But instead of reciprocating, she stands and walks out.
21
AN ANGEL
Eli
“Eli, we’re all waiting for you to wake up. Your brother’s going crazy with worry. Come on, Eli, open your eyes.”
A voice penetrates my sleep. A beautiful one. The one I’ve been hearing in my dreams. The one I’d be happy hearing the rest of my life.
“You look so peaceful like this. I miss your voice, though.”
There she is again—my angel. A light caress runs along my forehead from the softest hand I’ve ever felt. Why are my eyes so heavy? I want to open them, but I can’t. I’m too tired.
“It’s time to go home, Eli. You’d be so much more comfortable inyourbed.”
It’s her. Damn, she’s mesmerizing and always pulling me out of my sleep. But that’s okay because I’ll gladly go home and get comfortable withher. “Anytime, sweetheart, just let me rest a little longer first.” She’s caressing my hand, squeezing it. I wish she were squeezing something else that’s waking up. “Come on, baby. I’m all yours.” If only my eyelids weren’t weighted down by a ton of bricks. Fuck.
“Eli. Please wake up. I need you….Weneed you.”
She sounds angry this time. Or wait, maybe she’s sad. “No, don’t cry. I want to hear your sweetness again.” My hand is squeezed hard, and then something else is on top of it… lips. She’s kissing my hand, crying. I can feel the wetness from her tears. I can’t let her cry. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Her lips go away, and I want to reach up to bring them back, but my arms are like lead. If only my eyelids weren’t glued shut, I could look at my angel and tell her it’s okay.
“I just don’t know what to do anymore. I keep saying the same things over and over again. There’s got to be something else. What if he doesn’t wake up?”
She begins to cry. Her sadness pains me, and I don’t want to be the cause of it. There must be something I can do. I use all the strength I can muster to grip her hand.
“Eli? Can you hear me? Open your eyes. Lily, text Sebastian and tell him I felt something. Eli, squeeze my hand again if you can hear me.”
She sounds frantic now. I squeeze as hard as I can—anything to make her happy.
“Lily, he’s responding. I just pushed the button for the nurse.”
Why would I need a nurse?
“Eli, please wake up. Look at me.”
She’s pleading now. All I want is to make her happy, so I try to open my eyes, but it’s like the lines are crossed, and the signal won’t reach far enough.
“Come on, Eli. Don’t go back to sleep. Lily’s here, and your brother’s on his way. Just wake up.”
“Anything for you, cutie.” Fuck, why is this so difficult? I struggle internally for a few more seconds, and finally my eyelids peel back, only to squeeze shut immediately. Holy shit, it’s bright.
“Lily, close the blinds. It’s too bright.”
I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that out loud. I don’t think my voice will work with as long as it’s taking my fricking eyes to cooperate.
I peek out of one eye, and thankfully, the room is darker, so I carefully pry both open and struggle to bring my surroundings into focus. What the fuck? When did I get an IV? I’m still in the hospital, and a nurse is fiddling with the machines. Lily is pacing with the phone to her ear, telling the person on the other end that my eyes just opened and that she’d ratherhecall her—whatever that’s about. Cici is next to the bed with a death grip on my hand.
“You’re about to break my hand, babe.”
Ah, so my voice does work.
Cici laughs and leans in to hug me with tears streaking down her cheeks.
“Welcome back, Mr. Dubree. Your vitals are looking great. I’ll tell the doctor you’re awake, and he’ll be in shortly,” the nurse says before exiting.
Cici sits back, still crying and squeezing my hand.
