I Never Told You What I Did for a Living

A shadow flickered across his eyes and the small wrinkle etched into his forehead told me he was worried.

"Is there..." he seemed unable to grasp the words he needed. "Is there another guy?"

I blinked in surprise. "What? I've been living with you, how could there be someone else? I would have no time for him and he would have dumped me by now."

He let out a breath of relief and lay back on the pillow. "You're right."

"But, I do have to tell you-"

"It can wait."

"Gerard, I need you to know," I protested.

He sighed and looked into my eyes. "Lily, whatever it is, we've both been through enough today. You're not cheating on me, so it's not important right now. All that matters is that we're here together. You can tell me later when I'm home and healthy."

"I love you," I had finally found the words I wanted so badly to say.

"Was that your big news? I hate to tell you, but I kind of ruined that for you by saying it first."

I laughed. "No, that wasn't my news. I'll tell you some other time."

The guilt subsided slightly. I wasn't like I never tried to tell him. Mikey was right, I was ready for him to know. Maybe he just wasn't ready.

I heard the door open and looked up.

"I'm sorry, but he needs to rest now," the doctor said as he set his clipboard down ont the table by the door.

I nodded and got up off of Gerard's bed. As I started to turn away, he grabbed my hand. He pulled me down to him and caught me in another kiss.

"Go home and get some rest," he whispered. "I'll be there soon."

I shook my head. "I'm not going anywhere until you're there with me."

"If you're going to be that stubborn, at least tell Mikey to go. I don't want you both to waste your time here. Better yet, take shifts."

"Go to sleep, Gerard. When you wake up tomorrow, I'll be here. I'd be willing to bet money that Mikey will be, too."

He slowly let go of my hand and nodded. "Goodnight, Lily."

"Night."

The doctor watched me leave, closing the door behind me. I went back to the waiting room and found Mikey sitting on a sofa, flipping through a magazine. He looked up when I entered the room and threw the magazine onto the coffee table.

"How did it go?"

"I'm going to stay so that I'm here when he wakes up."

"Me, too."

"I figured," I sat down beside him and he patted my knee affectionately.

"We'll all get through this, you know."

"I know. I just wish it could happen sooner."

"There's not much we can do but wait."

"Then I guess that's what we'll have to do."

Mikey laid down on the couch and I curled up on a chair. I didn't sleep much, I was too worried. All kinds of thoughts whirled through my mind, keeping me awake. A nurse on the night shift came and talked with me for awhile, and it actually helped to ease my troubled thoughts.

I finally drifted off to a fitful sleep around three in the morning. The last thing that went through my head was a comforting thought.

It may have come under bad circumstances, but now I knew for sure that Gerard and I were in love, and nothing could take that thought away from me.