"Beautiful as ever, Kersey." he reached up and pulled me close and kissed me. I looked at myself again in the mirror and smiled.
I carefully took the dress off and put my hospital gown back on. I crawled into bed and wiped the last few tears off my red cheeks.
"Thank you so much Graham." I said.
"Anything for you, Kersey." he said. "Listen. I talked to the doctor and he said you would be released tomorrow." he said smiling.
"Really? Finally! I've been waiting to get out of this place." I said. "Graham, look." I said, nodding towards the window. It was snowing.
"It's so beautiful outside." he said in an almost whisper. "I'd take you out if I could, but you're already sick." he said. He came and sat on the end of the bed.
"Please don't worry about how I got that dress, okay? It's all been worked out. It's okay." he said. He must have knew I was wondering.
"But please, can you tell me?" I asked pleadingly. He sighed and closed his eyes.
"Honey, I went to your parents and showed them the page you ripped out. They love you so much Kersey, they bought the dress for you." he said. I was shocked.
"Did you thank them for me?" I cried.
"Baby, calm down. Of course I did. They said they were willing to pay everything if we needed them to." he said. He was getting choked up. He had never met my parents before, but he had the courage to go to them and ask them for help.
"I cannot believe it." I said. I had been so cruel to them. I needed to call my mom. "I have to call her."
I grabbed the telephone off the bedside table and quickly dialed my mom and dad's house.
"Hello?" a voice said. It was my father.
"Dad? I-I want to thank you and mom. The dress. You didn't need to. I didn't need that dress." I said, swallowing hard.
"Baby, its the least we could do. Do you mind if your mother talks on the other line?" he asked.
"Put her on." I said. My mother picked up another phone.
"Kersey? Honey? What's wrong?" she said.
"Mom. Thank you so much for the dress! I didn't need it, really." I said. I could hear my mother crying.
"Kersey, I know I haven't always been there for you, but I am now, okay? I promise. I will always be there for you. You're... you're my baby girl." she said, hanging up the phone, sobbing.
"Can we come see you? Your mother has wanted to come, but she can't bear seeing you in the hospital. It makes her so overwhelmingly sad." he said. I could hear him comforting my mother in the background.
"Yes, please come." I said. "Listen, daddy, I'll talk to you when you come, okay?" I said. It was the first time I had called him daddy, in practically, my whole life. "Bring mom." I said, smiling. We both hung up.
"Graham, I want to thank you again. I think you have brought me and my parents closer now." I said, still smiling. I leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I love you so much." I said.