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He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yeah look, about that. I think he ordered balloons to be delivered. He tried for flowers but they’re not allowed in this ward. Something to do with pollen and allergies and incredibly ill people. So anyway, he ordered balloons, and from the stupid grin on his stupid face when he told me, I think we can assume it’s either Lightning McQueen related. Or pornographic. It really could go either way.”
I chuckled, and he cupped my face and kissed my lips.
“Ugh, my breath must be terrible,” I mumbled.
He clearly didn’t care. “So I was doing some research on diets for a healthy heart, and it looks like we’ll be eating a lot of grilled fish and salads. Which is fine by me. But I also thought about exercises we could do, and I know you used to swim when you were in Melbourne.”
“Well, yes, but—”
“Because people can’t talk to you while you’re doing laps. I know. I remember. But I was thinking we could install a lap pool at home, on the strip that fronts the ocean.”
“No.”
“As long as we make it crocodile proof—”
“No.”
“But then you could do laps for exercise and I could watch you, because I like it when you’re wet, not gonna lie.”
“Tully, you’re not putting a pool in for me.”
“It would be for me as well.”
My nurse peeked around the curtain. “Oh, good,” I said. “Can you please tell him that putting in a pool for me to exercise in, while being a lovely gesture and all, is a ridiculous waste of money?”
She looked at him. “I don’t care about the pool, but you come in here and argue with my patient and I’ll give you a lovely gesture of my own.”
Tully pouted like a four-year-old, and I smiled. “I win.”
The nurse came in, checked the machines, checked my IV bag, and put her hand on my arm. “Everything okay? Does your husband need to go?”
I smiled at Tully. “No, he can stay.”
Tully was still pouting. “I’ll be good.”
She gave a nod and left us alone, and Tully sat in his chair. “The pool conversation can wait until we get home.”
I sighed and held out my hand for him to take. He slid his fingers through mine and I tightened my hold on his hand. “I love you,” I whispered.
He perked up, his pout now that smile that won me over from day one. “I’ll never get used to you saying it. I think you’re gonna need to say it every day just to be sure.”
“Okay.”
He kissed the back of my hand. “You’re tired again. You should close your eyes. I’ll be right here.”
I was tired, that was true. “Yeah. But I’m hungry,” I said.
Tully stood up. “Then I’ll get you something. You name it.”
I pointed to my lips.
He grinned and leaned in, kissing me.
“And another sandwich would be great.”
He kissed my forehead. “Your wish, my command.”
He disappeared out the curtain and I must have dozed off again, because when I opened my eyes, he was sitting beside my bed, his arms crossed, his chin on his chest, sound asleep.
