***
My mind began to drift as I strangely found myself back in the family room of the Muller's house. I was once again holding Shannon in my arms. It was Thursday afternoon all over again! She looked up into my eyes and said, "Kiss me, Lance."
"I can't," I replied. "You're Keith's girlfriend. I shouldn't even be holding you like this." And with the greatest force of my will, I released her.
But she held me even tighter and said, "I want to be your girlfriend. Don't you want to kiss me?"
"More than anything else in the world."
"Then, just do it"
I reached my right hand up and held the back of her head. Her hair was thick and silky soft. She closed her eyes as I drew her mouth toward mine. Our lips met in a loving, tender touch. For the seven seconds that our kiss lasted, an inexpressible feeling of fulfillment and ecstasy surged through my mind and body both reviving and strengthening me!
I heard a strange ringing noise in my ears and then I awoke. Now slowly opening my eyes, I gazed up at Shannon staring down at me and appearing like an angel! There was a radiant smile on her gorgeous face and an expression of relief in her beautiful, blue eyes.
"Welcome back," she said joyfully.
"Welcome back? Where have I been?"
"You've been unconscious for four days."
"Wow…"
A nurse quickly made her way into the room and Shannon while exiting it said, "I'm going to call my mom. I'll be right back."
I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a hospital bed with what seemed like countless tubes and wires hooked up to me. There was a strong fragrance emanating from the dozen or so flower arrangements that were strategically placed around the room. There was also the lingering smell of Shannon's perfume!
"How do you feel?" the nurse asked.
"Honestly, I feel like King Kong has been using my body as a football for a couple of days."
"Well, you're a fortunate guy not only to have finally awakened, but also to have a girlfriend like that. She's a sweet and beautiful young woman."
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought she was because she kept referring to you as her boyfriend and because of the way she was acting."
"How was she acting?"
The nurse looked embarrassed.
"It's okay," I said. "You can tell me."
But she seemed reluctant to talk.
"Go ahead, please," I continued while trying to reassure her.
"Your room is in front of the nursing station so we can see right into it," she began. "Whenever we have a comatose patient, we leave the room intercom on. That way if the person wakes up and talks, we're able to hear it and then respond to them."
"Okay."
"We really weren't trying to eavesdrop on her."
"Go on."
"Every day after school she would come in here to see you. The first thing she would do is kiss you on the left cheek. Then she would adjust your pillow and try to make you as comfortable as possible. While sitting and doing her homework, she would talk to you—telling you how her day went and personal things like that. Then before she left…" All of a sudden, the nurse became emotional. "Before she left… she would say that she could never pay you back or stop thanking you for what you did for her, her mother, and her sister; but that she hoped her love for you would be thanks enough. Lastly, she would kiss you goodbye on the right cheek."
"Well, she's… not… my girlfriend," I said while becoming emotional myself. She can never be my girlfriend, I thought. I gave Reina my word of honor and I would not go back on it. I was going to have to learn to be content with the fact that I had saved Shannon's life and she would now be nothing more than just a friend.
"Oh, there's one more thing," continued the nurse. "Today when she came in, instead of kissing you on the cheek, she kissed you on your—" but she stopped as the doctor suddenly entered the room.
It was Doctor Chan! He picked up the chart at the foot of my bed and while examining it, remarked, "Well, if it isn't my favorite patient—Mister Death Wish."
"Hello, Dr. Chan," I said while trying to get up. My arms were secured to my body however, and I couldn't use them for the leverage I needed to be able to lift myself.
He peered over his glasses at me and asked, "And how are we feeling today?"
"Like I've been shot and I've had my ribs broken," I remarked wryly. "Why are my arms secured like this?"
"To keep you stable and still so your body can heal. You truly are a fortunate individual. When the ambulance brought you in here your body was covered with so many contusions and lacerations that we thought some baseball bat wielding drunks had mistaken you for a piñata! Do you know that the bullet passed through one of the few areas in your body where it would do the least amount of damage? Do you know what the odds are of that happening? You must have a guardian angel watching over you! Do you also know you lost almost half your blood through internal and external bleeding? You were lucky to still be alive when they brought you in here! Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"I'm not a masochist, Dr. Chang."
He sighed. "You can be released on Friday if everything continues to progress nicely. That's two days from today. Try to stay out of trouble until then. Do we understand each other?"
"Yes."
"Give him something for the pain, if he needs it," he said to the nurse. Then he turned and left.
A short time later Stacy, AJ, and Shannon arrived. Stacy came up to me and gently kissed me on the forehead.
"I was… so worried about you," she remarked.
"I'm alright, Mrs. Muller."
"On the drive up here my mom said that if you were 20 years older she would marry you!" remarked AJ while smiling mischievously.
"AJ!" exclaimed Stacy in shock with her face now beginning to turn pink.
"If I was 20 years older, I'd marry your mom tonight!" I replied while smiling and winking at Shannon.
"You would?" replied AJ, as I watched Stacy's face now begin to turn a bright red. "Do you think my mom is hot?"
"I think she's a great mom," I remarked while staring at Stacy in admiration.
"Did you really score perfect on the S.A.T.?" AJ asked.
I slowly nodded yes.
"Do you really speak that many languages?" she continued.
"I do."
"I can't believe you killed all those guys!"
"AJ!" exclaimed Stacy angrily.
I stared down at the sheets. "They would have… murdered me… and you," I quietly remarked. "I didn't want to kill them, but they gave me no choice. I never thought I could or would have to kill anyone in my life. I…"
"It's alright," comforted Stacy while gently squeezing my hand and giving AJ a scolding look. AJ shrugged apologetically while looking sheepish.
"What happened to AJ's smartphone?" asked Shannon. "I found it smashed on the floor of my bedroom? Also, what did you say to my father that made him look so worried and made him run out of the room?"
Those are perceptive questions, Shannon, I thought while wondering how I was going to answer them.