Page 39 of Healing Home
The nurse bustled out of the room, returning quickly with a tall, lanky orderly and another nurse. Within just a couple of minutes they’d maneuvered his IV around the bed and were helping him out of the bed. Lincoln’s thighs quivered as they had to take his weight for the first time in almost a week, but he braced himself against the tall orderly. After a few minutes he felt solid enough to stand on his own. He motioned BB up out of her chair and toward him. Her brows rose in surprise and she smiled as she walked toward him. Then, cupping his face, she leaned up and kissed him.
“I love you too, BB Jones. I had to be on my feet to tell you that.”
BB laughed but he could tell the he’d caught her off guard. “Do you really?” She whispered.
He nodded. “I do. More than I ever would have thought possible. I’ve thought about you and longed for you for weeks.”
He burrowed his nose into her hair. “I want you to be part of my life. While I was over there I thought of so many things I wanted to do with you. I want to go grocery shopping with you, and drive you to the dentist, and plant fake flowers.” She giggled, pressing a kiss to his neck, but he continued. “And I want to have puppies with you. Is Frankie fixed?”
BB chuckled. “Yes, she is. I might have to be the one having puppies.”
He pulled back and looked down into her eyes, feeling the bottom fall out of his stomach. he didn’t like the vulnerable feeling the thought provoked. “Would that be okay? Having babies with me?”
She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. He leaned down and kissed her. “Don’t cry, baby.”
But she did anyway. And there might have been some snuffling from the nurses behind him as well.
“Are you sure, Lincoln?” She searched his eyes and face. “I know it’s quick but I love everything about you. You’ve got spankin’ week-old bad breath and your Lincoln Log is hanging out, but I still can’t get close enough to you.”
Lincoln choked on laughter, pulling her tight into his arms, feeling self-conscious for the first time. The nurses and orderly snickered as well, but he shrugged it all away. “I love you, BrandiLynn Beatrice Jones. You might as well get used to hearing it, because I’m going to be telling you a lot. Every minute I can.”
They stood and swayed for several minutes, until Link’s energy began to wane. “I’m gonna have to lay down, baby,” he admitted. “I love you.”
BB smiled at the words, already loving hearing them.
The nurses moved in then and they maneuvered him onto the bed, this time laying on his left side. Lincoln didn’t even notice when he slipped into sleep, BB’s hand stroking along his head.