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“No kidding,” she gaped, feeling completely out of sorts and needing to step back and think. What happened to the guy from yesterday, the one who wanted someone to be at his side during all of this? Was he having a change of heart already? Because she wasn’t joking – they could file for an annulment immediately. In fact, the marriage license and the annulment could end up crossing a desk together if this was a problem.
“What’s your deal anyhow?” she began, not holding back as she looked at him. “You’ve had a little time to think about things, and now you’ve changed your mind? Say the word, Buster, and I’ll get this farce between us annulled…” and the second the words were out of her mouth, he turned to her sharply.
The look in his eyes was one of horror and real fear, smoothed away a second later, but she’dseenit. He didn’t want a divorce, but then what was going on in that thick skull of his?
“If that’s what you want…” he said simply, shrugging and looking away.
Daphne stared at him, her mind whirling – and then walked over to the other side of the hospital bed aggressively, wanting to meet his eyes. If he expected her to cower and give in, he was wrong. Sure enough, he turned away, and that lit her fuse. She reached out and laid a hand on his cheek, turning him back to her.
“Look at me,” Daphne ordered and saw his eyes open slowly. She stood there, looking at him, her eyes searching his, and saw that flicker of awareness in those hazel depths. He was expecting rejection, bracing himself for it, and was scared to his core and felt herself respond to that.
“If you are a grump in the mornings, I just needed a little warning,” she said gently and saw him swallow. “Everyone has their off-times, and when I have mine, it will be World War Three against ice cream shelves for three counties.”
She heard his nervous chuckle as a slight smile touched his lips.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, not looking away from her. “I just don’t want to get used to something wonderful that won’t be there later.”
And this time, it was Daphne who hesitated.
“That’s a conversation to be had later, but I can appreciate your fears,” she began quietly. “Just talk to me, and let’s try to keep the ‘attack my wife verbally’ down to a bare minimum, okay? I don’t respond well to that at all.”
“I can do that,” he agreed and then hesitated. “Do I get a good morning kiss from my wife?”
“Nope.”
It was said playfully, and both shared a hesitant smile – before Daphne leaned down to kiss him gently on the temple. She heard his intake of breath and felt her own heart beat quickly at his easy smile combined with a rush of awareness that she was treading very dangerous waters. As she leaned back away from him, his smile was everything.
“That was more than I ever hoped for,” he whispered softly, looking at her.
“Maybe you should set the bar a little higher than the floor,” she teased, realizing that when he let his guard down, he was incredibly sweet.
“If I set the bar higher, then you would have kissed me for real…”
Neither moved as they looked at each other, and she felt something fold within her at the hope in his eyes. What would it be like to kiss him, to have someone so gentle actually falling for her? If she let herself fall for him or if he fell for her, it would make leaving later tough… if not impossible.
“Everyone’s gotta have goals,” she whispered, withdrawing. “Even if they are unattainable.”
And felt him grab her wrist, causing her to look at him in surprise.
“Are they, Daphne?” he uttered, his voice hoarse and full of emotion. “Do they have to be unattainable – or can I just keep working at it?”
She didn’t answer him except to pull her hand away.
“Let me get the nurse to get you something for breakfast.”
“I can use the call button.”
“I could use the walk – and some coffee.”
“Run, my little angel…” she heard him say behind her as she opened the door, leaving him behind. “Someday, I’ll catch you despite my leg.”
That afternoon, Daphne was speaking with the doctor once more and discussing the next steps for Max, when the television started beeping with an alert. She ignored it because those went off all the time back home. Severe thunderstorm warning, possible hail, tornado watch, etc.… you tended to get a little numb unless things looked dicey outside. She had been gazing out the window not ten minutes ago, and it looked fine – extremely cold – but fine.
“I think Mr. Collins will be just fine,” the doctor was saying, but glancing over her shoulder at the screen. “I’d like for him to heal completely before we start looking at physical therapy or even discuss a prosthetic limb in the future.”
“Is that an option?”
“There’s a lot of options for him to choose from, but we need to tackle things one step at a time. Let’s get him up and moving with the crutches first. Start with the basic needs, such as using the bathroom alone, showering, or taking a stroll with you in the hospital hallways.”
