Page 98 of Pieces of Us
I run a hand through my hair. “I hope so. I hope she doesn’t get mad that I changed the bedding and everything from what we had on the registry.”
“I think she’ll love it. And I don’t think she’ll care what it looks like. It will be the fact that you got it done.”
“I hope so.”
“Call us later and let us know how it goes. We’re going to head home.”
I hug Audrey and Jax goodbye and go back to Mel.
“Are you ready, Mama?”
“It still doesn’t feel right going home without Millie.”
“I know, but we’ll be here a few times a day, and it’s only for a couple more days.”
“Can we stop and see her before we go?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
We stayed at the hospital for over an hour after Mel was discharged. I finally talked her into leaving to take a nap back at the apartment. We walk through the door of our home, and she stops, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
“It smells like you in here.”
“You haven’t been here to spray your perfume.” I set her bag on the couch.
“It smells like home.”
I walk to her and take her in my arms. She lays her head on my chest and part of me feels relief. She’s home.
Her head raises, and I recognize the look in her eyes. I place my hands on her cheeks and kiss her. The hospital is a busy place, people coming in and out of her room, so I haven’t properly kissed her in days. I hear her sigh and tilt her head, and she opens for me. It’s a kiss filled with the emotions of the past week. It’s deep and heady. We both know it isn’t going to lead to anything more, but it’s our way of connecting in this moment.
I break the kiss and look into her eyes. “Tell me you’re mine forever, Mel.”
“Forever, Linc. I’ll always be yours.”
She places her lips back on mine, and the sound of our breaths fills the apartment. When we stop, Mel looks at me and smiles.
“I don’t want to get married.”
Not what I was expecting at that moment.
“I’m not sure I understand what you mean by that.”
“After the accident, when I thought of you, when I thought of Millie, not once did I think about a piece of paper or a ring. It was just us, and it was more than enough.”
“I don’t care about a piece of paper, either, but I would want us to wear rings. I want people to know you’re mine, that you’re taken.”
She laughs, swatting my chest. “So possessive.”
I brush a piece of hair out of her face. “When it comes to you, I might be.”
“I like it.”
“I don’t care about a wedding, Mel. All I care about is being by your side. If you change your mind about the whole wedding thing, let me know, and we can elope in the Caribbean or somewhere fun. I wouldn’t want a big, stuffy wedding.”
“Sounds perfect.”
