Page 121 of Riding the Edge

Chapter Thirty-six

Opening my eyes, it takes a moment for the halogen lights to come into focus and for me to realize where I am. Instinctively, my eyes divert to my chest and strange enough, I release a sigh of relief. I know under the oversized gown is probably a nightmare but right now, at this moment, I don’t look much different than I did when I walked into the hospital and for some reason that eases me.

“You’re awake,” Al murmurs groggily beside me causing me to peel my eyes away from my bandaged chest. Staring at me, he leans forward and takes my hand. Lacing our fingers together he bends his head and brushes his lips over my knuckles.

“It’s done,” I say hoarsely.

“Yeah, Lady, it’s done,” he affirms. “The doctor said he got it all. It’s all gone.”

The cancer.

My breasts.

All gone.

“The plastic surgeon also started the reconstruction process,” he says, cocking his head to the side. “Are you in any pain? Do you want me to get—”

“I don’t feel anything,” I say cutting him off. It's true. Physically and emotionally, I’m numb and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Al’s eyes narrow with concern and I make excuses for my lack of emotions. “I guess they really gave me the good stuff because I even dreamt you asked me to marry you.”

The second the words leave my lips, Al’s whole face changes and I suddenly become more alert through the fog of anesthesia.

“That was no dream,” he clarifies.

Licking my dry lips, I close my eyes and replay the scene in my head. It wasn’t the most conventional proposal and one might be inclined to think it was a joke—I mean, I sort of did.

“You really want to get married?”

“I’ll buy you a ring as soon as we get the fuck out of here,” he replies. “You need me to get down on one knee, I’ll do it. You need me to give you a list of reasons why it should happen, I’ll do that too.”

“All I need is for you to be sure because if we do it, if we take this leap it’s got to be forever, Al. It’s got to be you and me forever. I don’t want to be a regret. I think you and I can both agree we’ve had enough of those.”

“We get one life, Lady. One fucking life and I want to spend the rest of mine with you as my wife. There are no regrets to be found there.”

Every heartbreak.

Every scar.

All the pages turned and bridges that were burned.

They all lead us both here.

Al lifts our joined hands and glances down at them.

“I want this,” he declares, squeezing my hand. “I want to hold your hand when we’re eighty and say, Lady, we made it.”

“Sold,” I cry as he pushes out of the chair and stands beside the bed. Bending his head, he touches his mouth to mine. A knock sounds on the door, causing us to separate and I look behind Al, at my daughter standing in the doorway.

Her pretty face is streaked with tears.

“Lauren—”

“Looks like someone is going to beat me to the altar,” she says, diverting her eyes between me and Al.

“That okay with you, pretty?” Al questions. Releasing my hand, he turns to her and closes the distance between them. Lauren throws her arms around his neck and stares over his shoulder at me.

“It’s more than okay with me,” she says.

Wrapping one arm around her waist, he whispers something in her ear before they pull away and she nods.

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