Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
“I’ve been… better. I was just cruising through the city…
then, out of nowhere, it all went south.
” His words were spaced out, as though it was hard for him to focus on them.
“It started with this weird hesitation… The throttle felt off, like the bike was having second thoughts about… moving forward. I thought I was just rusty, but it wasn’t that.
The hesitation turned into… resistance, and the brakes…
they felt spongy. I squeezed them, but the response was…
sluggish. Something was seriously wrong. ”
He closed his eyes, recalling the chaotic moment. “I looked for a safe spot to pull over. I swerved to avoid traffic… and the front tire hit something on the road. Next thing I knew… I was flying through the air… and I heard glass shattering all around me.”
He squeezed my hand, his eyes struggling to keep me in focus. “I wasn’t speeding, Jess. It wasn’t reckless riding. The damn brakes gave out. Maybe because the bike had sat too long in the garage, I don’t know…”
I squeezed his hand as gently as I could. “It was just bad luck. Sometimes that’s all it is. But you’re damn lucky to be alive, Sebastian.”
“I heard… you saved my life.”
“Saved your life? I don’t know about that. I just donated some blood. I do that now and again.”
“But this time you did it for me. Thank you.”
I gazed at him, tears welling up in my eyes. “I’d give my life for you, you idiot. I love you more than anything.”
He started to laugh, but stopped and winced, his hand going to his ribs. “Shit, that hurts.” He focused his blurry eyes on me. “That’s a hell of a love declaration.”
“I’m sorry, Sebastian. This would never have happened if you hadn’t gone with me to Ben’s house this morning.”
He frowned. “Are you kidding? Who’s the idiot now? Whatever went wrong with the bike could’ve happened anytime, any day. Besides, it happened when I was on my way to the gym, not when I rode back from Staten Island.”
“But you wouldn’t have taken the bike if it weren’t for me.”
“I might have. Look, Jesse, this is ridiculous. Like you said, this was just bad luck and my own stubbornness for refusing to listen to you and Jan, and never buying the damn bike in the first place. There’s no culprit here.
” His mouth twisted into a lopsided smile.
“Do you think… it’s too late to sell it? ”
I scoffed, pressing my lips against his bruised knuckles. The tears I’d hoped to be strong enough to hold back left hot trails down my cheeks.
“Baby, please don’t cry.” Sebastian reached out to wipe them off. “I’m going to be fine. I know this has been scary. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I put you and Jan through this. If... I could start over again, I would listen to you both. You told me not to ride that bike.”
I lifted my teary eyes to him. “Are you saying I was right?”
“You’re always right. I’ll never disobey you again, I swear. From now on, you’re Ms. Always Right. You should be, anyway. Mrs. Wright. With a W.”
My heart jolted, as if a bird was trapped inside my chest—however weird that image was. Had that been a marriage proposal? And if it was, why was I excited instead of freaking out?
Sebastian mistook my silence for fear.
“What’s the matter?” he teased. “You gave me your blood, but you won’t give me your hand?”
I shook my head, chuckling. “You’re all drugged up, you have no idea what you’re saying. You won’t remember any of this tomorrow.”
“I may be drugged, but I know exactly what I’m saying. And I couldn’t forget what I’ve been thinking about for days.”
“Days?”
“Yes, days. So don’t imagine that it took a near-death experience for me to want to marry you.
” His eyes had cleared. “It only took you leaving for me to realize that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And I want that life to be a long one, so you’d better plan on marrying me.
You’re the wise one. Look where making my own decisions has brought me. ”
I started to laugh through tears, a hysterical laugh that I did my best to stifle, but not before it brought the nurse back into the room. She gave me a stern, disapproving look.
“Ms. Nielsen, is anything wrong?”
I shook my head, still giggling uncontrollably. It was a combination of shock, trauma, and all the pent-up anxiety from the day.
“Everything is fine, Nurse.” Sebastian smiled. “My fiancée is a bit overwhelmed.”
“Fiancée?” I stopped laughing. “I didn’t say I’d marry you.”
“You didn’t say no either.”
The nurse watched us, a puzzled expression on her face.
Sebastian patted my hand. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow, okay? Go home and take care of our son.”
“He’s staying over at Janine’s friend’s house. She’s a good sister-in-law.”
I caught myself only when Sebastian’s eyes narrowed shrewdly.
“I meant she’s a good sister. To you.” I shook my head. “Those drugs of yours are affecting me, too. I’d better get out of here.”
I stood, but Sebastian gripped my hand firmly, his eyes serious. “Jesse, I meant it. I know it’s not the right time, and I’ll organize a proper proposal when I get out of here, but please think about it, so that when I go down on one knee with a ring in my hand, you’ll say yes.”
Our gazes met, entwined and enthralled. For the longest moment, there was nothing in the universe but us. Everything else faded away—the nurse, the beeping, the humming, the monitors, the world, and the horrors of today.
Sebastian’s grip weakened, bringing me back to reality.
The nurse cleared her throat behind me.
“I’ll say yes,” I promised my lover. “Please rest and listen to the nurses so you can come home soon. I love you.”
I bent to touch his lips with mine, gently, trying to draw strength from our kiss, as well as send him all the positive healing energy I could.
“I love you too,” he whispered. “Take care, please.”
“I will. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Reluctantly, I let go of his fingers, thanked the nurse, and walked out of the ICU in a daze. How the hell was I supposed to tell Janine we were engaged?