True Colors

“Kelley I need to talk to you.” Tobin says as they sit across from each other in a booth at a café in Portland.

“Are you dying?” Kelley asks and Tobin shakes her head. “Did you kill someone?” She asks again and Tobin rolls her eyes. “Are you breaking up with Alex?” She finally asks and Tobin shakes her head a final time.

“Well, what is it? I haven’t got all day, Heath.” Kelley says and Tobin bites her tongue from lashing out at the younger woman.

“IwanttoaskAlextomarryme.” Tobin mumbles out as she takes a sip from her glass of water.

“I’m sorry but I only understand English. Try again.” Kelley says dripping with sass.

“I want to ask Alex to marry me..” Tobin says and waits for Kelley’s explosion.

“That’s awesome, Tobs. Have you got a ring yet?” Kelley asks and Tobin opens her eyes to a very calm looking Kelley staring back at her.

“Where’s the freak out? I figured you’d be bouncing off the walls.” Tobin says and Kelley scoffs at her.

“I can’t believe you underestimated my abilities to be an adult on this.” Kelley says with a look of hurt on her face.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. You are just oddly calm about this.” Tobin points out and Kelley nods her head in agreement with her best friend.

“You’re right but I have matured, Tobin.” Kelley says and they both laugh at this. “O.K. but seriously have you got a ring yet?” Kelley asks Tobin through a mouth full of pizza.

“Oh yes, so mature.” Tobin says and receives a special finger from the soccer player, “Yes I do have one, I’ll show you when we get back home.”

“This is exciting! When are you going to pop the question?” Kelley asks and Tobin thinks for a minute because she hasn’t gotten that far yet.

“I have no clue actually but I do want to do it soon.” Tobin says as she wipes her mouth with the napkin that was in her lap. “Our one year is coming up in a couple weeks, so maybe then?”

“I think that is the perfect idea.” Kelley says and Tobin smiles at her.

“She is a lucky girl, Tobin.” Kelley says as they both get up from the booth.

“No way, I am the lucky one.” Tobin says and Kelley sees a sparkle in her friend’s eye.

.

TWO WEEKS LATER.

“Hey babe?” Tobin calls out to Alex while to sits on the couch.

“Yes?” She hears in return but it definitely wasn’t from her girlfriend but instead she sees her best friend peak her head into the living room. “Just kidding, that’d be weird.” Kelley says as she shakes her head and walks back to ‘her room’.

Tobin gets up and walks back to her bedroom to find Alex. “Alex?” Tobin calls out but doesn’t see her girlfriend anywhere, but hears a light giggle coming from her closet. Tobin walks quietly to her closet door and opens the door slowly to find Alex hiding behind her clothes, but pretends not to see her.

“I wonder where my insanely hot girlfriend is?” Tobin asks herself as she begins to rummage through her closet.

“I guess I will just eat all the ice cream by myself.” Tobin says as she begins to walk away from her closet and hides behind her bedroom door in hopes to scare the young forward.

“WAIT! I LOVE ICE CREAM!” Alex screams as she comes busting from the closet and Tobin takes the opportunity to jump out and scare her girlfriend.

“AHH!” Tobin screams as Alex approaches the door.

“Ahh what the f-“ Alex starts to yell but sees her girlfriend bent over in laughter and decides to hit her on the head.

“Hey! What was that for?” Tobin asks a she rubs her head to try and ease the pain.

“You tried to scare me, moron!” Alex yells and Tobin laughs again.

“I didn’t try, I succeeded.” Tobin says with a bit of pride in her voice.

“Whatever, I hate you.” Alex says as she spins around and makes her way to the kitchen.

“It’s your fault, you know? You tried to scare me first but I heard your cute giggle.” Tobin says as she runs after Alex and wraps her arms around her waist from behind.

“I was hoping you didn’t hear that. I was laughing at Kell.” Alex says as she spins around to face Tobin.

“Of course you were. She’s a real knee slapper.” Tobin replies as she slaps her knee for good measure.

“She’s your best friend and don’t forget that you were the one that invited her here.” Alex says as she runs her fingers through her girlfriend’s hair. “Wow that feels good.” Tobin replies as she gets lost in Alex’s touch.

“Anyway, you wanted to ask me something before you made me pee my pants?” Alex says and Tobin laughs as she releases her girlfriend and hops onto the kitchen counter.

“I was wondering if you wanted to do anything special for our one year.” Tobin says a she takes a bite of an apple that was sitting on her counter.

“I am good with anything as long as I am with you.” Alex replies and Tobin smiles at her.

“Awesome, it’ll be a surprise then?” Tobin says and Alex shakes her head furiously. “Absolutely not, I want to be just as much a part of this as you.” Alex says as she stares Tobin straight in the eye.

“Okay, fine but please lower your weapons ma’am.” Tobin says referring to her girlfriend intense gaze.

“I’m serious, Tobin.” Alex says and Tobin throws her hand up in surrender. “You have my word, your majesty.” Tobin says as she hops off the counter and bows in front of the younger woman. Alex rolls her eyes at Tobin’s antics and walks out of the kitchen.

‘My girlfriend is an idiot.’ Alex thinks to herself as she walks into the living room, but she doesn’t get far when she hears a crash in the kitchen. Alex hurries back into the kitchen to see Tobin on the floor.

“Tobin, baby what’s wrong?” Alex asks frantically but doesn’t get a response from Tobin. All Alex sees in Tobin doubled over in pain clutching her head.

“Kelley! I need you now!” Alex yells out to Kelley as she pulls Tobin into her body.

“What’s with all the yelling?” Kelley asks as she comes strolling into the kitchen, but stops suddenly when she sees her best friend on the floor clutching her head and Alex crying and whispering in Tobin’s ear.

“I’ll get the car keys.” Kelley mumbles to Alex but more so herself and dashes to Tobin’s bedroom to grab the keys.

“I got the keys lets go.” Kelley says as she comes sprinting into the kitchen and helps Alex get Tobin up but Tobin passes out in the process. Alex carries Tobin in her arms and the two of them race to the car.

They get to the hospital in record time, thanks to Kelley’s driving and the pair is now waiting to hear from anyone about Tobin. “She’ll be fine, Alex.” Kelley says as she pulls the sobbing forward into the side of her body.

“I can’t live without her, Kelley. She is my everything.” Alex sobs out and Kelley can’t help but think the same thing. Tobin is her rock and she can’t imagine life without the vibrant photographer.

An eternity later a doctor comes into the waiting room. “Family of Tobin Heath?”

“That’s us!” Kelley yells at they both sprint over to the older gentleman.

“I am afraid I have some bad news.” The doctor begins and Alex falls to her knees expecting the worst.

“Ms. Heath is alive but she has a large mass on her brain. We have to operate now or she may not make it through the night.” The doctor says and Kelley nods her head trying to process all the information while also trying to be strong for Alex.

“O.K. what do you need from us?” Kelley asks as she picks Alex up off the floor and walks her over to the chairs. The doctor follows them and takes a seat in front of both women.

“We are prepping Ms. Heath as we speak and she should be in surgery in a couple minutes. This surgery has a high success rate but there are also risks that come with the surgery.” The doctor explains and both women are engrossed in the conversation.

“What are the risks?” Alex asks through a shaky voice.

“Well, the position that the mass in could pose some problems.” The doctor says and Kelley asks, “What problems?”

“She could possibly have holes in her memory, but in other cases 90% of patients have retained those memories. Nothing is permanent but you should be aware of this in case it does happen.” The doctor says and Kelley’s breath hitches in her throat.

The women are silent until Alex speaks up, “How long is the operation going to last?”

“It could be between eight and ten hours.” The older doctor says and they both nod their heads as if to say ‘O.K.’

“I will update you ladies as soon as I know something.” He says as he walks away.

“She is going to be fine. Our Tobin is a fighter.” Kelley says as they both sit and wait.

.

Another eternity later Alex sees the older doctor from earlier and gets up to meet him in front of the nurse’s station. Kelley follows her friend with tired eyes.

“How did everything go?” Alex asks the doctor with frantic eyes and a shaky voice.

“She did very well. Everything went very smoothly but unfortunately we won’t know if she has suffered from memory loss until she wakes up.” The doctor says and Alex and Kelley both let out at sigh of relief. They could work through everything as long as Tobin was alive and well.

“Can we see her?” Kelley asks and the doctor nods his head and they women follow him back to Tobin’s room.

Both of the women walk into the room and see Tobin lying in the hospital bed. Alex rushes over to her side and grabs her hand and kisses all over her face. “I love you so much, Tobin Heath” Alex whispers over and over.

Kelley says back a bit because she isn’t sure what to think at this point. She almost lost her best friend, her rock and the only person she truly cares for. Reality sets in for Kelley and she starts to let the tears roll down her cheeks as she walks to Tobin’s side.

“You moron, don’t scare us like that ever again.” Kelley whispers into Tobin’s ear and then places a kiss on her forehead.

“No promises.” Tobin replies through a scratchy voice and Alex looks at Kelley in shock.

“Hey Tobs, how’s it going?” Kelley asks as tears continue to roll down her cheeks, but instead the tears of sadness are replaced with tears of relief and joy.

“I’ve been better. I have a massive headache.” Tobin replies and Kelley looks over to Alex who is also crying.

“Hey baby.” Alex croaks out finally and Tobin shifts so she can get a better look at who is speaking to her.

“Do I know you?” Tobin asks and Alex’s face goes white and she releases Tobin’s hand. “Just kidding baby, how could I ever forget you?” Tobin finishes and Alex lets out a teary eyed laugh and leans in to kiss her girlfriend.

“You suck.” Alex says as she leans in once again to kiss Tobin.

“Not that I mind all this attention but what the hell happened?” Tobin asks as she takes both Alex’s and Kelley’s hands.

“Apparently you had a large mass on your brain so the doctors took it out and now you’re as good as new, champ.” Kelley says and Tobin takes a moment to take all the information in.

“Do I still have my hair?” Tobin asks which causes Alex and Kelley to laugh.

“I think you do, but you’ll survive if you don’t.” Alex says as she smooths the back of her hand over Tobin’s pale cheek.

“If I don’t have my hair, I have nothing.” Tobin says as her eyes close and she drifts back into sleep. Both women laugh at how Tobin still has her sense of humor even after an extensive surgery.

“She is something, huh?” Kelley asks Alex once they realize that Tobin is out like a light.

“Yeah, but she’s our something.” Alex says as she walks over and embraces the shorter woman into a big hug.

They both knew that it would be a long road of recovery but in the end everything would be just fine. They had their Tobin and life was not going to take that away from them.

“I’ll go get the doctor.” Kelley says as she walks out of the room in search of the doctor.