I Loved You Before I Met You

106

I look at Lauren wondering if I heard her correctly. She leans down and kisses me. As she is pulling away she says, "marry me Kyler Shay Adams." I smile like crazy as I look at her. "Yes, absofuckinglutely! I want to marry the hell out of you!"

Lauren laughs and gets up, goes to her purse and comes back to the bed with a small jewelry box in her hand. She opens the box and the engagement ring in it is gorgeous. It's a stunning rose gold ring with princess cut center diamond haloed by smaller round diamonds. Additional diamonds go down the band and it really compliment Lauren's engagement ring. She slides it on my finger and it fits perfectly.

As I'm looking at the ring Lauren says "I went Friday morning to find you an engagement ring. I know you don't like big rings and I wanted something that would kind of match mine... well the one that was mine." I look at her confused by what she said and glance at her left hand. "Umm Lauren, where is your engagement ring?"

Lauren sighs "You have it baby." I look at her like she is crazy so she continues to talk. "Remember, I gave it back to you when I was very stupidly... leaving."

I lay here taking in what Lauren said and close my eyes as I'm trying to remember. I look back at her "y-you were leaving me? S-So it's true, I'm not... You were leaving me so I'm actually not good enough to be loved." Suddenly I feel really emotional and start to freak out. What the hell is wrong with me? I try lifting my head off the pillow and my head starts pounding and pain goes down my neck into my back.

I groan from the pain and Lauren grabs my hands and rubs the backs of them with her thumbs. "Kyler, Kyler please calm down. Look at me baby." I can't seem to focus on her because my vision is getting blurry. I hear her call my name again but I don't respond. She releases my hands and in a panicked voice I hear her yelling for a nurse and doctor. As I'm closing my eyes I feel warm, soft hands on my face. I know it's Lauren from the touch and she caresses my face as she says "I love you Kyler" and that's the last thing I hear as I go to sleep.

I slowly wake up to the sound of hushed voices. As I gradually open my eyes I can make out two figures in the open doorway in what seems to be a heated discussion. I'm quiet and listen so I can figure out who they are but soon realize it's Lauren and Aunt Mary when I hear "Mary I'm not against punching you in the face so you can understand this when I tell you again that I'm not going anywhere."

Aunt Mary laughs "As I told you before, I want you gone from here. You have done enough already. I mean seriously, you are the reason she is in the hospital right now."

Before I can say anything a nurse steps to the door and I hear her say "I'm going to ask both of you to quiet down or you will both have to leave. Now y'all can excuse me and wait out here will I go check on Miss Adams." Lauren and Aunt Mary step into the hallway and the nurse comes in, shutting the door behind her. Once she sees I'm awake, she talks to me and explains things while she checks all my vitals. I ask her for a favor before she leaves the room and sends my fiancé and aunt back in.

Both Lauren and Aunt Mary rush towards the bed since apparently the nurse told them I was awake. Lauren stops halfway to my bed to give my aunt time. Aunt Mary leans down and kisses my forehead then says "Kyler, I love you and I'm so glad you're awake. They took you for the CT scans and reset your left shoulder." I barely nod my head and slightly smile at her.

"I'm glad to see you Aunt Mary but I need to speak to Lauren so can you get me some ice water please?" She sighs and nods her head then quickly leaves the room to get my water but not without glaring at my fiancé. Lauren slowly walks towards me and instead of pulling the chair up, she settles on the edge of my bed. She caresses my face as we both lock eyes with each other. I am lost in her ocean blue eyes and see nothing but love for me but also worry.

"Kiss me baby." I whisper and smile at Lauren. She hesitates at first but finally leans down to kiss me. Before she can pull away, I wrap my right hand around the back of her neck to hold her there. "I love you Lauren and I need the pants I was wearing the day of the accident."

Lauren gets up and says "I love you too" as she searches for my pants. She finds a bag in the closet with my clothes I was wearing Friday. She walks back to the bed with my pants and I motion for her to hand them to me. I search both pockets for what I'm looking for then pass the pants back to her after I find it. She puts them up and comes back to the bed and takes her spot back beside me.

"Kyler..." Lauren softly says and I hear her voice break with emotion and her eyes get glossy with tears. "How are you feeling? I have been so worried about you." Honestly, I still feel about the same as I did before I went to sleep except my left shoulder isn't hurting now. I notice the tiredness in Lauren's eyes along with worry and guilt wash over her face and I feel terrible for worrying her.

"I feel about the same but my shoulder does feel better. The nurse told me with rest and the medication they are giving me, I will start to feel better."

Lauren brings my left hand to her lips and kisses it. "Kyler, I am so sorry for leaving you Friday and for how it made you feel. It was the worst decision I've ever made and I will never do anything like that again. You are my everything and I will spend the rest of my life making that one stupid decision up to you in hopes you can forgive me." She says as a few tears roll down her cheeks.

I reach for Lauren's left hand and slide her engagement ring on her finger. "Now, it's back where it belongs and please don't blame yourself for me being in here. This was my own doing when I decided to drive recklessly. I love you and you were already forgiven so stop worrying please."

We smile at each other as Lauren leans down to kiss my lips. When she sits back up she has a serious expression on her face and grabs my left hand and begins tracing her thumb over my ring. "Kyler, I don't want to waste another minute without you being my wife. When you are released from this hospital and well enough I want to get married. I want to get married on Pensacola Beach, in your... well our favorite spot. The spot where you proposed. I love you so much and cannot imagine my life without you."

I smile as I glance down at the engagement ring on my finger. "This ring is beautiful and I definitely don't want to wait either. I wanted to marry you the day I proposed. I love you too and can't wait for you to be my wife and... while we are talking about it, I want to take your last name. I do not want to be an Adams anymore."

Lauren laughs and nods her head as she leans forward to kiss me again. We kiss a little longer but break apart when the door opens and Aunt Mary walks back in with some food, my water and a slight frown.