FINALE
I heard voices arguing. “…all your fault!” as I drifted in and out of consciousness.
“Couldn’t let her go…”
“….stopped saying anything…”
“…just slept for days…”
I woke up with tubes running out of my arms. I think I lost weight. Someone’s holding my hands, I turned to look. “Hi Dex.” My voice feels raw. I forced a smile, “Where am I?”
“At the hospital.”
“Mmmm. Why?”
“You wouldn’t wake up. The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with you.”
“How long?”
“A month.”
“Really? How come? Was I in an accident?”
“No. Listen, the doctors are coming we’ll talk after they have checked you. I’m just here.”
Soon the doctors came. They poked and probed. Asked a ton of questions until they were satisfied there’s nothing wrong with me.
While waiting to be discharged, I was looking around for Babe. Dex, immediately assisted me.
“I’m fine. Where’s Babe, Dex?”
“He knows you’re okay now but he’s not coming. You are going home with me.”
“Why?”
“He is remorseful for keeping you locked up.”
I couldn’t say anything to that. And we were both silent on the way home.
“Dex, can we go to Babe’s house?”
“NO!!! You almost died remember?”
“I need to say good bye. Come with me.”
Dex held my hand as we walked inside Babe’s house. He went outside and left me and Babe to talk.
“Babe, I’m good now. No need to worry. I came to say goodbye.”
“You shouldn’t have. I was going to come visit you in a few days after you are settled in.”
“I don’t think you would have done that. So I came here. Don’t beat yourself up about what happened. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll never forgive myself for being selfish. All I ever did was hurt you. And now this. If you never woke up…”
“But I did so stop that. You are my friend and I still love you. If you feel sorry, then please move on. You didn’t lock me up. I stayed because I was waiting for you to gradually accept that things between us have irrevocably changed.”
“I will. I wish you a good boring life with Dexter with lots of annoying brats.”
I laughed and said I wished the same thing.
----***----
Dex was waiting in the backyard for me. We went home and started a beautiful life together. It was filled with kisses and laughter. We loved a lot. We fought a lot too. He was actually domineering. I can’t believe he managed to hide this from me before we got married. Most of the time he lets me get away with things. He’s the jealous type. I don’t mind. It makes me feel treasured like I’m the only girl for him as he is the only man for me. His parents grew on me later on. At first, I was hesitant to be with them. But when the children came, they were like any other grandparents, doting and indulgent. I see a difficult future ahead for me managing them. Babe’s wish for me is slowly coming true.
