Love of my life

4

I put my phone away and turn my attention back to Maddie. It's 2pm, the game kicks off at 5.30 so Michael heads to the cafe down the road to grab some food for us both.

Michael has been gone for around 10 minutes when Maddies machines start beeping. Nurses and doctors run in and I get ushered out of the room. I'm watching through the window when one of the nurses shuts the blinds. I call Michael. I hear him drop everything and start running.

I tear up not knowing what's going on. Michael runs down the corridor.
Michael: Leah! Leah! What's going on?!
Leah: I don't know, her machines started beeping and now I'm stood here just as clueless as you.
He hugs me to calm me down. I start tearing up more. Michael calls Louise who says she's on her way.
A few nurses leave the room and a doctor follows them.
Doctor: she's waking up.
Leah: wh-what?
Michael: she is?
Doctor: she's sedated, but she's off the ventilator and is breathing on her own. She's waking up.
Michael and I embrace in the tightest hug possible. I start crying with happiness and relief.
Louise comes running down the hall.
Louise: wh-what? No no no
Leah: she's waking up!
Louise: wha-what? She is?
Michael: she is Lou. Our baby is waking up.
They hug with so much relief in both of their faces.
Louise: Leah.
She pulls me into a hug with them both.
Doctor: she will be confused when she comes around. She won't might not know how much time has passed and she might not know what happened leading up to the incident okay?
Leah: that's okay, we can explain that right?
Michael: yeah we can. Thank you, thank you for everything.
Michael shakes the doctors hand and we head back into her room.
I kiss her forehead and sit next to her holding her hand tightly. Michael and Louise sit on the other side of her.
Now it's a waiting game for her sedation to wear off.

It's 3pm. I'm still holding her hand. None of us have moved. Her hand squeezes mine.
Leah: her hand squeezed mine.
Michael: what?
Leah: again, she did it again.
Louise: really?
Leah: Maddie? Baby? Can you hear me?
Maddie: mmmm
I tear up.
Louise: darling, it's mum, we are here. Dad is here, Leah is here, everything this okay.
Maddie: le-Le-leah?
Leah: yeah baby, I'm right here.
Maddie: I lo-love you.
I tear up more.
Leah: I love you more Mads, I love you more than you'll ever know.
She opens her eyes. Her bright green eyes.

Maddies POV:
I come around. I hear leah talking to my mum and dad about my hand squeezing hers.
Maddie: mmmm
Louise: darling, it's mum, we are here. Dad is here, Leah is here, everything this okay.
Maddie: le-Le-leah?
Leah: yeah baby, I'm right here.
Maddie: I lo-love you.
Leah: I love you more Mads, I love you more than you'll ever know.
I start to open my eyes, it's bright. It's so bright.
I turn my head towards Leah and look at her, she has tears in her eyes.
Maddie: he-hey
Leah: hi beautiful.
Maddie: you gonna kiss me or what?
Within seconds Leah's lips are on mine. She kisses me softly but with so much love.
Leah: I love you.
Maddie: I love you.
She kisses me again.
Michael: still in the room girls.
Leah: yeah my bad.
I turn my head, mum and dad are both sat next to me.
Louise: hey sweetheart.
Maddie: hi, Babe can you get me some water?
Leah: yeah
She hands me some water with a straw. I take a sip and I feel so much better.
Louise: we are all so glad you're okay.
Michael: so so glad. We all love you sweetheart.
Maddie: erm can you leave me and Leah alone for a minute?
Louise: of course sweetheart, we will go get some food okay?
Michael: I'll call around, let everyone know you're okay.
They both kiss my forehead and leave the room.
Leah: you scared me.
Maddie: I didn't mean to, I'm sorry.
Leah: no baby, this wasn't your fault.
Maddie: can you tell me what happened? All I remember is packing up my house.
Leah hesitates but tells me the story of what happened.
Maddie: I don-don't remember that. Im sorry I put you through all of that baby, I didn't know that that would happen.
Leah: this isn't your fault okay?
Maddie: I know but I still put you through it all.
Leah: all that matters is that you are okay.
Leah kisses the back of my hand.
Maddie: mhm
Leah: what?
Maddie: kiss me properly.
Leah stands up and kisses me. It's soft, slow and tender filled with so much love and relief.
Maddie: that's better.
Leah: good, I've been waiting 3 weeks to do that.
Maddie: you haven't kissed me for that long?
Leah: no I haven't, just your forehead and hand.
Maddie: well we have 3 weeks to make up for then don't we?
Leah: I guess so.
Maddie: do the public know?
Leah: they do, I put a post out this morning, with permission from your dad of course.
Maddie: only this morning?
Leah: yeah, there was a lot of media speculation about why we both weren't playing.
Maddie: the public don't know fully?
Leah: no we have a court order on the media so they can't publish anything without permission from your dad.
Maddie: really?
Leah: we didn't want to worry about the media, we just wanted to focus on you.
Maddie: I could hear you talking to me you know?
Leah: you could?
Maddie: all the football scores, everything going on with Bruno. How stubborn you were about not leaving me. I heard you cry a few times, blaming yourself, this wasn't your fault babe.
Leah: I know, not was it yours.
Maddie: I heard they haven't found him either.
Leah: not yet baby, not yet, they will.
Maddie: I hope so.
I see Leah tearing up.
Maddie: oh baby.
I put my hand on her cheek and wipe her tears away.
Maddie: don't cry beautiful, there's no need to cry.
Leah: I've missed your voice, your eyes, your smile. Just everything, I've missed everything.
Maddie: I missed you too.
She kisses me again.
Leah: you want to watch the game?
Maddie: stupid question.
Leah: okay.