Page 130 of Someone to Watch Over Me

I take the hand he extends to me. “Shut up, Tom, and let them be the judge of that.”

“Thank you,” one of the doctors says, shooting a smile at me over her shoulder as they roll him inside with none of the urgency that occurred last time.

“Oh no, you’ve been crying over me. I’m fine, Lex. Completely fine.”

“We’ll let the doctors decide if that’s true.”

“I’m so sorry to do this to you—again. I fainted. That’s all it was. I was hungry and hot and?—”

“Tom, stop. Take a breath.”

“I can’t lose you, Lex. I think that might actually kill me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Because I wouldn’t blame you?—”

“Tom?”

“What?”

“Stop talking.”

We’ve reached the double doors to the treatment area, where I expect them to tell me to have a seat and they’ll come find me when they know what’s going on.

“Come on back to help us manage him,” the doctor says. “I have a feeling it’ll go better for all of us if you’re there.”

Tom smiles. “Everything is better when she’s here.”

Epilogue

Lexi

Doctors determine that Tom fainted due to slight dehydration and possibly overheating. His EKG was perfect, as was his blood work and the other tests they ran to err on the side of caution due to his recent heart attack.

He’s released three hours later.

When it became clear that he would be okay, I sent Joy back to Iris’s house to enjoy the rest of the party with my thanks for the ride and her powerful words of wisdom that made all the difference to me in a time of crisis.

We take an Uber back to Tom’s and will pick up his truck at Iris’s tomorrow.

As we walk into the house together, I’m so thankful to have him here with me that it makes my knees go weak for a second when I realize how differently this evening could’ve turned out.

He tunes in to my distress and wraps his arms around me. “I’m here. I’m fine. I’m always going to be right here with you because there’s nowhere else in this entire world I want to be than wherever you are. We’re going to get married and have a family and go to London and do all the things together. Everything is okay, Lexi. I promise.”

If I’ve learned anything on this journey, it’s that everything is temporary. Even the best of things. It’s all fleeting. All we can do is enjoy every second of the life we’re given, the love that comes our way and the joy we find along the road to wherever it is we’re going.

Nothing is forever, except love. That outlives us all.

“Let’s get you to bed, mister. You need rest and relaxation, and that’s what you’re getting for the next two weeks.”

“Wait… They never said that. They said to stay well hydrated and to be mindful of electrolytes.”

“I’m being mindful of your hydration and electrolytes by declaring this a sex-free zone for two full weeks.”

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