Mira
I had to admit, the sex the day before was more than a little confusing. One minute I was screaming at him, the next minute we were ripping off each other’s clothes. It was the first time I had ever had angry sex with someone, that was for sure, and I wasn’t sure that I really liked how it made me feel afterward. He had kissed me awkwardly on the forehead and left the room. By the time I had gathered myself and headed down to leave for the hospital both he and Miles were nowhere to be found. I had come to the hospital that morning with dread in my chest, wondering if he was going to show up, or if I going to have to tell my mom the bad news.
When I walked up to the pre-op waiting area, they took me back to see my mom. On the way, something caught my eye and I stopped, staring over at Ryan, lying in his room on the bed, hooked up to an IV, waiting for surgery to begin. He looked up as I passed his room and I smiled, nodding my head in appreciation. He nodded back, and I went in and saw my mom for just a couple of minutes. When the nurse came in to take her, I followed them out into the hallway where they wheeled Ryan up beside her.
“I’ll love you forever for this,” my mother said to him, reaching out and grasping his hand.
“My kidney knows it has a job to do, we had a talk,” he smiled, with a chuckle.
“Good, because I don’t need another bad one,” she winked.
“And I won’t have another to give you,” he smiled.
The moment was heartwarming and the anger and confusion I felt before immediately melted away. It may only have been gone for that moment, but it was important that I remind him of how thankful I was that he was there for us in our time of need. He let go of my mom’s hand and looked up at me as I approached his bedside. I leaned over and kissed him on the lips, gently and sweetly.
“Thank you,” I said.
He smiled and nodded his head, as the nurse looked up at me, signaling it was time. Despite everything, Ryan was still going through with the surgery, and that was a huge deal. He was giving his kidney to someone he barely knew. He was saving a life, a life that meant more to me than my own. When it was all said and done he would have given me my mother back, and he walked in there doing it even after everything that had happened between us. The human spirit amazed me that day, and it showed me that I really didn’t know people like I thought I did. I usually thought the worst, trying not to be let down by a race of people I assumed would always choose the easier path, just like my father had.
On that day though, standing there in the pre-op hallway, Ryan renewed my faith in people. He showed me that not all men leave. Not all men skirt their responsibilities and promises. Not all men are my father, and Ryan was definitely one of those men who deserved to be forgiven for the things that he had done in the past, especially the things he did before he ever met me. It made me feel bad for judging him on what Miles had told me, and instantly I regretted not doing what my mother suggested. But as they wheeled him through the surgery doors first I knew it was too late. I just hoped that he understood from that kiss that I saw him differently.
“He’s a pretty good son-in-law,” my mother said, drawing my thoughts back to the present. “I think he might deserve a free pass after this one. What do you think?”
“I think he is a good man,” I smiled. “And I think that when he comes out of surgery I will not waste any more time waiting to talk to him. You are right, it is way too important to wait on.”
“Your mother can be wise sometimes,” she chuckled.
“It’s time, ladies,” the nurse said kindly.
I leaned over and gave my mother a huge hug, squeezing her tightly, not wanting to let her go, even though this moment was something we had feared would never come in time. She kissed my cheek and pulled back, giving me a comforting smile. I stood there and watched until they were completely out of sight, the surgery room doors swinging closed. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest, turning and walking out into the waiting room. The place was empty, so I took a seat in one of the more comfortable chairs and leaned my head back, staring up at the fluorescent lights in the ceiling.
There was a TV on the wall, but it was muted, and I really couldn’t seem to pay attention. It felt like I looked at the clock every ten minutes, slowly watching the hours tick by. I walked over to the vending machine and got a cup of coffee, looking over as someone walked out of the back and smiled as they passed. I sighed, knowing the surgery would take a while, but hoping that everything was going okay. I got my coffee and went back to my chair, looking up at the clock again. It had been two and a half hours, so before long they should be coming out to tell me something, at least.
“Any news?” Miles said, walking up to me and sitting down in the chair.
“No,” I sighed, looking down at my cup. “It’s been about two and a half hours, but nothing yet. They should be coming out any time now.”
“Ryan’s a tough bastard,” he said, looking nervous. “I’m sure he will be fine. And your mom, I’m sure she will come skipping out of surgery.”
“That would be something, right?” I smiled, looking up at the TV, trying to be civil.
“While I have you here, I want to tell you something,” he said, turning to me. “When I sent the application in for Ryan to be on the show, I did it as a joke. When he accepted it, I thought he was crazy. The way that I acted the first time I came out here was out of line, and I should have been more thoughtful to your feelings. The way I acted this time, well, I have no excuse. I’m sorry for that. You must be going through a lot with the show and your mother. I was a complete asshole and I deserved for that apple to hit me right between my eyes.”
“I was close,” I chuckled.
“You were,” he smiled. “I think that Ryan has some really serious feelings for you. He has always been a good guy. He’s always been the better of the two of us, but when I found out he was considering staying married, and he was giving an organ to your mother, I knew that he more than just liked you. I wanted him to admit it out loud, I wanted him to embrace it, to stand up for it. He isn’t a fighter, he is the guy who gets walked all over, and he has been hurt in the past which is why we made that stupid pact to begin with. I was pushing his buttons, I’ll admit that. I was trying to get him to explode and you were caught in the crossfire. I’m sorry.”
“Well, I appreciate your honesty,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. My anger and resentment disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. “And I accept your apology. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my cool with you like I should have. I didn’t show you the woman that I really am.”
“If I were in your place with all this going on, shoot, I would have knocked me out two days ago,” he laughed.
“I thought about it,” I smirked, sipping my coffee. “Let’s start fresh. I don’t know what will happen between Ryan and me, but I don’t want to fight with you anymore. At least that will make him less stressed during our time here at the house.”
“Agreed,” he said, putting his hand out to shake.
I smiled and shook it, sitting back and looking up at the TV. Jerry Springer was on and it made both of us laugh out loud. I had to admit it really helped having Miles there for the last thirty minutes of their surgeries. He calmed the mood and made me a lot less nervous, distracting me, at least until the doctor came walking through the door.
“Mira,” the surgeon said, smiling. “Everything went perfectly. Ryan was an excellent match, and his surgery was easy and clean, and your mother’s replacement procedure went great as well. We will have to keep her for a little while just to make sure that the kidney functions and settles in with her system. She’s still got a long road, but so far, so good.”
“Oh, thank God,” I said, letting out a deep breath. “Can we see them?”
“Give them thirty minutes to move back from recovery,” he smiled. “We’ll come and get you.”
“Doc?” Miles said, putting out his hand. “Thank you. Those two are very precious to us.”
“It was my pleasure,” he said, turning and walking back through the doors.
I turned to Miles and hugged him tightly, so glad that everything had gone well. My mother was going to have her life back. She would have to heal and get used to things again, but in no time she should be healthy and happy. It was something I’d feared would never happen. We waited impatiently in the waiting area for about forty minutes, before the nurse came back to get us. Miles went to Ryan while I went in and saw my mother. She was groggy, but awake.
“This pain medicine is amazing,” she said.
“Mom, I’m so glad you are okay,” I said, with tears in my eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, sweetie,” she smiled. “Now I have part of your husband’s body in me.”
“Mom, that’s weird. Don’t say it like that ever again,” I laughed.
“It’s the pain meds talking,” she chuckled.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Go check on your husband. I know things are a little weird right now, but he deserves for you to go see him, so he knows you care.”
“Okay,” I nodded, wondering what she’d think if she knew how weird they really were. “But I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be right here,” she smiled.
I walked out of the room and across the hall, stopping in the doorway. Miles looked up and smiled, patting Ryan on the shoulder and leaving the room. I walked in and stood next to the bed.
“I feel like while you’re in pain and on meds, I should take this time to force a lecture on you — but since you saved my mother’s life, I think I’ll give you a pass,” I said, with a smile.
“Thanks,” he groaned. “They haven’t actually given me the pain meds yet, your mom is hogging them.”
“I’m sure she would be happy to share,” I smiled. “But thank you. Thank you for this, I will never forget it.”
“It was my pleasure,” he smiled.
I stood there for a moment not knowing what to say, just holding his hand tightly. The nurse came in and gave him some meds in his IV and he almost instantly started to smile. His body visibly relaxed back into the bed.
“They are going to need their rest,” the nurse said. “You can see them again when they are moved to their regular rooms after a bit.”
“All right, I just need to say goodbye to my mom,” I smiled. “Thank you.”
I leaned over and kissed Ryan on the forehead and left the room. He was already in sleep land and my mother was too, so I did the same with her and met Miles in the waiting room. I had mixed feelings, and I was confused about so many things, but in that moment, I was just glad that she was okay. That they were both okay.