"Wait, what do you mean, you believe the surgery was successful?" Jim asked nervously.

"Well, what I mean is, everything went as it should have, procedure-wise. But she's going to have bandages on her eyes for the next 72 hours, so until those bandages come off, we don't really know for certain. But, rest assured, 99% of the time when the procedure goes through without a hitch, that means that it actually worked. In my 25 years of eye surgery I've only had 2 patients that the surgery didn't work... out of over 1000 surgeries. I'm very confident that when those bandages are taken off in three days, Laura will be able to see for the first time in fifteen years."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, thank you so much, doctor," Kate said. "Let's go see her!"

Everyone followed Kate and Jim down to Laura's room. Kevin was so happy. Finally, Laura will be able to see everyone, and see me... see how much love I have for her, he thought as they entered Laura's room.

"Laura, sweetheart," Jim said, leaning down to hug Laura. "How do you feel, honey?"

"Well, my eyes hurt a bit," Laura said, laughing sarcastically. "But other then that, I feel pretty good."

"Three days, Laura. That's when Dr. Bob said you could take the bandages off," Misty said.

"Yeah, I know, I'm so excited," Laura replied, forcing a smile. She was glad her surgery went well, but she remembered her pre-surgery conversation with Lyn, and it still was making her upset. Everyone was giving their best wishes before exiting the room. Laura should have been happy, but she wasn't. She couldn't believe that Kevin would keep something like that from her, unless, of course, he had something to hide.

"Well, sweetie, we'll leave you alone so you can rest. Jim and I have to go but we'll be back up to see you on Wednesday night. Love you," Kate said, as the remaining visitors left Laura's room. All of them, except Kevin. He was so happy the surgery went well. He couldn't wait until Laura had her bandages off, and he could look her in the eyes, knowing that she was looking back at him.

Kevin sat down next to Laura, taking her hand in his. Laura could feel that it was Kevin, and immediately pulled her hand away. Not realizing she did it on purpose, Kevin reached for her hand again, and once again she jerked it away. Kevin was incredibly confused. "Laura, darlin'? It's me... it's Kevin," he said softly, unsure of why she was pulling away from him.

"I know it's you," Laura said sharply. Kevin was surprised by the tone in her voice. He figured she was just tired. "If you want me to visit later, I can go and--"

"Yes, go. But I don't want you to visit later. I don't want you to come at all."

Kevin couldn't believe the words he heard come from Laura's lips. "Honey? What's wrong?"

"Like you need to ask me that?! Kevin, I may be blind, but I'm not stupid. I know about what happened. Lyn, or should I say--Linda--told me about last week at your apartment."

"What did she tell you, Laura?" Kevin asked sternly, his anger for Linda growing more and more by the second.

"What does it matter, Kevin? I just--I don't even want to talk to you. Please leave so I can sleep."

"But Laura, let me explain--"

"I don't want to even hear your explanation for it... there is no explanation that can make this right, Kevin. Now I want you to go. Please Kevin."

"Laura, please, just listen--"

Laura started to cry. "Please! Kevin go! Don't make this harder for me then it is. Please leave."

With that Kevin stood up, choking back tears, and reluctantly turned and walked out of the room.

"So Kevin, I bet you're the most excited of all of us for Laura to see, huh?" Patti asked as Kevin walked back into the waiting room. Everyone else had gone outside to get some fresh air, while Patti had opted to go get something to drink.

"I don't know what I feel anymore," Kevin replied, suddenly crying.

"Kevin?? Kevin, what's wrong?" Patti couldn't understand what he could possibly be crying about.

"Linda... fucking bitch," Kevin said, his voice filled with anger, "she told Laura before her surgery about what happened last week."

"Oh shit, Kevin," Patti said. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, that's what she said. She just basically told me to fuck off, but in nicer words. I just don't know what to do," Kevin said, burying his face in his hands and sobbing. "I was really starting to fall for Laura. I--I love her, Patti. How am I going to make this right?"

"Well, did you try to explain to her what happened? I'm sure if you just told her--"

"Laura wouldn't even give me a chance to explain, Patti. I just knew I should have told her sooner, but I figured she had enough to deal with before her surgery that I was going to tell her after the surgery. In fact I was going to tell her today! Shit, now it's all fucked up." Just then Kevin's attention was snagged by a nurse walking by... Lyn.

Kevin stood up before he even knew what he was doing. "You bitch, you fucking bitch!" he yelled, then started walking toward Lyn faster and faster. AJ and Howie were coming in with the rest of the group when they saw him walking towards Lyn with a look in his eyes they had never seen before. They ran up beside Kevin and held him back. "Kevin, calm down," AJ said calmly.

"Calm down!? The bitch is out to ruin my life and you want me to be calm?!?" Kevin said, practically yelling. Lyn just smirked, satisfied, and walked down the hallway out of sight. AJ and Howie were still holding Kevin back. "Let go of me," he said, a bit calmer then before. They let him go and he sat down.

"Kevin, what happened?" Misty asked, shocked at how out of control Kevin seemed when he was usually the picture of togetherness. Kevin explained to everyone what had happened with Lyn a week ago, and now what she had told Laura. "And I tried explaining what really happened to Laura, but she won't even listen to me. I just don't know what to do," he said.

"I think right now the biggest thing she needs is rest. Why don't we all just go home for the day, relax, and come back in the morning to see her. I'll talk to her then," Misty said. Leighanne spoke up too. "We'll talk to her too," she said, referring to herself, Whitney and Patti. "Maybe she just needs a woman to talk to her, you know?"

"Thanks, gals. Any help I can get right now I think would be great. I don't think things can get much worse, anyway. But I'm going to go home, get a change of clothes, and come back here and spend the night here. Even if I have to sleep on this waiting room couch, I'm going to stay here."

Brian thought that was a bit extreme. "Kevin, I really don't think it's necessary for you to--"

"Frankly, Brian, I don't care. I know it's probably irrational but I want to be here in case she changes her mind and wants to see me," Kevin said, trying to rationalize his actions.

"OK, Kev. You're a big boy, you do what you want," Brian said, and he and everyone else parted ways and head home.

Kevin walked to his car and got in. He began to cry. Why? When everything was going so well... why? he thought. He took a deep breath and started the car. The radio was on, and Open Arms by Journey was playing. A song that had come to mean so much to Kevin and Laura... their song. Kevin started driving home to get his overnight things, ready to do whatever it takes to win Laura's love and trust back. Whatever it takes...