Page 54 of Someone to Watch Over Me

When he’s standing, he brings my hand to his lips. “Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

“I’d sleep much better with you tucked up against me.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“Yes, I would.”

“Wouldn’t.”

“Would.”

Our “argument” continues as I go into the kitchen to put dishes in the dishwasher and set up coffee for myself for the morning. Since artificially stimulating his central nervous system and heart rate is inadvisable, he’s off coffee for the time being. I feel for him and all the changes he has to make to keep his heart healthy, but I believe him when he says he’ll follow every order given to him, except the one about sex, apparently.

Fortunately, one of us is thinking somewhat clearly on that front.

“I want to sleep in a bed tonight.” He’s spent the last few nights in his recliner.

“I’ll walk you to your room.” My room is over the garage, which is a different set of stairs from where his bedroom is.

“You don’t need to.”

“Yes, I do.”

“All right, then.”

He takes the stairs slowly, which is a reminder that he’s not ready for any of the things he thinks he is. “God, this fucking sucks. I hate being feeble like this.”

“Just keep telling yourself that it’s temporary.”

“I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“Tom, come on. I’m not judging you.”

“I’m judging myself and coming up short. I hate putting you through another medical ordeal after you’ve already had a lifetime’s worth.”

“Please don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re on the mend, and in a couple of weeks, you’ll be back to full strength.”

While he uses the bathroom, I put his phone on the bedside charger, turn down the bed and fluff his pillows.

I tuck him in with a kiss.

“Are you sure I can’t entice you to stay?” he asks hopefully.

“I’m sure. I might be gone when you wake up in the morning, but I’ll check on you during the day, okay?”

“I’ll look forward to that almost as much as I’ll look forward to you coming home.”

Smiling, I smooth the hair back from his forehead. “Today was a great day. The best day I’ve had in years. Thank you.”

“Thankyou. It was the best day I’veeverhad, other than the feeble part.”

“You’re not feeble. You’re recovering from a heart attack. That doesn’t make you feeble. It makes you human.”

He continues to play with my hair. “I don’t like it.”

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that.”

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