Chapter 4
I hesitate, thinking about the consequences of what that could entail.
"I don't know, Bruno.
If I'm being completely honest here, just seeing you is bringing back so many memories and feelings, and it's only day one.
I don't think my heart could survive afterwards."
The waitress chooses this moment to bring us our pancakes, and I find myself blushing at my confession.
She asks us if we need anything else, but Bruno saysnoas he continues staring at me.
Once we're alone again, I busy myself by preparing my pancakes with butter and syrup, even though I know I won't be able to eat them.
Bruno hasn't responded to the last thing I said, and it's killing me.
I might have said too much.
"Don't you ever wonder though?" he asks softly.
I don't have the willpower to look at him as I whisper, "All the time."
"Ada ..." He stops when I wince.
"What's wrong?"
I place my hand over my stomach.
Real pain—not emotional, and I'm not imagining it.
I try to dismiss it, but it throbs near my navel, blaring and obvious.Real pain.
Not emotional.I fold my arms over my stomach and lean forward, hoping it will stop soon.
"Nothing.
Probably cramps, or something."
"Do you have your period?"
I wail.
"No."
"Are you getting it soon?"
I breathe heavily.
"What kind of questions are these?"
He stands up.
"Medical questions." He comes around to where I'm bent over and he touches my forehead, then my neck.
"Jesus.
You're burning up." He lifts up my sweater before I can say anything, and I'm about to protest when he says, "I'm going to check something.
Don't worry.
I'm pre-med."
He's pre-med?
His cool fingers press underneath my navel, causing me to yell out in pain.
"Shit," he mutters.
"We're leaving."
"What?
Now?"
"Yes.
Now.
Can you stand up?"
I think about attempting to move.
"I—I don't think so."
He throws a couple of bills on the table, then scoops me up into his arms bridal-style to rush me out of the restaurant.
I'm unable to speak through the pain at this point, but he answers the obvious question burning inside me.
"It's your appendix," he says.
"I'm taking you to the hospital."
When I open my eyes, I'm in a hospital room.
I'm lying down in bed, wearing a flimsy gown, and covered in a white sheet.
Bruno is seated in a chair beside me, his head resting on the edge of the bed.
I want to reach out and run my fingers through his thick locks of hair, but I'm too tired.
I smile despite the ache all over my body and close my eyes again, drifting back to sleep.
Someone hovers around me, checking something on a monitor.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?"
I try to swallow, but my throat is dry.
"Do you want water?"
I nod, realizing the person talking to me is a nurse.
Moments later, I'm sipping as much water as I can through a straw as if I'd just spent a week in the Sahara.
"Your fiancé should be back soon.
He just stepped out so we could check on you," she says.
Fiancé?
He didn't.
Bruno is the only person I know crazy enough to claim he was my fiancé in order to gain visiting rights.
A doctor steps into the room soon after.
I recognize him from the brief moment I met him before the anesthesia, but I can't remember his name.
Luckily, he introduces himself again as Dr. Martinez.
He's young with blond hair and light blue eyes.
I almost want to ask him if his first name is Sheldon, but I'm sure he gets that joke all the time.
He goes on to tell me about the surgery, but I have a hard time following him since I now have the Big Bang Theory theme song with the electrical keyboard stuck in my head.
I'm even picturing his old computer with the blue screen.
From what I understand, the surgery went well.
That's all I care about.
He tells me I should be able to leave tomorrow after my first bowel movement.
I ask him when I can shower since I feel gross, and he says once I get home it should be fine.
Then he leaves.
Home.
I'm lost in thought, thinking about where home is going to be once I leave tomorrow, but my thoughts are interrupted when Bruno walks into the room.
The first thing he does is grin at me.
He comes over and kisses my forehead.
"Hey, Ada," he says softly.
God, he's handsome.
I'm amazed at how attracted to him I still am.
I always blamed it on my teenage hormones, but clearly I can't do that anymore.
I feel shy all of a sudden.
"Hi."
Nothing like ending up in the hospital with your old crush you haven't seen in years.
Then I remember it's Bruno.
I've seen him in similar situations when we were younger.
Like the time he broke his leg playing basketball.
Or the time he got a bad case of mono.
He pulls up a chair next to me.
"How are you feeling?"
"Okay," I answer.
"You owe me a ring, though.
Apparently we got engaged during my surgery."
He laughs and grabs my hand, inspecting my ring finger.
"I'm getting it sized, baby.
You'll just have to be patient."
I scoff, but the movement hurts my muscles.
"Don't make me laugh."
He smiles, but his expression turns serious.
"You scared me, you know that?"
"Sorry—wasn't planning on losing my appendix today."
"You sure you're feeling okay?"
I consider where it hurts.
"My stomach is bloated and there's some pain where they made the incision.
Weirdly, it's my shoulder that hurts the most right now."
"That's the laparoscopy.
It's because the carbon dioxide gas gets trapped against your diaphragm.
It's normal."
"You really are pre-med, huh?"
He gives me a grin.
"What are you studying?
You haven't told me."
"Journalism."
"Ah, we've got a reporter on our hands."
"I'll alert the media."
Bruno chuckles at the first dumb journalism joke I ever learned in class.
I still think it's funny.
He seems to consider something for a moment and becomes concerned.
He's still holding my hand, brushing his thumb against it back and forth.
"Ada, are you sure you don't want to call your parents?
I know you told me before the surgery not to call them, but—"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Is it because of me?
You know I can leave if you want them here."
I shake my head, hating that he's asking me that.
"It's not you, Bruno.
I can't stand to be around them."
He frowns.
"It's still bad with them?"
I nod.
Admitting that to him brings tears to my eyes.
"I'm sorry, Adeline," he whispers.
He brings my hand to his mouth to kiss it.
It causes tears to fall down my face.
I don't understand why I'm crying.
I haven't cried in years.
The last time I cried was the day I lost Bruno seven years ago.
Maybe it's the morphine.
Maybe it's the fact that I'm lying in a hospital bed.
Maybe it's Bruno being here with me right now, understanding me better than anyone else ever could.
Maybe it's everything culminating in this single moment that I finally have to let it out.