Free Raquel's Abel by Leigh Barbour

little faith. I have never left you and I will never leave you. I have been in that house ever since you were born.”
    “You saw me grow up?” My throat was scratchy and dry.
    “I remember the day your mother brought you home from the hospital.” His lips stretched out into a wide toothy smile.
    “My mother…you knew my mother.” Even I hadn’t known my mother very well.
    “Your mother was a lovely lady. She was radiant when she carried you in the door. Even when you were that small, it was obvious you’d have a beautiful head of strawberry blonde hair.”
    I thought about my hair again. It probably looked like it had been combed with an eggbeater. I reached up hoping I could at least smooth it out.
    “Not to worry. You are beautiful.”
    The nurse came back into the room carrying something in her hand. “I just got off the phone with the doctor and he’s instructed me to give you something to help you sleep.” She walked toward my IV.
    Abel clasped my hand in his. “I feel myself…” I saw his form turn to haze. “I’ll be right here beside you. I won’t leave you.”
    “Don’t go,” I said out loud.
    “I’d like to stay with you, honey, but I’ve got other patients.” She injected the liquid into my tubes. “You’ll be asleep in a few minutes any way.”

    The next morning I awoke feeling content. I was on my way to skinniesville and I knew that Abel was close by, even if I couldn’t see him.
    “Where is that Tango dancer?” Owen ran to the foot of my bed and held up a bouquet of yellow carnations. “You look radiant.” He set the flowers down on my nightstand and kissed my cheek.
    “Thank you so much.” I was awake, but still groggy from the drugs.
    “Just you wait. That fat is going to melt off you like wax from a candle.”
    I tried to laugh but I could feel the stitches pulling. “I hope so.”
    He gave a few big nods of his head. “Yes, girl, you are, because I have entered us in the next big competition.” He angled his head back and opened his eyes wide.
    “When?” I certainly didn’t feel like dancing now.
    “Six months from today. By that time you’ll be all healed up and you’ll have lost a lot of those pounds.”
    “You have so much confidence in me,” I said weakly.
    He put his hands on his hips. “You’ll do it. The Raquel I know doesn’t run away from anything.” He raised his hands and began to imitate holding me in a Tango position. “I can just see how gorgeous you are going to look dancing the Tango. We’ll get you a bright red dress and every judge will be ready to give you an outstanding score.”
    “Owen, you are so patient with me. Why don’t you get a partner that’s more on your level? I’ve done nothing but drag you down. You’d have won dozens of competitions with a partner that danced as well as you.”
    He shot me a frown. “You are my partner. What fun would it be without you, Raquel?” His forehead wrinkled. “Of course, if I do meet Mr. Right and he doesn’t like me dancing, then maybe you’ll lose me as your partner.”
    I tried to stifle my giggle so it wouldn’t hurt. “If you meet Mr. Right, I’ll try to talk him into letting you be my dance partner.”
    A different nurse entered the room. “Sir, I’m afraid that visiting hours are over. We need to change the dressings on her incisions.”
    Owen bent over and kissed me on the forehead. “See ya later, pumpkin. I’ll be back to pick you up tomorrow and take you home.”
    “Oh, you don’t have to do that, Regina can…”
    “Nonsense.” His back straightened and his Adam’s apple stuck out. “I’m your official ride home from the hospital.”
    I watched Owen leave and knew that my life was finally on a positive path.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Even though my insides had been cut, sewn, stapled, and rerouted, I had no pain to speak of. The all-encompassing hunger was gone, as if it had been amputated. In