AncilI talked to the nurses at the front desk and they led me to the room Samantha occupied. Samantha’s mom, Elizabeth was the only one there and she sat beside her sleeping daughter stroking her hair and singing softly to her. “Don’t worry, about a thing, because every little thing is gonna be alright. Woke up this morning-.”
“Hey Mrs. Hurlan,” I said, standing at the door and cutting off her singing.
“Hey Ron, you’re back,” Elizabeth said.
“Yeah, I just needed to take a walk.”
Samantha’s head began to move on the bed signifying that she was waking up.
“Can I have a moment with Samantha please?”
“Sure honey. I’ll be in the corridor if you need me,” Elizabeth smiled then walked out of the room.
I took her place on the chair beside Samantha and watched Samantha as she woke. Her eyes opened and we instantly made eye contact. The slight moment between the time she saw me and opened her mouth to speak, my mind was running circles around the fact that there was a possibility that she would have absolutely no idea who I was.
“Hello,” Samantha said with a weakened voice.
“Hey, it’s me, Ronald. Remember me?”
“Ohhhh, Ronald. My friend,” Samantha smiled. “Of course, I remember you. We’ve been best friends since.” She paused trying to figure out how long we’d been friends for. “Since forever,” she eventually said.
“Close enough,” I laughed. “Do you remember what happened the other night with us in the park?”
She scrunched her face trying to remember and said, “Nope. Oh my God, did we have sex?” Her eyes widened with surprise.
I didn’t answer instantaneously. I looked into her eyes and I saw that she honestly had no idea that we had sex. She was clueless and at that moment I had a choice. I could either choose to tell the truth or choose to tell a lie.
“No. We didn’t,” I eventually answered.
“Oh thank God. How awkward would that have been?”
“Yeah, I know right,” I said with a fake laugh.
“And Jonathan would so break up with me,” Samantha said. “I wonder why he didn’t come to visit me in the hospital.”
“He’s probably in an alien spaceship somewhere.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You are so weird,” Samantha said with a cheeky smile.
“You know me, cooky.”
Samantha laughed.
“Anyway, I really came to tell you that Kate and I are flying away for a while to work on our relationship,” I said.
“You and Kate are together?” Samantha looked surprised.
“Yeah.”
“Kate Warren?”
“Yup.”
“How did you two meet?” Samantha asked.
“You introduced us at a writer’s workshop.”
“I did? Wow. I’m so awesome.”
“Yeah, really awesome,” I agreed. “I hope you don’t take it too hard.”
“Take what too hard?” Samantha asked with a confused face.
“That we’re leaving.”
“Oh, you’re leaving?” Samantha asked.
“Yeah.”
“With who?”
“With Kate.”
“You and Kate are together?” Samantha looked surprise.
“Yeah.”
“Kate Warren?”
“Yes, Kate Warren,” I said, slightly annoyed that I had to repeat myself.
“How did you two meet?” Samantha asked.
“Ummmm. You introduced us at a writer’s workshop.”
“I did? Wow. I’m so awesome.”
I stopped talking and said, “I hope you get better.”
“Me too.”
I rose up, kissed her on her forehead, and said, “Goodbye.”
