Crashing Into You

Im being punk'd

A fun song came on the radio and I slowly got out of the hospital bed. I was gonna dance and have fun. It's ok to have fun right? Martha looked at me like I was crazy. She is super nice and was surprised when I turned up the song.

" Martha, we are dying! Let's at least have fun doing it!"

The nurse stuck her head in the door, "you two alright?"

"I feel alive! How do you feel, Martha?" Dancing my butt off.

Martha is laughing. It's the first time I've seen her laugh this whole time. We have been here like a month. Her husband seems nice enough, but that the only person to visit. She keeps talking about her son but he never shows up. She loves to see Alex when my mom brings him. Alex. Oh I miss my buddy.

There was an extremely awkward cough behind me.

I spin around laughing with Martha and I freeze.

"Jeff?" Martha and I say in unison.

"Wait, you know him?" Again, in unison and looking at each other.

"Jeff, this is my roomm—"

"Em" he strains.

"Yes, I gathered by the way she said your name. Now how do you know each other?" Martha, Demanding answers.

"That's Emma, mom. Emma." Jeff draws out my name on the last one.

"Oh." Martha forms an O with her mouth. "Well I'm so glad you have finally have come and seen me! We have lots to catch up on."

"I'll just leave you two to it, then." Really. I can't breathe. I can't move. I know I sound like a complete drama queen every time I say that but seriously, why haven't my machines gone off yet letting the nurses know my oxygen is low.

They should be monitoring this, I could be dying.

"Oh, no need honey. Jeff would love to just sit with us girls and talk." Martha smiles at me.

"I really think she wants to go, mom. So let her." What an asshat. "Why are you in here?" His mom hits his arm, with as much force as she can muster.

"It's a hospital for Cancer, Mark. Why would I possibly be here?"

"You have cancer?" Something flickered in his eyes, looked like pain but this is Jeff and I have only seen one emotion in his eyes: Lust.

Tears start to threaten my eyes.

His voice cracked, "Where is Max...?"

I opened my mouth to speak and Martha interrupted me, "He left her the second he found out! Can you believe the nerve of that man! Cheating on her with her best friend. Ugh, I'd had killed him Emma, KILLED HIM!"

Great. Thanks Martha. Remind myself to ask for a different roommate when the nurse came back today.

I closed my eyes. But my eyes shoot open when she speaks again... "Her son is the only one that comes and visits, with her mom of course. That sweet 2 year old is the cutest thing, Jeff!"

Jeff looks at me quickly, I close my eyes... hiding. He can't know. Nope don't do this here.

Alex will need to be with his family when the time comes.

Tell him about Alex.

Stop that!! He has my mom, whose side are you on?

Yours.

Well you got a funny way of showing it.

The tears that threaten to make their appearance. He closes the curtains and walks away.

"Jeff!! Wait you haven't came to see me, come back."

And just like that. The brooding man, with the green eyes and the tattoos, was gone again. Just like before.

The next day, Alex was going to come by to visit and I was so excited to see my little man! He will be here any minute when Martha looked at me and said, " You know, if Jeff comes by when Alex is here he is going to ask."

"Ask what, exactly?" Am I being punk'd? She could not know!

"Please, I'm not blind. Now that I know YOU are THE Emma, that little boy sure looks like a spitting image of Jeff." She smiles. SMILES!

"Jeff cannot know right now. I'm not ready. Jeff told me two years ago that he did not love me and I needed to marry Max. I don't know for sure that he would love Alex." Stupid tears go away, your baby is almost here.

"Give him a little credit dear. He just wasn't ready when you were to get married. I know that boy is more stubborn than a mule, but he will come around. He would love Alex, I'm sure of it." She gives me a good pat on my hand. Leaving me to my own thoughts about it all.