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“After I get your vitals.”
“But—”
She made a tsking sound. “Your well-being comes first. I promise your fiancé will wait.”
I gasped. “Fiancé?”
She glanced at me and frowned. “We really need to get those vitals.”
“That was my fiancé?” I repeated, eyes flying back to the door.
She made a noncommittal sound and reached for me. I flinched away, holding up the hoodie like a shield. The hoodie my fiancé gave me.
I wrinkled my nose. That isn’t right. Is it?
“Miss Park.” The nurse was patient. “I understand you are trying to process and make sense of things, but I really need to do my job.”
“Well, I really need to know who that was!” I exclaimed. “Why don’t I know?”
A warm hand grasped mine. Her grip was firm and commanding. I gazed at her through watery eyes, the bright light shimmering against my unshed tears creating a glare that made my head ache worse.
“The doctor won’t want me to tell you too much before he sees you. But let me reassure you.”
“Just tell me something. Anything.” The second the words were out, I regretted them. “Not anything. Something about him. Please.”
I felt blind, yet my eyes worked just fine. I could see, but without the context of everything in front of me, the view was just not the same. And even though there was plenty to be curious and concerned over, in that moment, I only wanted to know about him.
Still holding my hand, the nurse lifted it to gently rub her thumb over something around my left ring finger. Something I hadn’t noticed.
“He held on to this ring the whole time you were in surgery. The first thing he did when he saw you after was slip it onto your finger. He pulled the chair so close to your bed the armrest touched the mattress, and when he finally stopped snarling at the staff, he fell asleep with his head on the mattress,” she said, releasing my hand to pat the bed.
I didn’t look, though. My eyes stayed on the simple gold bow encircling my finger. How bizarre to feel like I was seeing it for the very first time when it was obviously something I owned. My fingers grazed lightly over the cool metal, admiring how simple it was, how sweet. Like he tied a bow around me as if I’m some kind of gift.
“We’re really engaged,” I whispered to myself. Shouldn’t I be scared?
The nurse pulled back. “He certainly made sure everyone knew it.”
Sorrow, not fear, swelled inside me, leaving my arm heavy. I dropped the ring-adorned hand into my lap, automatically burying my fingers into his sweatshirt. How could I not know this? Who forgets their own fiancé?
He must have been so hurt. The thought was unbearable. I had to see him. Maybe now that I knew, when I looked at him, all the memories would come rushing back. Like when he proposed.
A sob caught in my throat, making it feel tight as I swallowed back the regret of losing such a precious memory.
Ignoring the tug on my hand from the IV, I tossed the covers back, preparing to get out of bed.
“Miss Park.” The nurse was alarmed. “What are you doing?”
“I need to see him,” I said, determined.
“I’m afraid you can’t do that.”
“Watch me,” I sassed and tried to pull my leg out of the sling elevating it.
The second I did, pain shot up all the way into my knee. I dropped back against the pillow, panting from exertion. I work out too much for that to be so hard.
Ah! I work out!
The door opened, and my heart leaped into my throat, making me forget the realization about myself. I glanced over, expecting to see him, and was frustrated all over again when it was just the doctor.
