Chapter 151: Destiny
I dragged a little round stool over to Daniel's bedside, trying to figure out what the heck to say and where to even start.
I used to think eighteen years was a long time, but now at twenty-two, it felt like there was not much worth talking about.
"Daniel, how'd you turn into such a coward, just lying here without a word? What are you trying to dodge? The Daniel I knew was a top student, always in the top three, tall, handsome, with a bunch of girls crushing on you. If I hadn't been so dumb chasing after you all those years, some other girl would've snagged you by now.
You don't even appreciate me, and now you're just lying here, making trouble for everyone. You really have no conscience. But maybe that's just who you are. You set your sights so high, making so many girls feel like you were out of reach. Couldn't you just stay out of reach? Why'd you have to hide the love letter Louis gave me? You've done so many crappy things that even God won't forgive you, making you lie here and listen to my rants. You totally deserve it."
To me, Daniel was just a regular guy now, and a jerk. How was I supposed to be nice to a jerk? The fact that I could sit here and talk to him calmly was already a huge favor.
Emma probably thought I was being harsh and wanted to stop me, but Hugh held her back.
"Let the kids sort out their own stuff. It's already good that Jane's doing this much; we shouldn't push it."
Exactly!
I stared at the sleeping Daniel, rambling about the past. Happy times, angry times, disappointing times—whatever popped into my head, I said it.
As I talked, I got lost in those long-buried memories.
Following Daniel all those years wasn't just about sadness and pain; there were plenty of happy moments too.
I talked for over an hour, my mouth dry and my throat tight.
A big hand reached over and handed me an open bottle of water. Without thinking, I took it and drank a sip.
As I drank, I saw it was Brad who handed me the water.
He stood close, a smile on his lips, his eyes soft.
When the doctor came for rounds during the shift change, he said Daniel was doing well, all indicators normal. He encouraged us to keep talking to him about things he cared about, saying it would help him wake up sooner.
Brad sent Hugh and Emma home to rest and stayed with me.
Brad went out to grab dinner, and it was all my favorite foods.
There was no dining table in the ward, so we leaned against the wide windowsill, feeding each other.
After dinner, I still had to talk to Daniel. I was impatient, but there was no choice. I much preferred sitting with Brad, enjoying the peaceful sunset.
But I had promised, so I had to follow through, no matter how annoying it was. Thinking that it was for Brad gave me the motivation to keep going.
At nine o'clock, the nurse came around to check each ward, asking us to turn off the lights and rest.
In the dark, Brad unfolded the companion chair into a tiny bed and pulled me close. We squeezed onto that small bed together.
The bed was way too small, and Brad's a big guy. Lying there with him felt like being wrapped up in his arms.
Our relationship had gotten pretty intense over the past few days, but the most intimate thing we'd done was hold hands and kiss on the forehead or cheek, always stopping before things got too heated.
We'd never been this close for this long before.
In the darkness, it was just him and me, so close we could hear each other's breathing.
Through our thin clothes, I could feel his body heat, and his fresh scent surrounded me.
His big hands rested on my waist, making my skin feel like it was on fire. His body was hot and firm, and we were pressed tightly together.
"Brad," I murmured, feeling unbearably warm. My voice was so soft, it didn't even sound like me.
"I'll hold you, sleep now," Brad's voice was husky and low in the dark.
The ward wasn't warm, and it got even colder at night.
Brad was like a human heater, and I nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly.
When I woke up, it was still gray outside, and the hallway was quiet, with only the occasional sound of a nurse walking by.
Brad was still asleep, his handsome features relaxed, a slight smile on his lips. He seemed to have slept well.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, I secretly kissed his cheek, then snuck off to the bathroom to wash up. After freshening up, I brought a basin of warm water to wash Daniel's face and hands.
Holding Daniel's thin hand, looking at the blue veins crisscrossing the back of his hand, I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.
I once thought I'd hold this hand forever, but reality had other plans, and we went our separate ways.
Maybe this was our fate.
"Daniel, wake up soon."
"Daniel, stop pretending. I know you can hear me. I'm telling you, if you don't wake up soon, I won't care about you anymore. I'll move with Mom and Dad to the new house and never come back here. By then, even if you die, you won't find me. And even if you do, I won't care about you anymore. Do you hear me?"
After several resuscitations and daily IVs, Daniel's hand was covered in needle marks, a pitiful sight.
I carefully wiped each of his fingers with the warm towel, imagining what it would be like if he woke up one day.
Maybe God heard my prayers.
Suddenly, it felt like something hooked my finger. The force was weak but definitely there.
Oh my God, it was Daniel's finger. His index finger was bent, hooking onto my pinky.
I looked up at him in shock, only to see him quietly watching me, his gaze calm and unwavering, yet impossible to ignore.
At that moment, I was truly astonished. I couldn't believe I had such power. Just sitting by his side and talking had woken him up!
Miracles were everywhere.
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