"Howie?" Lynn asked in a frail voice.

    "Yeah baby, it’s me. How ya doing," Howie asked quietly, not wanting her to hear the fear in his voice.

    "I’ve been better. I’ll live, that’s the good thing though."

    "Yeah. Um, I kind of have something to ask you. Okay?" questioned Howie.Lynn nodded.

   "Lynette Teresa Cortes, will you be my wife?" Howie asked, on one knee, next to the hospital bed.

    Tears took shape in Lynn’s eyes. "Yes, I will. Howie, I will."

    Howie jumped off his knee, "Are you serious?!?!!! Wahoo!!!!!"

    Lynn giggled, "Go tell the others, I know you want to." Howie nodded, kissed Lynn’s forehead, then left the room.

    "Why are you smiling?" asked Lara when Howie emerged from the room.

    "Lynn is going to be my wife. We’re getting married, that way she’ll never leave me," informed Howie.

    "Congratulations! Can I go see her? You go tell the others, okay?" Lara walked into room 305. Howie rushed to get the others.

    "Hey schmutt," Lynn grinned, as Lara walked in.

    "Hey brat, congrats!" Lara smiled, giving her a hug.

    "He told ya?" Lynn laughed.

    "Yeah, he went to tell the others."

    Just then the door swung open revealing five smiling guys.

    "Congrats girl!" said A.J with a smile, hugging her.

    "This is awesome," agreed Nick.

    "Yeah, this is really great," smiled Kevin.

    "Y’all are gonna be a cute married couple," laughed Brian.

    "You guys have to learn not to talk at once," giggled Lynn, "I’m getting confused."

    They all laughed and continued to talk hyperly. Then, Howie returned to the present.

    "Did the doctor tell you when you’d be out of the hospital?" he asked sadly.

    "A week, 2 tops. They want to see if I’ll become paralyzed before they let me go," informed Lynn.

    "They’d better keep that bed next to you vacant, Howie’s definitely going to be here every night!" Kevin joked. It was true. Howie was planning in his head to stay at the hospital with Lynn until she was released.

    "How’d you know that Kevin?" Howie asked with a bewildered look on his face.

    "I’m psychic, plain and simple," Kev laughed. Lara wrapped her arms around Kevin’s neck.

    "You’re too cute Kevy," Lara commented. Kev tilted his head down to Lara’s and kissed her lips sweetly.

    "Grrrr, get a room!" Lynn complained.

    "We have a room…yours," Kevin noticed. Lynn squinted her eyes and pretended she was mad.

    "Okay, we should get going. Howie do you want me to bring you some clothes?" offered Kevin. Howie nodded. Lara and the 4 remaining Boys got up and left the room.

    "So, you're staying with me baby?" Lynn smiled.

    "Yup, you're stuck with me," Howie joked.

    "Oh darn," Lynn replied sarcastically.

    "Hey!" said Howie, pretending to be hurt.

    "I'm kidding silly," Lynn laughed.

    "You are?" Howie asked, with a puppy face.

    "Yes," she smiled.

    Howie grinned and leaned over, kissing her softly.

    "Um....sorry to interrupt," the nurse called with a laugh.

    Howie jumped up, his face red as Lynn laughed.

    "Nancy, you shouldn't do that to my fiancé," Lynn scolded.

    "Oh my god! Congrats Cuz!" Nancy screeched, giving Lynn a hug.

    "You guys are related?" Howie asked confused.

    "Yup," the two girls said with a laugh.

    Howie smiled and said,

    "Well, I'm Howie. It’s nice to meet you."

    "Nancy. I've heard a lot about you Howard," Nancy laughed.

    "Shut up Nancy," Lynn laughed.

    Nancy grinned and said,

    "How do you feel?"

    "Okay, I guess. I can't move though. I'm....really scared," she whispered.

    "Oh Cuz," Nancy replied softly hugging her younger cousin, "girl, by the end of the month you'll be playing b-ball against Brian."

    "I hope so," Lynn smiled.

    "Hey, I'll leave you two alone. See ya Cuz," Nancy hugged her small cousin once more before descending out of the room.

    "Baby, don't be scared. Everything will be all right. We'll have each other,"

    Howie smiled. Lynn smiled back, but Howie noticed a tear forming in her big brown eyes.

   "Howie....are you sure you want to marry me?" she asked in a soft voice.

   "What?! Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

   "Well…Howie…what if I am paralyzed? I don't want you to have to deal with that. It would be too much of a bother and a pain to you," she said barely above a whisper as she looked down.

   Howie put his hand under her chin and raised her face to look at him.

   "No matter what happens, I love you and I want to marry you," he smiled, kissing her softly.  She smiled and kissed him back as he sat on the side of her bed.