Touch - Phan

Chapter 21

Dan's POV

The doctor came in and said it was time. She didn't kick me out. I stayed right there, holding onto Phil's hand.

"Okay," she said. "Let's do it! Are you ready, Phil?"

He breathed. "Yes."

Only a single nurse stepped into the room with a clipboard. The doctor pulled carefully down on a corner on one of the bandages, and carefully pulled it off, the the other. Phil's eyes were closed.

My heart swelled with anticipation.

"Well?" she asked.

Phil's eyes slowly opened. They were still his lovely "bluey-green" colour. I smiled for only a moment, but everything was too serious to stay smiling.

His eyes blinked, twice, three times, then very fast all at once. They wandered around, darting left and right, up and down, He balled up one fist and rubbed them. His face turned red. He was going to cry.

I held his hand so tightly. "Phil?"

He blinked back tears that began to fall anyway.

It didn't work.

Dr. Murphy bowed her head at her failure, unable to speak. Even the nurse looked unhappy, like she would too cry.

"Phil," I said. "It's okay. Please don't cry. It's fine. I still love you, I promise." I felt like I was going to explode, from anger, sadness, pity....

Then he touched my hand. His eyes were drawn up, facing me. He hasn't been able to really look at me for so long. I could barely remember the feeling of him looking at me dead on. It felt unreal.

"Dan," he said.

My heart was about to blow up.

"You look so beautiful."

The doctor and I looked at each other. I looked at Phil. Phil looked at me.

"Phil," I snapped quickly. "What colour shirt am I wearing?"

"Black," he said. "What else?"

"Come on, you could have just guessed."

"I didn't."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm looking at it right now. Black."

I could have passed out.

He was smiling. He was staring at me. Phil's eyes had a sense of direction, and were looking at mine, and in tears. The doctor was rushing around behind me, saying things so happily and writing things down. The nurse congratulated her. Everything was a blur - everything except Phil's eyes fixated on mine, and the small smile on his lips.

It worked.

Phil's POV

As they removed the covers on my eyes, I was thinking one thing:

Dan was right there. I would see him.

When I opened my eyes, it was blurry. I rubbed them awake, and I was completely taken. The items around me had colour, and shape. They existed. It wasn't black. I was staring around the room, and I began taking in what sight was. It was incredibly overwhelming. I had began to tear up. When I finally decided to lock eyes with Dan, I realized everything - everything I never saw.

He looked beautiful, yes, but he looked so tired.

I then realized it all. He always stayed up late, waiting for me to sleep. He woke up first, either to make me breakfast or just to watch me. He helped me walk, find things, set up videos, get through the shower, eat, dress, live. He was the only reason I could live. He sacrificed his life and his time, just so I could feel normal and do normal things. He rarely got time for himself.

He did it all for me.

And he was tired now. Now it would be my turn. My turn to help him, and to thank him.

The doctor began asking questions, and I answered everything I could. Yes, I was sore. No, I didn't see spots. No, my thinking wasn't corrupted. I didn't even know how some of these connected to what happened, but just went with it.

My vision was still blurry. I never had the best eyes in the first place, but now it was slightly worse.

"It wasn't going to be perfect, of course," Dr. Murphy warned, "but you'll at least have some vision - enough to see fairly well."

I could see now, and I could see Dan, who was there the second I lost my vision, the second I got it back, and everything in between.

I loved him, and one day, I would marry him.

My parents came into the room. I looked at my Mum and Dad. They looked as I remembered. They hugged me and kissed me, and thanked the doctor in every way. They hugged Dan too, thanking him for all he's done. They had to leave, and did so.

PJ ran in too, and I thought he might burst into tears. I hadn't seen him in so long. He too looked tired, but not as tired as Dan.

All I wanted was to look at Dan - to make up for all the lost time.

Now that I could.