Page 153 of Fierce Obsession

She sees that I’m awake and smiles. “There you are,” she whispers. “Welcome back.”

She gives me water and asks me questions. My name, where I am, my birthday. I answer all of it in a hoarse voice.

“Your throat will be sore,” she says. “You had open-heart surgery. The catheter that was placed to help your heart dislodged, and it was blocking the blood flow. You developed an infection in your chest and became septic. The doctors put you on a ventilator for about a week while we got it under control.”

Oh.

“It was removed this morning. You were breathing on your own under light sedation, which worked its way out of your system gradually. Then it became a waiting game for you to wake up.”

“Thank you. And they’ve been…”

Her lips quirk. “We had a hard time getting him to leave your side. Although he wasn’t allowed on the bed when you were ventilated. Your mom’s been here, too. We finally sent her home to sleep in her own bed and shower. I’m sure she’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you,” I repeat.

“Hit the call button if you need anything.” She writes something on the whiteboard near the door and slips out.

“I dreamt I heard your voice.” Knox shifts, lifting his head to look me in the eye. “And then I realized it wasn’t a dream, after all.”

“I’m…” I clear my throat. “Thank you for staying.”

He kisses my temple. “No need for thanks, sunshine. Just stick around a little longer, okay?”

The next few days pass in a blur of card games, tests, and boredom.

It isn’t until after I’m discharged that I realize the date.

Knox gives me alook. One that says this day has been coming barreling toward us, and no amount of ignoring it would stop it.

The day Knox leaves for college.

“The hockey team is getting there early,” he says, his lips pressed to the top of my head.

Standing in my kitchen in fuzzy socks, pajamas that now feel a size too big, staring at his Crown Point Hockey sweatshirt, I latched on to him and haven’t been able to let go.

“I’m sorry, sunshine, there’s no other choice. Today’s the day.” He doesn’t seem to want to let me go either. “You’ll visit me, yeah? Come to some games. Meet my new teammates.”

“Of course.” I clear my throat. “Yeah, no, I’ll come see you.”

There’s a jagged scar down the center of my chest.

Okay, it’s not jagged. It’s only in my mind that it’s jagged, ripped edges splitting me open to reveal the ugliness inside me.

The ugliness that wants Knox to stay. To wait for me.

To put his future on hold.

There’s no way I’ll do that.

“You’re going to kick ass, Knox Whiteshaw,” I tell him.

“I know. And you’re going to have a killer senior year. Then you’ll come to Crown Point, and we’ll be together again.” He lifts my left hand and brushes the ring on my finger.

They had it in a plastic bag with the rest of my belongings at the hospital, and I was eager to slip it on. It’s kind of loose now, apparently even my fingers getting slimmer with the coma-related weight loss.

“Promise?” I tip my head back.

He kisses me easily. Without hesitation. “Every time I step on the ice, I’m thinking of you. Even in Crown Point.”

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