What Would You Do To Save A Life

All in all, I raised a total of sixty-two thousand dollars. But after my tirades on the news, the Mayo Clinic picked up the tab for Gary's treatment. However, the best news was that the radiation had shrunk the tumor and it was just a minor surgery to remove what was left. He had some chemo after that just as a precaution, but after six months he got a clean bill of health. Carol and I flew up two months after Brenda had her baby and had our second homecoming in nine months.

Brenda and Gary wanted to name their baby after me, but I talked them out of it.

"I'm no role model, not yet anyway. It would be way too much pressure on me and besides what girl would want to be called Stephen."

On Christmas Eve night Carol gave me a new iPod Touch to replace the one I destroyed on my walk. I gave her an engagement ring; I think my present was better. After we got back, we dated for two months before she moved back in with me. She thought we were still in the talking stage when I surprised her the ring.

I bought a gaudy ring with a huge plastic stone and put it in a ring box, I wrapped it and put a big bow on it. He eyes lit up when she saw the ring box but the smile turned to a frown when she opened it up.

"What the hell is this?" she asked.

"It's a ring, don't you like it? It may be a little big. We'll probably have to get it sized," I said as I took it from her and squeezed the band together to make it smaller so I could put it on her right hand.

"Perfect," I said as I held her hand out.

I think she was about to say asshole or something to that effect when I pulled the real ring, out of my top shirt pocket, and slipped it on her left hand.

"I guess if you don't like that one, maybe you'll like this one better," I said as I watched her eyes light up again as she about crushed my ribs.

After looking at the ring she turned to face me. "Asshole,"

"You know, that's the same thing you said to me a year ago," I told her.

"Yeah I know, but this time I mean it in a good way." We were married four months later.

On our first anniversary I asked the question I'd wanted to ask for well over a year and a half.

"Carol, when we broke up did you date around or find someone else to replace me?" I asked kind of carefully.

She looked at me and smiled giving me a full mouth kiss with just the right amount of tongue.

"Are you talking about that phone call I made that Sunday night at your parents house? The one where you were pretending to be asleep? The one I talked just loud enough to make sure you overheard every word I said? The call that it took you all this time to ask about? What do you think?" she asked me as I stood there with this shocked look on my face.

"I dated a few guys but found no one to replace you, I couldn't let you know that. I figured that if you thought I had someone in the wings you might try a little harder this time. It worked didn't it?"

"That was evil," I replied.

"Get your ass over here and I'll show you just how evil I can be," she said kissing me and running towards the bedroom.

"Asshole," I yelled chasing her.

But I meant it in a nice way!!!!