Second Chances: An Unexpected Angel

Chapter 66

On the day I was released from the hospital, I made my way to the bathroom to go one more time before leaving. It was hard for me to walk, because I was so tired. Sméagol lifted me into his arms, and carried me all the way to the car. On the way home, Hayley stopped to pick up something for us all to eat. When we got home, I had fallen asleep again. Sméagol unbuckled my seatbelt, lifted me into his arms again, and carried me from the car all the way up to my room. He laid me down in my bed, and tucked me in under all my fuzzy sweater blankets. He bent over to kiss my lips. "Sméagol be back, Precious," he whispered.

Sméagol went into his room, and changed into a sweater and a pair of sweatpants with a little springy tail. Then, he made his way downstairs, and found Hayley sitting on the back porch. "Hi, Precious," he greeted cheerfully.

Hayley looked up at Sméagol. "Oh, hey, Sméagol."

Sméagol sat next to Hayley, and wrapped his arm around her. "Awww, are you alright?"

Hayley smiled sweetly. "I'm okay, Sweetie. I'm just reflecting."

"Reflecting, Precious? What about?"

"About the past couple of days." She took a deep breath, and exhaled through her nose. "Watching you with Cheyenne, the way you treat her, I just... I don't know how to explain it, but..." She thought for a moment, struggling to find the right words. "I guess it brings me peace."

"Peace?"

"The way you stayed right by her side through it all. You never, ever left. As scary and hard as things got, you stuck it out. You didn't blink once, didn't even think of running in the opposite direction. I have never, ever seen any of her other friends and past boyfriends do anything like that, never. Some of them took off running when she had so much as a shutdown. None of them would've stuck around through this whole ordeal, but you did. You never budged. You didn't even wanna sleep in your own cot. You said you were much more comfortable in Cheyenne's bed."

"Yes, I was, Precious. I was."

"You were glued to her side the whole time."

"Of course, Hayley. Sméagol do anything for beautiful Cheyenne. Sméagol love Cheyenne very, very much."

"I know you do. I always knew you loved her, but... I was always scared. Not that I didn't trust you. I––"

"I understands. When it's been hurt so many times, very hard it is to know who is real... and who is false. Sméagol thought Master was false, Bagginses, Sam. None of them were. They were all good."

"But, because your whole family shunned you, and the whole world basically wanted you gone, you didn't know who to trust. You thought everyone hated you, but you wanted to believe someone could love you."

"Yes, yes, very true."

"Frodo did love you, Sweetie."

"Until Sméagol hurts him."

"No, you didn't. The stupid piece of shit ring did, and I don't think Frodo ever stopped caring about you."

"Sméagol never stopped loving Master, either. Always has loved him... and Sméagol loves Sam... and Bagginses, too... and Faramir and his men and Aragorn and..." He took a deep breath, and his eyes filled with tears. "Sméagol even loves all the elveses and orcses that hurts him." He put his hand on his heart. "Everybody in Middle Earth Sméagol loves... very much, even those who hurts me."

"Wow." Hayley was completely awestruck by Sméagol's words. "Sounds like you've pretty much forgiven everyone who's hurt you. Not only that, but you actually love them."

Sméagol thought for a moment. "Not all of them."

"Who's left?"

He sighed heavily. "Gollum. Cannot forgives him."

"Oh, Sweetie." Hayley put her arm around Sméagol. "You will someday... when you're ready."

Sméagol returned the embrace. "Sméagol understands why Hayley was afraid. Did not want Cheyenne to get hurt again, did she?"

"You're right, and I guess... I saw how much she loves you. I didn't want her to be devastated again, because I knew I would lose her forever if she lost you." With that, Hayley broke down sobbing again.

"Oh, Precious." Sméagol pulled Hayley into a warm, tight hug. "Sméagol never leave Cheyenne, Sweetie, never."

"I know that now."

"Sméagol needs Cheyenne, too. Would not be alive without her. If I ever lost her... I knows I would die, too. Cheyenne is my baby, my whole world she is."

"I know that now. Watching you with her these past few days, it really proved to me that you really do love her, and you're not going anywhere."

"No, never."

"You've seen her at her worst, and you're still here. Nobody else ever did that for her. Then again, I know how determined you are. Once you set your mind to something, you never, ever give up, even if things get really difficult and crazy. I guess you've set your mind to loving Cheyenne, and... you're not giving up on her."

"Nope." Sméagol gave Hayley a mischievous smile. "Cheyenne stuck with Sméagol."

Hayley and Sméagol burst into long and loud laughter.