The Tribuo - 73. Part V, chapter 26

- XXVI -

I spent the whole night in that waiting room. I even managed to get several hours of sleep in one of the larger chairs. Finally, around 8:30 in the morning, I went into the lobby and walked up to the receptionist desk.

“Can I see Rayne Jennah?” I asked.

“Just a minute,” she muttered and typed something in her computer. “Yeah,” she nodded finally. “It looks like they moved her onto a different floor a couple of hours ago… Room five-seventeen.”

“Thanks,” I breathed and raced to the elevators.

…I opened the door so carefully as if it was wired to the case of explosives. She was in bed, eyes closed. I tiptoed inside and closed the door. The minute I did that, her eyes opened and she stared at me.

“Sorry,” I winced. “Woke you up, huh?”

“Uh huh,” she said with a small smile. “It’s a good thing though.”

I smiled at her.

“How are you?” we said at the same time.

“I need a shower like no other,” I grinned. “But other than that, I am peachy.”

“I need a shower as well,” she sighed. “I am not peachy, but it could be worse, I guess…”

I sat next to her on the bed and took her hand. She squeezed my fingers.

“Jess’ car…?” she asked.

“Totaled,” I nodded.

“That’ll teach her,” she snorted. “To get damn snow tires…”

“Yeah,” I breathed.

I was so relieved right now that I felt lightheaded. I stroked her face with my fingertips and she closed her eyes. Now she reminded me of a cat. All she needed to do was to start purring.

“Hey,” I said after a few minutes and she opened her eyes and looked at me.

“Hey,” she smiled.

“A have a question for you,” I said very seriously.

“Shoot,” she entwined her fingers with mine.

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?” I asked as seriously as before.

“Hmmm…” she bit her lower lip and frowned thoughtfully. “That sounds good, but…” She looked at me without smiling. “That means that you will have to spend the rest of your life with me…”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” I nodded solemnly, and then I kissed her without letting go of her hand.