His Name Was Tate

survive

I moved his hand from my extremely wet face. And scooted closer to him so that our knees were touching.

"If we are gonna do this. We are starting off slow. And I mean EXTREMELY slow. No more random make out sessions. No more random pop ups. We move at my speed. We start off as friends and take it from there." I said.

"I can do that." He said.

"Secondly, if you push me away again. Then I'm staying away. And I mean that. My heart literally can not handle the flip flopping. Your either in or not. Got it?" I said sternly.

"Got it!"

"Thirdly, I have a weak heart. I've had two heart attacks. Kind of. I'm going to have to get a whole new heart. And that wait list is long. Meaning I'll be with this shitty one for awhile. I can keep it pumping for awhile, but it might give out before I can even get the new heart. And even if I get the heart, the procedure it self is high risk. Meaning  you have to deal with the reality of the situation that I might not-" he cut me off with a quick, sweet, chaste kiss.

"I know the reality. I'm here." Was all he said. And my heart melted.

"Okay. Lastly, we need to apologize to My dad, Doc. T and Becks. Then we need to talk to Pops and Doc. T together." I said.

He was hesitant but he agreed.

"One last thing." I said. He looked up from our joined hand and looked me in the eyes. "What happened to Tim's Mom?"

His face was even more solemn. He took a deep breathe. "Well they were able to get the tumor or whatever out of her brain but the tumor did some long time damage to her. She still capable, she's not all there. She lives in the city with caretaker. We visit her once a week whenever we have the time. Dad never comes tho. The coward. She filed for divorce while she was going through chemo." He said with a weak smile.

"You remind me a lot of her. Strong, funny, willing to take on the world and the universe."

I laughed. "We'll I'm flattered to be compared to such an amazing woman."

"You should be. That woman's my hero." He said.

A knock at the door caught both our attention. I looked at Tate and told him to be quiet. "Who is it?"  I asked.

"It us. Tim and Becks." Becks said.

We both relaxed. "Come in!" I yelled.

The door opened slowly, and the two slipped into the room slowly. "Soooo. You two married yet?" Tim asked with a rhy smile.

I rolled my eyes. "No where close to that." I said.

"But we are better." Tate said. And I nodded.

"Tate? Hurt her again, and I'll rip your jalapeño off. Got me?" Becks said putting her arm around his shoulder. He laughed but I noticed the nervous swallow. "Whatever you say mama bear." He said

"Becks, I need you and Tate to come back here tomorrow around 12:00." I said.

"Isn't that when you dad comes over for his break?" She said.

"And Tyler comes in for your treatment too?" Tim said.

I looked at him. "You already know his schedule?" I asked.

"Yeah. Me and T are cool." He said. I looked at him but said nothing else in the matter.

"Anyway, I know that. Just do it. For me?" I said

And she nodded. "I'll do it but I'd doesn't seem like a good idea." 

Before they turned in left I called out to Tate. He stopped and turned. "Take it easy on me, okay?"