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talk to him while you do it? It’s only going to take a few minutes!”
    “Umm, no, it’s more like a few hours, and there are no visitors allowed in the room when it’s being done. Those are the hospital rules, not mine,” Gabby said in a very stern voice.
    Delia glared at Gabby, and Gabby glared right back. I tried to hold in my laughter. Delia had a good six inches on her, but there wasn’t any doubt in my mind that Gabby could take her down in a fight. She was like a pit bull…a cute, gentle, caring pit bull. Okay, maybe more like a cocker spaniel with an attitude, but if there was one thing about her I admired, it was that she didn’t take shit from anyone.
    “Well, can I at least say goodbye?!” Delia asked Gabby in a very sarcastic manner.
    “Sure!” Gabby happily replied.
    “In private!” Delia snapped.
    Gabby, no. Please tell her no! She looked at me in defeat and shrugged her shoulders. “Umm, sure. I’ll be right back to do the dressing change.” Gabby, of all the times for you to turn into a kitten!
    Delia waited until she left the room before sitting on the side of my bed. She pressed her forehead up to mine as her hands began a downward descent which, surprisingly, was having no effect on me at all. “We have to get this guy back in action before he forgets what to do!” She smiled before placing a soft kiss on my lips.
    “Ready?!” Gabby shouted as she came back into the room.
    Delia rolled her eyes at the sound of Gabby’s voice. “Call me as soon as you get out,” she said, rubbing her thumb along my cheek and placing another kiss on my lips. She got up and raised her eyebrows at Gabby.
    “‘Bye! Have a great day!” Gabby exclaimed, flashing Delia the most adorable sarcastic grin that I had ever seen.
    Delia flung her purse over her shoulder, glaring at her one last time before storming out of the room. Gabby looked at me and, once the coast was clear, we both began to laugh.
    “I think she hates me,” she said as she sat down on the side of my bed.
    “Thanks, Gabby girl. I owe you one for that.”
    “Why didn’t you want to see her?” she asked as she began to take off my old dressing.
    “It’s complicated. Let’s just say I grew tired of her.”
    She nodded. “And all of these other women that have been visiting you over the past few weeks? You’re not tired of them?”
    “They’re okay. I mean, I’m not in love with any of them. They serve a purpose.” I grinned.
    “Got ya!” Gabby said with a shake of her head. “Are you afraid to fall in love, Will? Is that why you don’t want to narrow it down to just one?”
    “Falling in love is a fuckin’ joke! I get that it’s okay for some people and it works, but for me, it aint ever gonna happen. I love my life the way it is. I don’t have to answer to anyone and I still reap the benefits.”
    She creased her forehead. “Hmm…I guess that makes some sense. Kinda.”
    “Are you happy being in love, Gabby?” She looked up at me with surprise as her eyes widened.
    She quickly looked away and I knew right away that I had struck a chord. “I don’t know. I’ve never been in love,” she answered, finally meeting my eyes again.
    “Well, what about your boyfriend? You’re not in love with him?”
    She shook her head and I could tell that it was taking everything inside of her to not cry. “No, it’s more of a convenience type of thing.” I stared at her, waiting for her to elaborate, but she just changed the subject completely. 
    As I listened to her go on and on about all of the new movies coming out over the weekend, I couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on in that pretty little head of hers. For the first time since I had known her, she looked weak and vulnerable. My mind quickly shifted back to the bruising on her wrist just a few weeks ago. She had just dismissed it as nothing and changed the subject, the same way that she had done just now. My stomach felt absolutely sick and I was hoping