Chapter 6

Lori had noticed the serious and hurt look on Vince's face. She knew that he'd want to talk to Mary as soon as she was conscious but for now, he had to remain in bed. She was glad that Mary was still not on the recovery floor because he would probably have asked her to let him see Mary.

When Lori left the room, Vince fought the urge to throw something. He felt a little betrayed that Mary didn't confide in him enough to let him know about her condition. It didn't matter to him that he was injured and in pain. His thoughts preoccupied his actions as his heart monitor sped up a little. "Why didn't she tell me?" he asked out loud.

"I'm sure she had her reasons, V." Mia said quietly. She was sitting next to him in the visitors' chair. She reached over and touched his hand. Looking into each others' eyes, Mia raised an eyebrow. "Did you tell her about the heists?"

"But I was trying to protect her." Vince blinked and knew Mia had point.

"In her mind, she was probably doing the same. Maybe she was going to tell you."

Sighing, Vince threw his head back on his pillow. Looking up at the ceiling, his anger went away and the monitor slowed down. Continuing to think he knew Mary would tell him on her own time. He then closed his eyes and had the urge to see her again."Mia, you gotta help me go see her." Looking over to her, he pleaded her with his crystal blue eyes.

Mia knew that look and he rarely showed it. How could she saw no to him like that, she thought. "V, they told you to take it easy." She said trying to convince him to rest a little longer before they would go see about finding Mary.

A small growl escaped him as he got more urgent. "I don't care. I want to see her." He was staring at Mia when Leon came in.

He came over and sat down next to Mia before he began to relay the information he found. "I found out her room number. She's got a bunch of visitors already. I'm guessing family." he said as he had walked by to confirm if it was really Mary.

Mia sighed and looked at Vince. "V, I say rest for now. I don't think she'll want to see you looking like this."

However, Vince had other plans in mind. He threw back the blanket and began to get out of bed. "I gotta make it right." Grunting, he carefully threw his legs over the edge of the bed.

Instantly, Mia and Leon got up and were by his sides. "And you will, but let her rest. She just came out of surgery." Mia said as she tried to stop him from hurting himself. Leon frowned when Vince reached his abdomen wound.

Vince let out a heavy sigh as he gave up. He let them help him lay back on the bed. Out of breath, he looked at his friends. "Fine, but get that nurse friend of hers."

"What for?" Mia asked.

"I want to see if she can get me a room change." Vince took deep breaths and then took the cup of water, Leon offered. When he was calm enough, he looked at them with another idea in his mind. "But first, help me shave." Mia glanced over to Leon and the green-eyed, hair slicked back, basketball jersey wearing man simply smirked behind the toothpick he chewed on.

In darkness, she could hear soft voices nearby. Following them, she stirred from her sleep and slowly opened her eyes to see a blurred view. Her eyes took a moment to focus on the fluorescent lighting. "There's our girl," she heard the familiar husky voice.

Turning her head slightly, she felt her hand being squeezed. A small tired grin appeared on her face while her eyes came in contact with her parents faces."Hi dad. Hi mom."

"How are you feeling?" Elena Ruiz stood by Mary's side. She gently squeezed, hoping Mary could feel her presence. "Dr. Esther said the surgery went perfectly." Mrs. Ruiz continued to say as she looked into her daughter's dark chocolate eyes.

Groggy, Mary blinked very slowly. "I'm feeling okay. Little pain but fine." She closed her eyes and was so glad that it had gone well. She was alive after all, so everything was great.

"That's good," Mary's dad said. Miguel Ruiz stepped aside by his wife and gently moved to kiss Mary's forehead. He was so scared when the surgery took longer than expected but was so glad when Mary opened her eyes. "The whole family is here. They're waiting outside." He said softly to her as he knew Mary's brothers and their families would want to see her.

"Can't wait to see them." Mary smiled at her dad and then looked over when there was a gentle tap at the door. Mary grinned and greeted her friend, "Hey Lori."

"Hi Mary. So happy to see that smile." Lori walked into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. "Dr. Esther will be here soon, but I came to let you know, that you'll have a neighbor today." She grinned as she was able to work it out for Vince and Mary to share a room together.

Mary quickly thought of Vince and wondered if Lori was able to let him know that she was going to be okay. "Is he okay?"

Lori nodded as she saw him again after she broke the news. "Oh he's fine."

Glancing between Mary and Lori, Mrs. Ruiz wondered who they were referring to. "Who are you talking about?"

But Mary couldn't reply because by then, Dr. Esther walked in with a big smile. "Good morning, Mariana."

"Hey Dr. Esther, how's my favorite doctor doing?" Mary sighed as she felt the morphine kicking in again.

"Well I see you still have your wonderful enthusiasm." She hugged her charts over her chest and smiled at Mary from her spot next to Lori. "I told your parents after the surgery, that you are very lucky we found the match. We spent two years trying to find the right donor. The young man who donated his heart to you, donated a lung and a kidney to other patients as well."

Mary nodded and hoped to thank his family the moment she could get out of bed. "Who was he?"

Dr. Esther slightly frowned as she thought about his accident. "His name was Jesse Hayward. He was a trauma victim and only twenty years old."

"Poor boy. How is his family?" Mrs. Ruiz frowned at the misfortune but was also glad that because of him, her daughter got a second chance at life.

"They were sadden but they went along with his wishes."

"Can you thank them for me?" Mary asked.

"No need to thank us. It was all Jesse." Mary turned to the door and saw Vince being pushed in his bed.

"Vince." She saw two male nurses bringing him in and a smile appeared on face.

Seeing his daughter smile at the other patient who they were bringing in, Mr. Ruiz couldn't help but wonder to ask. "Mariana, who is this?" He looked at the muscular, dark haired and trimmed beard man look at Mary was adoring eyes.

Mary looked over to her parents and then back to Vince as they were connecting the monitors to him. "My boyfriend, Vince." She proudly announced.