“I think I was waiting for you all this time.” Jack says honestly, tilting his head to press it into her palm gently, shutting his eyes. “…you’re my other half. That’s the… only way to put this into words. I just hope that… that it isn’t too soon for me to be saying all of this but it’s true. To me.” He kisses her palm, before caressing her shoulder with his hand. “But still. Goodnight, Katelynn. Happy New Year.”
“Goodnight,” she whispers, “Happy New Year, c-cutie.” And she squeaks softly, ducking under the covers of her bed to hide her blush, trying to go to sleep.
He smiles, and rubs her back through the blanket. “Goodnight sweetie.” he whispers a second time, before making his way to the bed. He feels exhausted. Gutted. He pulls his shoes off and climbs into the cot, and rolls onto his side. Jack imagines, as hard as he can with his fading imagination, that Katelynn’s there with him. That he can wrap his arms around her, pull her in close, and feel her breath against his cheek as she slept.
The idea helped, and it isn’t long until he’s in dreamland… dreaming of the day when she wouldn’t be in hospital. When he could look after her, properly. Just like he was supposed to, and would do, for the rest of his life if he had his say in it.
Jack Maple 