She Is Love

"So, how is he today?" I asked the doctor.

I already knew the answer. It was the same answer I've gotten every day for the last three years. No matter how many times I asked; the answer was always the same. "He's still not showing any progress, Ms. Williams," the doctor answered faithfully.

I just nodded my head as he then turned an walked out of the room. It wasn't a shock any more. If anything, it'd be a shock if he had told me that he was making progress. But he wasn't, so it didn't matter.

I snuggled back into my chair and flicked on the TV. I quickly scanned the channels, finally landing on The Tudors. I leaned back and watched as Henry and Anne harmlessly played eye-tag across the room. I sighed when I realized that Eli and I used to be like that; young and carefree.

I glanced over at my fiance's comatose body, wishing that we could just go back to when times were easier.

Three years ago, one accident flipped my world completely upside down. Instead of being the friend that had the relationship that everyone was envious of, I became the friend that had the relationship that no one wanted. I became the woman that sits in the hospital, praying for a miracle, and I'm not even religious. I became lonely, often seeking comfort in either my fiance's sister, or the TV that sits in his hospital room.

It use to be easier back then. We were just starting out lives together at 23. He already had a job at an accountant office. We already had a house, courtesy to the inheritance I got when I turned 18- three years after my parents died. We had the perfect lives.

But now, we don't. We're 26. His job gave up on him ever coming back, so they replaced him. I rented out the house, since I was always at the hospital. We didn't have as many friends as we used to. And he was still in a coma, leaving me to face these battles all alone.

It just wasn't fair.

______________________________

"Hun, you really have to get out of this room sometime. He wouldn't want you to just sit around here and wait on him. He'd want you to live your life, Doe, and you know it," Rhys tried.

We had been sitting in this same conversation for hours now, going round and round in circles. It was actually the same conversation we've been having for two years now. She'd come in, ask me how he's doing, talk about her day, and then ask me if I want to hang out that night. I'd tell her no. She'd ask why and then start trying to guilt me into going out.

"I'm not going out, Rhys, so you can quit trying," I denied stubbornly.

"Why not! You've literally sat in that chair for three years, not having any fun. Doe, I love Eli dearly, but even I can't just sit around and watch him for that long."

"Anything could happen when we leave. Eli could wake up! What if he wakes up and I'm not there? What would he think of me if he woke up to find out his fiance wasn't beside him, but at some bar being hit on by some drunk pervs?" I said.

She rolled her eyes at my dramatics. "One, I doubt he'll wake up in the two hours we're gone. I'm sorry, hun, but let's be realistic. Two, we're not even going to a bar! We're just going out to eat with a few friends of mine. That's it. And I swear that you'll be back here before midnight."

I looked at the clock. It was already eight. "Eleven."

"Eleven forty-five."

"Eleven thirty, final offer."

"Deal."

I sighed. "Fine, just let me go touch up my make-up and I'll be ready to go. But I'm serious Rhys, I want to be back here by 11:30."

She did a little celebratory move and stood up. "Okay! Now go! You have ten minutes because I told them we'd meet them there at 8:30."

I narrowed my eyes. "How di-"

She ignored me and walked out of the room, leaving me to shake my head at her assumption that I would just go out with her tonight. I walked over to where Eli laid in his head and brushed some hair out of his face. "I'll be back soon, babe," I whispered to him.

I did that periodically. I sat in the chair and just talked to him. It was never anything important, just some one-sided conversation. I think I secretly hoped that one day, he'd say something back. But it hasn't happened yet.

I touched up my make-up and walked into the hall where Rhys was texting on her phone. She glanced up at me and smiled before pushing her phone back in the pocket of her skin tight jeans. "Ready?" she asked.

"No, I'm just standing here waiting on you for no reason at all. Of course I'm ready."

"No need to be so sarcastic," she muttered as we headed towards the elevator.

I sighed. This was going to be a long night.