Truthfully, though, I feel fine. Maybe a little nauseated, but I know that’s due to the concussion. Otherwise, I’m sort of amped. I think the one thing fueling my adrenaline is that now I know for sure that Shane freakinglovesme.
And I love him.
We finally declared it to each other, and now that we have, I feel like I want to say it again…and again…and again.
We have to make up for lost time, right?
The drive doesn’t take too long, and before I know it, I’m being taken out of the ambulance and rolled into the hospital ER.
Shane must’ve parked in record time, because he joins me just as I’m being placed in an exam room.
“Wow, you’re fast,” I tell him with a smile. “You got in here super quickly.”
Taking my hand, he replies, “You bet I did. I didn’t want to leave you alone for even a minute. I’m here for you, babe.”
Softly, I squeeze his hand and say, “I know that, Shane.”
There’s more I’d like to say, like maybe tell him just howmuchI love him, but a doctor comes in to check me over.
Shane is allowed to stay when I confirm he’s my boyfriend, butafter an exam and a battery of tests and assessments, he has to leave because they need to send me to another floor for a CT scan to check my head.
The doctor explains, “Everything looks good so far. But I’d like to be completely thorough to rule out anything more serious.”
“Hey, that’s fine with me,” I reply.
Shane, of course, agrees as well.
Before I’m rolled away, he leans down and kisses my forehead. “I’ll be here waiting for the update,” he says. “See you soon.”
I give him a little wave as I go.
Over the next hour or so, and after having to change into one of those annoying hospital gowns, I’m given additional tests and the CT scan.
When I’m placed in a room to wait for the results, Shane is allowed to rejoin me.
As he takes a seat directly next to the bed I’m in, he scoots the chair closer and says, “If you’re admitted and have to stay overnight, I’ll run back home to get a change of clothes so I can be here with you.”
“Aww, Shane,” I reply. “You don’t have to do that.”
I really don’t want him to have to sleep in that uncomfortable chair, and somehow I don’t think they’ll allow him to squeeze into the bed with me.
But he insists. “No way am I leaving you here alone. I love you, Willa, and that’s what people who care for each other do.”
“I love you too,” I say softly. Then I add, “Damn, you know what? I love telling you that. I kept it in for so long. It feels amazing to let it out.”
“I know,” he says, chuckling. “It does for me too.”
Quietly, I ask, “How long have you felt this way?”
Softly, he replies, “For a while. I was just afraid to tell you and scare you off.”
I assure him, “Shane, that could never happen. But…” I laugh. “I have no room to talk. I was scared, too, of pretty much the same thing.”
“Well.” He pats my leg. “The important thing now is that it’s out there. We’re in love.”
My heart skips a beat. “Yeah, we sure are.”
Our lovefest comes to a stop, though, when the doctor returns with the CT scan results.
