|
Chapter Three
Sheridan rubbed her hand over Luis hoping to warm it back up. It was entirely too cold. She’d been setting by
his side for the last two hours now and he still hadn’t moved. Dr. Russell said his surgery had been successful,
but they wouldn’t know for sure until Luis woke up. If he woke up… No, she thought shaking her head, Luis was
going to wake up. He wouldn’t leave her alone.
"Luis." She whispered leaning closer to him. "Please wake up. I need you. I need you so much."
A song suddenly floated into her thoughts and without realizing what she was doing, she softly began to sing, all
the while holding Luis hand in hers.
I don’t need a lot of things
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring
I’ve always needed something
But I’ve got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You’re my only reason
You’re my only truth
Memories came rushing back to her as she looked at Luis face. Memories from the first time they met to the first
dance they shared to their first kiss. Memories that filled her heart with love and made her realize just how
big of a role Luis had played in her life over the past year. They had bickered like two children, but underneath
it all was the love they refused to admit to. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks as she continued to get lost
in the song and her memories of Luis and all that he had brought into her life.
I need you like water
Like breath, Like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven’s gate
There’s a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
He’d saved her life so many times and yet she’d never really thanked him. Not once had she thanked him and she
should have. She should have done a lot of things, she thought. She should have told him how she felt about him
a long time ago. Maybe if she had he wouldn’t be laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life. Maybe if they
had both admitted their feelings, she wouldn’t have gone to the wharf and Luis wouldn’t have gotten shot.
You’re the hope that moves me
To courage again
You’re the love that rescues me
When the cold winds rage
And it’s so amazing
Cause that’s just how you are
And I can’t turn back now
Cause you’ve brought me too far
I need you like water
Like breath, Like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven’s gate
There’s a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
Sheridan finished the song then leaned her head onto the bed and cried. She cried for all the misunderstandings
and all the lost time. She cried for the way she treated Luis and for all the trouble she’d caused him. But most
of all she cried for the man she loved. She cried and prayed he would find the strength to come back to her.
That was the one thing she wanted more than anything in this world… for Luis to open his eyes and look at her.
For him to open his eyes and tell her he loved her and that everything was going to be all right.
"Luis," she whispered as she raised her head to look at him. She raised a shaky hand to touch his cheek
and wished her touch would… could wake him up. "Please wake up. Please come back to me."
She heard the door open behind her and wondered which of Luis family members had come into the room. She turned
to see Father Lonigan standing in the doorway. "Father?" She asked in a strangled voice.
"Who is that speaking?"
"Sheridan Crane Father." Had he come to pray for Luis? She hoped so. Maybe then her own prayers would
have a better chance of being answered.
"Sheridan, how is Luis? Has he woken yet?"
"No, Father." She said shaking her head, forgetting momentarily that he couldn’t see the movement. "He
hasn’t."
"He will." Father Lonigan said with quiet confidence. "He will wake soon. It isn’t his time yet.
He has many things left to do yet. He will wake and he will be happy to see you, Sheridan. "
Sheridan looked at the priest and wondered if the man knew for a fact that Luis would wake soon. Something told
her he did. Something in his voice told her he knew Luis would wake soon. "I hope you’re right Father. I
don’t know what I’ll do if he –"
"There there child." Father Lonigan said walking toward her and placing his hand on her shoulder. The
moment he touched her she felt his confidence and all the fear left her body in that one moment. "He will
wake. I know he will. He will not leave you. He is fighting a battle right now, but he is a strong man, much
like his father is, and he will wake up. And when he does, you must believe what he tells you, for he has learned
many things in his slumber. He has seen many things that will be hard for you to understand, but he will speak
the truth Sheridan. He will tell you the truth."
She started to ask him what he meant, but then she heard a scratchy voice whisper her name and her head whipped
around to the man in laying in the bed beside her. She let out a gleeful squeal when she saw him open his eyes.
"Luis! Oh my god, Luis, you’re awake!"
"She…Sheridan?" He asked blinking rapidly before finally managing to focus his eyes. His voice was hoarse
and it was hard for her to understand him, but she managed to hear some of what he was saying. "I… love…
you. …not… your.. fault… that… night.. not… your…fault."
Not her fault? That night? Her hand flew to her mouth and she turned to ask Father Lonigan if this is what he meant,
but she found him gone. Hard for you to understand, but he will speak the truth… he will tell you the truth.
She turned back to Luis and wondered what had happened to him while he was sleeping. What had he seen? What had
he learned? He gave her a half smile and she suddenly lost all train of thought. She didn’t think she had ever
seen anything more beautiful than that smile. She felt as if she had been waiting a lifetime to see him smile
again.
"I… I love you." He said raising a hand toward her face.
Sheridan gave him a smile straight from her heart. "I love you too, Luis. More than anything else in this
world."
"I know." He whispered. "I heard you. I heard you in the chapel."
Sheridan sucked in a deep breath as the priest’s words mingled with Luis’ echoed in her head. He will speak the truth, Sheridan… I heard you in the chapel... Not your fault...
that night… not… your... fault. He will tell you the truth.
Oh god, she thought staring into Luis’ dark brown eyes, he knew. He knew about her past. He knew what she had done. Dear god, he knew.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After Dr. Russell examined him and his family came and saw him,
he was finally able to tell Sheridan what he had seen and heard while he had been sleeping. For the most part,
she had been shocked, but he knew a small part of her had been relieved. There was still a lot of questions that
they needed answers to but he knew they would find them together. Sheridan still didn’t remember what happened
that night, but he knew she would someday soon. He knew he would find the answers to the questions that had haunted
them both. He knew that together, he and Sheridan would solve the mystery of the past and his family would be reunited,
but he also knew that in doing so her family would be destroyed.
"Sheridan," he said gently tugging her hand and pulling her onto the bed beside him. "I know this
is a lot to take in and I know that what I said is a little hard to take, but I also know that what I saw and heard
in the chapel is the truth. Do you believe me?"
He didn’t realize how afraid he was that she wouldn’t, until she shook her head yes. "I believe you, Luis.
I don’t know how or why you were given this glimpse into the past or future, but I know what you saw was true.
I did say those things in the chapel. I don’t remember anything after I touched the cross, but I do remember seeing
blood on my hands and thinking it was yours."
He pulled her closer to him then raised a hand to wipe the tendrils of hair back away from her face. "What
happened to me was not your fault. What happened the night my father disappeared was not your fault. Do you hear
me? It wasn’t your fault. You were a little girl and that man was trying to hurt you. You protect yourself plain
and simple. The only ones at fault that night were Julian, your father, and the man under that sheet. They were
the ones that did something wrong… they were the ones that should have been sent away… not you. Not you."
Tears pooled in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. He used to his thumb to wipe them away. "Don’t’ cry,
baby. I can’t stand to see you cry. My heart literally broke in two when I saw you in the chapel and I found I
couldn’t go to you. It felt like I was being ripped in half."
"I’m sorry." She whispered locking her blue eyes onto his. "I was so afraid and I just lost it,
Luis. I was so scared I was going to lose you and I don’t know what I would have done if I had."
"Hey," he said framing her face in his hands. "You don’t have to apologize for crying. You can’t
keep things like that bottled up inside. Everyone looses it once in awhile… just please don’t make a habit of it.
I don’t think I can take seeing you in so much pain and not being able to help you."
"But you did help me." She said placing her hands on the back of his head and pulling him closer, until
their lips were just an inch apart. "You listened and you came back to me."
"I’ll always come back to you." He said leaning forward to touch her lips with his. "Always."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
EPILOGUE
|
