Page 56 of Before the Storm
“Crazy in love with you, just like our son.” Dina squeezed her arm. “Can we go see him?”
“Of course,” the doctor said.
“I think you all should go first.” Janelle wiped the tears from her face.
“Nope. That honor goes to the woman our brother loves.” Maverick came up behind her and gave her a little shove.
“You’re stuck with us now.” Nelson laughed. “All of us. We’re a package deal.”
A smile slowly spread across her face. “There are worse things I can think of than that.”
Phoenix waved his hand in front of his face. “When am I going to stop seeing double?”
The nurse chuckled. “It’s going to be a bit,” she said.
“Where’s my family? Janelle?”
“The doctor went to go… Oh, here comes one of them.” The nurse pulled back the curtain.
Phoenix smiled. “I’ve been waiting forever for you. I told you she was gorgeous. Isn’t she the prettiest woman you’ve ever seen?”
“He’s pretty loopy but incredibly coherent, considering.” The nurse disappeared behind the ugly green and blue drapes.
“Come here.” He patted the side of the bed.
“You gave everyone quite the scare.” Janelle took his hand and eased onto the side of the bed.
“How about a kiss?”
She rolled her eyes but leaned forward and planted her sweet lips on his.
“Now that’s what the doctor ordered.”
“You’re as high as a kite.”
“Maybe a little, but I know what I’m saying.” He took her hand and rested it against the good side of his chest. “When I woke up, all I wanted was to see you, because the last thing I remember was figuring I wasn’t going to make it. But the doctors say I’m going to live to be an old man.”
“You are an old man.” She laughed.
He narrowed his stare. “That’s mean, and no way to talk to your fiancé.”
“That’s presumptuous.”
“That’s a big word and I doubt in my current state I could even pronounce it.”
“I wish I had my cell so I could video this. You’re funny.” She palmed his cheek. “That anesthesia has you talking crazy.”
“Saying I love you isn’t nuts.”
“No, but the other stuff is.”
He shook his head. He might be feeling the effects, but he was well aware of what he was doing. He sort of felt a little badabout pulling his family in on it. And he might regret it because he did struggle to put words together, but he knew what he wanted.
“How can wanting to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love be off the wall?” He pointed to the table by his bed. “Can you hand me that box?”
“Sure.” She reached for it and placed it in his hand.
“Can you help me open it?”
