cuddle and sleep.

Before Andy left he whispered something into Sarah's ear, to which the nurse looked a mixture of sad and proud. I wondered what he had talked to her about. But she preceded to pull out another form from the few in her clipboard and handed it to him, she placed her hand on his shoulder. His hand was shaking as he signed the paper. A few tears slid down his cheeks, but the nurse just pulled him into her arms. I hope he is okay and those forms were not something really bad.

Sarah came out of Andy's room soon after and I saw tears bead in her eyes as she smiled at me.

God, something must have happened.

"Is he okay!?" I asked the nurse, why did all bad things have to happen to him. He did not deserve any of the worlds' evil, he was far too good to be shadowed by misfortune all the time.

"He will be sweetie, just take care of him." She soothed and calmed before letting me go into his room. I rushed over to his side and embraced him, worried out of my mind as I saw his freshly tear-streaked face.

"Rye, I have something to do before I leave, something I should have done a while ago. But I was too weak, you have given me the strength to do this." He told me, surprising me with the confidence in his voice.

"Anything you need to do, I will have your back. Forever and always." I gently squeezed his shoulders and felt his hand creep into mine. Then a gentle tug as we stood up and he led me out of the room. Sarah was waiting outside of the room for us and she caressed his shoulder.

"This way boys" She went down one of the corridors into the quiet unit, reserved for those who had not got long left or those who were on life support. Andy's hand trembled a little in my own and I stroked my thumb over his pale skin, just to let him know he was not alone. He has been alone for too long in this world.