Authors: Nikki Vale
I finish the song to a round of applause. In the doorway behind me stands a bunch of hospital staff, my father, and Skye’s mother, with tears running down her cheeks. I could swear I see the sparkle of unshed tears in my own father’s eyes. I ignore all of them and turn back to Skye; her response is the only one that matters.
“That was so beautiful Cooper,” she says through sniffles. “You lied. You do sing like an angel,” Skye compliments. I stand up removing the guitar strap from my shoulder and replacing the guitar back in the case. I walk back to the side of her bed. I run my hand over her hair down to the side of her cheek and brush the tears away with my thumb. Skye turns her face into my hand and kisses my palm and nods her head yes.
“Yes?” I ask breathlessly seeking confirmation.
“Yes, Cooper. I want this relationship to be more than just professional. I want to be your girl,” she shyly admits. I want to swoop her up to hug her and kiss her till she can’t breathe, but I know she’s hurt so I settle for bringing her hand to my lips and kissing the tips of her fingers.
I look to the door where most of the staff are clutching their hands over their hearts in sentimentality as they turn to depart, murmuring amongst themselves. My father and Jenny Williams remain standing there.
“What are you doing here Dad?” I inquire almost accusatorily.
“I heard that Skye was in the hospital. I had some things I needed to speak to her about,” he responds, hanging his head. “I happen to run into Jenny in the hall and we spoke. We agreed that you kids needed to know about our history. I guess it’s best that you’re both here,” he says looking at me and Skye. I’m still standing next to the bed holding her hand in mine.
“You see, when Harold and I were just teenagers we were sweet on each other,” Jenny informs us. That’s odd. I’d never heard about any of this before. By the look on her face neither has Skye.
“Anyway,” Dad picks up where Skye’s Mom left off. “I was best friends with your father Chogan Williams. His parents, your grandparents Skye, used to run The Grove Diner. I spent a lot of time with Jenny and Chogan. I guess during that time they began to fall for each other,” he apprises us, looking forlornly at Jenny.
Jenny has the decency to look ashamed. “Chogan and I never meant to fall in love Harold. It just happened,” she admits hanging her head in shame.
“It devastated me, to say the least,” Dad candidly admits. “Spoiled rotten brat that I was, I was determined to make their life a living hell. I had my Dad buy the diner from underneath your grandparents noses. They were leasing it because they couldn’t afford to buy it. I made sure they never got it, and then I made sure that no one in town would hire Chogan.”
Jenny chimes in again. “That’s when your father and I eloped and moved to California to start over,” she addresses Skye. “I thought after all these years Harold would have forgiven me, obviously, I was wrong,” she concludes.
“No. I said what I did to Skye out of spite and jealousy. You have a beautiful daughter Jenny. I lashed out because I could see Cooper looking at Skye the way I used to look at you, and I was angry. I wanted someone to hurt the way I had been hurt. For that, I’m sorry Skye. Seeing you two together brought it all back to me. I realize how foolishly I reacted but the damage had already been done,” my father admits.
“What about Mom?” I ask him.
“Oh, your mother knows all about this little drama from my past. She’s the one who told me to grow up and come and apologize to Skye like an adult. Son, I love your mother. This had nothing to do with lingering feelings for Jenny. No offense Jenny,” She raises a hand, shaking her head as if to say no harm no foul. “This was all about my stupid pride. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, Skye,” Dad says walking up to the other side of Skye’s hospital bed.
She looks like she’s about to reach out to grab my father’s hand but then she grimaces at the painful reminder that her arm is injured. “Of course Mr. Talbott,” she tells him.
“You truly are beautiful, inside and out,” my father says with sincerity. He touches the tip of his baseball cap in farewell towards me and Skye. He turns toward Jenny doing the same and walks out of the hospital room.
“Cooper, would you mind giving me and Skye a minute?” Jenny asks me. I nod and attempt to pull my hand from Skye’s grip but she doesn’t let me.
“You can say what you need to say in front of Cooper,” she informs her mother.
Jenny looks at me then back at her daughter and clears her throat. “I wanted to say that you and Summer were right. I’ve been covering for your sister. I knew that Dawn was angry with you because of Cooper. I had no idea she was spreading lies about you but I knew she was hurt. I didn’t know how to handle it. It reminded me too much of the situation between Harold, your father and me. I wasn’t trying to take sides, but I understood her anger and her pain,” she quietly concludes.
“Why can’t you understand how I feel sometimes?” Skye pleads.
“You’re the strong one Skye. You’ve got it together more than all of us combined. I know you’ll always make it through anything. That’s who you are, Sweetie,” Jenny explains.
“What if I don’t want to be? I don’t want to be the strong one? I want someone to hold me and tell me that everything’s going to be okay. Let me lean on someone else for a change,” Skye tells her mother. The sadness and yearning for understanding in her voice are tearing me apart.
“Is that truly what you want Skye? Because it seems to me you fight the people who want to be there for you the most,” Jenny remarks looking at me meaningfully. Skye falls silent. Jenny walks up to her, leans over, kisses her on the forehead, straightens and walks out the door.
Skye
She thinks I’m the strong one? That’s laughable. I pretend like everything’s alright but it’s not. But why bother to tell anyone that? They don’t really care. People ask how you’re doing all the time. It's second nature, but who really wants to hear an honest answer? No one.
Cooper is standing there looking at me with pity. I don’t want his pity. I don’t need it! What I need, is to think about something else right now.
“So your Dad and my Mom?” I say to Cooper. “Who would have ever thought, huh?” He just stands there looking at me searching for something.
“Tell me what you need,” he says simply. What I need? What is that supposed to mean? I look Cooper in his baby blue eyes and I see myself reflected back in them. He really is trying. He’s trying to see me. A few tears escape the corners of my eyes.
I scoot over to the left side of the bed as far as I can get without my wounded arm touching the protective rail. I pat the space I made on the right side of the bed. Cooper sits down.
“Lay with me,” I implore. Cooper gingerly lies down on his side facing me. I have to remain on my back because of all of my injuries but I just needed to feel him close. Without me having to ask he lays his arm across my stomach and nuzzles his head into my neck. I can feel his stubble tickling my neck and shoulder and I giggle. “Thank you,” I say and close my eyes feeling safe.
I don’t know how long I dozed but I wake to the sound of the door opening. I look to my side and see Cooper’s sleepy eyes slowly opening. He’s so cute I can’t resist turning my head and kissing him on the nose. He gives me a dopey smile.
“It looks like you made your choice grasshopper,” I hear Jon say, reminding me of why I woke up in the first place.
“Yeah, I did. Sorry,” I admit apologetically.
“No big deal. I kinda figured it was always him. The chemistry between you two is undeniable,” he surprisingly responds. “Don’t get me wrong, I felt it for you, but I could tell you didn’t return the sentiment,” he quickly explains. I can’t deny his assessment of the situation so I don’t address it.
“Are we good?” Cooper asks him, sitting up in the bed next to me.
“Always,” Jon replies. “So here’s the deal. Trixie has skipped town. We had officer’s go to the homes of every one of her relatives in town, searching for her, and no one has seen her. She doesn’t have any family outside of Acorn Grove, so she’s bound to turn up sooner or later. Skye shouldn’t go anywhere without protection, but I’m sure you’ve got that covered,” Jon says winking at Cooper.
“Yeah, it’s covered,” Cooper responds.
“I really wanted to apologize for not getting to you sooner Skye. I just thought you were taking a little longer in the bathroom because of your injury. I should have known something was wrong,” he comments, blaming himself.
“It was my fault. When you told me that you broke things off with Trixie the night of Dawn’s birthday party I remembered how she looked at me when she was dancing with Cooper and I was dancing with you; if looks could kill. Anyway, realizing this, I went into the bathroom hoping she would follow me. I thought maybe I could get a confession out of her. Well, I got much more than I bargained for,” I confess, sheepishly.
“That was a dangerous stunt you pulled. She could have killed you,” Cooper admonishes, squeezing my hand.
“Yeah, tell me about it. What’s wrong with you two anyway? Did you get magnets that attract crazy, implanted under your skin? I mean first Hailey because of Cooper and now Trixie because of Jon. And they say women are drama,” I say, trying to be funny. Neither man laughs.
“Not funny,” says Cooper.
“At all,” Jon agrees. Geesh, harsh crowd.
It won’t happen again,” I promise them both, referring to my facing Trixie alone.
“What’s the prognosis? How long till you can get out of here,” Jon queries.
“This whole fiasco set me back a week or too. The cast had to be taken off and replaced because it was broken in the scuffle. My ribs took another beating and I got thirty-two stitches in my left arm. But my lung wasn’t punctured or my nose broken this time around so things are looking up,” I joke. “Still not funny? Okay, then. I have to stay overnight because of the loss of blood. But I get to have steak for dinner tonight because the Doctor says I need the iron,” I say, giving a thumbs up. This time, Jon smiles and shakes his head.
Cooper still isn’t smiling. He’s looking at me intently as if he sees through my façade of jokes and laughter and it’s scaring me. Be careful what you wish for…….
**********
We’re leaving the hospital once again. This time, I’m not leaving on crutches but in a wheelchair. My arm hurts too much to support my weight on crutches and the doctors are afraid I’ll tear the stitches. If ever there was a time to throw a pity party now would be it. I look next to me and see Cooper with his trademark baseball cap, flannel shirt, blue jeans, cowboy boots and a toothpick in his mouth and I find that a reason to smile.
“What are you grinning at like a Cheshire cat?” he asks me.
“You,” I reply still grinning from ear to ear. I’ve noticed that he talks a lot more now, but just to me. It makes me feel special that he feels the need to share his thoughts with me. If only I could be so forthcoming.
I’m nervous about returning to Cooper’s house. Things are different this time. It won’t be two people in a platonic relationship living under the same roof. Now we’ve both admitted our desire for more from each other. That changes the game. I sigh dejectedly.
“What’s wrong?” Cooper questions with concern. Oops, I didn’t mean to sigh out loud. I was just thinking that it will be a long while before Cooper and I can be intimate with how hurt I currently am. But I’m not about to admit that to him. So I tell him a partial truth.
“I’m just tired,” I reply. He doesn’t say anything, just pulls into the driveway of his house and hops out of the truck. He removes my wheelchair from the bed of the trucks and takes it into the house, leaving the front door open as he returns to me. I expect it this time as he sweeps me into his arms, closes the truck door with his foot, and carries me into the house.
He sure is strong. I feel his taut muscles under my hands. “How tall are you?” I ask him curiously.
“6’3. What are you doing Skye?” he questions me in a husky voice. I blush, realizing I’ve been running my hands all over his chest as he carried me. He places me gently in my wheelchair forcing me to stop my exploration.
“You’re injured,” he remarks. Does that mean he doesn’t want me? I glance up his body, taking in the evidence of his desire before my gaze reaches his. Scratch that. He definitely wants me. Cooper is being the gentleman that he always is.
“Stop look at me like that Skye. I thought you were tired,” he accuses playfully. He walks over to the front door, closes it then walks back to me standing in front of my wheelchair. “Come here,” he says pulling the chair closer to him by the arm. He reaches out his right hand and cups the side of my face as he slowly lowers his lips to mine. He teases my lips with light brushes of his own. His finger curl into the back of my hair bringing me closer as he gently kisses my mouth nipping and sucking on my lower lip. I moan against his sensual lips and attempt to move closer. My moan of pleasure quickly turns to one of pain as I put pressure on my injured arm.