And then . . . her thumb moves again. I sob as I bring her hand up to mine and kiss it.
“Fuck, love, you’re . . . you’re here. With me.” I crawl up the bed and wrap my arm around her, bringing my lips to her cheek, to her neck, to the side of her head. “Lilly, my girl, you’re here.” I press another kiss to her head, then ring the call button multiple times. A rush of staff come into the room all at once, and through a cloud of tears, I say, “She’s moving her thumb.”
* * *
Sittingon the edge of her bed, I watch carefully as Lilly’s eyes move under her lids, the heaviness making it hard for her to open. Katla and Theo stand to the side, Lara and Ottar are by the couch, and Lilly’s doctor and nurse are to the right, watching carefully.
“That’s it, Lilly,” I say softly. “Take your time. We’re here, waiting for you.”
Her lashes flutter and then, for the first time in over a month, her eyes open, and I’m met with the most beautiful pair of irises I’ve ever seen. A quiet gasp falls over the room as I reach up and cup her cheek.
“That’s it, Lilly. Just like that.” Tears stream down my cheeks as I lean in closer. “There’s my beautiful girl.”
The doctor steps forward. “Hello, Princess Lilija. Your throat might feel sore from your ETT, so take your time.”
When she first started moving, the doctor checked Lilly to see if she’d pass a CPAP test. Once they were convinced Lilly required minimal oxygen supplementations and could breathe above the ventilator’s breathing rate, they extubated her. It was such a relief to see her breathing tube gone and to know she could breathe on her own. My hopes rose even more then.
Lilly looks around, her eyes blinking a few times. They glance over my shoulder to Katla and Theo. And then by the window where Ottar and Lara stand. And when they trail back to me, I watch recognition pass over her as she quietly says, “Keller.”
That one whisper of a word is all I fucking need. I lean forward and press my forehead against hers. “I’m here,” I say. “I’m here.”
Epilogue
LILLY
“Keller?” My throat’s still so sore.
“Hmm?” he asks, his body pressed up against mine, his arm draped over my stomach.
“Are you mad at me?”
He lifts up to look me in the eyes. “Mad at you? What the hell for?”
It’s been a day since I’ve opened my eyes, and I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck and dragged a few miles, but seeing Keller, being in his arms, it’s everything I need to get through this confusion and pain I’m feeling.
According to the doctor, I barely made it. I died twice, and they were able to revive me. The bullet nearly hit my heart, just a few millimeters away. If it wasn’t for Dr. Johansen applying pressure and Runa’s expert driving, I probably wouldn’t be here.
I shift my head to the side to get a better look at him. “For moving in front of you when Rolant shot you?”
His brows turn down. “That’s not something we need to talk about.”
“I want to,” I say before coughing. Keller hands me my drink, and I take a few sips.
“Lilly, save your voice.”
I shake my head. “No, I want to talk to you about this.” I take a deep breath and continue, “All I can remember at that moment is if I lose him again, I won’t be able to move on. It was instinct, and I jumped.”
“Lilly—”
“I’m not done,” I say. “I can’t imagine the excruciating pain you’ve gone through, the fear, the unknown clouding your vision, but I will say this, for as much as I put you through by stepping in front of that bullet, I would do it all over again to make sure you weren’t hurt.”
His thumb rubs over my cheek as he shakes his head. “Lilly, it’s my job to protect you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s both our jobs to protect each other. You mean everything to me, Keller, which means I would do anything to make sure you’re never harmed.”
He leans forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “No one has ever loved me the way that you do.” He sighs. “Thank you for protecting me, Lilly . . . but for the love of God, don’t do it again.”
I chuckle and cough a few more times. Once I gather myself, I say, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that stunt earned me a lecture from Theo.”
