Nothing Else Matters (21 page)

“It told us we were different. And it accomplished its purpose. It wasn’t even racially motivated, yet it still accomplished its purpose. It inspired feelings of hate, jealousy, suspicion, and rage and it divided us. It sent us back fifty years in the fight for equality and once again South Carolina made headlines for racism and intolerance. And when you think about it, it was all because Scott and I wanted to be together.”

Reyna closed her eyes and shook her head. It all seemed so silly now. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath to quell the waves of emotion within her. Looking out on the sea of student faces in the auditorium, she realized there was one that wasn’t there. A lump developed in her throat. What would she do without him? She tried to shake off that thought. It wasn’t the time to think about things like that. She needed to concentrate on what to say to the student body.

“Are we perfect here at Charleston Prep?” she continued. “By no means. Do we still have some insensitive thoughts that have been passed on to us from former generations? I’m sure we do. But I tell you, we are not what that banner represented. We are better than that. For a brief moment, we forgot what was really important to us and we trampled on the feelings of our closest companions.”

The students in the audience gave each other guilty looks. Reyna felt as if she was really reaching them.

“What we are, what we really are, was better portrayed by the new banner that Amber and Derek made yesterday to show their remorse. The one that showed how Scottie and I feel about each other and how we —” Reyna had to push back the urge to cry. With a shaky voice she continued, “
and
how we feel about you. All of you, including Amber and Derek.”

She wanted to continue, but she couldn’t. She had nothing left. After four days of crying and waiting instead of eating and sleeping, her body was at its breaking point. It took all her remaining strength to leave the stage without fainting in front of everyone.

Noticing her distress, Doc followed her backstage. She collapsed in his arms.

Wednesday Nov. 12

Reyna’s father tried to convince her to stay home and get some sleep, but she didn’t want to be any farther away from Scott than she needed to be.  She wouldn’t have been able to sleep anyway. Every time she closed her eyes she saw visions of death. So instead, she continued the staring match with Sam in the waiting room of the hospital. Only Stu was able to be in Scott’s room.

Fortunately, Sam would often leave for hours at a time in order to jog over the
Ravenel
Bridge or lift some weights. Thus, Reyna was able to get a little bit of relief from Sam’s hate-filled glare. During these reprieves, Reyna would sneak into Scott’s room, hold his hand and brush her lips across his face hoping her love would be enough to save him.

At three a.m., several nurses ran into Scott’s room. Immediately, Reyna jumped to her feet and followed them. Seconds later, a doctor flew past her into the room and ushered Stu out.

“What’s going on? What happened?” Reyna asked him.

“What’s wrong with him?” Sam asked, joining them at Scott’s door.

Stu looked back and forth between Reyna and Sam with red swollen eyes and ghostly pale skin. He, too, hadn’t slept in days. The words seemed stuck in his throat. And after three attempts to make his voice work, he finally said, “Blood pressure … dropped … revive. They have to … revive … ” Reyna wrapped her arms around Stu. “He’s slipping away,” he cried into her shoulder.

Reyna hoped Sam would step up and join the embrace. She thought it was about time Sam started acting like a mother and comforted her son. But instead, a look of pure fear befell her face as she said, “I can’t take this. I
gotta
go for a run,” before taking off for the exit.

After what seemed like an eternity, Scott was finally stable again. His blood pressure had gotten so low that he almost coded and died. They changed some of his medications and hoped for the best.

With Sam gone, Reyna joined Stu in Scott’s room. She pulled a chair close to his bed, held his hand, and rested her head next to his. “Please don’t leave me, Scottie,” she whispered into his ear.

Reyna sat anxiously next to Scott’s bed for the rest of the night. She waited for the inevitable fight with Sam when she returned and complained that Reyna was in the room when she shouldn’t be. But as the hours ticked on, there was no sign of Sam. Usually her workouts lasted only two to three hours. Six hours after Scott’s close call, she still hadn’t returned.

“Where do you think she is?” she asked Stu.

“Maybe she called,” Stu said, patting down his pockets searching for his cell phone. He found it on the windowsill and went to check it. Once he did, his eyes expanded and his mouth flew open. He plopped into a chair, deflated. The last bit of energy had been drained out of him.

Stu had the phone on vibrate. With their attention completely focused on Scott, they both must have missed the buzzing sound.

“She called? What did she say? Where the hell is she?”

“Europe.”

“What?”

“She went to Italy for that marathon she’s been training for.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I wish.” Stu buried his face in his hands. “I can’t do this alone,” he said before succumbing to tears.

Reyna went over and hugged him. “You’re not alone. You have me.”

***

Hours later, Reyna sat with Stu on the couch in Scott’s room. He rested his head in her lap as he slept a fitful sleep. Then she heard what sounded like a groan. She leaned over to see if it was coming from Stu. It wasn’t, which could only mean one thing.

Reyna jumped up so fast Stu nearly fell on the floor.

“He’s waking up! He’s coming to,” she said, rushing to his side. Stu ran to the other side of his bed suddenly completely awake and alert. They both stared down at Scott. His eyelids fluttered and his head rolled from side to side.

“I’ll get the doctor,” Stu said, dashing out of the room.

Seconds later Scott opened his eyes. Relief and elation washed over her. Without thinking, she flung herself on his bed and wrapped her arms around him.

“Ah.” he grunted in pain.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?” She stood up and took a step back afraid to touch him.

“No, I’m okay,” he said, trying to adjust himself on the bed. “Come here.” He held out his right arm, the one with fewer needles sticking out of it, and invited her into a hug.

Leaning over the bed, she snuggled into his embrace.

“I’ve missed you so much, Scottie. I was going crazy without you.” She lifted her head and smothered his face with gentle kisses. Though she wanted to jump into his hospital bed with him she restrained herself and tried not to put too much pressure on his weakened body.

“Missed me? Without me? How long have I been out? What day is it?” Scott tried to sit up, but Reyna gently laid him back down. Just as she was about to answer his questions, the doctor entered.

Wednesday Nov. 12 cont’d

Four days? I had been out of it for four days? I couldn’t believe I had been so close to death.

Reyna held my hand tightly as Dr. Schaeffer explained everything that had happened the past three days. I felt tingles all over my body as he described how Reyna had saved my life on the football field. If she hadn’t been there, I’d be dead. My hand drifted up to my chest and rubbed the stitches of the life saving procedure. The scar would be an indelible reminder of her love for me.

Moments later the surgeon, Dr. Linda Taylor, entered and described what took place during my surgery and what I needed to do to recover.

“But we’ve sent all that information to New Mexico for you,” she said when she’d finished her instructions.

“New Mexico?” Stu, Reyna, and I said in unison.

Dr. Schaeffer and Dr. Taylor gave each other sideways glances. Then Dr. Taylor’s pager went off. She excused herself leaving Dr. Schaeffer to explain this business about New Mexico.

He brushed his hands over his salt and pepper hair and said, “Well, your mother has made a number of decisions about your medical care while you were … indisposed.”

The conversation about harvesting my sperm immediately came to mind. I wondered what else Sam had decided for me.

“For one thing,” he continued, “she’s already had you admitted to a sports rehabilitation clinic in New Mexico. I’ve looked into it and while it is an excellent facility, I’m not sure it’s the best place for someone in your condition. I don’t even recommend you travel right now. I don’t understand why she’s so dead set on sending you there.”

“I do,” Stu said, standing. “She wants to keep him away from Reyna. Sending him to New Mexico does that while still getting him back into shape to play again. The woman’s an evil genius.”

Stu’s reasoning made sense. It was a perfect plan from her standpoint but disastrous from mine. I never wanted to be parted from Reyna again.

“You know, now that you’re awake, maybe you can reason with your mother. Or at least convince her to let your girlfriend come along.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my fiancée.” I turned to her and said, “If you’ll have me.”

“What? Scott, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want you to marry me.”

The doctor and Stu excused themselves realizing this was about to be a special moment for us.

“Marry you?” she said once they had left the room. “But why?”

“What do you mean why?
Because I love you.
That’s why. Because just the thought of seeing your face again has kept me alive for the past four days. Because if you love me half as much as I love you then my life will be worthwhile.”

Tears streamed down her face as she leaned down to kiss me. “Oh, Scottie, I do love you. I love you so much. I love you more than anything.”

“Prove it,” I said with a dare in my voice. Reyna never backed away from a challenge. “If you love me, prove it and marry me.”

She smiled and nodded. “Okay, Scott Kincaid, I’ll marry you one day.”

I pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger and said, “Not one day, today.”

“Today? Why?”

“Remember the seventh grade dance?” I said.

“The one you stood me up for?” She smiled weakly. I’m sure she was over it, but I wasn’t.

“I let Sam convince me you weren’t good enough for me. That’s why I wasn’t there.”

Reyna stared at our fingers intertwined. “You weren’t ready. I understand.”

“No, you shouldn’t have to understand. I can’t imagine how I must have made you feel.”

“I know you’re sorry, Scottie. I know you really love me.”

“Well, I want everyone to know.”

“By everyone do you mean Sam?”

I shook my head. Sam was part of the reason, but there was more. “It’s not about Sam. It’s about you and me. If something happens to me —”

“Don’t say that, Scottie. You’re going to be fine.” She shut her eyes tightly. A tear dropped from her eyelashes.