Page 60 of L.O.V.E

She kissed my nose. “Makes you look kinda badass.”

“I am, don’t you know?”

She laughed, then tucked the blankets tighter around my legs. Worry wrinkles and all, Mom was still the most beautiful person I knew. “Thanks for being here, Mom.”

“Twenty-two,” shouted the groggy man.

That time, I did laugh, then cried out in pain. Damn, I hurt everywhere.

“I’m gonna run to your place, grab you some clean clothes. They should have a room ready by the time I get back.”

“Mmmkay,” was all I could manage.

Mom waved and disappeared.

“Ow, Jesus. Fuck,” the man hissed.

To which the nurse replied, “One more.”

Another hiss.

“There. Done. Not so bad, huh?” A machine beeped, then buzzed. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

“How long?” the man grumbled.

“Well, let’s see,” the nurse replied, no constraint in her tone, “when he’s done assessing the damage you inflicted on those five men, setting that broken arm, resetting that dislocated shoulder. Patching up five split lips, one broken jaw, two broken noses, seven—”

“I get it, I get it.”

Footsteps came my way, the wheels of the machine squeaking. Before the nurse rounded the curtain, she stopped, and over her shoulder, asked, “I heard you were defending a lady’s honor. That true?”

“What the fuck ever,” the mystery man grumbled.

She only chuckled, offering me a wink as she passed. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart.”

Damn, emergency room drama put any telenovela to shame.

I wanted to question the man, but he seemed grumpy, and I wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

“Where is he?” someone bellowed from down the hall. “Where the fuck is he?”

Shuffling feet and heavy footsteps ensued.

“Sir. Sir. Excuse me.”

The curtain next to me billowed. My neighbor muttered, “Fuck.”

I relaxed into my pillow to enjoy the show.

“What the fuck is your problem?” the intruder yelled.

“The fuck’s your problem? You had her and you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants long enough to realize the best woman you’re ever gonna meet was right there, right fucking there for the taking.”

“How the hell is that any of your concern?”

“Where the fuck did you get that video?”

“Doesn’t matter. I got it.”

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