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Hannah quickly recovers, astonishing her doctor at the speed of her healing. She is back in her joyous mood, which infects all those who meet her. She is moved to a regular room to finish her final days of treatment. Her room is constantly filled with visitors. Shelley, Bryce, Elise, Chelsea, and Scot come nearly every day to spend time with her. Some clients of the parlor even come to visit her. Her favorite visitor, other than her dad and Sawyer is Joshua, the older gentleman who she struck up a friendship with. Joshua comes to visit with her every other day, telling her stories about when he was younger. She loves talking to him and asks if he can come more often.
Day by day, her strength returns, and more tubes and wires are removed. She is particularly excited when she can eat again. Sawyer picks her up a cheeseburger, fries and chocolate shake from the café near the apartment. The owners of the café are happy to hear of Hannah’s recovery and insist that the food is no charge. Sawyer is still shocked at how everyone loves her as soon as they meet her. How can they not? She is perfect he thinks to himself smiling. When he returns with the food, she eagerly digs in.
“Babe, chew it. It’s not going anywhere!” Sawyer laughs as she takes another large bite while she smiles at him. She eats everything in front of her, surprising the doctors who have warned that she won’t be able to eat much.
Sawyer and Mr. Randoff continue to alternate nights with Hannah. The men insist on staying with her overnight just in case she has any nightmares. Mr. Randoff is overjoyed with being able to spend time with his little girl and get to know her again. They spend many days and nights laughing for hours. He tells her stories of her mother and of when Hannah was a little girl. She enjoys reliving the memories with him. Hannah especially likes being told the story of how her mother and father met and how the three of them would spend their weekends exploring and camping. She has forgotten so much and is eager to learn it all over.
The time she spends with Sawyer is her favorite. It is just the two of them picking up where they left off.
“When you get out of here, I’m taking you out on a date,” Sawyer tells Hannah as he takes her hand in his. Hannah loves the way his large hands completely envelope her small ones.
She beams at him, “So are you asking me on a date, or just telling me?”
“Oh, right. Hannah Randoff will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?” he asks as he bows down before her. She giggles while attempting to curtsey from her hospital bed.
“Of course, kind sir. I would be honored, but have you properly asked my dad? That’s what they do in the movies.” Sawyer chuckles at her response. She has taken up watching classical movies while lying in the bed to pass time.
“What kind of man do you take me for? Of course, I asked, and I received his blessing. So be prepared to be romanced my dear,” Sawyer tells her. She laughs as she pulls him down to hug him.
“Babe, when you get released, where are you going to stay? I mean, are you going back with your dad?”
“I haven’t really thought about it. I just assumed I would go back with you. That is, if you want me to. If not, I understand.”
“No, I want you to come back with me. I just didn’t want to assume,” he answers shyly.
“I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather be,” she tells him truthfully. Sawyer feels himself fall even more in love with the beautiful creature in front of him.
***
HANNAH IS RELEASED a week after she woke up. She is almost back to herself, but she tires quickly. She spends her first few days home resting. Mr. Randoff returns to his home and promises that he will come and visit often and that she can come home anytime she would like. She tells him she will when she feels stronger.
Sawyer balances his time between checking on her at home and working in the parlor. He looks better than he has in a long time. He is cheerful again and has gained back the weight he lost. His staff is relieved that he has gone back to bathing everyday again. Everyone is happier now that Hannah is back. Bryce and the girls come to check on her when Sawyer can’t make it. She grows closer to them as the days go by. Officer Merritt even comes by to see how Hannah is coping. As crabby as he is, the officer falls under Hannah’s spell and is uncommonly nice while he speaks with her. Sawyer even thinks that he saw the man grin as he leaves the apartment.
After a few days of rest, Hannah decides it’s time to go back to the parlor. She misses the clients and wants to start drawing again. Sawyer doesn’t try to persuade her otherwise, he is thrilled with her decision.
The next day Hannah surprises everyone when she walks through the door of Blacked Out Ink. Bryce, Elise, Chelsea, and Scot hurry over to her and take turns embracing the doe eyed girl they love. She admits that she feels more at ease when at the parlor than anywhere else. She likes to be surrounded by her friends and especially Sawyer. She takes a seat by Sawyer in his booth and talks to his client for a bit before taking her sketch pad out and drawing. Sawyer looks over at what she is working on and is in awe.
“Babe, you should do all of my sketchings. We can make a portfolio of them, and people can get a tattoo of them.”
“Really? Do you think someone would want something I’ve drawn on them forever?”
“Absolutely, in fact, I want you to draw something for me to tattoo on myself. I’m serious. Anything you want to see on me for the next sixty years, I’ll have tattooed. Bryce can even do it, and that’s saying something,” he laughs while looking at the surprised red-head.
“Hannah, draw something major! You don’t know how badly I want to see this guy cringe because of me. This is going to be great! Everyone, you heard Sawyer right? He said I could give him a tattoo!” Bryce shouts through the parlor over the amusement of everyone inside.
Hannah takes the request to heart. She draws a set of stairs leading up to a slightly opened door. Sunlight is flooding in through the cracks of the door. She pays close attention to the detail and colors of the sketch. She wants to make sure everything is just right. She finishes after a few days.
“Here, I’m done. This is what I want you to have tattooed. I want you to give me a tattoo also, of the same thing. I want it on the back of my left shoulder, so I remember my past and move on from it, just like you. Will you do it for me?” Hannah tentatively asks the large man before her. He takes the sketch and looks it over, observing every detail.
“Is this what you saw the day you left? Is this the door you escaped from?” She nods her head at him as tears fill her eyes.
“It’s because of that door that I was able to find you. It is important that I don’t forget it, it changed my life,” she says quietly.
“Babe, it’s important to me too. Where do you think I should put it?”
“Well, how about in the middle of your stomach, between the phoenix and the saying?”
“That is perfect. Are you going to stay and watch?”
“Of course, Sawyer, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she tells him honestly.
“Great babe, because tonight I’m taking you out on our first official date,” Sawyer proudly tells her. Hannah blushes and shyly smiles at the smug man in front of her.
“Alright lover boy, take your shirt off and sit down. Hannah, get your blind fold on, don’t want to see Sawyer half naked and ruin your innocence now, do we?” Bryce scoffs, loving that he can give them both such a hard time.
“I’ll come back in a few minutes, I need to talk to the girls,” Hannah announces as she rises from her chair.
“Bye sweetie pie,” Bryce calls out.
“Shut up idiot. Nice going, you just basically made fun of her,” Sawyer yells at Bryce and slapping him on the backside of his head.
“Hey now, I did not! She loves me, maybe as much as she loves you. She is pretty much my sister now, she needs to get used to my subtle humor.”
“You are such a rear, she totally loves me more,” Sawyer states to the red-head. They both laugh and get set up for Sawyer’s tattoo.
***
HANNAH BEGINS TO FEEL anxious at the thought of her date with Sawyer. She walks over to Elise and Chelsea to ask for their advice.
“Hey girls. I need your help. Sawyer and I have our first date tonight. I don’t know what to wear or how to act. What do I do? I’m so nervous. What if I mess up and embarrass myself or him? What if . . .”
“Hannah, stop!” Chelsea interrupts. “There is nothing you can do to mess things up with that man. He is head over heels in love with you. If it will make you feel better, we will call Shelley and all of us can help you get ready. But seriously, stop worrying!”
Hannah nods her head and agrees. She then begins to blush as Chelsea’s words finally register with her.
“Did you say he loves me? I mean, he told me a long time ago, but I guess I thought he might have changed his mind.”
“Oh, come on! That man was a hot mess when you were missing. He didn’t shower, work, eat, or even acknowledge any of us. He pretty much gave up on living when you weren’t around. He still loves you girly, in fact, he probably loves you more now than he did before,” Elise states as a matter of fact.
The apprehension Hannah was feeling leaves immediately as she processes what the girls relay to her. She knows that she feels the same for the intimidating man. She looks over her shoulder at him, laying on his back with Bryce hard at work on his new tattoo. He wanted something that she drew to be on him permanently. Hannah takes it as a sign that he wants to have something permanent with her, just as she wants with him.