As Time Flies.....Chapter 25
Last time: Bo and Nora finally found their way back to each other. (Nothing else has to be said, right? LOL!)
Llanview Hospital - Room #416
Bo's eyes opened as the sun squeezed in between the mini blinds. He didn't know where he was for a moment, but when he felt the familiar form nestled in his arms he knew he was home. True, he was lying in a cramped hospital bed with Nora, but he was home. He felt good. He replayed their conversation of a few hours ago in his mind, and he couldn't believe his luck. Nora was alive and she still loved him! He felt a rush of love for Nora surge through his body and he smiled. He leaned over and kissed Nora on the lips. She murmured. He kissed her again and her eyes popped open. She looked surprised then a big smile lit up her face. Bo thought she was beautiful in the morning.
"Good morning, my love. How are you feeling?" Bo smiled and kissed Nora a third time.
"If you keep doing that, I'm gonna feel very lightheaded and then you'll have to call Larry." Nora laughed.
Bo laughed. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy. He squeezed Nora and sat up. His back was stiff from such cramped sleeping quarters, but he didn't care. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. Nora stroked his back. Neither spoke for a moment. They were both thinking how easy it felt to be with each other, and how much they had missed it.
Bo looked at his watch. "Listen honey, why don't you go back to sleep? It's only 6:30 in the morning. I'm gonna go home and take a shower and change my clothes. I'll be back in an hour with coffee and bagels, okay?"
"Yummy! I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I'm hungry again, and a cup of real coffee sounds fabulous. Hurry back, okay?" Nora smiled.
Bo leaned down and gave her another kiss. He hated to leave her for even a minute, but he wanted to change before work. "See you in an hour. Sweet dreams, Red." Bo got off of the bed and reached for the door. As he pulled it open, Sam was pushing in.
"Nora!" Sam bellowed. "Oh my God! You're all right! I couldn't believe it when I heard! How come nobody called me? Why did I have to read in the papers that Lindsay tried to kill you again?" Sam's voice was much too loud for that hour of the morning. Nora winced. At that moment, Sam noticed Bo standing behind the door.
"What are you doing here, Buchanan!" Sam was very upset to find Bo in Nora's room so early in the morning. Sam noticed that Bo's clothes were very wrinkled. He didn't like the looks of this, not one bit. He had purposely gotten up very early so he could see Nora alone with no interruptions.
Bo looked Sam squarely in the eye. Sam didn't like his arrogant stance, but he chose not to antagonize him. He didn't want to anger Nora this early in the morning.
Bo smiled. "Good morning to you, too, Sam. Mind keeping it down a bit? It's still pretty early and the rest of the patients are sleeping." Bo asked nicely. He knew it would irritate Sam far more than if he had ordered him to be quiet.
Sam fumed. His face turned red and his nostrils flared. It was all he could do not to punch Bo in the face. How dare he talk to him like he was a schoolboy! Sam licked his lips furiously. He lowered his voice to a menacing whisper.
"Listen, Buchanan, your daddy may own this town, but you don't own me, and you don't own Nora. Now you get your cowboy ass out of here before I kick it out!" By the last part of the sentence, Sam was yelling.
"Sam!" Nora was exasperated
with him. Why did Sam always have to make a scene? "I don't
want that kind of
behavior in my room! What's the matter with you? You can see I'm
just fine, can't you? Lindsay should have known I'm too tough
to tangle with." Nora smiled, trying to diffuse Sam's anger.
"That's not the point, Stinger, and you know it. Somebody should have called me!" Sam's voice took on that whiny quality.
"Sam, you're being ridiculous. I'm fine, Lindsay is fine, and it's finally over. I doubt she'll be able to get near any of us for quite a while, right Bo?" Nora smiled.
"Right, Red. No way am I gonna let Lindsay hurt you or anyone ever again. From what Larry said, I think she'll be in the hospital for a while, but then we'll make sure she gets some lovely accommodations at Statesville. Don't worry, everything's gonna be just fine." Bo leaned over Nora's bed and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, okay?" She smiled and he walked out.
Sam watched Nora watch Bo. He knew from their easy way with each other that he was too late. Bo had already tried to worm his way in. Nora had already told Sam that she didn't want to be with him, but he didn't think she'd meant it. They had a son together, and until he heard otherwise, this was still his family. He'd be damned if he let the Buchanans take this from him, too. They'd already taken everything else.
"Why didn't you call me, Stinger?" Sam sat down next to the bed. He tried to take Nora's hand, but she moved it away.
"Sam, I was in no shape to call you or anyone, for that matter. I was unconscious, thanks to Lindsay, and I didn't wake up for quite a while. Bo was with me. He kept me company. Larry checked me out and said I was fine, so there was no need. You can see for yourself that I'm fine, so let it go, okay?" Nora's voice sounded impatient. She couldn't believe his childishness!
"Nora, I..." Sam started to say something.
Nora cut him off. "Sam, I really don't want to hear it. I really don't. I made my feelings clear to you yesterday, and the fact that I almost died again doesn't change anything. It's over, and I want you to accept it. I mean it. I want another DNA test so we'll know how to resolve things with Matthew once and for all. Are you gonna agree to another test or not?" Nora gave him a challenging look.
Sam licked his lips furiously. He knew there was nothing he could do. Nora was Matthew's mother, and with Bo's consent for a test they didn't need him to establish paternity. He knew he'd have to agree, especially if he wanted to get back on Nora's good side.
"Sure, Stinger. I want to know the truth as much as you do. As soon as you're ready, let me know." Sam's dentures clacked. He was terrified of what the results would say. He didn't want to lose his family!
"Great, Sam. I'm glad to hear that. But one little thing, okay? As long as we're talking about knowing the truth, I have to tell you that I hate the name 'Stinger'. I always have. Would you mind not calling me that anymore?"
Nora smiled to take the bite out of her words. Together with the rest of Sam's idiotic behavior, that idiotic nickname was just too much to have to take. Especially at this hour of the morning! Nora had thought Bo's idea of her going back to sleep until he got back was a very good one. She wished Sam would leave. She was tired of humoring him.
"Sam, where's Matthew? I know it's early, but you could have brought him, couldn't you?" Nora tried to change the subject.
"He was still sleeping when I left. I was gonna go back home and pick him up in time for us to get the test results." Sam fidgeted. He had thought he should have brought Matthew, but it was early. He should have listened to himself.
"How about if I go home and get him now? He should be awake by then. I'm sure he wants to see his Mommy!" Sam smiled. He'd do anything to make Nora happy. And Matthew was the one thing he had right now that Bo didn't.
He was dying to know what had happened between Nora and Bo. "Hey, Sting... I mean, Nora, I love you, you know. I'll never hurt you like Bo did. I've loved you for 20 years, and I'm never gonna stop. You can count on me." Sam smiled and licked his lips.
"Thanks, Sam, but I thought we had this conversation. I know you love me, but I'm not in love with you. Please, would you let it go? Let all of it go? We need to be civil and keep our heads until all of this is resolved."
Sam couldn't stop himself. "Are you in love with Bo, Sting... Nora?" Sam looked at the floor.
"Sam, this is definitely not an appropriate conversation for us to be having. My feelings for Bo are completely irrelevant to my feelings for you. They have nothing to do with each other. I just want to find out about Matthew, okay?" Nora wished he would leave already. He was exhausting her, and it wasn't even 7 in the morning yet!
"Yeah, whatever you say. I'll be back. Count on it!" Sam bellowed the last part. Like Nora needed reinforcement. She got the message, but she wasn't interested.
Sam let himself out and Nora closed her eyes. She thought of Bo and Matthew, and a big smile lit up her face. Sam had never made her feel that way, not on his best day. It wasn't his fault. She was just a goner once she had loved Bo. No one could compete with Bo. He was her soulmate. Nora drifted off to sleep thinking of Bo and his touch. If Lindsay tried to kill her now, at least she'd die happy. It was her last conscious thought as she fell asleep.
Nora was still sleeping when Ben poked
his head in. It was about 7:30, and he had just heard about what
had
happened last night. He couldn't believe he'd slept through the
whole thing! He remembered seeing the nurse he thought looked
like Lindsay and he wanted to kick himself now that he knew it
had really been her. He might have been able to help if he'd known,
and he felt terrible that he hadn't been there for Nora. From
what he'd heard from his nurse, Nora really hadn't needed any
help because she'd done a number on Lindsay. Ben heard about the
metal plate in her head and tried not to laugh. He didn't want
to wake Nora. He limped back through the doorway and backed into
Bo.
"Hey, Ben! Easy there! You almost got a back full of hot coffee!" Bo laughed. Ben laughed, too. He pointed to Nora's door. "She's sleeping, Bo."
"I know. I was here all night. I left about an hour ago. Sam stopped by, so I went home to change and get coffee and bagels for Nora. I guess Sam didn't stay."
"No, Bo, I guess not. I didn't know he was here. He didn't stop by to see me. I guess he thought it was too early." Ben frowned. That didn't seem like Sam.
Bo beckoned Ben with his head as he pushed the door open. Ben gingerly followed him inside and sat down. His leg was still a little sore from the biopsy yesterday.
Nora stirred from the noise. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Bo and Ben in the room. She smiled. "Hey, Ben. How are you feeling? You and I had quite a day yesterday, didn't we?" She laughed.
Bo leaned over and kissed her. He didn't care if Ben was in the room. Bo handed Nora cup of coffee and started putting cream cheese on a bagel for her.
"We sure did, Nora!" Ben laughed. "I heard about what you did to Lindsay. Go tiger!" Ben laughed again. So did Bo and Nora.
Ben relayed what had happened, that he had seen Lindsay but not recognized her. He apologized for sleeping through the whole thing, and Nora reassured him that no apology was necessary. Bo offered Ben coffee and a bagel, and the three of them had a lovely breakfast together. The conversation was easy and the tone was light. Ben thanked Nora profusely for allowing Matthew to be tested. They all hoped Larry would have good news.
To Be Continued...
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