Page 21 of Endless Love

ELEVEN

Willow

Istayed at the hospital through the evening, never leaving my father’s room in the ICU ward. He was attached to all kinds of IVs and beeping monitors, and he had a breathing tube up his nose. While he was weak, his great sense of humor was already shining through and he was already complaining.

Around eight o’clock, jovial Nurse Hollis, who reminded me a little of my mother with her curly reddish hair, told me visiting hours were over.

“C’mon,” begged my father, his voice hoarse. “Can’t she stay a little longer?”

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Rosenthal,” she replied with a smile and a twinkle in her caramel eyes. “She can come back tomorrow morning.”

My feisty father grunted, then he winked. “How ’bout you stay, beautiful, if I behave?” I swear if I didn’t know better, he was flirting with the attractive fifty-something nurse.

“Sorry, I have rounds, Mr. Rosenthal.”

“It’s Mel…call me, Mel, sweetheart.”

Nurse Hollis batted her eyelashes. Holy moly! She was affected by my father. Maybe my father’s heart attack had given way to a little love attack. I silently chuckled. There was nothing I wanted more than to see my father get well again. Then after that, see him fall in love again. There had never been another woman in his life after my mother. He was a wonderful man, a mensch, who would make someone a wonderful husband.

Catching her breath, Nurse Hollis told my father she would come by one more time this evening to check on his vitals.

My father, his strength ebbing, smiled. “Yeah, all my vitals. I’d like that, Hollis.”

With that, I rose from my chair and planted a goodnight kiss on his forehead. “Night, Pop. You behave,” I chided. “I’ll come by tomorrow.”

On my next breath, I followed Nurse Hollis out the door.

“Are you sure he’s going to be okay?” I asked as we walked down the corridor, side by side.

“Don’t worry, honey, he’s going to be fine.” Her voice was warm and comforting. “And I’ll make sure he behaves.”

I liked her. In fact, I liked her a lot.

To my great surprise, Ryan was still seated in the waiting room. Putting aside a magazine, he jumped up as I approached.

“Ryan, what are you still doing here?”

“I didn’t want to leave you alone. How’s your father doing?”

“He’s doing well. And he’s in good hands.”

He quirked a smile. “That’s good to hear. What about you? You look tired.”

I let out a breath that released a lot of my stress. “A little bit. More hungry I’d say.”

“C’mon. Let me take you out for dinner.”

“No, Ryan, it’s fine. I’ll just head home.”

“No, I insist. And I’m starving too. Anything you’re in the mood for?”

Your lips on mine.My heartbeat sped up, my body heated.

“Anything but deli. And a glass of wine would be great.”

He wrapped an arm around me, naturally as if he’d done it a thousand times before.

“C’mon. I know a great little neighborhood restaurant.”

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