The One Who Got Away is Back

Present 17 ♡ The Exclusive Bernal Solis Club

"It's not your fault," Dean said from across me, sipping from his cup and setting a fourth one down next to him that I assumed was for his future father in law. "That's what these idiots do for the people they love."

Charlie threw her hands in the air and wailed, "Are we cursed? Or are we supposed to start a club about bullet wound scars?"

"Bernal family?" a new voice said and we all turned to see a middle aged man, wearing the kind of scrubs doctors normally wore for surgeries.

We all jumped to our feet and ran at him. Mr. Bernal dropped his angry conversation with a nurse as he saw the doctor approach us and rushed over to us.

"We're done operating on Mr. Bernal," the man said. "The bullet went through his thigh and narrowly missed the artery. It did shatter his femur, which is why we needed to operate on him to fix up the area. He should make a full recovery, provided there are no complications."

My legs gave out from under me and I landed back on the chair. His family asked more questions but my mind blanked. All that went through it was a thank you that I repeated like a mantra and sent to the heavens above.

I sat with Dean as Miguel's family went over to his room to wait for him to wake up.

"Don't you want to go?" he asked.

I nodded. "I do, I really do. But it's not my place."

"Considering what he did for you, I think it is." He gave me another funny look. "Welcome to the family."

After a while Mr. Bernal came out and confirmed that Miguel was awake and wanted to see me. He said he was going to take care of some administrative things in the meantime. I hesitated, but Dean convinced me with a wave of his hands.

Another nurse came out of his room as I approached and I met Miguel's open eyes through the open door. While I froze on the spot, a full blown smile bloomed on his face.

He bellowed, "There she is! My future wife."

I had a feeling like all the heat left my body and rushed back in with a wave that almost knocked me off my feet.

"What?" I asked, and this set Charlie off with so much laughter that it jarred me from the moment entirely.

"He's a little hopped up on painkillers," was all she managed to wheeze out.

"Come here," Miguel said, motioning one big hand over. I was still reeling from what he said but I stepped into the room, which made him nod and say, "Good, so you accept my proposal."

"That was a proposal?" I squeaked out.

"He could use with some pointers from Dean." Charlie shrugged. "I'll leave you two loverbirds to hash out the details of the wedding. Just don't upstage mine, okay?"

And with that she swept out of the room, a pep in her step renewed at knowing that, though hallucinating, her brother was going to be just fine. If I didn't kill him first.

I settled for glaring at him. "What the hell do you think you've done?"

There was a very specific twinkle to his eyes that let me know he might not be as high as people thought.

"Don't people in the hospital get a wish?"

I sat on a chair by the bed and let out a sigh that released me from the pent up stress.

"You're not sick," I said. "However, you are incredibly stupid. How could you jump in front of a gun?"

That sobered him up, confirming that he was fully lucid. Miguel reached out for my hand and I gave it to him. He squeezed with more strength than I'd expect from someone who got shot and bled all over.