I sat there with Derek, squeezing the life out of his hand waiting to hear what the doctor had to say. We were waiting for my mother to get to the hospital so we could all hear the news. Whether it was good or bad. My mom rushed through the door looking confused. “What’s going on? Is everything OK?” The doctor turned to my mother and asked her to take a seat next to me. Dr. Byers pulled a chair over and sat down. My untrustworthy heart was racing. I thought I was going to pass out. I couldn’t read the doctors face. I wanted to see if I could figure out what he was going to say before he did. I got nothing. My mother grabbed my hand and patted it with her other hand. Dr. Byers looked up and said, “There was a car accident the next two towns over. The hospital called and said that they have a patient that was involved in the collision. The patient was brought in and declared brain dead. The family has agreed to donate the patient’s organs. Now, we don’t know yet but from what the patient's charts read, it looks good. Kate we might have found you a heart.” A tingling sensation rippled through my body starting from the back of my neck all the way down to my legs. It was a chain reaction of goosebumps. My heart started beating faster. My hands went numb and I felt like I was frozen. I was in complete shock. I blinked a couple of times trying to process what the doctor just said. My mother was stiff as a board, squeezing my hand like her life depended on it. I forced my head to look at Derek and he had tears streaming down his face. I looked back at the doctor. Everything was moving in slow motion. “You found me a heart?” I swallowed. Dr. Byers smiled and nodded. “Yes, Kate. We did. We found you a brand new heart. The donor is a very healthy twenty-two year old male. The family has signed the paperwork. I will be going myself to collect your heart.” My mother screamed in joy. She jumped up and hugged the doctor. I turned my gaze to Derek. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear, “You may be getting a new heart but you still have mine.” I squeezed him tighter as he kissed my cheek. My mother rushed back to the bed and hugged me. I was laughing and so happy. Then I started to cry. I dropped my head into my hands and started to sob. My mother placed her hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong Kate?” I looked up at her and said, “I’m getting a second chance at life. I get to watch my baby grow up.” I smiled and began to cry again. My mother started to tear up and laugh; nodding her head. She picked my face up to look at her. “Yes you do, my sweet girl. You do get another chance. You are going to get a lot of other chances as well, I think.” She looked past me at Derek. I smirked and rolled my eyes at my mom. I hugged her again. I peered past my mother to Dr. Byers. “When will the surgery be scheduled?” My mom and Derek changed their focus towards the doctor. “Well Kate, I will be leaving here in about an hour to go get your heart. Your transplant will be at eight in morning tomorrow. No eating or drinking after midnight.” I traced an ‘X’ over my soon-to-be replaced heart, swearing to abide by his instructions. My mother hugged me again saying she was going to go pick up my son. She walked the doctor out but not before hugging me one more time. I fell backwards into the bed. I couldn’t believe it; I’m going to live. I WILL survive this. I get to watch my son grow up. I get to fall in love without holding back. Derek laid down next to me, putting his arm under my neck. I reached up and interlocked my fingers with his. I pulled his hand to my lips and kissed each and every finger tip. I glanced over at Derek and he was smiling. We leaned into each other and closed our eyes. We stayed that way for a while. I opened my eyes and he was staring at me. He took his right hand and began tracing invisible lines on my face. He traced his finger all over my face and stopped at my chin. He curled his finger under my chin and pulled me closer to his face and kissed me. The kiss was like the first one; perfect. He kissed my lips again, then my chin and last my forehead. He returned his gaze to my eyes and smiled. “Kate, I’m falling in love with you.”
Comments