"This room needs some light," I mumbled to myself. I pulled myself
out of bed and dragged my weak body the few inches to my wheelchair. It
took nearly all of my energy to just push my wheelchair to the giant glass
windows that outlined my room. I threw the light, cheap plastic curtains
back and squinted into the sunlight. It barricaded into the bland room,
changing the walls from dim gray to a blinding white. I smiled as I let my
eyes adjust. I glanced up into the sky at the brilliant blue sky and the
wispy white clouds. "It's going to be a great day."
I wheeled my body across the room to the bathroom. My frame now nearly 10 pounds lighter due to the surgeries, transfusions, and God knows what. I gathered my small bag of cosmetics from atop the wide sink and wheeled myself back into the room with a sense of expertise. I grunted softly, my energy being drawn from my body with every passing inch. I stopped to rest as I reached the small wooden table Bosco had set my other personal possessions on. I hastily ran a brush through my hair, smoothing the unruly curls. I picked up my hand mirror, the one my grandmother had given me on my 16th birthday.
I nearly dropped it when I saw the reflection that greeted me. My beautiful brown curls were shining, but let free to curl in whatever way they pleased - which happened to be in every possible direction. My usually sparkling green eyes were dull and lifeless, sinking into my skull. I had lost a considerable amount of weight in my face, which accented my bone structure. My skin was white, pasty, and clammy. Cold to the couch. My lips weren't their rosy red pigment, either. Instead, they were a light shade of pink - almost translucent.
I took out the necessary cosmetics and set them in a neat row along the table. A little foundation, some compact powder, eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss. With a few flicks of the wrist, some quick brushing, a blink here and there, and a lip pout I was done. I cautiously brought the mirror back up. My smile returned. I wasn't as white, I had added some light eye shadow to accent my eyes, put on a thin coat of mascara, and dabbed some mocha lip gloss on. I looked somewhat normal and not like an apparition. The only problem was my hair. Still looking like Medusa herself had somehow inhabited my skull. So I did what any other desperate women would've done - pulled on one of my Ohio State ball caps. I didn't want Bosco to see me like before anymore.
"Good afternoon, beautiful," I looked over my shoulder in the mirror and spotted a familiar, smiling face. I twisted myself around the best I could in the confining area I was allotted.
"Hey!" I grinned. I beckoned for him to come over with my hands. He glided across the room and whirled my wheelchair around to face him. I threw my arms around his neck, holding him tight. Bosco wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me from the chair. He spun me around gently, careful not to let my legs hit any obstacles. I heard an excited squeal escape from my lips. He cautiously sat me down on my stark bed, then sat down next to me. I leaned toward him. I placed a kiss on his lips and smiled again. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," he chuckled softly. "I just saw you a day ago. What's with the sudden excitement?"
"I just feel like this is going to be a good day," I sighed happily, giving a firm nod. Another crooked grin spread across my beau's face.
"Any particular reason?"
"I'm going to accomplish one of my New Year's resolutions," I proclaimed proudly.
"What resolutions are those, Miss Spangler?" he asked, gazing down at me.
"Well, Mr. Boscorelli, I'm not going to take what I have for granted, anymore. I'm going to live life for the fullest,"
"Any others?"
"I'm going to walk the hallway without anyone's help in exactly a week," I beamed.
"You could do it," he nodded.
"Do you have any resolutions?"
"Yep,"
"Like what?"
"I'm going to love you more and more everyday. I'm also going to get more guts,"
"You're plenty gutsy," I arched an eyebrow and scrunched my lips into a corner of my mouth. Bosco started to laugh again. It felt so good to be able to make him laugh.
"Well, I'm afraid I'm going to chicken out with this particular task,"
"Tell," I urged, taking his hands in mine. He glanced down at my hands. In a few seconds, I found myself being swept up into his arms. He cradled me all the way to the window, where he placed a sensitive kiss on my lips and set me down. He cradled my body against his, letting me lean against him for support. "What are you doing?"
"Getting guts," he nodded toward the window with a small sigh. I craned my neck so that I could see out the window. He directed my attention to a large billboard that stood across the street. A large white rose was painted on it. There were five simple words that took my breath away. I looked down as Bosco slid onto his knees and held out a gorgeous diamond ring. He smiled and repeated the printed words. "Will you marry me, Raeanne?"
I wheeled my body across the room to the bathroom. My frame now nearly 10 pounds lighter due to the surgeries, transfusions, and God knows what. I gathered my small bag of cosmetics from atop the wide sink and wheeled myself back into the room with a sense of expertise. I grunted softly, my energy being drawn from my body with every passing inch. I stopped to rest as I reached the small wooden table Bosco had set my other personal possessions on. I hastily ran a brush through my hair, smoothing the unruly curls. I picked up my hand mirror, the one my grandmother had given me on my 16th birthday.
I nearly dropped it when I saw the reflection that greeted me. My beautiful brown curls were shining, but let free to curl in whatever way they pleased - which happened to be in every possible direction. My usually sparkling green eyes were dull and lifeless, sinking into my skull. I had lost a considerable amount of weight in my face, which accented my bone structure. My skin was white, pasty, and clammy. Cold to the couch. My lips weren't their rosy red pigment, either. Instead, they were a light shade of pink - almost translucent.
I took out the necessary cosmetics and set them in a neat row along the table. A little foundation, some compact powder, eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss. With a few flicks of the wrist, some quick brushing, a blink here and there, and a lip pout I was done. I cautiously brought the mirror back up. My smile returned. I wasn't as white, I had added some light eye shadow to accent my eyes, put on a thin coat of mascara, and dabbed some mocha lip gloss on. I looked somewhat normal and not like an apparition. The only problem was my hair. Still looking like Medusa herself had somehow inhabited my skull. So I did what any other desperate women would've done - pulled on one of my Ohio State ball caps. I didn't want Bosco to see me like before anymore.
"Good afternoon, beautiful," I looked over my shoulder in the mirror and spotted a familiar, smiling face. I twisted myself around the best I could in the confining area I was allotted.
"Hey!" I grinned. I beckoned for him to come over with my hands. He glided across the room and whirled my wheelchair around to face him. I threw my arms around his neck, holding him tight. Bosco wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me from the chair. He spun me around gently, careful not to let my legs hit any obstacles. I heard an excited squeal escape from my lips. He cautiously sat me down on my stark bed, then sat down next to me. I leaned toward him. I placed a kiss on his lips and smiled again. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too," he chuckled softly. "I just saw you a day ago. What's with the sudden excitement?"
"I just feel like this is going to be a good day," I sighed happily, giving a firm nod. Another crooked grin spread across my beau's face.
"Any particular reason?"
"I'm going to accomplish one of my New Year's resolutions," I proclaimed proudly.
"What resolutions are those, Miss Spangler?" he asked, gazing down at me.
"Well, Mr. Boscorelli, I'm not going to take what I have for granted, anymore. I'm going to live life for the fullest,"
"Any others?"
"I'm going to walk the hallway without anyone's help in exactly a week," I beamed.
"You could do it," he nodded.
"Do you have any resolutions?"
"Yep,"
"Like what?"
"I'm going to love you more and more everyday. I'm also going to get more guts,"
"You're plenty gutsy," I arched an eyebrow and scrunched my lips into a corner of my mouth. Bosco started to laugh again. It felt so good to be able to make him laugh.
"Well, I'm afraid I'm going to chicken out with this particular task,"
"Tell," I urged, taking his hands in mine. He glanced down at my hands. In a few seconds, I found myself being swept up into his arms. He cradled me all the way to the window, where he placed a sensitive kiss on my lips and set me down. He cradled my body against his, letting me lean against him for support. "What are you doing?"
"Getting guts," he nodded toward the window with a small sigh. I craned my neck so that I could see out the window. He directed my attention to a large billboard that stood across the street. A large white rose was painted on it. There were five simple words that took my breath away. I looked down as Bosco slid onto his knees and held out a gorgeous diamond ring. He smiled and repeated the printed words. "Will you marry me, Raeanne?"