In the midst of all this clamor, it’s such a relief to see Michael cut through the crowd, rush over to the ambulance and hop into it, an incredibly huge bouquet of roses in his hand. I can’t help but wonder out loud, “While I was in danger, you stopped to buy flowers?” “I practically snatched them from a flower stand while running through the airport—” “Don’t apologize, Michael, I just love you for it.” “Oh, Ash,” he says. “I hear you came to a gunfight armed with scissors.” I try to lift my head from the gurney but immediately stop, wincing in pain.“Somehow, I came out on top.” Michael leans in closer and smells my hair, parts of which have been singed by the fire. “I know you just enough to hold back from holding you back,” he says, in his softest voice. “I’ll never ever tell you to stay out of trouble.” He touches the tip of his nose to mine, ever so gently. Only then do I start crying. And I can’t stop. I don’t even know why I’m crying, but I have no choice but let the tears come, let them wash away the anxiety of the last few days and the fear. It seems to persist beyond the death of the shooter.
I can’t help but wonder out loud, “While I was in danger, you stopped to buy flowers?”
“I practically snatched them from a flower stand while running through the airport—”
“Don’t apologize, Michael, I just love you for it.”
“Oh, Ash,” he says. “I hear you came to a gunfight armed with scissors.”
I try to lift my head from the gurney but immediately stop, wincing in pain.“Somehow, I came out on top.”
Michael leans in closer and smells my hair, parts of which have been singed by the fire. “I know you just enough to hold back from holding you back,” he says, in his softest voice. “I’ll never ever tell you to stay out of trouble.”
He touches the tip of his nose to mine, ever so gently. Only then do I start crying.
And I can’t stop.
I don’t even know why I’m crying, but I have no choice but let the tears come, let them wash away the anxiety of the last few days and the fear. It seems to persist beyond the death of the shooter.