| Tremonti squinted as he stepped out of the car. He glanced around the parking lot before putting his sunglasses on, then headed toward the hospital. He walked up to the counter quietly asking what room Michal was in. She directed him to the third floor, and he thanked her, turning to head to the elevator. He took a deep breath before walking in to hospital room door. He sucked in a deep breath when he saw her, lying motionless on the bed. He took in her thin, frail body, with needles sticking in her arms and the heart monitor beeping every few seconds. Lyndsey glanced over her shoulder at him, a small smile flashing across her face. She got up from her seat next to Michal’s bed and embraced him. “She’s going to be fine, Mark.” He nodded against her. She let go and left the room. He took her place beside Michal, gently taking her hand in his, careful not to displace any of the needles and tubes she was connected to. She stirred, groggily opening her eyes. She smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand. “What happened?” “Chemo got to me. I just collapsed.” She sighed, reaching out her free arm to touch his face. “I’m fine, Mark. Don’t worry about me.” “I do, though, Michal. I always worry about you.” She smiled at him, shaking her head. “You don’t need to. I just need a couple of days to get back on my feet. That’s all,” she said quietly. He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I’ll still worry about you.” “You stubborn little brat,” she said, smiling. He laughed. “You’re one to talk,” he countered, running a finger down the side of her face. “You take it easy, hear me?” She rolled her eyes at him, sighing. “Yes, daddy.” He chuckled. “I’ll let you get some sleep.” She smiled and shifted under the covers. He stood and leaned over to kiss her gently before exiting the room. She smiled and sighed contentedly before drifting into a deep sleep. *** Mark smiled as he opened the door and peeked in. He thanked Lyndsey for letting him in and watched her go before tip-toeing into the room. He stifled a laugh as he crouched next to Michal’s bed. She was sprawled in every direction, her hair wild, and was snoring lightly. She rolled over to the far side of the bed, made some unrecognizable sounds, and was quiet. Mark smiled and removed his shoes, climbing in the bed quietly, trying not to wake her. She shifted and made some more unrecognizable sounds and finally quieted down. He smiled and drifted off to sleep. She woke an hour or so later when she felt an arm worm its way around her. She turned to see Mark smiling in his sleep, nuzzling against the back of her neck. She couldn’t contain her laugh, and his eyes opened. They closed again, and he pulled her tighter against him, kissing her neck. “Go back ta sleep,” he mumbled against her, and she laughed again, resting her head against the pillow. She sat up in bed suddenly, looking down at him. “What are you doing here?” He smiled up at her innocently. “Happy birthday,” he said. She smiled. He sat up next to her, kissed her cheek, and stood. “Where are you going?” she asked, confusion on her face. “C’mere,” he said, extending his hand. “I have a surprise for you.” Her eyebrow rose, and she stood tentatively. She tried to hide her smile, to no avail. He took her hand and dragged her down the hall and into the dining area, where a small table stood, covered with a white tablecloth, two candles, and a single white rose in a delicate crystal vase. Two crystal plates were placed on either side, with croissants and chocolate-covered strawberries. A smile lit up her face, and she looked at him. “You did this?” she asked, looking back to the table. He nodded and pulled her to him. “All for you,” he whispered before kissing her lips. She leaned into him, intensifying the kiss, her hands running up his arms and around his neck. He pulled away and pulled out her chair for her, kissing her neck as she sat down. *** After breakfast, they went for a walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the warm, summer morning. They returned about a half hour later, stumbling in the door, laughing. Michal looked up and stopped laughing, suddenly serious. Mark followed her gaze and hid his smile. “Dad, mom, what are ya’ll doing here?” she asked, hugging them both. Tremonti smiled. “Happy birthday, sweetie,” her mom said, sitting back down on the couch. “Mark called us,” her father said. “We planned on doing a big dinner to celebrate your twenty-second.” She smiled and turned to Mark, mouthing the words ‘thank you’ to him. He nodded. *** “Are you ready-hay?” Mark sang as he rapped on Michal’s bedroom door. She called out that she would be ready in a few minutes, and he sighed, walking down the hall to join her parents. She emerged seconds later, wearing a short, black dress and black platforms. Mark’s mouth dropped and her mom smiled. “You look lovely, honey,” she said, hugging her. “Ya’ll ready to go?” she asked. They nodded. “We’re just waiting for Lyndsey,” her mother said. Michal rolled her eyes. “You two go ahead and meet the rest of the guys and take the reservation before they give our table away, and we’ll meet you there,” she said. Michal nodded, and Mark offered her his arm, escorting her out the front door and out to the car. He opened the door for her and got in, speeding off to the restaurant. “You know, my parents haven’t been in the same room for almost four years?” Michal said quietly. “They’ll be fine,” Mark reassured her. “I hope so.” *** After they all had eaten and the plates had been cleared, Mark stood, clearing his throat nervously. They all looked up at him. Michal took a drink from her glass of water and set it down gently. They were in a back room, surrounded by other well-dressed people, who also had turned to see what was happening. “I’d like to say a few words to the birthday girl,” he said, a twisted smile on his face. Michal looked up at him and laughed. Her father crossed his fingers under the table. “Michal, I’ve known you for two years now, and it’s been the best two years of my life.” She smiled up at him as she pushed her chair back from the table, turning it to face him better. “You’ve made me happy in every way you could, and I love you for that,” he said, taking her hand. He knelt down on one knee and pulled a black velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a silver diamond ring. She looked at him, surprised. “Michal, I love you and…” he took a deep breath and looked into her blue eyes, now filled with tears. “Michal, will you marry me?” She smiled and stood, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered into his ear. He smiled and kissed her neck. Everyone in the room stood and applauded. Her mother’s eyes were filled with tears. After everyone was seated, her mother took a deep breath. “I have something I want to say.” They looked at her. “Now that you two are engaged, I wanted to tell you that I am, too,” she said slowly. Michal’s eyebrow furled and she stood, storming out of the room. Lyndsey followed, as did Mark. Her father frowned, his arms on the table. He rested his head against his hands. “What?” her mother asked. “I thought the timing was right.” “You just ruined the night, Ruth,” her father growled. |