The Gift

Anna wakes me up in the morning with breakfast. “You were sleeping so peacefully I let you sleep until breakfast came,” she says, setting the tray on my table.

As I lift the lid she walks over to my door and closes it, then turns back to me. I look up from my plate wondering why she closed the door.

She was watching me intently. Finally, she says, “What exactly did you say to Jason last night?”

Crap! I think she’s mad. I’ve never seen her even frustrated, so I don’t know how to deal with it. “N-nothing. W-why?” I sputter, afraid.

“You did say something to him,” she insists while walking towards me.

Oh crap! I scoot to my left some, fear working for me finally as my arm and leg cooperate.

She stops and says, “Why do you look scared?”

Maybe because you’re scaring me? I think, but my mouth decided to put it out there as well. Double crap!

Her expression changes now, looking worried. “Oh honey, don’t be. Whatever you did was great.”

Huh?! “Okay, now I’m really confused,” I admit.

She holds her hand up, palm facing her. “He proposed to me last night. Said it was because of you.”

I search my memory for something I said that might have done this, but I come up blank. “I got nothing,” I tell her. “I don’t know what I said.”

“Neither do I, but whatever it was, thank you,” she says, squealing as she came over to me and hugs me.

I hug her back using both harms I notice.

“Eat, I’ll be back later,” she says leaving.

After I finish (all of it), I grab my phone and text mom: When are you coming back?

She responds: Tomorrow with your dad.

I send: Perfect. See you then. Love.

Her: Hugs and kisses.

Next, I text Holly and Brittany asking them if they can stop by some time today. Brittany replies first saying she will come down after lunch. Holly replies a little later between classes that she will stop by before dinner.

I tell both I will see them later and wonder how to deal with Ben. I pick up the hospital phone and have the operator put me through to his room.

He picks up on the first ring and says, “What’s wrong?” without even waiting for me to talk.

“Huh? Nothing, why?” I lie.

“I got a sense of dread, like something is way wrong, and I can’t pinpoint why or who. The only time I can’t figure out what’s going on is with you.”

“Everything’s okay right now. Can you come over?” I ask.

“I will regardless. Give me like five minutes.”

“Okay, see you then,” I say, happy.

Anna comes back in to get my vitals and help me to the bathroom. I tell her Ben is coming over, so we do the bathroom first, so I’ll be done with that before he gets here. I come out and Anna has a washcloth for me so I can wash the important parts since I haven’t bathed in a few days now.

Anna is amazed at how well I’m able to use my left side. It’s not back to normal, but both limbs are somewhat co-operating and helping.

She says, “You should be able to use the walker today I would say.”

I tell her about my bet with Brittany, which I realize I’m going to lose, but oh well, and she laughs, saying, “Sounds like something you’d do.”