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On unsteady feet, I walked into the dark room, illuminated only by the lights of the city shining in from the other side of the windowpane.
My eyes immediately darted to the bed in the middle of the room. There was a man sitting in a chair to Johnny’s right, and Gibsie was standing to his left. I instantly recognized the man as the one from the photograph in Johnny’s room that day.
The hero.
His father was holding Johnny’s hand, sitting right by his bedside, and looking like his son thirty years into the future.
Meanwhile, I just stood there in the middle of his hospital room, with my heart hammering in my chest and my eyes glued to his slumped body.
“Hi, Johnny,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
“Boom, boom, fucking boom, Da,” Johnny slurred, clutching his chest. “I’m done for.”
His choice of words caused Gibsie to laugh loudly and Mrs. Kavanagh, who had rejoined us, to groan in despair.
“Bring the lights back, Da,” Johnny instructed, slurring his words. “Light up the world. You need to see this girl.”
“Johnny,” his mother said in a warning tone. “Behave yourself.”
“I wanna see her, Ma,” he groaned. “I can’t see her.”
My heart leaped in my chest.
“Me?” I squeaked.
“Always you,” Johnny groaned. “Fucking balls.”
“He’s not himself, Shannon,” Mrs. Kavanagh hurried to say. “Don’t mind anything that comes out of his mouth.”
“Uh…” I looked to her and nodded uncertainly. “Okay?”
His father switched on a small overhead light, bathing the room in a soft glow.
With my heart racing, I took in the sight of Johnny hooked up to a beeping machine at his bedside. He had wires strapped to his bare chest, and one coming out of his arm that was hooked to a drip.
For once, I managed to not ogle his naked chest, concentrating on his beautiful, bruised, and tired-looking face instead.
“See her, Da? See? So fucking beautiful!” Johnny announced. “Told ye all.”
Oh god…
“Oh, Johnny,” his mother sighed.
“Leave him be, Edel.” His father chuckled. “He can’t help himself right now.”
“Shannon,” Johnny slurred, sounding terribly groggy. “She’s too far away.”
“I’m here, Johnny,” I croaked out.
“You’re here?” He nodded, more to himself than anyone else. “Don’t leave me again.”
My heart squeezed in my chest and my words came out in a small puff. “I won’t.”
I felt incredibly uncomfortable, having both of his parents in the room, but I pushed down those feelings and made my legs walk toward him.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, closing the space between us, choosing to come around Gibsie’s side of the bed. “Are you okay?”
“Come closer,” Johnny purred, his bleary eyes trained on my face as he crooked his finger at me. “I wanna show you something.”
