Finding True Love

I felt so much pain, it was almost unbearable to just breath. I started opening my eyes but everything was blurry. “She’s waking up” someone whispered loudly.

“Lilly?” a voice whispered and I recognized it to be Denise’s voice.

“Denise?” I whispered but it kind of hurt just to speak.

“Oh sweetie, thank God,” she sighed in relief as my vision adjusted and I saw her standing over me with Paul, Frankie, Kevin and Danielle.

Danielle and Danielle were close to tears and Kevin, Paul and Frankie looked like they haven’t slept in days. My eyes widened.

"What happened to Nick and Joe…” I hissed as I went to sit up quickly but pain shot through out my body and I groaned as I twisted my body.

“Lilly are you alright? Do you need us to get a doctor?” Paul asked and I saw all of their concerned looks.

Then I re-composed and went back to just laying down on my back, in the same position I woke up in. “No...I’m fine,” I answered and they were all less tense.

I looked over in the corner and there I saw Nick sleeping on a chair with a jacket covering him. “He has sat in that chair every day for the past two weeks” Danielle said gently.

“Two weeks?” I whispered.

“You don’t remember what happened…do you,” Kevin assumed.

“I remember getting to Joe in the middle of the street when the truck was coming at us…where is Joe? Is he alright?!” I exclaimed and I felt the tears coming already. I couldn’t do it…he was right.

“Joe’s fine…he’s waiting in the hallway…it was just a little too much for him to handle” Frankie said and I felt my breath caught in my throat.

“He’s okay?” I breathed out.

“Yea…before the truck hit both of you, you pushed him out of the way…you’ve been in a coma ever since, for two weeks…you saved his life…who knows what would’ve happened if you weren’t there,” Danielle said. I know.

“He’s going to be so happy that you’re okay…we’re all happy you’re okay,” Denise said as she hugged me lightly and kissed my forehead.

I turned my head and Nick started to wake up. When he opened his eyes, he saw me and shot up. “Lilly!” he exclaimed as he jumped to my bed side and was about to tackle me in a hug but stopped himself as he examined my condition.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Like crap,” I muttered with a smile and he smiled back.

I noticed Frankie quickly got Joe, and when he came in, he looked like crap too but when he saw me, I still saw light in his eyes. It was silent. Mutters were heard and everyone left except for Joe and Nick…the door shut.

“I think we all need to talk,” Joe finally said and Nick and I exchanged looks before nodding. I tried to sit up and make room for them on the bed.

“Stop moving,” Nick ordered and on his command, I did. He picked up both of my legs gently at the same time and moved them slightly to the other side and he found space on the side of me. Then Joe sat at my feet, on the edge of the bed.

“Who wants to start?” Joe asked quietly but we were all silent.

“I will,” I said looking at my hands. Then I got the courage to look up at him. “You knew you were going to die…and you still left…why?…and how?”

He starred at me with a blank expression. “I had a dream about it…an angle version of me, I guess you can call him, came and told me what was going to happen…he told me about how you tried to stop it but couldn’t…you weren’t supposed to stop it the third time…but you did…I don’t understand that part”

“Third time’s the charm I guess,” I joked very lightly as I avoided their eyes.

“That’s how you knew too though right?” I asked Nick and he just nodded. “Nick…” I started to say but stopped myself and it was silent again.

“Lilly…I already talked to Nick about this and he’s not too sure about it but…” Joe started to say and I saw Nick give him a death look but Joe ignored it. “You two are meant for each other…I ignored it at first…then I didn’t want to admit it…but it’s not right…we cant do this…you’re both meant for each other,” he said and I looked at Nick as he avoided my eyes.

But then he looked into mine and I saw how tired he was…how stressed…and he wasn’t just tired or stressed from lack of sleep…he was tired of chasing me around all these years…

“I owe you my life now LJ…and I want you to be happy…I know you’ll be much happier with Nick,” he said and there was silence again. “I’ll let you guys talk,” he said and got up. He came over to me and kissed my lips…it felt more like just a friendly platonic kiss. Then he left the room.

It was silent…again. “You have three broken ribs, a fractures wrist, a broken leg and a mild concussion,” he said and I just starred at him. “The doctor told me…plus I kind of memorized the pictures of your broken bones so that helped too,” he was silent again.

“You’ll have to keep the casts on for about two to three months and you have to stay here resting for about four more days, they want to make sure your concussion is gone and your ribs are well enough to get out,” he explained and I just continued to stare at him.

I started to sit up and panic struck his face…but I just held up a hand to stop him so he did and I slowly sat up with my back leaning against the big pillows.

“Have you checked your levels lately?” I asked and he starred at me.

“What?” he laughed lightly. “You’re here in the hospital with multiple injuries and you’re worried that I haven’t checked my diabetes levels?” he asked and laughed a little more which made me smile.

“Please check them”

“I will…once we finish talking…you gave me a real scare Lilly Jane,” he said with a more gentle tone.

“I’m sorry…but I couldn’t go through it all again…I had to do something”

“I know you did…and now it’s over”

“How do you know?” I whispered as I felt tears coming.
“I just know” he whispered back as he came closer and he sat next to me.

We stayed like that, with our faces only inches apart… “I love you Lilly Jane…I want to be with you the rest of my life…” he whispered

“I love you too Nick…I really want to kiss you right now…but I haven’t brushed my teeth in two weeks”

He smiled. “I’ll take my chances,” he whispered back and placed his lips on mine.

It was wonderful. I’m finally with the one I’ve loved for most of my life and my soon-to-be brother-in-law who was my fiancé is not on deaths hit list anymore.

But most importantly…I’ve found my true love…and I’ve realized that when I thought he left me…he was standing by my side the whole time.