He shakes his head, laughing whole heartedly. “God, I love you.”
I clamp my hand around his jaw, glaring into his steel blue eyes. “Just promise me you’re going to come out of this surgery, and you’ll be there for me. I mean it, no wussing out on me again. You can’t just give up. You have to fight for our future now.
Understand?”
“You were still raw from losing your first love, but you trusted me. And I let you down.
I’m so sorry, Jewels.” He kisses my nose and brushes his fingers against my cheek.
“Now that I know your little episode was just a ploy to get me home, I still can’t forget all those things you said about leaving you all alone. I realized that I could never do that to you. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to be with you for the rest of my life. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you from getting hurt again. I love you...more than you’ll ever know.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” I nod and kiss him deeply, making sure he has something to look forward to once he’s out of surgery. We’re well past second base when we’re interrupted by a startled nurse.
It feels like a lifetime that I sit with Adam’s parents and obnoxious brother in the lobby, waiting for updates. Luckily Erik is bright enough to understand that I’m not in the mood for small talk, and finally leaves me alone with my thoughts when I don’t really respond to his questions.
Finally the white-haired surgeon emerges to announce that the transplant went as well as they had hoped. I’m so relieved that I burst into tears and throw my arms around him.
Adam’s still groggy when I finally get to see him, but he’s full of kisses and slurred devotions of his love. “This is my girlfriend,” he tells the nurse with a dopy grin. “My Jewels. Isn’t she the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? I’m going to marry her one day.”
The middle aged nurse stops adjusting his IV to peer over at me, giggling. “You’ve got yourself a real keeper.”
A few hours later, I visit Cora. When I enter her room with a dozen red roses, she’s half propped up in the bed, drinking from a straw a woman holds for her.
“Can I come in?” When she nods, I place the roses on a table where two smaller bouquets already stand. “These are from me and Adam. Me being Jewels, by the way. I just wanted to stop by and see how you’re doing. And, well, thank you for saving Adam’s life. Sending a card didn’t seem adequate.”
“Finally, Jewels!” The older woman offers me her hand. “I’m Cora’s mom, Tammy.” It makes sense as she’s a graying, rounder version of her daughter with deep wrinkles set around her eyes.
I take her warm hand, nearly crumbling when I think of all this woman has been through with her children. “I’m so sorry about your son. Adam talks about him all the time. Sounds like he was a great guy.”
“He was a wonderful boy.” She smoothes the skin across Cora’s forehead. “Just like my Cora’s a wonderful girl, putting herself through this for her big brother’s friend.”
Cora smiles up at me, showing a beautiful row of straight, white teeth, but the smile stops at her lips. Her eyes are listless. “I had to do it, you know. I mean, we were in love when I first offered it to him, but just because we’re no longer together doesn’t mean I wanted to take it back. I don’t think it’s something you really can take back. Once you’ve offered to save someone’s life, it just seems like a douche-y thing to void the offer.”
“It was a really non-douche-y thing for you to do,” I agree.
“He’s really in love with you. He loved me, too, but not in the sappy way he’s completely head over heels for you.” Her eyes roll to the ceiling. “It’s almost embarrassing. You should teach the boy a little something about self-respect.”
I nod, feeling a smile ease across my lips. “Noted. No one likes a sap.”
“I just wanted you to know that. I mean, why I did it. I’m sure it’s hard to accept his ex will forever have a part of her body inside of him. If you really think about it, it’s even worse than having to deal with ex-wives and step-children. I mean, a part of me will always be around, no matter what he does or where he goes. There will be no getting rid of me.”
“Hadn’t really thought of it that in depth...but yeah, I see where you’re coming from.
The only thing worse would’ve been if he had needed an eye transplant. Then you would’ve been always watching me. That would’ve been awkward as hell.”
“Adam said you were pretty chill, I just wanted to test it out on my own. Make sure you’re not one of those blonde cheerleader types who’s all fake and clingy.”