Nicky sat at the foot of Luis's white-sheeted hospital-made bed. The dim lights around her were all that kept her company. She closed up the book in her hand. The book that she had written herself. This had been the eighth time that she had read it to him since it had been released a month ago.
"I can read it again," she whispered to him. "I'm just amazed that they published our story." Watching him laying so peacefully in the bed filled her with a hurricane of emotions as it always did.
She glanced over at the heart monitor which continued to beep away. His life depended on it. But he wasn't exactly living right now, nor was he technically dead.
"God, I love you, my Hipster Blues Brother!" she whispered to him. She liked to believe that he could hear her. "You were always right behind me!" The click of the door opening made her look up.
It was Adam. "Hey, any changes?" he asked her.
She shook her head and spoke almost silently, "No, nothing. God, it's been seven months. You would think that he would just wake up by now."
Adam kissed her on the forehead and sat down beside her. "Mia is at home with Matt. I figured I'd come and keep you company for a little while."
Nicole kept her eyes on Luis's face. She was glad that the swelling had finally gone down. She was glad that Jaime had been the officer to arrest the drunk driver.
But why was Luis the one made to suffer? He had never done anything wrong.
"I can't do it, Adam. I can't! He could still wake up!" she spoke out loud as the fresh tears came. She knew that the doctors were waiting for her to make the decision.
"You can, Nicky. You heard what they said. Even if Luis does wake up, there's a chance that he might not be all there. Besides, you have your children to think about. You have his baby to think about!"
Nicole felt her body crumble. "He'll die not knowing that he was a father... I'm taking that opportunity away from him if I do this!"
"No, you're not. That man was responsible! All you are doing is letting him rest in peace!" Adam replied with as much conviction as he could muster, praying that she would get the message.
But she didn't seem to be hearing his words. She got to her feet and walked to the head of the bed, her stomach was full and round.
She stroked back Luis's hair and kissed him on the mouth. Her tears trickled onto his cheek as she moved her head away.
She placed the book beside him on the bedside table and looked over at the machines that were keeping the love of her life alive. She was not ready to do it just yet. She still needed more time.
She pressed play on her phone that sat on his bedside table, playing the song that was her dedication to Luis. 'Broken Wings'.
As she began humming the tune, she found her seat alongside Adam and asked him: "Will you stay with me?"
"Always, honey," he replied. "Always!"
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