Chapter 6: The Hospital

In the house we showered. Separately, I am sorry to say. I dressed and was packing my suit case when Mangas came into my room. “Just take what you will need for tonight. We’ll work out the rest tomorrow.”

“I thought you would take me by my house and I would drive my dad’s car to the hospital. That way I would have a car to go home and get some things if I need to.”

“No sense in all that. We take my truck to the hospital and you take the keys. If you need to go anywhere just use it. Both cars do not need to be at the hospital. Your dad is going to be there for about a month after the operation, me only three or four days. You will drive me home.”

I love how he takes charge! At the hospital I followed him to check in. When the lady behind the glass asked who I was, he replied, “My fiancé.”

“Well then she can stay in the room with you if you want and not be subject to visiting hour restrictions.”

I was squeezing his hand so hard I thought I would break it. His fiancé! I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Did he just ask me to marry him? I wanted to scream YES, YES, YES.

He was given a room number and told to report to the nurse’s station on that floor. We walked hand in hand to the elevators. When the doors closed I grabbed him and kissed him. “I love you Mangas.”

“I love you too” was the reply.

At the nurses station an older woman, probably the head nurse, takes his paperwork and leads us down the hall to a room. She tells him to get undressed and put on a hospital gown, then lay on the bed. My father’s room is just down the hall so I give him some privacy and go visit my dad.

Lois is there sitting beside the bed. He looks bad physically, all yellow and weak-eyed. But his spirits are high. I tell him Mangas is right down the hall. We talk a little about tomorrow then I say I am going to check on Mangas.

His door is open and I hear him laughing with someone. It is a woman’s voice, and I do not recognize it. I barge right in and find a young nurse taking his blood pressure. She seems overly friendly to me. I feel my blue eyes turning green with jealousy for the first time in my life. I try not to let it show. But I want her to know he is mine!

“Did you miss your fiancé?” he looks at me with those big green eyes of his and says, “With all my heart.”

The nurse looks at me and then says, “Everything is fine. If you need anything just press this button. It connects you to the nurses’ station. Supper is served at 6pm but you are only getting Jell-o and some fruit juice. Please do not bring him anything else. The operation is scheduled for 6 am so they will come for you about 5:30. If you have any questions or need anything just call.” As she was leaving, I was giving Mangas a tongue filled kiss. I hope she saw.

That night Mangas and I walked down the hall to dad’s room and visited him for about two hours. I told him about my trip to the farm and riding a horse. I talked about meeting the O’Shea family. He listened to the story of Dove hypnotizing me and curing me of smoking. I talked about us playing in the pool. I imagined that everyone in the room could tell I was in love with Mangas but that was never mentioned.

Dad was getting tired, so we left saying that we would see him tomorrow morning before the operation. Lois was going to sleep in his room and me in Mangas’ room.

We pushed the big recliner up next to his bed and he went to sleep holding my hand. I lay awake for a long time just staring at him.

This is unbelievable. It is Tuesday night. I met this guy yesterday morning! We both claim to be in love with the other. Maybe there is such a thing as love at first sight! But I am afraid at the same time. There is so many things that he does not know about me. If he finds out? What then? I drift into a troublesome sleep. At 5:30 am the lights come on and we both are awakened. Mangas is allowed to go to the bathroom and while he does, I run down the hall to visit my father. He is already on a gurney so I kiss him and tell him I will see him later. Lois steps in and kisses him also. On the mouth! What is this? No time to ponder on this. I run back to find Mangas on a gurney. I kiss him and he grins at me. “Don’t worry everything is going to be fine.” Then it is off to the big elevators. We are not allowed on with the two of them but are told to go to the surgical floor where there is a waiting room. Lois and I go together and find the waiting room. We see doctors and nurses go thru some double doors so we think the operation is starting. I suggest we go find a restaurant and get some breakfast it is going to be a long day.