Michelle entered Danny's room.
Danny was lying on the bed, the sheets were perfectly wrapped around him. His face was so peaceful that Michelle smiled at the sight. "Why the hell are you smiling?" she asked herself, shaking her head. She pulled up a chair and sat near Danny's bed.
With her right hand, she stroked Danny's hair as if it was the most beautiful treasure God had sent to earth. God, she had missed that. At first she was so busy hating Danny that she never memorized any of this. She didn't take the time. And when she finally did, it was too late. And so many times she had regretted not crawling into bed beside him and putting her arms around him. Not kissing him goodnight and waking up wrapped around his body. She was regretting not having touched his hair more often, or his lips, or his hands.
Michelle took Danny's left hand and kissed it. She closed her eyes to make sure that this time she would remember it. As she carefully but firmly held on to Danny's hand, tears began to fall from her eyes.
"Danny." she started. "There is so much I want to say....." she continued, crying and smiling all at once.
"I don't know if you can hear me....But if you can, you have to come back to me."she added, holding his hand a bit tighter.
"Pilar needs you. I need you. I know that I hurt you, in more ways than I can even imagine. But...I...maybe it's a good thing you are not awake" she said her smile widening. "This way you will let me finish.....for once"
Michelle let out a deep sigh and caressed Danny's face with her right hand."Do you remember how happy you were on our wedding day? All smiling and dancing"
She smiled again at the thought of that day. It was almost perfect. If only she had known at that time what she knows now.....it would have been even more perfect. She loves him. Maybe not back then, but she does now.
"Who would have thought?" she continued, looking at his hand."This could have been my best performance so far....except I'm not sure it is one anymore. "
"I would give anything I have to see you smile like that again. To have you look at me the way you did on that day again."
Michelle tried to wipe her tears away and hold the other ones inside but in vain. And she gave in. She was crying. Not so much because she was sad, but because she had just realized what had been there all along.
"I tried so much to feel nothing for you. I really did. But I couldn't help to feel it. Whatever "it" was at the time I felt it. It was there and it wouldn't go away and now.....I don't want it to go away."
Michelle brought both her hands on Danny's hand. She kissed it again, this time more slowly. She softly rested her head on the bundle of heat that was their hands. She kissed his hand again more quickly this time and lifted her head to look at his face.
"I love you Danny. I love you so much."
**************************************************
Setting: Outside the hospital. Pilar and Bill are chasing after Carmen
"Carmen? Carmen!!?" Pilar shouted.
But Carmen didn't turn around. She kept walking as if she hadn't even heard the sound of her daughter's voice.
"Mother!!?" Pilar shouted, resigned to calling her by the only name Carmen would answer to.
"Pilar, What is it?"Carmen asked, faking surprise on her face as if she hadn't hear Pilar before.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"I don't understand what you are implying here Pilar."Carmen stated, walking towards her daughter.
"You know exactly what I mean. I was there. I know what you were saying to Michelle just before they called about Danny's accident." Pilar said with an accusing look in her eyes.
"Stay out of this Pilar. And for the record I was inviting Michelle to Dinner when you walked in on us. And she accepted."
"Yeah right mother!!" Pilar angrily told her mother.
"Why is it so impossible that Michelle would have accepted my invitation? We have a lot of things in common you know" Carmen said, seemingly proud of herself.
Pilar was staring at her mother and for a small second she almost felt sorry for her. No more. No more sorry or pity or whatever. This time her mother was not going to get away with making everyone miserable. "I will not let you do this" Pilar thought as she opened her mouth to answer back. But instead took a deep breath and thought what she was going to say through.
"The only thing you and Michelle have in common is your love for Danny. And then again she is still better than you at it..." Pilar stated as a matter of fact.
"Don't you talk to me about love and Michelle in the same breath!! And don't you dare speak to me about love! If you loved your family the way you say do you would come back home and stop being so childish and ridiculous Pilar" Carmen said, stroking a piece of Pilar's hair.
Pilar shoved Carmen's hand away.
"Family? YOU are not my family!! Why would I want to go back there anyway mother?" Pilar shouted at Carmen.
"Pilar..."She started but Pilar cut her off immediately.
"No mother!! This is not a house! It's a prison!! It's as warm and "family-feeling" as Dracula's castle!!!"Pilar said even more loud. She continued: "Tell me mother. Where do you keep you barrel of blood huh? Where do you hide the bodies.....the backyard? You keep their fingertips in a jar? Tell me! You go for a little walk in the garden when you are feeling down mama?!! you walk around the corpse enjoying the view!!!!??" Pilar shouted at her tears falling down her cheek.
"Pilar!!!" Carmen shouted. "Don't you dare speak to me like that!! No one speaks to me with that tone do you hear me!!"
"I will speak to you with the tone I want mother. HEY!! I learned it all from you right?! I wasn't deaf as a kid mama and I surely ain't now either. You leave Michelle and Danny alone mama."
"Pilar this is not of your business. Stay out of this!" Carmen begged grabbing Pilar's arms.
"HEY!! Let her go!!" Bill commanded from behind Pilar.
Carmen obeyed and let Pilar go. Pilar hadn't even blinked an eye. Pilar's tears were nothing compared to those of Carmen and Dietz watched amazed by his boss' face.
"Come on Bill. We have nothing more to say to these people." Pilar said taking Bill's arm and heading back inside the hospital. Carmen stood still for a moment then turned around to face Dietz, who was still shocked by the whole thing, and went passed him and headed to the car.
*****************************************************
Setting: Danny's hospital room.
Danny felt a little pain in his chest. The more he was trying to breathe the more weight seemed to land on his chest. He slowly opened his eyes to see the beautiful young woman asleep and holding his hand. Michelle was sleeping her head resting on Danny's chest. At Danny's little moves Michelle woke up and slowly rose her head from the bed.
"Danny?" she said in a sleepy voice. "Oh God thank you!" she said covering his cheeks with soft kisses and tightening her grip on his hand.
"You scared the hell out of me" she said backing away a little to look in his eyes.
Those eyes. God had she missed those eyes. She could almost see herself in them. It was impossible, she had never been so close to seeing her own reflection in someone else's eyes before. And she loved every minute of it.
Danny's look was filled with surprise and confusion at Michelle's kisses and behavior.
"What am I doing here?" Danny asked in a low voice.
"You had an accident Danny. But I'm here now. I will take care of you. I promise." she said kissing his hand again.
Wow this is becoming an habit she thought to herself. But she didn't care. she loved kissing his hand, touching his face.....she loved everything about being so close to him and not having him run away. "One this is sure, he is not running anywhere this time" she thought a smile spreading across her face.
Danny looked at her thoughtful, and reluctant and confused he asked:
"Who are you? Do I know you?"