Perhaps Someday // The Sequel to Life Ends, Love Says

Chapter 3: Finally Breathing

-Joey's POV-

Distance from someone is known to make everything smaller. It's ironic really, how the longer you're away from someone, the smaller your relationship becomes. It slowly stops mattering in your life anymore as all the memories fade into tiny dust particles that fly away. You start to lose that affection that filled your mind and heart before like the very blood that runs through your veins. But not with Meghan. 

The longer I've been away from her, the longer she's been sleeping, the longer she's been out of my life, the more I love her. Of course I miss her, I miss her hands and how they'd fold together when she was embarrassed. I miss her breath on my lips when she woke up beside me. I miss her discrete smirk, and red full cheeks, and happy skip, and glossy bright eyes, and warm arms. I miss every aspect of her, but that only makes me love her more.

That anxiety that one day she'll be back to the way she was makes your heart jump through your shirt. That feeling that you can put your arms around her once again and feel her heart beat against your chest  like it used to before is breathtaking. It makes you almost feel it again, like those memories magically change into a distant reality. Like all those flashbacks and pictures on your phone just make time turn back all over again, and she's back in your arms, with her lips pressed to yours, and everything is perfect. 

It's been a week since she last opened her eyes for the longest time in a long time. She managed to speak, she managed to fill her lungs with air and say the words she had wanted for the entire time that she's been unconscious. Before I could answer, even acknowledge the soft words she whispered, her eyes flutter shut softly, and I fell back into the chair I sit in for most of my time and am currently sitting in now.

Today is the day, the nurses tell me. They're gonna give her a stronger dose of the medication they successfully tried on her a week ago. They say if it goes fortunately then I'll be able to talk to her and tell her how my life has been over the past few weeks that she's been away. But there's really nothing I can tell her, my life is not complete with out her. And I would never tell her the sad details of my suffering over the few weeks. She only needs happiness to recover, and I will do anything to give her that happiness she deserves.

I watched as the nurses adjusted the tubes running into Meghan's hands and nose. They all whispered to each other as if they had a secret code. They checked her monitors one last time before inserting a needle into her shoulder slowly and putting a foggy mask over her mouth. For a few seconds, all you could hear was deep, raspy breathing. Everyone stayed silent as if, if they were to utter even a sound, a knife would fly into the air cutting that silence. Until the breathing quickened, and the monitor mimicked those breaths, and the silence was so quiet that it turned loud. So loud that the heart monitor was like a speaker on full blast in my ears. 

Meghan's chest flinched, and I ran to her side. The blue liquid continued to flow down the tubes and into her veins. I placed one of her pale hands between my hands. Her fingertips were cold as ice, but slowly grew warmer closer to her heart. Her eyes quivered before they opened slightly and my heart jumped into my throat, making me unable to speak. Her eyes finally opened, and she looked directly at me.

-Meghan's POV-

As I woke up, my throat was dry and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Everything I looked at seemed to drag as my eyes skimmed across it. But there was one familiar face that stood out in clear colour, that pleasant unclouded face was always the first and last thing on my mind. Joey, of course, stood over me with a slight smile on his face. You know that feeling you get when you're listening to really meaningful music or watching a sad movie? When everything in your body somehow ties up in one large not and your fist squeeze together? Your heart beats faster and your eyes squint shut because your love for that song or movie is just too much to stay sane? Nothing matters and you just can't control yourself over just one little thing?