The Secrets We Keep: A Choni Story

Chapter 4

Cheryl's POV

I woke up but I couldn't open my eyes or move. I could hear someone next to me. Toni?

"Cheryl, come on please wake up you can't leave me Cheryl not now. I didn't get to tell you how much you mean to me. I love you, Cheryl Blossom, I, Antoinette Topaz love you so much. I can't lose you I can't," Toni cried.

I could hear her sobbing. I felt her squeeze my hand. I had to wake up. I had to find out what happened to me. I had to see Toni again. I mustered up all the strength I could to open my eyes and sit up.

"Cheryl! Oh my God, Cheryl, you're awake, how are you feeling?" Toni asked, wiping away her tears.

"Um I've been better, but uh what happened?" I asked sitting upright.

"You were in a fire, Cher. There was a fire at Thornhill. I'm so sorry." she said on the brink of tears.

"Hey hey, look at me," I said cupping her face, "I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm not going anywhere without you beside me okay I'm always here," I said reassuringly.

"I-I-I thought I lost-" she said before I cut her off.

"Don't finish that sentence," I said firmly.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry," she said.

"What time is it TT?" I asked.

"I don't know Cheryl, um we've been here for a few hours and we got here around 4-5ish so maybe 7-8 I really don't know," she said.

"TT?" I called.

"Yeah?" she answered almost instantaneously.

"How did I get out of the house?" I asked genuinely confused.

"Uh-um..." she trailed off.

"What?!" I asked slightly annoyed.

"I got you out," she said looking down.

"Oh, TT thank you so much, I owe you my life," I said gratefully.

"Cheryl you don't owe me anything," she took a deep breath, "I love you. Cheryl Marjorie Blossom, I Antoinette Topaz love you, you are the love of my life and I can see our future together, where we get married, have kids and all that type of stuff and I will protect you until the end of time, even if it takes my life. You don't ever need to thank me for anything let alone saving your life. That's my job, nothing will ever take you away from me." she said a tear spilling from her eye.

"Oh, TT I love you too," I said wiping a single tear from her eye.

"I thought I would never get to tell you that," she smiled.

"Well, I kinda heard you the first time, Toni," I chuckled.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Just before I woke up I heard you tell me you love me," I said smiling.

Toni laughed. That laugh. I was so happy to hear it again.

Then the doctor came in and explained everything Toni had said but just in more detail. He said I could go home in a few weeks because they needed to monitor my breathing. I took a good look at Toni and it looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"Cher, do you have a place to stay?" Toni asked as the doctor left.

"Um, I could move into Thistlehouse. I think," I said.

"You're going to stay in that big house all by yourself?" she asked.

"Well um, I don't have to," I said, a smile growing on my face.