Billy knocked on the door about an hour later.

Malan, with a towel draped over his head, was only half dressed in his jeans when he answered the door.

Billy wore an amused grin.

"Don't start," Malan frowned.

Jena Matheos, Billy's girlfriend, rushed up their walkway. "Oh, Malan," she gushed, noticing her boyfriend's friend wasn't ready and stopped short.

Billy gestured for her to remain outside. Closing the door behind him, he stepped inside his friend's house.

"What's the hold up?" Billy said. "I thought you'd be ready by now."

"You didn't get a million phone calls," Malan said dryly, carelessly throwing the towel he'd been drying his hair with on the couch.

"So you're popular," Billy teased.

Malan shot his friend an ugly look. He shoved Lathal's clothing, personal hygiene items, a notebook, pens and magazines into his back pack.

"How long is she staying a month?" Billy teased his friend.

"I hope not," he said wistfully. "I might go crazy, Bill."

"Hey, I'll have you used to being a bachelor in no time," Billy teased, his fingers lifting up pieces of laundry littering the top of the couch.

Malan looked at him wanly. "I don't think so."

"Spare me please," Billy said in mild disgust. "Are you ready? Because I think you should go before you get another social call."
Malan flipped him a sour look. He swung his back pack strap over his shoulder, then shoved Billy out the door.

As they walked to Billy's car parked in the driveway, Jena rushed over to hug Malan.

Malan gave her a quick peek on her cheek. "Jena, how are you?"

She smiled. "You haven't convinced him yet, have you?"

Malan looked at his friend. Billy had been involved with Jena for six years but he still had proposed making theirs a permanent relationship.

"I've tried, Jena," Malan said climbing into the back seat. "He's hopeless."
"I heard that," Billy said wryly sliding behind the wheel.

"This thing runs," Malan teased his friend about his piece of shit car he'd been driving since his college days.

"You could walk," Billy said, his mischievous eyes reflected in the rear view mirror.

They arrived at St. Francis Hospital a short time later. Malan's convertible was still parked in the parking lot.

The hospital was relatively slow on a Sunday afternoon. The hospital had a skeleton staff; everything was closed except for the hospital's gift shop and snack bar.

"Excuse me," Malan said dashing into the gift shop.

"Hopeless fucking romantic," Billy laughed at his friend.
"At least he is," Jena playfully poked him. "That's saying more than you."
"Oooh," Billy's lips twitched with amusement. "Damn guy's been married too long. That's his problem."

"And," Jena said looking at him with interest. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Billy said. "He shouldn't have got married. He practically broke every woman's heart when he married Lathal."

"Billy," Jena lightly jabbed her boyfriend. "How can you say that about your best friend?"

Billy shrugged. "Do you know women just throw themselves at Malan? Don't get me wrong he's a good looking actor, but the crazy guy has eyes for only one woman, his wife Lathal."

"Billy!"

"Hey," Billy threw his hands up in the air. "I like Lathal. Hell I love my friend's wife."

"Don't let her husband hear you say that too loudly," Malan said quietly from behind him.

Turning, Billy laughed. "Don't quit your day job."

Malan smiled, shifting the bouquet of flowers and the cute dog he had in his hands, so he could consult the map of the hospital displayed on the wall near the elevators. He pressed the up arrow waiting for the steel shaft to arrive.

The elevator doors opened with a light ding and the three friends boarded the steel shaft. Malan hit the number two for the second floor.

The elevator ascended upward.

"What's this?" Billy said nudging his friend's hand that bore his wedding band.

Malan's eyes danced with amusement. "What?"

Billy shook his head "Do you always wear that thing?"

He smiled. "Yes."

"You're crazy," Billy said convinced. "You can't tell me you always wear your wedding band. What if you're playing a single guy."

"I still have it on."

"You're kidding," Billy said. "I'm going to have to talk to Lathal. She has you on a short leash. I guess she gets jealous what with all the kiss scenes."

Malan wore an amused look. Billy knew Lathal better than that.

"And sex scenes," Billy continued. "What does Lathal have to say about that?"

Deep love and desire for his wife was reflected in his brown eyes. "I ..."

"Billy," Jena's fingers flicked her boyfriend's arm.

"It's OK, Jena," Malan said grinning sloppily. Then to Billy. "If I tried to explain it to you, Bill, you wouldn't believe me."

Billy shook his head. His friend was hopeless. "You're a sick, sick man, Malan Hamel."

"So sue me."

"You don't think I know what you're talking about, do you?" Billy said, his lips spread into a wry line.

"Do you?" Malan teased as the doors opened on the second floor.

Jena laughed and tossed back a strand of her long dark chocolate hair.

The threesome walked to the ortho ward at far west end of the second floor. A young nurse sat reading a trashy romance novel at the desk. She gazed appreciatively at the well built, handsome man, holding a bouquet of flowers and a teddy bear, in front of her. "Can I help you?"

"I'd like to visit Lathal Hamel. Can you tell me which room she's in?" Malan said. "I'm her husband, Malan."

"Yes," the nurse smiled. "We've heard all about you."

Malan smiled. He made it a habit about raving about his wife too.

"We all love your wife," the nurse said leading them to Lathal's room. "She's a terrific lady."

Yes, Lathal had that effect on people. Most people liked her. She was definitely a people person.

**

She heard footsteps in the hallway.

She gritted her teeth, partly because of the pain and partly in annoyance. She was getting used to sounds and movements of the hospital, and footsteps usually meant it was meal time or a nurse came in to poke and prod her for her vitals and check her IV.

She suspected it was the later and she really didn't want that right now.

"Lathal," the nurse knocked on her door. "You have visitors."
Visitors just what she needed. She looked like Frankstein with her left arm supported in an ugly looking gray sling. Her right leg, cased in a black cam walker, was prominently propped up. It was like they were trying to show it off or something.

She refused to look in a mirror. She didn't need a mirror to tell her she had tiny red scratches all over her face. She also knew about the large gauze patch near her right eyebrow. Her bangs barely hid it.

Before she knew what hit her, familiar, warm, firm masculine lines showered her lips with passion. Her spirits soared. Her husband was here. Just the visitor she wanted.

Light brush strokes of her petals cascaded over his mouth. "Malan."

"Lathal," he murmured huskily, greedily pressing his hard, hungering mouth against hers.

"That's some welcome," she said softly, licking her lips tasting the remains of his tender lips.

His lips parted, deepening their kiss. Her tongue played with his inside his mouth, increasing the spirals of love and desire swelling within him.

He groaned softly. He wanted to touch her, but he didn't want to hurt her. So he had to settle for making love to her with his mouth.

Jena knocked on the door, interrupting their romantic interlude. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," Malan said slowly pulling away. He wished he'd been able to visit his wife alone but he had to rely on his friend's good graces.

Jena pulled up a chair on the side of the bed closest to the window. Billy stood beside her. Malan set flowers on the night stand beside her bed and her stuffed dog on her lap.

"How are you, Lathal?" Billy asked.

"Better," Lathal said gazing appreciatively at her husband. "I don't remember much, but under the circumstances I suppose that's probably a good thing."

Malan cleared his throat. "Our insurance company called. They said the accident wasn't your fault, but they still want to ask you a few questions."

She nodded. "What about the other driver?"

Her husband's expression softened. She was always thought about others before herself. She never ceased to amaze him.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "I never heard anything about the other driver. I can ask if you want me to."

She winced in pain. She drew upon her strength as she bravely tried to suppress the pain.

"Lathal," Malan murmured in concern.

The agony reflected in her eyes made him feel so helpless. He wanted to stop the pain but he was powerless to do anything.

Partly to soothe himself and partly to comfort her, his fingers brushed across her arm held in the sling.

She pressed the call button. A nurse appeared a few seconds later.

"Lathal, I didn't know you were so popular," the young woman teased, but became serious when she observed the waves of pain etched on Lathal's face.

The nurse checked the IV bag, that had pain medication mixed in with the fluids. Apparently it wasn't working. Or Lathal was having a bad spell of pain.

"I'll see if we can give you something a little stronger," the nurse said sympathetically.

"Thank you," Lathal's voice was the barest whisper.

The nurse returned with a small Dixie cup and a pitcher of water. She poured a cup of water then handed Lathal two small, white pills. "This should make you feel better."

Lathal took the medication. It wasn't long before she started to feel fuzzy. She didn't remember the hurt she felt just moments ago. She felt good.

Suddenly she felt strangely tired; her eyes began to droop.

The nurse nodded. The drug had produced satisfactory results.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to leave," the nurse informed the guests.

Jena and Billy made their way out the door.

Malan hesitated. He didn't want to leave but he had to follow hospital rules even if he didn't like them.

"You can stay, Mr. Hamel," the nurse told him, leaving the room.

His finger hooked a stray strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. Leaning toward her, he brushed her lips with a tender kiss.

"I love you," he whispered with fierce passion.

"Malan," she murmured.

"Yes," he said softly.

Slowly slid over the sheet, her right hand reached for his. He put his hand over hers, his fingers caressing her hand.

Her hand lay motionless beneath his. She didn't have the energy to return the favor.

He gazed at her. She kept drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Lathal," he said gently. "I think you need your rest."

"Don't go," she protested weakly.

"I'll be back," he promised. "You just get better so I can take you home."
"I love you," she whispered, her eyes fluttered closed.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her before he left.