Surviving Love

She Said Yes

I was staring at a set of X-rays. I had a patient with a broken ankle. The girl was a high school cheerleader. She was doing some trick and her ankle snapped. She hadn't stopped crying since she walked through the door. I gathered it was less about pain and more about the fact that she was looking at a good chunk of time where she couldn't cheer. Both her tibia and fibula had breaks. I was going to have to splint the girl's ankle and refer her to an orthopedic doctor. She'd more than likely end up with surgery. I blew out a breath, I already knew there would be more tears and I was about to crush some dreams even if she'd more than likely recover just fine.

"Why so sad?" Colleen asked coming up beside me.  "Damn who's ankle is that?"

"The head cheerleader for the high school down the road." I said.

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

As soon as the word yeah left my mouth, there were footprints behind us and they were fast approaching. We both turned, seeing Deedee power walking as fast as possible.

"Hey when did you get here?" I asked, my brow wrinkled as I took in her expression. She looked like she was about to explode.

"Just now. But I had to come find you both right away." Deedee was talking so fast I didn't think she remembered to breathe. "Look. Look! LOOK!"

She waved her left hand around wildly, jumping from foot to foot.

"What's going on?" I asked Colleen, leaning to the side slightly.

Was this one of those girl things I didn't understand? Deedee was babbling so fast I couldn't understand a thing. I looked at her and back at Colleen just as Colleen started in with Deedee.

"What's happening ?" I yelled over squeals and shouts.

Maybe I should go get help? I took a step back about to go find someone when Colleen grabbed me by the shirt and dragged me closer.

"She's engaged you dumbass!" Colleen yelled.

"To Logan?" I asked.

"Of course to Logan!" They both shouted at me.

"Well let's see it." I said, holding my hand out for Deedee.

She placed her hand in mine. She was so tiny her hands were the size of a child's. I moved her hand side to side, letting the enormous diamond perched on top sparkle in the fluorescent lighting.

"That's a hell of a rock there." I said.

"I know it's huge isn't?!" Deedee's smile couldn't get any bigger. "I love it so much!"

"So how'd he ask?" Colleen asked, grabbing Deedee's hand to inspect the ring.

"It was our anniversary yesterday, 6 years! But I got home from meeting my friend for dinner and I push open the front door and the lights are dim and there's a trail of rose petals and candles leading into the house. So I walk in and I take my shoes off and I'm already crying because he went through so much trouble to make our anniversary special this year seems how last year we weren't even in the same state on our anniversary. But I follow the trail and there's this little table with a glass of champagne poured on it and a picture of us. I take the champagne and I follow the trail all the way into the bedroom and there he is in a suit in tie, down on one knee with the biggest ring I've ever seen. Of course I said yes so he stands up and I throw myself into his arms dumping my glass of champagne everywhere."

Deedee was a ball of energy, telling us the story as fast as she could, happiness bubbling out of her. I pulled her into a hug, Colleen joining us.

"I'm so happy for you." I said.

"When's the wedding?" Colleen asked. "Everyone's gonna ask."

Deedee squealed, dancing in a circle as we pulled away from our hug.

"Next year, beginning of August. It's going to be outside and huge and beautiful and I can't wait!"

"We want to help." Colleen said. "Wherever we can."

I looked over at Colleen, I didn't remember agreeing to help. I had enough on my plate. She shot me a quick look telling me I had no choice.

"Yeah definitely, anyway we can." I said.

I had a feeling I'd be helping and Colleen would just be hanging out, yelling orders. But that's why I loved Colleen, she was who she was.

"Woah, who's ankle is that?" Deedee said, pointing to the X-ray on the light board behind us.

"The head cheerleader for the school near by." Colleen told her.

"That sucks." Deedee said.

The three of us were standing shoulder to shoulder staring up at the mess that was the young girls ankle.

"Yeah, I get to go tell her she's probably going to end up with surgery." I said.

"Glad I'm not you." Colleen said. "Cheerleaders are crazy, at least in my experience.

I looked over the top of Deedee's head at Colleen. A smile twitched at the corners of my mouth.

"Oh yeah, you got a lot of experience there?" I asked. "Didn't think you went for cheerleaders."

"I don't." She crossed her arms over her chest, shooting me a look.

"Uh huh." Deedee and I said unconvinced.

"It was highschool, I was young and dumb." I raised my eyebrows at her. "Okay she was hot too. Super hot but super crazy. Which is why I'm glad it's you and not me."

"I sort of agree." Deedee said. "You're so much better at delivering bad news than us." She patted me on the back. "Good luck, come on Colleen lets go show off my ring some more!"

They both turned, heading down the hallway leaving me with the broken ankle. 

"You're supposed to be working!" I called after them.

"Cover for us!" Colleen yelled back.

I shook my head, smiling. They were terrible and I loved them. I yanked the X-ray from the clip and grabbed the girl's file. I let out a sigh, this oughta be fun.

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What is this!? I wrote another chapter. Daily updates are living on! 4ish chapters till Maci comes back, eek! -DBR