I push the cup away and watch every move of Rogue’s muscles in his arm as he sets it on my tray.
“Am I dreaming?” I ask the man who owns my heart and soul.
“No, baby, this isn’t a dream,” he chuckles out as he lifts his finger and swoops a fallen lock of hair out of my face. “But if it is, I’m happy to be joining you.”
“What’s gotten into you?” I inquire, wondering what all has taken place to get this side of Rogue and Rory.
“Did I die?” I break down and ask. It’s the only conclusion I can come to that has everyone hovering around me. I was public enemy number one the last my memory can recall. Something drastic had to have taken place to cause everyone to come together and look at me with compassion filling their eyes.
“No, you didn’t die,” Rogue says with a hitch in his throat. “Let’s just say that I never want to hold you in my arms while you're bleeding again.”
“That bad, huh?” I ask, my memory not as clear as theirs appears to be. All I can remember is feeling a sharp pain in my side and then blackness consuming me.
“It wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, Mom,” Rory says with a frown marring his face. “It was my wakeup call. I’m so sorry for taking you for granted and pushing you away.”
“You had every right to be angry with me, son,” I sob out, not wanting him to believe he was the only one in the wrong. “I made some poor choices which affected you more than what I believed they would. I’ll never be able to apologize enough to you, to either of you.” I swivel my head from one to another, wanting them to see the sincereness of my spoken words.
“We all make mistakes, Auntie, of course this one was pretty big, but all the same, I’ve done some pretty shitastic stuff that everyone has had to forgive me for,” Harmony announces with a twinkle in her eye as they seek out her father.
“Shitastic?” Rory rumbles out a roar of laughter, “is that even a word?”
“If I say it is then it is, little brother,” Harmony states as she reaches over and ruffles the top of Rory’s scalp. His hair is standing on end by the time she’s through. “That’s a nice look for you,” she snickers causing him to narrow his eyes in her direction.
“It’s gonna be like that, is it?” Rory inquires.
“I’ve got years to make up for,” she tells him.
“Just remember, big sister, I too have years of shenanigans that a little brother is entitled to.” The gleam in his look has me turning toward Rogue to see how he’s taking in all of this.
“Don’t stress, Bella, we can’t always be there to referee them. I say we get them a set of boxing gloves each and let them loose,” he teases.
“Good idea, Daddy, I’ll show my brother how the big boys roll,” Harmony jests, causing my eyes to widen into saucers.
“Big sister has jokes,” Rory jabs. “But count me in. Although we’ll have to wait for that baby to be out of your belly.”
“Okay, why don’t you two go let the peanut gallery know that our queen is awake and give me and your mom some alone time,” Rogue proclaims as he shoos them away with his hands.
“Still want me to get that nurse?” Harmony questions her father.
“Too late,” Rory supplies as a nurse comes sashaying in. “We’ll go let the others know what’s going on,” he finishes, placing a hand on his sister's back, ushering her out with him.
I watch as the nurse puts a set of gloves on before walking up to me. “Awake are we? How ya feeling?” she questions, looking at the machine reading my vitals.
She must be joking. Certainly, those questions are rhetorical? “Well, it appears I was shot and have been out cold for some time now. I think it’s safe to say that I feel like shit. How do you think I feel?” Agitation consumes me, these questions that are required to be asked are ridiculous and asinine.
Rogue squeezes my hand. “She’s just doing her job, sweetheart.”
“Well, you can’t honestly admit that I’m wrong can you?” I shift my gaze at him.
“No, you’re not, but the faster you answer the questions without being combative, the quicker she can leave us,” he replies, now stroking the top of my hand with his thumb.
He’s right, I just think this entire