HOSPITAL BEDS • Elounor •

19 | For the Rest of Your Life

For the Rest of Your Life

"C'mon Eleanor, please."

"Nancy, I swear I'm not hungry."

"Just like yesterday and the day before, ant the day before..." Nancy sighed removing the tray with Eleanor's lunch intact and took it away.

From my wheelchair, I looked at Eleanor who was with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on her phone. I was beginning to worry because she was not eating anything at all, all the time rejecting her food.

Nancy came to me to check if I was okay and to take my empty tray away.

"Please, check if you can convince her to eat something." She whispered in my ear before she left the room. But as soon as I looked at Eleanor she was already looking at me, furious.

"I heard that." She informed me and went back to her phone.

"She just wants to help you, El."

"I know, but asking you to control me won't work, Louis."

"I'm not going to control you. I told you I'd find the way to help you. That is it."

She put her phone away and pressed the button to lower her bed to my height and gestured for me to get closer. I smiled as it was the first time she asked me to do so, so I pushed my chair and got to her side.

"I'm sorry. I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes." She told me taking my hand.

"Don't say that, Eleanor you are – wow! El, your hand is freezing." I took her hand with both of my hands to warm her. "Are you cold? Don you need another blanket?"

"I'm fine. My hands are always cold."

I stared at her thinking if she was saying that not to worry me or if it was actually true. The past days I had tried to find out everything about her. However, I had the feeling there was always something else I still had to discover.

At first she had been quite reserved but little by little she had begun to trust me more and to tell me about her life. Yet, she was still cautious about not sharing much about her medical condition because she knew I would worry much more.

"Anyway, leaving my hands aside... today is a big day. Are you excited?"

"Mmm, yes, I guess." And now I was the one looking down.

"HA! You're a terrible liar, Lou." She said laughing but I was still looking down at my legs. My non functional legs. "Hey, what is it?" she asked me lifting my face as she caressed my cheek. Her hand was still cold but her touch still felt amazing.

"I'm just – scared." I admitted.

"But, why? The doctors will take care of you. They won't let anything bad happen to you." She assured me pressing my hand as strong as she could.

"I'm not scared of that. I'm scared of the recovery. What if they find out I won't be able to walk ever again?"

"I know it would be terrible for you, but you'll learn to deal with that. And I'll be there to push your chair for the rest of your life."

I opened my eyes and my jaw dropped. She had just said the rest of your life. I knew I had blushed but I could not take my eyes out of hers.

Even though we had not said it explicitly, we had started some sort of relationship not even a week ago and now she was talking about a lifetime. If I would have been able to move, I would have jumped from happiness.