from crying so much. I’m going to the cafeteria to find something to snack on. Do you guys want anything?” she asked, getting out of the bed and slipping into her shoes.
“Bring me back a Pepsi.”
“I’ll bring you back a bottle of water. You drink too much soda, Simone. You good, Deon?”
“Yeah, I’m cool, thanks.”
“You sure you’re okay, Simone? You need anything?” I asked, after her friend had left the room.
“Why are you here? Why do you even care, Deon?” Simone asked, sincerely. From the look in her eyes alone, I could tell that she’d been hurt before. I could tell that she didn’t trust me, although I’d given her no reason not to.
“To be honest with you, Simone, I don’t know why. All I know is that something keeps pulling me toward you. All I can do is go where I’m led,” I said, honestly. “I guess I’m here because I care. I’m a grown ass man and I don’t play games, Simone. I know you’ve been through a lot. I can see it in your eyes and I know you won’t let me in easily. But I’m not worried about that. All I need is for you to open the door a little bit.”
“I can’t make you any promises, Deon,” Simone whispered, trying hard not to let the tears that had welled in her eyes fall.
“Simone, I don’t need any promises from you. Fuck a promise! I’m not here to bring you down. I’m here to lift you up. My intentions are honorable. I’ll show you what type of man I am if you give me the chance.”
“Will you stay here with us tonight?” she asked, probably testing me.
“If that’s what you want, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll be right back.” I walked out to the nurse’s station and asked to speak to the person who could get Simone moved into a different room. By the time her friend came back from the cafeteria, I’d gotten Simone moved into the biggest room they had available. She was about to meet the man my parents raised.
Simone
“Simone. Simone, wake up.” I heard Deon’s voice as he shook me awake.
“Damn, babe, what were you dreaming about? You were crying and begging someone to stop,” Deon asked, looking concerned.
“I was just dreaming about the accident. That’s all.” I lied. “Did I wake you up? Where’s Talise and Stacey?” I asked him, wiping tears off my face.
“No, I was already up. Stacey left at about 6:00 . Talise left at around 7:00 . They didn’t want to wake you. Said they’d call you in a couple of hours or so. I was going to go home and take a shower and all that. I have a meeting at 1:00 , so if it’s cool with you, I want to come back tonight at around 7:00 or 8:00…I don’t have to leave now if you need me to stay; I can leave at like 10:00 ,” he said, looking at me intently. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Go ahead and do what you have to do,” I replied, trying to stop the tear that escaped my right eye.
“It’s no problem for me to stay,” he said, wiping the tear from my face. There was so much concern in his eyes that it scared me.
“No, I’ll be fine. Thank you for being here. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“You don’t even need to. I’m surprised that I’m not tired as hell. We were up talking ‘til 4:00 in the morning while you were knocked out. I’ll call you after my meeting. Get some more sleep. You look beautiful, but tired.” He kissed me on my forehead and walked sluggishly out of the room.
I closed my eyes and let my tears flood down my cheeks as soon as the door closed behind him. I was so tired of having this damned nightmare and beyond frustrated because I was no closer to understanding why I was having it, or why this man was doing these awful things to this little girl.
There was a soft tap on the hospital door and then a petite Asian nurse walked in, carrying a beautiful bouquet of long stemmed, white tulips that were even larger than the ones Deon brought the night before.
“Looks
“Bring me back a Pepsi.”
“I’ll bring you back a bottle of water. You drink too much soda, Simone. You good, Deon?”
“Yeah, I’m cool, thanks.”
“You sure you’re okay, Simone? You need anything?” I asked, after her friend had left the room.
“Why are you here? Why do you even care, Deon?” Simone asked, sincerely. From the look in her eyes alone, I could tell that she’d been hurt before. I could tell that she didn’t trust me, although I’d given her no reason not to.
“To be honest with you, Simone, I don’t know why. All I know is that something keeps pulling me toward you. All I can do is go where I’m led,” I said, honestly. “I guess I’m here because I care. I’m a grown ass man and I don’t play games, Simone. I know you’ve been through a lot. I can see it in your eyes and I know you won’t let me in easily. But I’m not worried about that. All I need is for you to open the door a little bit.”
“I can’t make you any promises, Deon,” Simone whispered, trying hard not to let the tears that had welled in her eyes fall.
“Simone, I don’t need any promises from you. Fuck a promise! I’m not here to bring you down. I’m here to lift you up. My intentions are honorable. I’ll show you what type of man I am if you give me the chance.”
“Will you stay here with us tonight?” she asked, probably testing me.
“If that’s what you want, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll be right back.” I walked out to the nurse’s station and asked to speak to the person who could get Simone moved into a different room. By the time her friend came back from the cafeteria, I’d gotten Simone moved into the biggest room they had available. She was about to meet the man my parents raised.
Simone
“Simone. Simone, wake up.” I heard Deon’s voice as he shook me awake.
“Damn, babe, what were you dreaming about? You were crying and begging someone to stop,” Deon asked, looking concerned.
“I was just dreaming about the accident. That’s all.” I lied. “Did I wake you up? Where’s Talise and Stacey?” I asked him, wiping tears off my face.
“No, I was already up. Stacey left at about 6:00 . Talise left at around 7:00 . They didn’t want to wake you. Said they’d call you in a couple of hours or so. I was going to go home and take a shower and all that. I have a meeting at 1:00 , so if it’s cool with you, I want to come back tonight at around 7:00 or 8:00…I don’t have to leave now if you need me to stay; I can leave at like 10:00 ,” he said, looking at me intently. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Go ahead and do what you have to do,” I replied, trying to stop the tear that escaped my right eye.
“It’s no problem for me to stay,” he said, wiping the tear from my face. There was so much concern in his eyes that it scared me.
“No, I’ll be fine. Thank you for being here. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“You don’t even need to. I’m surprised that I’m not tired as hell. We were up talking ‘til 4:00 in the morning while you were knocked out. I’ll call you after my meeting. Get some more sleep. You look beautiful, but tired.” He kissed me on my forehead and walked sluggishly out of the room.
I closed my eyes and let my tears flood down my cheeks as soon as the door closed behind him. I was so tired of having this damned nightmare and beyond frustrated because I was no closer to understanding why I was having it, or why this man was doing these awful things to this little girl.
There was a soft tap on the hospital door and then a petite Asian nurse walked in, carrying a beautiful bouquet of long stemmed, white tulips that were even larger than the ones Deon brought the night before.
“Looks
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