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♠ ♥ ♦ ♠
"May- may I see him?" she stuttered, her hands gripping the blanket anxiously.
"You may. I'll show you to him," the nurse said, guiding Taylor to a room.
"Babe," Taylor flew to his side, seeing his weak, pale face trying to smile at her. "Oh my God."
"Hi," he replied softly. "My love."
Taylor caressed his cheek softly, careful to avoid the cut. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She let out a sob, collapsing into the nearest chair.
"Love," Joe said worriedly, his eyes drooping as he turned to the side to look at her.
"Are you going to be okay?" she whispered faintly, her voice barely heard.
"I'm going to be okay. I promise," he smiled at her, taking her hand.
"You don't know that," Taylor cried, tears plummeting down her cheeks onto her lap. "You don't."
"I promise." Joe looked at her genuinely.
"You- you can't," Taylor hiccupped, holding his hand to her face.
"I can," he said calmly. "I will be okay. I promise."
"No, no, no! I don't want to lose you," she said vulnerably.
"You won't," Joe said.
"No," she repeated, collapsing into his arms, sobbing until she ran out of tears. "No, no."
Her sobs gradually slowed down as he kissed her forehead softly. She breathed in and out slowly, hiccupping in between, trying to find comfort in his warm embrace.
"I love you," she said. "You can't leave me. Ever."
"I love you too," he replied. "I won't," he promised.
A knock was heard from the door and a nurse shyly walked in.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said quietly. "But it's time. Let me explain the procedure."
Taylor and Joe both nodded wordlessly, waiting for the nurse to speak up again.
"We will put you in a room and you will be laid down, then we will insert the IV needle into you and begin the transfusion. The process will take around two to three hours, and you will be unconscious throughout. We will monitor you closely during the entire process. Any questions so far?"
"Will I get to be next to him?" Taylor asked.
"Unfortunately, no, but we will give you continuous updates on his progress. Mr Alwyn, you are blood type O negative, correct?"
"Yes." Joe said hoarsely, his body frail.
"So you'll get a choice between fresh blood or preserved blood. Of course, fresh blood would be more expensive, but ultimately there's almost no difference."
Taylor glanced at Joe nervously, holding his hand loosely. "Um, this is a weird request but could we hear the... prices for the blood?"
"Three hundred USD for preserved, and four hundred USD for fresh." the nurse said.
Taylor and Joe looked at each other nervously, both lost for words. Finally, Taylor spoke up and broke the silence.
"Could you please give us a moment?"
The nurse nodded understandingly and left the room swiftly, leaving the pair alone.
Taylor turned to Joe, tears threatening to spill from her eyes again.
"We- we don't have that type of money," she said, her voice breaking. "We both know that."
"I am perfectly fine with preserved love," Joe said. "We can stretch it out."
Taylor didn't reply, but was instead typing on her phone. With shaky hands, she turned it around and showed Joe her screen.
"We have a hundred tops in our savings," she whimpered, "That's not enough. We still have the other hospital bills to cover."
"We can figure this out," he reassured her, kissing her knuckles.
A knock came from the door again, reminding them that they were running out of time.
"Come in!" Taylor said, taking a deep breath, her mind reeling as a plan formulated in her mind.
The same nurse returned and walked towards them. "So, have you made the decision?"
"We'll take the fresh blood, please," Taylor said firmly.
"Love-" Joe interrupted her. "We can't afford that."
With shaky hands, Taylor reached for the ring that sat on her left hand. Trembling, she removed it carefully, her hands quivering violently as she did so. Kissing it once, twice, three times, she took a deep breath and placed it onto the nurse's hand.
"That... that should cover all the costs," she said, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.
"Taylor, no," Joe said, reaching out to grab the ring. "I can't let you do that. No."
"I don't care," Taylor said determinedly. "I can't lose you."
"I already promised you, you won't," Joe said. "I'll be fine with preserved blood."
"I need to be sure that you will be okay, and if fresh blood be it, then so it shall."
"Taylor, that's our wedding ring!" Joe shook his head. "I can't let you do that, it means too much to the both of us."
Taylor shook her head, tearing her eyes away from her ring that was in the nurse's outstretched palm, unable to bear the pain that was rapidly tightening her chest, and her face crumpled up again.
"I- I can't take it back," she whispered, her knees buckling. "I want you to be okay," she said, her tears coating her lifeless cheeks again. "I need you to be okay."
"I will be," Joe reassured her.
"Promise me," she whispered weakly, holding his hand as close to her as she could.
"I promise, and I'd do it a million times again." he responded, unfurling his pinkie towards her. She hooked it back with hers, almost breaking down again at the sight of her ringless fourth finger. When they were first married, they couldn't even afford one, and she lasted without, but this time it was different.
Hugging herself with her arms, she collapsed into a chair beside him, her body shivering violently. She gasped for breath as her chest tightened, snot running from her nose.
"I don't want to lose you," she cried again, rocking her body back and forth. "I need you to be here with me, I need you to be fucking okay. You have to be."
"My love, it's going to be alright," Joe said, troubled to see his wife in such a state. "Are you sure about this?"
She took a deep breath and nodded, watching as the nurse closed the ring into her palm and slowly walked away. A ring that held so much sentimentality, so much love, and so much more of them in the mere opal gemstones and diamond slivers.
"Cheer up," he smiled weakly, "I love you so much, ring or not."
She gave him as meek smile as he was wheeled away into another room.
"I'll be back soon, my love," said Joe. "I promise."
"I love you," she said softly.
"Love you too."
a/n: i hope yall finally get the ring for blood title because i think it ties in really well lmao. sorry this part's a bit shorter, the next one will be longer in compensation. my poor taylor and joey :( anyways, one more part to go!!
