I moved to the dresser and pulled out another t–shirt, grabbed the goose down and headed for the deck that was off the bedroom. I loved coming out here, even though it’s cold as a freaking iceberg. But hearing the waves crashing against the surf soothed me and allowed me to accept the darkness around me, odd I know. I wrapped myself in the comforter and gazed out into the night.
So let me give you an update on what happened to me. As I mentioned before, giving up was something I was starting to embrace. There seemed to be no hope in sight, but there was one thing I didn’t count on… the unwavering love and undying devotion one man has for me. Much to my surprise, the moment I was resounded to never seeing Josh again, I heard his voice call me. At first I thought it was just a dream. The loud explosion I just knew did the job finally, and I was dead. But feeling Josh’s voice through me, feeling his touch, his lips… I thought I was in heaven.
I cannot begin to tell you how good it felt when he touched me. I mean, God, it felt so amazing to feel his presence, his strength. That’s when I knew I hadn’t died, and I wasn’t dreaming… He came for me. I have to admit that I wasn’t sure if he could. I mean, I hoped he would be able to find me, but as the time passed and after the beating, I had lost hope.
I was comforted by the idea of having the opportunity of finally finding that love everlasting. God granted my prayers, so I thought that was it. I would be seeing HIM the next time I opened my eyes, but as Josh lie next to me and began talking to me, telling me how much he loved me and needed me, I’d never felt so much love from anyone in my life.
As he talked to me, I closed my eyes and just concentrated on the sound of his voice. It soothed the pain I was in and relaxed me. I knew he had me, and it wasn’t because he said so. No, it was the feeling I always got whenever he was close. It was the feeling of being safe and protected, knowing that as long as I was with him, no one would touch me.
The next time I opened my eyes I was no longer in a pit surrounded by darkness. I was in a bright room surrounded by light and windows and looking at the back of a woman I didn’t know. I was about to say something when I realized something was preventing me from talking. I went to grab at it when I heard a deep male voice.
“Ma… she’s awake.”
The woman turned, and the moment she smiled at me and touched my arm I knew who she was.
“Hello there, beautiful.”
I couldn’t reply… I knew I had to be a fright to her, so I was certain I wasn’t beautiful, but she was sweet to say it. I watched Josh’s mom fuss around me calling for the nurse, and when I heard her talking I closed my eyes.
I woke again startled and scared half out of my mind. I thought for a moment I was back with the kidnappers and Josh rescuing me was a dream.
“It’s alright, sweetheart. I’m right here love.” I looked to my right and saw a woman approach the bed.
I touched my throat and tried to clear it to speak.
I managed to croak, “Lights please…”
“Okay let me get them.” She leaned over me and clicked on a light that was close to me. It illuminated the room just enough for me to realize where I was and to stop my heart from jumping out of my chest. “There how’s that?”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
My hand was squeezed tightly and a smile gifted me.
“You are most welcome, sweetheart. Here, why don’t you sit up a little, okay? I’ll give you a little water to moisten your dry throat.”
I nodded slowly, and as she moved my bed up slowly, she reached for a glass of water sitting in front of me. As she opened a straw, I took this time to really take a look at her. Her skin was golden and beautiful, you could tell it was her natural skin shade. She had black hair that she currently wore in a bun. She seemed about my height with a slim waist and a beauty that was undeniable. Her skin was flawless, high cheekbones, and when her eyes fell on mine, I could tell where Josh got his expressive blue eyes.
“There you go, love.”
She handed me the cup, and I took it slowly to my face. She moved the straw to my mouth, and I practically tried to drink the Styrofoam through the straw.
“Take your time and drink slow. We have plenty of water, so you don’t have to worry about drinking it all.” She joked and moved the cup from my hand.
I cleared my throat and asked, “Where am I?”
Josh’s mom pulled her chair close to me. “You are in Johns Hopkins hospital in Maryland.”
My eyes grew large…how in the heck did I make it here from, hell, wherever I was?
My question was answered when she said, “Jovanni felt it would be better to bring you to family while you recuperate, and I had to agree. I would have brought you here myself if he didn’t. You shouldn’t be up there alone in a hospital without family. You belong right where you are.”
I was honestly speechless. I mean first and foremost, who the hell is Jovanni, and secondly, how was he even given permission to bring me here? Mrs. Cooper kept speaking as if she was reading my mind.
“Jovanni told Leone that he would protect you at all costs, and when my boys commit themselves like that, they go all out. Do you remember giving Leone power of attorney?”
I thought for a moment, and I shook my head.
“That’s okay. We can show you the paperwork to ease any worry. Anyway, Leone gave temporary power to his brother in his absence, which gave Jo the rights to bring you here.” Mrs. Cooper touched my hand. “I don’t want you to worry about anything but getting better. I will be here with you every step of the way. There will be no time where you aren’t surrounded by love and family.”
Knowing Leone aka Joshua Cooper, I knew what this woman spoke was law. And I can say without a doubt, I was eternally grateful. The Coopers were God sent. When I finally laid eyes on Jovanni, or shall I say Malcolm, I thought he was just an older Josh. When Mr. Cooper, who has told me to call him Pops, walked in, he looked like Malcolm and Josh combined. Both men were fit and definitely looked great and attractive as hell. I blushed I don’t know how many times when Malcolm would use Josh’s nickname for me.
His attentiveness was so heartwarming. I never thought anyone could make me feel as safe and protected as Josh, but I was so wrong. The love that this family was showing me, was so unbelievable. Josh’s sister was just as beautiful as her mother and was just as bossy as Josh. I swear she was Josh with boobs. She bossed her brother, husband, father and all of my nurses and doctors every time she was around.
But with me, she was amazing, attentive, and so supportive. She fussed over me, spoiling me to no end, telling me she always wanted a little sister. She was only two years older than me, but she seemed much older than her years.
Okay, I know you are dying to get the details about me, so I won’t leave you hanging anymore. My doctor told me, with Josephine Cooper or Mama Joe holding my hand, that I had swelling on the brain from numerous hits to the head, and in order to help my healing, they had to put me in a medically induced coma. I was in a coma for nearly a month, but I didn’t wake for an additional two weeks.
My breath caught at the realization of how bad I really was. I was out of commission for a month and a half. He proceeded to tell me that my jaw was wired shut, I had three broken ribs, a bruised lung and kidney. I had a broken fibula on each leg, and my radius was broken in two places. My nose was broken, which they had to reset, and of course, my brain was in dire need of rest.
It was good that I was in a coma because they said if I wasn’t, I would have been in excruciating pain. I still felt uncomfortable and sore, but he said that was normal. He told me I would need a lot of physical therapy, and it would take a lot of work to get my body back to normal.
When I tell you I underestimated what was at stake, I was putting it mildly. I’d seen people go through physical therapy and thought, yeah I could do this. But when I started, I thought I was going to die. I had to strengthen my legs and learn how to walk all over again. I wanted to quit like the second day, but the Coopers wouldn’t let me. When I tell you the whole family are freaking psychos, I was putting that mildly too.
Malcolm came with me to every physical therapy class I had, and in like one week he was pissed off they weren’t doing a better job. He felt he could do better, and when I was released from the hospital, he took over my therapy. Malcolm took me to a beautiful four bedroom, two and a half bath beachfront home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Then the Coopers as a family brought me back piece by piece. Malcolm took over getting me back physically. He started off light, and I thought, yeah, I’m glad he took over. But he then went freaking crazy and started acting all drill sergeant on me. He yelled and pushed and didn’t let me slow down or rest or quit.
Mama Joe helped me get myself back by cooking. She and Pops were staying with me at the house, so every night we would cook something and bake on the weekends. Sometimes Liliana would cook with us, but most nights it was just she and I. We would talk and laugh, and as I got comfortable with her, I told her all about me growing up, my family and how I lived these last five years.
Pops and I sat around and watched action movies on the weekends. We would have marathons or even go out to the movies if some good action movie was out. We were obsessed and would get excited every time a good movie would make it to the screen. The more things were blown up, and more blood and gun fights and fights in general, the better.