My clock said 1:18 pm. I stood up and stretched. "Tara, wake up." I said, shaking her slightly.
"Hmmm?" she mumbled. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. "Hi."
"Hey." I said. "I'm going to take shower and then go to the hospital."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"No, it's okay. I'll go alone."
"Okay." she said and rolled over.
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I sat next to Taylor, holding his hand. The doctor walked in.
"Hello, Mrs. Russel, how are you today?" he said cheerfully.
"Well...I don't know...it depends on how he is." I said, gesturing toward Taylor.
"He is doing better. He should come out of his coma soon."
Hope and confidence shown in his eyes; that gave me a little bit of reassurance.
Taylor looked so peaceful, laying there with his eyes closed. I reached up and stroked his hair. It was so soft, even though it hadn't been washed in 2 days. Damn I love him so much. Why did this have to happen him? To us? I thought.
I looked up. Diana walked in. "Hi honey." she said.
"Hi Diana."
She walked over and gave me a big hug and kiss. "How is he?"
"The doctor said he was doing better and that he should be out of his coma soon." I told her.
"That's good news." she said.
"Yeah." I said, managing a weak smile. "Where are Isaac and Zac?"
"Zac is at home watching the little ones, and Isaac is at his apartment sleeping. He was really shaken up last night." Diana said.
"Oh."
"Where's Tara?"
"At home asleep." I replied.
"Oh." We sat in silence for a few minutes. "Have you eaten anything today?"
"Nope."
"How about we go get something to eat? You need to eat or else you'll get sick." Diana suggested.
"But what if he wakes up while we're gone?" I asked shakily.
"It's okay. We'll be back." Diana reassured me.
"Alright." I told her, kissing Taylor's forehead.
Diana slipped her arm around my shoulder and we left ICU.
Neither of said much on the way to the cafeteria, until Diana spoke up. "You really love him, don't you?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I asked, half insulted that she could ask such a question.
"I don't know...It's just that when you first started dating, I guess I thought that you were just dating because you felt obligated."
"No." I said quietly. "I really love him." The tears were welling up in my eyes, and threatening to spill over the rim.
Diana hugged me. "He'll get better. I know he will. He's strong."
"But he can't walk." I wailed.
"At least he's still alive." she said. "He could've been killed, ya know?"
I had been so upset about Taylor being paralyzed, that my brain hadn't even registered that. "I guess you're right."
"That-a-girl." she said, patting my back. "He'll be okay."
"I hope so." I said. "I do hope so."
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