Chapter 63
"I see. Then I guess we had better be going. Tom and Krystal will be expecting us for dinner. Can I help you with anything?" he asked trying to hide the hurt and disappointment.
"You don't want to know why?" she asked without turning around.
"Because you don't love me. Evidently last night meant nothing to you, Krista. What else am I to think? I don't want to go into this right now if you don't mind. I just poured my heart out to you and you threw it back it my face. If you don't love me and just want me, then fine, I'll learn to live with that."
"I do love you, Albert! I love you so very much!" she spun to face him. "It's because I love you so much that I said 'no'!" He could see her tears staining her cheeks.
Taking her into his arms he begged, "Why, Krista, why won't you marry me? I know from Krystal you're having the transplant and there's hope now. Why take our love and throw it away?"
"I'm not throwing our love away! You and the twins are the most important things in my life! I just don't want you tied to me if this doesn't work. If when the transplant is over and a success, you still want me to be your wife, I'll say 'yes' then."
"Krista, I want to spend every second I can with you, good or bad. I could have died tonight when I helped Tom fight off those thugs that have been tormenting Krystal. I didn't, nor did Tom, but it could have happened. Life's a chance and you have to roll with it and see where it leads you. Come with me Krista, come be my wife."
"What thugs?" she exclaimed.
"Eight creeps that have been terrorizing the apartment building where Krystal's been living. Tom had to sleep there on the couch last night or they might have got in and got to her. Don't think it would have done much good; she had her glock with her. But Tom and I got rid of
six of them tonight. That reminds me, I need to wash my hands. Do you have any alcohol? I should pour some over them?"
"I have better than that! Why didn't you tell me this earlier that you're hurt?" she hurried over to a shelf in the corner of the room and came back with a small brown bottle and a cotton ball. "Wash your hands and then let me take care of you!"
"Will you marry me?" he stood there looking down at her.
"As soon as I know that I'll live, Albert," she promised.
"You can't doctor my hands until you say yes!" he stared at her seriously.
"I did say 'yes'! Dufus! Now let me care for you!" she smiled at him tenderly.
"Yes, like in immediately!" he exclaimed smiling.
"We could be engaged, until we know I will make it," she compromised.
"We could be married and share all our time together," he counter offered.
She shook her head 'no', looking up into his eyes, "Please, understand, Albert, I can't do that to you!"
"You're not doing it to me Krista, I'm begging you to share everything with me including everything you go through. I want to be there to feel our children move, to see you through the transplant, to hold you in my arms at night and to wake each morning with you asleep in my arms. I love you, Krista and want you to marry me immediately. I'm begging you to, Darlin'…and I'm not a man that begs easily."
"We can have all those things without being married Albert. I love you, but I won't marry you until we know that I'm going to be well. I am sorry if that's not enough for you." She hung her head and waited for him to answer, she would not bend on this, and she knew she was right.
To be continued…