Taken (Dark Desires 1)

“And what about the ring?”

I reached in my pant pocket and pulled out a small red velvet box. It was Worn around the edges from years of being in a safety deposit box along with my father’s gold pocket watch, the cuff links he wore when he got married to my mom, the mortgage papers of their first home. It had cost them $25,000 to buy their house. In the suburb it was in now homes were selling for almost half a million dollars. I pulled open the lid and revealed a solitary two-karat diamond.

“For those days a ring this size was a waste of money.” I said to Ray. “But my mom always said that now a days the bigger the ring the shorter the marriage. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“I think Natasha would like it, even if it was a Cracker-Jack prize.” Ray said, closing the little box and handing it back to me. “Now, moving on to more important topics. What are you going to name the baby??

?

I laughed out loud.

We left my home in Ray’s pick-up truck and headed to the hospital. I had both Natasha and Diamond transferred to Southeastern University Hospital for not just the best care after what they had been through but also because I had donated to them and was confident the ladies would be comfortable. It took a little sweet talking to get them hospital rooms right next to each other but since they weren’t in intensive care we got luck.

I walked in feeling nervous and excited and scared like I was a teenager getting ready to stand in front of the entire assembly and give a speech. As usual, a couple of the medical staff members called me by name and the administration crawled out of the woodwork to shake my hand and ask me how my friends were feeling. They assured me they were getting the best care as they would if they were friends of mine or not.

Ray had his arms full of boxes of chocolates for the nurses to indulge in at the nurse’s station. Another couple of bouquets of flowers had been delivered to them as well.

My father always said if you have to stay in the hospital to remember the nurses. “The doctors stop by for a couple minutes just to look at you. It’s the nurses who do the real work while you’re getting better. Don’t forget to say thank you.”

“Good morning, Mr. Reid. Mr. Pepper.” They would all say as we walked by. Funny. I was the one there on a mission and Ray seemed to be especially eager to make his way to Diamond’s room. He nodded his head and in a few long strides had reached her door.

Pushing it open quietly I saw the flowers I had ordered for her had also been delivered. Her room was a vision in yellow. Roses, carnations and daisies brightened up the private room and balloons floated happily around the ceiling reminding Diamond to get well soon.

“Hello?” Ray said quietly.

“Hi!” Diamond said, rubbing her eyes and smiling. She winced a little as she scooted up in the bed. “Hi, guys. Oh, Marty, the flowers are so beautiful. They really make a difference.”

“Hey, I’m a cheapskate. The daisies and carnations are the only ones I sent.” I said, clapping Ray on the back. He shook his head, looking down in an attempt to hide his cheeks that flushed a bright pink.

“Is that so? Well, thank you, Ray. The roses are the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever gotten.”

“You’re welcome.” He said. “I brought you something else.” He had been carrying a bag with him and in my own rush to see Natasha I hadn’t even asked what was in it. He reached down and pulled out a stack of magazines, all kinds. There were tabloids, fashion magazines, cooking magazines, home decorating and crossword puzzles.

“I thought you’d need something to help pass the time when I wasn’t here.”

Those simple magazines lit up Diamond’s face. Now it was her turn to blush.

“I heard Natasha talking to the nurses.” Diamond said without taking her eyes off Ray. “You can probably go see her now.”

“Well, here’s your hat. What’s your hurry?” I teased.

Diamond rolled her eyes and looked at me.

“You know that isn’t what I meant. I just know that you are on your way to see her and why keep the poor girl in suspense any longer. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Well, maybe you are right. You guys…behave yourselves.”

I turned and walked out the door hearing Diamond giggle and Ray begin to tell her some story about how he had heard me say that same line at least a hundred times over the years we had been friends.

I pulled Diamond’s door closed and took a deep breath as I walked into Natasha’s room. She was lying awake in bed looking at the red roses on the table next to the bed. Her room was filled with so many vases of red roses we’d need a truck to get them all out when it was time to go. But I didn’t want her to be a staring at plain walls. Not in her condition.

Standing there for just a moment I saw how absolutely beautiful she was. To her, the flowers would have been enough. One vase would have been an indescribable gift that would have brought tears to her eyes. I loved her. I loved her so much it terrified me to think that I almost lost her.

I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.

“Hi, Marty.”

“Hi.” I said quietly. Walking to the bed I stood there for just a second out of arms reach. “You feeling okay today?”