What A Rush

Nicknames and Pep Talks

-Kelley-

She came out of surgery an hour ago, and was still unconscious. A nose cannula was on her top lip, and her hair was hanging down her shoulders. Her left leg was in a wrap, and a metal brace went from her ankle all the way up to the top of her leg. On her legs, I could see her different types of tattoos. I could also see the ones peeking out of her medical gown, on her collar bone and arms. My favorite one was the one on her left forearm, and I remembered the first time she explained it to me.

~~~

I ran after Emily, as she sprinted around the pitch. Finally catching up to her, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She laughed out, as I pinched her side.

"Give me my phone." I said, as she laughed.

"O-okay." She said, handing me my phone. I smiled, and slowly spun her to face me. She smiled back, as I slowly kissed her. Pulling away from her, she jogged backwards on the pitch. I noticed one tattoo on her arm, and smiled.

"Emily, what's your tattoo mean?" I asked, pointing to it on her arm. It was two different pairs of handwriting, one said 'Dad, love you xoxox'. The other one said 'Love you always, Mom' with a heart.

"It was the last message my parents wrote to me." She said, smiling down at her tattoo. "The day before the crash. It was a Friday, and I was headed to school. The next day we went to see that soccer game. They wrote it on the same paper, and stuck it on the fridge. I found it, stuck it in my pocket, and headed to school." She said.

"I like it." I said, and she smiled.

"Yah, so do I." She said.

~~~

All of her tattoos were the same type of ink, black and thick. The only one that was different was the handprints on her shoulders, they were faint, almost like they were disappearing. I held her inked hand, rubbing my thumb over her finger. I smiled down on her, and then pulled my hand away from hers. Lifting her head up, I slipped her necklace around her neck. Clasping the ends, I laid the ring down on her chest. Intertwining our fingers, I felt her grasp my hand.

"Emily, hey?" I questioned, seeing her eyelids flutter. I saw her beautiful green eyes, as she smiled.

"Hey." She rasped.

"How are you?" I asked, rubbing the pad of my thumb over her cheek.

"I'm good." She said, and then yawned.

"Your surgery went good. The doctors say that everything went fine, and we can leave in a few days." I told her, and she smiled.

"How's Pinoe?" Em asked.

"She had surgery a few hours ago. She'll be okay, but she won't be back for the Olympics." I told her.

"Kiki." She said.

"Mila." I replied, and she smiled.

"I remember when you first called me that." She said.

"Yah, so do I."

"You were tired, and it was late. I remember you tried to say Emily, but for some reason Mila came out. I didn't understand it at first, but I do love when you call me that." She said.

"I love when you call me Kiki." I said, and she smiled.

"Mila and Kiki." She said.