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Everest
I’vebeeninand out so much that I’m not sure I’m awake, but when I finally open my eyes for more than a second, nothing else mattered. Not one thing right now as I stared at the sleeping form of my big brother.
Tears fall down my face without making a single sound and when I open my mouth, my voice is still somewhat gone, but I can speak better now than I could… yeah, I can’t think about it right now.
“You have dreads.” I say as I reach out and touch Hunter’s locs.
He lifts his head and those signature hazel eyes that he got from Papi hit me. I didn’t realize how much he looked like Papi all these years, but I see it so much more prominent now.
“You look like Papi.” I croak out.
“And you sound like a frog is stuck in your throat,” he says, a smile on his face. Hunter stands from his chair that he was resting in and moves closer. He leans lower and kisses my forehead as some of his locs brush my face as well. “I missed you so much, sunflower. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.”
“You’re here, Hunter. You’re here.” Hunter nods and wipes away my tears. “What happened?” I ask him and reach out, touching his cheek since he’s still close enough to touch.
“Your husband punched me in the face.” Hunter shrugs.
“What?”
“I leave for two minutes and you’re snitching to my wife? Plus, first one’s free, right?” I didn’t hear him come in, but now that I hear Walt, my eyes go to his.
Moments of my hysteria flash through my mind and the embarrassment is apparent. Hunter moves out of the way and Walt comes closer to the edge of the bed but doesn’t touch me. I can understand why. Right now, my sadness overwhelms that emotion, because I didn't want him to earlier. I just want to be in his arms.
“Hi,” I croak out to Walt.
“Hi.” He gives me a small smile, but it disappears again.
The sadness in his eyes is so profound, but so is the anger. Is he angry with me?
“The baby?” I ask.
Walt tries to mask the sadness on his face as he shakes his head. “The baby didn’t make it.” He tells me.
Something about it being said out loud makes everything so surreal. I’m overwhelmed with a sadness so intense it shakes me to my core. All I want is my husband and his warmth. Nothing else will do.
“I’ll go get the doctor and tell him you’re much more alert now.” Walt says.
He turns to leave, but my heart can’t take him leaving. “Please stay.”
“Always.” He faces me but doesn’t come as close.
My fingers itch to touch him. “Can you come closer, please?” I ask Walt. He nods and comes closer, but still doesn’t reach out to touch me. I know it’s because of what happened. How I reacted.
Walt moves closer, close enough that I can reach out and touch him first. My bandaged fingers give me limited mobility, but I don’t care as I finally touch him. Walt visibly relaxes as if he, too, was waiting for this. For our skin to make contact.
“Everie…”is the only thing that passes through his lips before I shut my eyes.
“Please hold me. Please.” I beg even though I know I don’t have to, but I need him. I need him more than anything else.
“Baby, I want to, but you’re hurt. You’re hurting everywhere and I, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Please…” tears threaten to fall down my face when I think he’s going to say no a second time.
Walt comes closer, sliding my body a bit, and he climbs into the hospital bed. For a moment, he doesn’t reach out to hold me, instead he just takes a couple of breaths and in that time, I slowly turn, trying not to cause myself more pain.
When I feel Walt’s body heat on mine and he takes me into his arms, carefully turning me to face him. I bury my face underneath his neck and in his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Walton,” I can’t say it. His nickname is not something I can say. I don’t want the memories of what happened to me to come back to me right now. My mind wants to run away from him because it thinks it’s Perry, but my body knows. My heart knows that this is my husband. “I’m sorry that I believed him when he said you were dead. I’m so sorry.” Walt rubs my back while I whisper.
