Torn

chapter 25

I wake up feeling better than I have in weeks, maybe even months.  I slip out of bed, trying to not wake the man I love.  I leave in search of coffee, and when I return, Slash is awake and sitting up in bed.  He looks alert and so handsome.

"They are bringing me food," he grins.  "Real food.  I am starving."

"I bet," I smile at him.  "Besides starvinvg, how do you feel?"

"Like I need a kiss," he teases.  "Wonder if the nurse can help me with that?"

"Oh, I am sure she would.  Want me to go find her?" I joke along.

"C'mere you," he pats the bed beside him.

I go over and sit beside him.  We just sit there, side by side, in silence for a few minutes.  Then he puts his hand on my chin and turns my head towards his.  The kiss is gentle, sweet, perfect.  And cut short by the arrival of a nurse.  She looks at me disapprovingly, and I try to supress a giggle.  She checks Slash over then as she is leaving tells us that he will most likely be sent home today.

I start to get up when his breakfast tray arrives, but he wraps an arm around me and holds me by his side. 

"You must be hungry, too," he says, matter of factly.  "I will share."

We take turns feeding each other the tasteless scrambled eggs and overly browned toast.  The fruit is soft and mushy.  I realize this is the best breakfast of my life.

"So, you are living with Lindsey, now?" he asks. 

"I was staying there, yeah," I shrug.

"And now?" he raises his eyebrows.

"Now I stay here," I admit.  "I could not bear to leave you here."

"And when I blow this joint?" he asks.

I am not sure what to say.  "I guess I don't really know."

"Wynnie," he smiles.  "Come back home.  Its not the same there without you."

"Are you sure?  When I was there before, we were just room mates," I try to get at what living with him would mean.

"And this time you will be my girl," he clarifies.  "If that is what you want."

"Are you kidding?" I exclaim.  "There is nothing in the whole world I want more than you."

The doctor comes in and gives us instructions to follow up.  Take it easy for a few days, be more careful, and all.  Then he tells us we are free to leave.

"Fuck yeah, baby, we are going home," Slash says, as he gets up from the bed.  He dresses in the jeans and tshirt that Axl and Lindsey brought here for him.  "Ready to go?"

"Hell yes I am ready," I answer.

"Oh, before we gom, there is one more thing I need to do," he says.  He casually walks over to the horrible chair.  He gracefull picks it up and throws it across the room, where is shatters against the wall.  "Nothing in the world is gonna get away with making my girl uncomfortable."

A hospital volunteer arrives with a wheelchair to escort him out of the hospital.  He grabs me and pulls me onto his lap as he is wheeled past me.  We laugh as the volunteer tells us that this is NOT how it is supposed to be done.  Once we get to the exit, I hurry off to find my car, that Lindsey and Axl had brought here for me the other day.  I drive quickly to pick Slash up, then we head off to his apartment.  Our apartment.