Finding You

Awake

"Good morning." I blink my eyes awake at the knock on the door. Bradley squeezes my hand. I know he must be ready to get home. I'm ready.

"Good morning. How're you today?" I hold my hand out to the nurse so she can slide the clip on my finger to monitor my heartbeat.

"I'm good, and you? Been getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of water?" She wraps the cuff around my arm and I sigh. I hate this part.

"Yep." I lean my head against the bed and will my blood pressure to fall into the normal range.

"Hmm, it's still a little low. Have you ever experienced low blood pressure?" I sigh.

"It ran low when I was pregnant but I'm not pregnant." The nurse clicks the mouse to her computer.

"I'm going to have some bloodwork done just to check again and rule that out, okay? I'll let the doctor know and once that bloodwork comes back, we'll make a decision on releasing you."

"Can't I just give a urine sample?" I ask softly and she half smiles, sadly.

"Blood can tell earlier than urine, but I'm sure you know that. Is there a chance you could be pregnant?" She asks and I take a deep breath in and look over at Bradley. He looks aged and exhausted.

"We've been trying for a while now." He looks down at our entangled hands.

"In that case, let's cross our fingers and hope for good news. I'll be back." The nurse pulls her cart out of the room and shuts the door behind her.

"I'm really sorry my blood pressure is still low." I look at Bradley and he smiles, shaking his head.

"I'm just happy that you're alive and still here with me, you know that. I'd spend a hundred days in the hospital with you."

"But not one hundred and one?" I ask with a small smile. Bradley rolls his eyes with a smile.

"Negotiable." He kisses my hand and I sigh.

"You think I'm pregnant?" I look up at the roof. Do I want to be pregnant right now? Of course I do. I want to have his baby. I just don't want to find out in the hospital. I want to do something cute.

"I thinks there's a chance."

"Crazy to think that it never occurred to me that I could be. I have perfect blood pressure. I guess I just assumed the wreck was the cause of any and all issues."

"It still could be the wreck. We've been really good at not getting our hopes up."

"I know. I know."

"Finish your water." He hands me my cup and I sigh. I think I've already had a gallon today. He just keeps pushing it on me.

"Bradley, I love you but stop with the water. If I have anymore right now, I'm gonna become a fish. I have a water belly for crying out loud." I smile.

"Hmm, let me see that belly then." I raise my shirt and show him the obvious bulge in my stomach from the mass amounts of water. He smiles, reaching over slowly until his fingers graze the soft skin.

"It'll happen one day. In the meantime, I guess I'll finish that water and we can pretend I'm not broken." I wipe at my eyes.

"You are the furthest from broken." He pulls my shirt down and looks at me, taking in all my features.

"I love you."

"Wanna place bets on the results?" He asks softly and I scoff.

"What's in it for me? Because when it's negative, I win."

"If it's negative, I will... ask you to marry me and if it's positive, I will ask you to marry me in this room." I squint my eyes at him.

"When did you have time to get a ring?"

"My grandmother left me her wedding ring when she passed."

"So you really wanna marry me?"

"I really can't wait to marry you." A knock at the door makes us look over as the nurse comes in with the stuff to take blood.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." She looks at us and I smile, shaking my head.

"Just this amazing man conning me into marriage." I tell her and she smiles, raising her brow at us.

"Adorable. You got a plan?" She asks Bradley and he smiles.

"I'll have to tell you in the hall so I can still surprise her." He tells her and she smiles.

"I can't wait. We're all rooting for you. I'm hoping this comes back positive for you guys."

"But it's okay if it's not. We enjoy trying." I joke as she opens the package. This raises my blood pressure for sure. I hate needles. I hate blood. "I'm a little nervous with needles so you'll have to ignore how embarrassing I get."

"That's okay. I'll go ahead and lay you back. It'll help with any nausea or lightheadedness." She lays the bed back for me and I close my eyes.

"Look at me." Bradley touches my face, using his hand to block my view of the nurse and the needle.

"Sorry I'm such a baby."

"You're perfect and amazing. So amazing." He kisses me softly and for a moment it's just us, finally alone again.

"You're a great distraction." I whisper and he smiles.

"I love you too." He rubs our noses together and I nuzzle into his hand.

"Let's run to the courthouse and just elope." The words aren't out before I realize.

"Okay. As soon as you're out of the hospital."

"I can't do that to you. You deserve a big, fancy, beautiful wedding."

"I just want you." He shrugs and the nurse coughs.

"I'm finished." She says and I squint.

"No way. That was painless."

"Usually is when you have a handsome man spoiling you rotten. I'll be back as soon as we get the results, okay? If you need anything, just call me."