Bed of Roses

By Susan J.

By some fate of luck, Miguel moved out of the way in time and the bullet didn't hit him, but I wasn't quite that lucky, I felt a sharp ripping pain in my right thigh. As I grabbed my leg I managed to look up to see Melinda still standing there holding the gun; Miguel noticed that I was injured. He walked over to Melinda and ripped the gun from her hands.

"If you don't leave right now I will kill you," he said.

Melinda looked at him.

"But Miguel..." Melinda replied.

"Get out of here, get out of my sight, get out of my house, but most of all get the fuck out of my life!"

"Miguel…"

"I want you to know that if I ever see you again, my face will be the last thing you will ever see! Do you understand?"

Melinda turned and ran away. Miguel turned and helped me. We made it back to the hotel and Miguel helped me to the couch, he then got a towel from the bathroom while I ripped the side of my pant leg.

"It only grazed the side of my thigh," I said.

"No bullet hole?"

"No bullet hole, which is good?"

"Here let me clean it up a bit."

Miguel cleaned my leg as best as he could but there was still some pain.

"OUCH!"

"Sorry. It looks pretty good if you ask me."

"Well I didn't ask you, did I?"

Miguel laughed. He grabbed a pillowcase and made a bandage out of it and bandaged my leg.

"Oooo feeling bitchy, I love it."

I looked at him. "Ha ha. Didn't I tell you that your little girlfriend couldn't be trusted?"

"I can't believe that she would do something like that."

"Help me into the bedroom."

Miguel helped me get up and we walked to the bedroom. He helped me put on a pair of shorts and then helped me get comfortable on the bed.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, it hurts though."

"Let me get some aspirin for you."

"Thanks."

Miguel walked into the bathroom; when he came back he handed me two pills and a glass of water. I took them while he sat on the edge of the bed. I put the glass on the nightstand, rested my head on the pillow and closed my eyes.

"You all right, amor?"

"I'm fine. Do you think that she left your house Miguel?"

"She better have. I still can't believe she did something like that."

"Believe it. Come and lie down with me."

"Really?"

"Not that kind of really. You look like you need a nap."

"I think I do."

Miguel walked around to the other side of the bed and we both laid down facing each other.

"I'm sorry," Miguel said.

"Why are you sorry?

"For what happened to you."

"It wasn't your fault that I got shot."

"I feel like it was."

I put my fingers over his mouth to stop him from talking. "Listen to me, it wasn't your fault that this happened. I think from the moment she figured out that you were here with me was when she decided what she was going to do."

He kissed my fingers.

"You're something else amor, I guess that's why I…"

"Why what?"

He moved closer to me. He stared into my eyes.

"Why I care about you so much."

"I care about you too, Miguelito."

He kissed me passionately, and after awhile we both fell asleep. While I slept I started dreaming the same dream again. I was walking on the beach when Miguel came walking towards me, within seconds I was cradling Miguel in my arms, but this time the dream didn't end. I looked up to see a woman standing there with a gun in her hand.

"Why?" I asked her.

"You were the one who was suppose to die, not him," the woman said.

"Why? What did I ever do to you? I don't even know you."

"I know you. You are all he ever talks about! Even when we make love, it's your name that he says!"

She pointed the gun and me and pulled the trigger and all I heard was a loud bang. I sat up in bed so fast that I hurt my leg.

"OUCH!"

Miguel woke up and looked at me.

"Serena, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just sat up too fast. Miguel, if I asked you for a favor would you do it?"

"I would get you what ever you wanted, just ask."

I leaned over and kissed him.

"Thanks, but what I want is to go back to your house."

"Why?"

"I'd rather have my leg heal there then here. Please Miguel, can we go back to your house?"

"It was once your home, too. I'll take you back if you ask me to take you home."

We looked at each other and I saw in his eyes that it was something that he really wanted to hear.

"Miguel, can we please go home?"

He smiled the biggest smile that I had ever seen.

"Yes, let's go home."