One Life

27.

Before I knew it, it was Monday morning. Sal was up and out of the shower by seven, and I was just watching the news on the television. I couldn't eat because the surgery was in four hours and they didn't want anything, such as an upset stomach reaction due to mixing food with the anesthesia, to happen while I was out.

Sal didn't eat in front of me. He thought it was rude, plus he said he was too nervous about the surgery to eat. It was so weird to watch him get nervous over a surgical thing that I was going through, but he was being such a sweetheart about it, I couldn't not smile.

Joe was going to come pick Sal up around eight to get to the airport in time for them to travel. Bessy offered to come visit me during my recovery, which I gladly said yes to since she was such a sweetheart to Sal and I. Bessy could always make me smile just by the way she talked so soothingly. Her body language was always calm, also, which helped a lot of the times.

While Sal rushed around the room to make sure he had everything he needed, I texted Jenna to make sure she was still coming today when I got out. Sal was tough on her when he first agreed to have her come, but he eventually warmed up to the idea. Well, he didn't have much of a choice about it.

Me: Are you still coming over today when I come out of surgery?

Jenna: Yeah, to calm Sal down about your medical thing, I'll be coming over in two hours so I can be there with you before you go in also.

Jenna was absolutely amazing. As I sent her a thank you text, Sal zipped up his second bag and sighed happily.

"Done packing?" I giggled, putting my phone down and turning to Sal.

"All done," Sal chuckled as he got up and came over to sit next to me. "Anything good on news?"

"Just the usual world issues," I said with a shrug.

Sal just smiled down to me and kissed the top of my head. "I'm gonna call Jenna and see when she'll be here."

"I actually just talked with her."

Sal looked up at me, a bit shocked.

"When?"

"When you were packing," I giggled, waving my phone in front of my face. "She'll be here around ten."

"Holy crap, she's actually coming early," Sal mumbled bitterly as he made his way back to his bags.

"Be nice," I said quickly as I shot a stern look over at him.

Sal just smiled sweetly while he tried to fit one more thing into his bag. I could tell he was struggling, but I really couldn't do anything about it.

"You got that, babe?" I called over to him while I watched him from the bed.

"Kinda," he murmured as struggled on. 

After a moment of silence, I heard Sal sigh a breath of relief. He was such a dork, but at least he kept me smiling every day.

Before Joe arrived to pick Sal up, Sal had to have a "serious" conversation with me about how I could call or text him whenever I needed to. He claimed that I could call him when he was on stage, but I knew that that would make me a bad girlfriend. Sal also kept saying how he would drop everything and come back to be by my side. As sweet as that was, I really didn't want to do that unless there was an absolute need to. Him doing his stand up and his show with his best friends was his life and his dream, and I knew this. I didn't want to be the reason why his dream is stopped or paused. I told him fine, but also told him how I would only have him rush home if it was an absolute need. As far as texting and calling, I told him that he could call or text me whenever he was free. He was told to text me before shows and after shows so I would know it was safe for me to call or video chat him without any interruption. It seemed like a good system, especially because he agreed so quickly.

The issue I've always worried about ever since we started dating was my medical issues getting in the way of him filming Impractical Jokers and going on his stand up tours. I usually kept any doctor check up appointments on the down low if I knew he would be out of town, only because I didn't want him to worry so much about me.

*

When Joe texted me that he was parking his car, I told Sal. Sal just nodded and stared out the window. I could tell he was dreading leaving me here "alone", but we've been over this a thousand times. I knew he knew, but I also knew it was still difficult for him.

Joe came up a few minute later with a giant smile and a wrapped up brown bag in his hand. Sal looked at the bag with curiosity, but then frowned when Joe gave it to me.

"Did you think it was for you?" Joe chuckled over to Sal. "Nah, no presents for you. We get to see each other for a whole week non stop. I'll buy you a tee shirt before we leave a state."

When Joe handed me the bag, I shook it as if it were a Christmas present.

"Don't shake it, just open it," Joe said as he sat down on a chair next to my bed. I waited for Sal to come sit down with me until I opened the bag up.

Inside of the bag were two jelly donuts with extra jelly. A smile grew on my face as I took one out and looked over at Joe.

"I can't eat this right now," I said as my smile quickly faded, realizing that I couldn't eat it right now.

"I didn't say you had to eat it right now," Joe said quickly. "But it'll be a nice treat for when you come out of your operation later on."

Sal checked his watch and sighed. "We have to go, Joe."

Joe and Sal got up from where they were sat and zipped up their jackets. While Joe took Sal's luggage out for him after Joe said goodbye to me, Sal stayed behind for an extra minute to say goodbye to me.

"Remember to call me if anything, even if it's just that you miss me," Sal said as he kissed my forehead gently.

"I will," I whispered to him. "Go, you'll be late."

With that, we exchanged one last kiss before he made his way to the door. Sal turned back to me as he exited, blowing one more kiss to me before he walked away and was out of sight.