from the respirator, and bring her out of the induced coma they had put her in. Cole was in the room with her when she regained consciousness.
She looked at him, and smiled.
Days later, she wouldn’t remember him being there.
Finally, she improved enough to be taken off critical care, and moved to another room. The doctors thought if all went well, she may be home as soon as another week.
She woke up one day, and her thoughts were clear. She looked over, and saw Cole asleep in the chair next to her bed. She found the button to raise her bed up, and pressed it.
The sound of the bed raising woke Cole. He shook the sleep from his eyes, and looked over at her.
She was staring at him.
He smiled. “Hey, baby. How are you feeling?” he asked, moving to sit on the bed next to her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“You were in an accident. I came as soon as I heard,” he whispered, brushing the hair back from her forehead.
“But you hate hospitals.”
He smiled down at her, and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re all that matters.”
She pulled away, remembering why she was mad at him. “You should go.”
He pulled back. “Angel, please don’t do this. I know you’re mad at me, but we need to talk.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you. You shouldn’t have come. I want you to leave.”
“Not before you hear what I have to say.” He knew this might be his only chance to make her listen. “I love you, Angel. I always have. I want us to be a family. I want you to come to California with me.”
She turned her head on the pillow, looking away from him. “Please go.”
He reached out to take her hand, but she yanked it away. “Angel. Please. Look at me.”
She refused.
“I love you. I know you love me, too.”
She turned to look at him then. “No. I don’t. Please go.” She pressed the call button for the nurse.
He stood up, knowing he didn’t have much time before they came, and threw him out. “Listen to me, Angel. I love you. I’m not giving up on you. I knew the minute I first saw those eyes of yours that I was in over my head. My life…I know it’s a mess. Maybe I never really tried before. Never gave a damn before. Until you. If I can’t make this work, make us work, I don’t think I could stand it. Do you hear me?”
Still she looked away.
“I feel like I’m in a deep, dark hole, and I’m tryin’ to climb out of it, babe. I’m trying to do it, for you. But I need your help, baby. And I don’t know where to start. Tell me where to start, Angel. Please. I’ll do whatever you say I need to.”
The nurse walked in.
“Please go,” Angel begged, breaking down into tears.
“You should leave, now, sir,” the nurse told him.
He looked at Angel.
Still she didn’t respond.
He turned, and walked out.
Cole returned to Natalie’s, and walked in the front door.
“Daddy, daddy!” Both TJ and Melissa ran to him, and hugged him.
He hugged them back, wondering if they were ever going to be a real family now.
Natalie came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She took one look at Cole’s face, and knew something was wrong. “What is it? Is everything okay?”
He went into the kitchen, and sat down. TJ and Melissa each climbed up on a knee. He looked over their heads at Natalie. “She’s awake, but she wouldn’t talk to me. Told me to leave, repeatedly.”
“Did you tell her you loved her?”
He nodded. “Yes. I said everything I could think to say to make her see that I loved her, that I wanted her.” He shook his head. She wouldn’t listen.”
“Oh, Cole. It’s just her stubborn pride, when she’s had time to heal, and she feels better, I’m sure-”
“No. I don’t think it’s going to matter. I think it’s too late for us.”
“Don’t say that.”
He looked at her, his eyes tormented. “I’m done. I don’t know what else to try.”
Natalie straightened up. “I do.” She threw the dishtowel down, and walked out of the room.
Cole stood up, with a child in each arm, and followed her down the hall.
She went into TJ’s room, and pulled a duffle bag from out of the closet. She started opening drawers, and filing the bag with clothes.
Cole set the kids down, and told them to go in Melissa’s