Where is he? I wondered as I looked up at the clock. The seconds were ticking away slowly. He was supposed to be here. I'm sure he would've called. I stood up and walked over to the window, staring at the driveway.
"No, I haven't seen him Haze. Why? Is something wrong?" Nico asked when I called him.
"No...work's just keeping him I suppose." I replied. "I'll see you and Bi later." I hung up.
As soon as I put the receiver down, the phone rang again. "Something's happened. You should come right now." A voice said.
"Who's this?" I choked out, already knowing the worst.
"Doctor Will Solace of St. Luke's E.R." He answered.
"I'll...I'll be there soon." I said, remembering to thank him for telling me before hanging up again.
As I gathered my things, my mind flashed to last December when he asked me...he bent down on his knee first as he said, "I want you forever. Forever and always. Through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, forever and always." I smiled and hugged him.
I pulled into the hospital's parking lot and headed inside.
"Hi," I greeted the receptionist. "Doctor Solace called me. I'm looking for Leo Valdez.."
A passing nurse led me down the halls. It was a neverending maze just to see my Leo. On the way to his room, they told me what happened- drunk driver sped through a light-but I barely heard them. When we stopped outside his room, I put a straight face on. I was always too strong for my own good my mother said. The nurse pushed open Leo's door and I went in.
"Bonjour mon amour." I said as I sat down next to him. I grabbed his left hand and held it.
"Diós! Hazel, mi amor, not so tight. You'll squeeze the life out of me." He joked. He was in bad shape, his head wrapped, his chest covered, and practically all of his right side in a cast.
"Oui." I agreed, trying to be upbeat. "Besides, if your hand is gone, how will you hold Esperanza?" I asked, putting my free hand over my stomach.
"And lets not forget little Mariá y Frank. My future niños can't have a padre with only one good hand." He smiled thinking of the unborn kids.
"And your mechanics shop is gaining popularity. We're gonna have the good life. We'll get that house on the hillside too. That little cottage you've always wanted." I said, picturing the quaint little thing in my mind.
"Sí, sí. Mi bella," Leo started.
"Oui mon cher?"
"My time...it is coming."
"I have an idea. I'll be right back." I got up and buzzed for the nurse. "Call up the chaplain." I borrowed some rings from the couple next door. Reyna Jackson became my impromptu Maid of Honour, while her husband, Percy, became Leo's best man. The chaplain says a couple verses. We're all laughing for the happy air masks the tears falling on the floor.
I turn to face Leo and look in his eyes. "I want you forever. Forever and always. Through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together and always remember whether happy or sad or whatever, we'll still love each other. Forever and always." When I finished my vows, the heart rate monitor beeps were getting too slow.
His voice was scarily low as he says, "I love you forever and always. Please just remember, even if I'm not there. I'll always love you, forever and always." He smiles one last time and his grip on my hand slackens before one long beep sounds, ringing through my head like a scream. Or maybe it's me.
"No…" I whisper. "No! Leo! Leo! Come back to me! This is not how this is supposed to end!" Reyna and Percy have to physically restrain me to keep from attacking the nurses and the doctor. "Bring him back! You bring him back!" I sobbed. As soon as Dr. Solace covered Leo's face with the blanket, that's when the dam finally shattered. My breaths came in raggedly. Reyna pulled me to her shoulder crying too. Crying for a man she had just met.
What happened to our forever and always?