Meant To Be Read Free Page B

been the first time she could remember ever seeing her father shed tears for anything.
    “Hi, Dad,” she gasped, then cried out in discomfort as he hugged her.
    “ Sorry.” He winced, pulling away. “It’s just so good to see you awake. You’re going to be okay.” He turned to his wife. “Our little girl’s okay,” he whispered as if he was finally able to breathe again.
    “Aw, Daddy, don’t cry,” Jenna pleaded. “You’re making me cry and everything hurts including that.”
    She laughed and then groaned loudly in pain just as the door opened again. She smiled then, not caring how much it hurt. “Jayden,” she squealed with excitement. She missed him so much, and it felt like forever since she last saw him or had him in her arms. Her joy turned into a stunned silence once she saw who was with him. Jayden rushed to her side, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of Tyler.
    “Tyler?” She looked at her mother with wide eyes and then back to Tyler feeling like she was seeing a ghost.
    Well, she was; how was this possible? “I don’t understand.”
    Tyler smiled at her, looking just as relieved as her father had. He moved closer, closing the distance between them and kissed her on top of the head. “Oh, God, Jenna, I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
    Jenna screeched in a panic. “Oh, my God. I’m dead, right? I mean we all are. We got into the accident together.”
    The machines in the room made loud alarming sounds. Jenna shook so uncontrollably, her father rushed out to get help. Jenna was hysterical, Tyler was stunned, and poor Jayden was terrified.
    “ Tyler?” She couldn’t believe her eyes.
    “Jenna, please,” he begged. “I just got you back.”
    She closed her eyes and could feel his lips on her forehead. “But you were dead,” she whispered.
    “ Jenna, please,” he begged.
    She nodded trying to calm down, but she just couldn’t. “Just tell me one thing,” she pleaded. “We’re dead right? We all died that day?”
    Her eyes became heavy before she could get her answer, and she couldn’t fight it. She heard Tyler yell, “No, please, just give her a minute.” But it was too late, and the darkness took her.

    * * * *

    She gasped, jerking upright in her hospital bed, whimpering in the agony her sudden awakening set off in her entire body. It was night, but she could see Tyler sleeping in a chair beside her bed.
    Nothing seemed like reality, and she couldn’t sleep anymore. She lay there watching Tyler sleep instead, looking so peaceful. She stretched her hand out as far as it would go. She had to touch him to make sure she wasn’t dreaming again. He felt so real. Could he actually be alive? She wanted him to be.
    She sighed, trying hard not to cry. She couldn’t stop touching him. He was actually there with her, her husband, physically beside her and not just ashes in a container. He was warm and soft with drool coming out the side of his mouth as he slept. She was in awe.
    “You’re awake.” A new face whispered as the woman entered. “And relatively calmer. That’s good.”
    Jenna startled, snapping out of her thoughts. “I’m quite sore though.” She tried giving a friendly smile but grimaced instead.
    Her nurse laughed. “I can give you a little something for the pain. It should make you feel better for awhile.” She came back with a syringe.
    “ Please, I don’t want to be knocked out again,” Jenna told her. She’d just woken up and hoped to be alert for awhile.
    “It’s okay, Mrs. Baker. It’s not quite as strong as that, just something for your discomfort, that’s all,” she assured her and administered something inside one of Jenna’s many connecting tubes.
    “Thank you,” she whispered in relief.
    “ Well, my name is Eleanor, and I’ll be with you for awhile. If you need anything just press that button beside you.”
    She nodded as Eleanor left and focused on Tyler again. The next time she smiled, it didn’t hurt as much.

    * * *