The Void Between Hearts ~~ongoing~~

TICK-TOCK

𝗕𝗢𝗠𝗔

Since Mom called him I stopped crying but I haven't seen her, she's probably still crying in the lobby. I don't care much for her tears anymore, it's just sad.

The moment I open my eyes to check the clock, he bolts through the door like lightning. My plans for today include crying, planning my funeral, editing his eulogy and picking out a ridiculous red suit for him on a cheap online store and here he is looking like a bright idea. My mind says laugh but there's no strength so I manage a smile.

He looks at me from the door, I try to decipher the expression, I'm too tired to worry my brain.
"Hey, Bo," he kisses my forehead and my nose, "icy." He smiles, "are you cold?"

"Hot." I reply

He tilts forward again and I think he's going to kiss me so I adjust for my last kiss.

"We're leaving." He says

"Leaving? Where? With who? Why?" We both look at the heart monitor as it spikes. I swallow and regulate my breathing. "Why are you leaving? Now? Ivan, really? Okay, lol. Take care then," I can't believe he's saying this, it's unlike him, but I'm the champion of telling everyone to move on so, it's fine. My lips twitch as I try to hide being upset.

"No, no, no. What are you talking about?" He asks, confused as his eyes run around the orbit. "We're leaving as in me and you, to Spain, Dr. Salvadore, he emailed me today, they found you a match in Spain and we have to be there in 6 hours."

"Match what? What match? Are you okay?" I'm worried, "you're talking weird Ivan."

"Okay," he says, "let's try this again."

"Sloowwwlyy." I emphasize

"Okay," he smiles, I smile too, I love him, can't help it. "Venice, you remember?"

"Yes, not Zanzibar, Venice was an unfortunate location." He laughs, I smile more, remembering Zanzibar.

"So the doctor that saw you there, Doctor Salvadore?"

"Yes?" I nod slowly.

"He told me about a hospital in Spain that leads organ transplants, and I signed you up."

"Signed me up?"

"Yeah, I filled the form he gave me with your details and stuff."

My eyes open wider and I keep nodding slowly.

"They ran some tests and put you on the waiting list. He just emailed me, there's a match for you."

There's a match for me.

"Okay, so I'm going to get a transplant? They found me a donor?" It hits me in one sweep. "Will it work? Isn't it too late already?" My heart is so full of many emotions and they all find their way to my eyes, his too.

"No, it's not too late," he takes my face in his hand and places his head on mine. "It can't be too late. It's just right."

Mom walks in with Dr. Ikenna  and Tee, she winks at me and Tee gives me a thumbs up. I smile.

They talk about prepping me for the air ambulance and what the process is going to be like, Mom is coming along too.

This is really happening, I have a shot at living.

Ivan looks back at me, he's so happy, the happiest I have ever seen him, this alone makes me feel like I can breathe better. "All you have to do is hold on for Spain," he rubs my cheeks. "Don't die." He says.

"I won't."