“Really?”
“Yeah, it was pretty funny. And then you would fall right back to sleep. In fact, I’m not sure you ever really opened your eyes. You’d just hear our voices and then say you loved us and then sleep.” She yawns. I know she must be exhausted.
“Well, you should sleep now,” I say gently as I stroke her arm.
“I’m not tired,” she says as she closes her eyes. “I want to be here with you.”
“You are here with me, just rest.”
Within seconds, I hear her deep, soft breathing and know she’s asleep. Who would have ever thought this night would end like this—me, here, sleeping next to Ashley?
***
“Rise and shine.” I open my eyes to light streaming through the blinds and notice I am in a different room. I didn’t realize that last night when I was talking to Ashley.
“I heard someone was looking for a wheelchair?” Dr. Warren smiles and then shakes his head as his eyes land on Ashley next to me in the bed.
I feel her stirring. She’s going to be humiliated as soon as she sees Dr. Warren, so I hope she doesn’t wake up. Too late.
She quickly tries to pull the white knit blanket over her head.
“He saw you. It’s too late.” I try to hold in my laugh.
“Good morning, Ashley,” Dr. Warren says, an evident smile in his voice.
“How did you know her name?” I ask, confused, as Ash slowly re-appears from under the blanket, bright red.
“Oh, you told us a lot about Ashley last night.” Dr. Warren smiles.
“I don’t think I want to know.” I need to change the subject quickly. “So, about that wheelchair?”
He raises his eyebrows. “Right. The wheelchair.” He pushes it forward a little. “Now, don’t get too used to it. This is for the hospital only. It will be crutches for you when you’re released. We need to keep everything else strong to get you back on that field. When your parents get here, we can talk about the next steps.” He checks my chart. “Looks like they gave you pain medicine a little while ago, so you should be good, but let us know if you’re in pain. We’re still trying to find the right balance.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Dr. Warren, for everything.”
“Just score some points for my alma mater next season; that’s payment enough.” He smiles then leaves the room. Now it’s just me, Ash, and the wheelchair.
“Need some help with that?” She gestures in the direction of the chair.
I look at the wheelchair and the giant cast on my leg. “Yeah, I think I do.” I smile.
I hate that she has to help me, that anyone does. This is going to be a long six to eight weeks.
ASHLEY
Getting Todd in the wheelchair is just short of a miracle. I can tell he’s in a lot of pain, but he is determined to do it and shoots down every suggestion that we wait for help. He’s so stubborn sometimes. This is going to be a long six to eight weeks.
Then he gives me his crooked smile, and all of my frustration melts away.
“Your chariot awaits.” He pats his lap.
I can’t help smiling. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Of course it is. Now get on.”
“Okay?” I say as I try to sit on his lap without hurting him. I don’t want to put my full weight on him, yet it’s impossible not to.
“I broke my lower leg, Ash, not my lap. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” I turn so I can see his face as I drape my legs over the side of the chair.
“Positive.” He smiles at me as he starts to wheel us both down the hall.
“Where are we going, oh, brave knight?” I figure I will play along with the whole chariot thing.
“Well, fair maiden, you shall see.” He’s not the best at steering the wheelchair, so my legs bump into the wall as we make a turn.
“I’m sorry, Ash,” he says quickly. “Are you okay?”
I can’t stop laughing as my shoes slide across the wall while he slowly wheels us down the empty hall. “I think we finally found something you are not good at, my lord.”
“I don’t doubtith you are correct.” He laughs, too.
My eyes land on a hospital directory pointing toward the chapel, and I know exactly where we’re going. Of course. This is why he wanted the wheelchair.
“We’ve arrived, but I will need my lady’s help with the door. Oh, wait, there is a wheelchair button. Stay put, fair maiden.”
“You are ridiculous”—I give him a quick kiss on the cheek—“in the best way.”
“Oh, my lady, not in public.” He plays shocked and has now started using a terrible British accent. “Please wait until we are in this non-denominational house of prayer.”
“Because that is so much better, my lord,” I say, matching his terrible British accent.
Finally, he cracks his proper British façade and smiles as he wheels us inside. “I thinkith it is.”
“Well, good thing we’ve completed our journey, then.” My eyes lock with his. We are all alone in the chapel, probably because it’s six thirty in the morning. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful.
“Good thing.” He pushes his fingers through my hair then caresses my jawline before he leans in and kisses me, really kisses me. His thumbs run along my cheeks then he adjusts us both so I’m almost straddling him and he pulls me in even closer. “I love you, Ashley. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I love you so much,” I say through our kisses. “I hate that you got hurt, but I’m glad I got to spend the night with you and visit yet another hospital chapel.”
“I know. We can add this one to our growing list. And a big thank you to our parents for understanding for once.”
I giggle through our kiss as his hands find their way to my back and bring me in even closer. After a few minutes, we both pull back and take each other in.
I study every detail of his face in one second flat. Then he turns me a little so we are both looking at the altar. He wraps his arms around me from behind, while I hang my legs on top of his. One of my legs is gently resting on top of his cast.
“Does this hurt?”
“Not at all. The cast is pretty sturdy, you know.”
“Good, because it makes a great leg rest.” I smile up at him.
I love being here, seeing the candles lit at the altar, knowing they are all wishes someone made. I’m so lucky my wish came true.
“You know what?” Todd’s voice breaks the silence; it’s low, calm, peaceful, just like our surroundings.
“What?”
“It’s amazing it takes a broken leg to have everything fall into place.” He tightens his arms around me.
I don’t ever want this moment to end. Still, I know it will, just like everything else. I know with things “falling into place,” it means Todd will be going away to school. Regardless, something about being here, wrapped in his arms in such a warm, welcoming, special place tells me that everything will be okay. I know we can handle whatever life throws at us. We can overcome anything together.
“I’m going to work really hard, Ash, and I know my leg can be just as strong as it was before.”
I look up at him. “I know it will be.”
“With you by my side.” He kisses the top of my head, and I close my eyes to relish in this moment for as long as humanly possible. Then I remember I shoved a Sharpie in my pocket. I spotted it near his charts and grabbed it as we were leaving.
“Hey, look what I have.” I pull out the Sharpie.
“Oh, lucky me, and look, you have a blank slate.” He points to his cast, smiling.
“Precisely.” I position myself to make sure where I pick will be the first his eyes land on when he looks down. My body is blocking what I’m drawing so he can’t see anything.
“Make it good. I have to look at it for a while.”
I give him a malicious laugh. “I know.”
“What are you doing, Ash?”
“You’ll see,” I answer playfully, knowing this is driving him crazy.
“I wish I could feel more than just pressure, so I can figure out what you’re doing. I’m getting nervous, Ash. This will be there for everyone to see. And this is taking forever.” Todd keeps talking as I write.