El Paso, Texas

The mustang fille trotted gaily alongside Ana. The fille was just finishing her second lap around the medium, circular corral and was coming to a rest when she spotted a medium height, blond-haired young man coming up to the fence.

The man's white cowboy hat blocked the sun from his eyes as he watched Ana and the fille finish their routine. Oscar loved horses as much as he loved Ana, his high-school sweet heart. The two had spent almost their whole lives together. Now, a ring, a pledge, and a vow had the possibility of uniting them forever.

The fille spotted Oscar and neighed happily, coming to an abrupt halt. The fille turned her head to the cowboy and gave a friendly nicker, turning her ears up at him. Ana came to a stop behind the Mustang, glancing over at Oscar resting on the fence. A warm smile spread across her lips as she gazed lovingly at her boyfriend.

"Why, isn't it my big strong man finally home from the oilrigs!" Ana teased, coming towards him.

Oscar smiled, "Yes, I am home for a while until Harry calls me again."

"Good," Ana smiled, reaching the fence.

Oscar welcomed Ana with a loving kiss on the lips. He gently stroked her cheek, keeping Ana close to him. How he had missed her! It had been a week since they had last seen each other on the large oilrig in the middle of the South China Sea. Still, two days without Ana seemed like an eternity. Oscar stared into Ana's gentle eyes. He wished that he had early asked Ana to marry him instead of waiting so long. Nevertheless, the day had come where he would finally ask her to marry him.

"Hey, you still there?" Ana laughed, waving her hands in front of Oscar's face.

Oscar smiled at her, replying, "Sorry, I was lost there for a second. I promise it will never happen again."

Ana smiled sweetly at him.

The fille gave a tiny grunt and pulled at the reins. The fille wanted to go into the horse pasture to be with her mother; not stand around and listen to her masters being all mushy with each other.

Oscar smiled at the anxious mustang and said, "I'll take Lily Mae to the horse pasture. You can go get ready if you want to."

"Thanks," Ana smiled gratefully. She gave Oscar a kiss on the lips. She placed the reins on the fence and began to climb over. Oscar helped Ana over to the other side, guiding her and helping her off the fence. Giving him another quick kiss, Ana said, "I'll be done in a few."

"A'ight then," Oscar smiled, mimicking in the stereotypical southern cowboy talk. He watched Ana trot into the house a couple yards away before turning to the fille.

"Do you like her?" Oscar asked Lily Mae.

The mustang nickered as if to say, "Yes."

"I'm glad you like her," Oscar smiled. He gazed at his ranch house and smiled pleasantly. "I love her. I love her more than this place. Do you think I should marry her?"

Lily Mae nickered and tossed her head in the air.

"I agree," Oscar smiled, patting Lily Mae gently on the head. He began leading her towards the large horse pasture.

Suddenly Oscar felt as if he had just been running for a mile. He gave soft wheezes and he felt himself gasping for air. Coming to a stop, he focused on his breathing and trying to maintain calm. .

Then his breathing returned to normal and Oscar relaxed some. He shook his head, clearing his mind from the brief scare. Looking down at Lily Mae, Oscar stroked her fuzzy head, wondering aloud, "I wonder if I should go see a doctor like Ana had suggested."

A little while later, Ana and Grace came out of the ranch house and started over towards the old white pickup. A.J. stood next to Oscar with his elbows resting on the hood of the pickup. Oscar had been telling A.J. about his recent breathing problems, and as always, A.J. listened attentively.

"I think you should go see a doctor," A.J. stated, looking at his friend in concern. "You may have Asthma, or you could have something else; something a lot worse."

Oscar nodded. He replied, "Maybe tomorrow I'll go check it out."

He did not want to go to the doctor today. He had been waiting all week for this day to come. He was not going to let a slight breathing problem ruin his big chance for asking Ana to marry him.

A.J. nodded, "Just don't wait too long now, you hear?"

Just then, Grace and Ana reached them. Both females wrapped their arms around their boyfriends and gave them a hug. Each girl matched with her guy. Grace resembled A.J.'s refined "city-boy" look with her elegant, knee-length black dress. Ana wore her favorite black cowgirl hat that had a strap on the bottom to keep it from blowing off her head. Instead of a dress like Grace, Ana wore blue jeans with black boots and a light blue denim jacket. She matched Oscar's western attire.

"Ya'll ready?" Oscar asked, pushing himself away from the pickup, and letting Ana snuggle in his arms.

Everyone nodded. A.J. said, "Okay everyone, pile in!"

A.J. took his spot behind the wheel while Grace slid into shotgun. Oscar helped Ana into the bed of the truck where they took their seats in the open bed directly behind A.J. and Grace. The old pickup roared to life and took off down the dusty trail towards El Paso.

Along the way Oscar told Ana about his earlier respiratory attack. Ana listened attentively to Oscar and said, "You still should go see a doctor."

"I will," Oscar replied. "I'll go see one tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

"You promise?"

"I never make a promise I don't intend to keep," Oscar told her. He gave her a kiss on the lips. "I'm sure it's just a minor problem."

Ana smiled at the kiss but looked doubtful about the breathing problem being minor.

On the outskirts of El Paso, Ana rose out of her seat and stood with her elbows propped up on the roof of the pickup, letting the cool summer air sweep past her hair. Oscar stood up and rested next to her. The two loved to have the wind fly between their ears and watch the scenery whip by them.

Ana began yodeling and beating a small rhythm on the roof of the truck. Oscar tried his best to yodel but quickly stopped when he realized that he couldn't come close to Ana's yodeling. To suffice, he began howling like a coyote; soon after, Ana joined him, laughing the entire time.

Just then, Oscar felt the same breathing problems he had recently experienced coming back. He felt his breath become rapid and shallow and his lungs began to tighten up. Wheezes came out of his mouth as he quickly sat back into the seat and began gasping for air.

Worriedly, Ana sat down next to him. Normally Oscar would stand next to her for the entire trip and not sit down except for when they got into the actual city. This was out of the ordinary, Ana thought, maybe it was Oscar's breathing problems coming back to him.

She noticed Oscar beginning to sweat profusely. Ana asked, sitting down next to him, "Are you feeling okay?"

Oscar panted, pausing on each word for breath, "I can't really breath!". He felt panicked for the shortness of breath was like none other that he had experienced before. Instead of a brief moment of panting heavily, the unusual shortness of breath continued for three minutes, then four. Oscar felt anxious as he struggled for air.

Ana said, "We should go see a doctor."

Oscar shook his head. Why would he allow this illness to ruin the only day where he could ask Ana to marry him? No minor breathing problem was going to stop him from doing that!

Grace turned and looked from Ana to Oscar. Grace knew that Oscar's breathing problems could be serious, if not fatal. A.J. also saw his friend's severe distress and said, "Oscar, you're in bad shape, we're taking you to the hospital."

Oscar gave up arguing with his friends. Not like he had a choice either, A.J. was driving so he had made the call. They were going to the hospital and Oscar couldn't stop him. But in his present condition, Oscar was more glad to go to the hospital rather than wait for the problem to go away.

Ana delicately wiped Oscar's brow with her light blue bandana. She worried that Oscar had Spontaneous Pneumothorax, a serious respiratory disease that needed immediate medical attention. She also worried that it could be a number of respiratory infections ranging from Asthma to Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or even worse, heart failure.

When they reached the hospital, Oscar hadn't felt his problem subside. In fact, the problem seemed to have gotten worse. He had glanced down at his hands while entering the hospital and discovered that they were turning a light shade of blue, cyanosis.

When the doctor behind the counter noticed the sickly hue around Oscar's neck and his absence of breath, a team of doctors came and put Oscar on a gurney and rushed him into a room where they put an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. The doctor then gave Oscar a shot of intravenous (IV) through the vein on his arm.

Ana watched from the room window, quietly praying to herself that nothing would happen to Oscar. She loved him with all her heart. Seeing him in a hospital bed being given injections and having to wear an oxygen mask made Ana feel helpless. Ana wondered to herself, "What caused Oscar to suddenly fall so ill?" She pressed her face closer to the glass, hoping to at least hear the doctors.

Second year resident Dr. Moorey came out a couple minutes later and quietly talked with Ana, explaining what was ailing her boyfriend. When Dr. Moorey finished, he left Ana to visit Oscar. While Ana headed into the room, Dr. Moorey went to the waiting room to deliver the same message to A.J. and Grace.

Ana quietly entered and sat on a stool next to Oscar's bed. A concerned frown wore heavy on her face as she observed Oscar looking exhausted and worn out. Oscar gazed at her and gave her a warm smile. He gently took her hands in his as he sat up in the bed.

Oscar peered into Ana's calming face, asking, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Ana nodded, wiping an escaping tear from her eye. She gave him a pleasant smile, asking, "Well, what about you? Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah," Oscar replied, giving her a comforting smile. "Asthma is not too bad I guess."

"Perhaps," Ana nodded, "But the doctor said you had had an acute Asthma attack, which could have been fatal if you hadn't gotten medical attention right away."

"I should of listened to you before when you said to go to the doctor right away," Oscar admitted. "I shouldn't have waited so long. Like with other things."

His voice trailed off as he pondered asking Ana to marry him. He reached down into his pocket to pull out the ring. Gazing into Ana's eyes, Oscar began, "Ana, we have known each other almost our entire lives. I care about you deeply, I love you every moment that I am awake and while I am sleeping. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you."

Oscar felt the ring in his pocket and began to pull it out. "I'm asking if you would, if you would," his voice stumbled on the words. The ring fell out of his pocket and landed on the floor, disappearing under the bed. Oscar looked from the floor up at Ana's expecting eyes. Giving her a nervous smile, Oscar asked, "Would you excuse me for a second?"

Just then, A.J. and Grace came into the room. Oscar sighed miserably and leaned back in the bed. His opportunity to ask Ana had come to an abrupt end. He then smiled courteously at his friend though.

A.J. came over to the bed, asking, "Are you okay buddy? You're not going to die on us are you?"

Oscar laughed. He replied, "No, I still have many more years left. I have Asthma though."

"So I hear," A.J. remarked. He glanced worriedly at his friend. "Is it serious?"

"On occasions it will be. They prescribed an inhaler to me. It's called a bronchodi…something."

"A Bronchodilator," Ana filled in. "It's an airway widener. It helps to relax and smooth the muscles around the infected areas."

"Wow," Oscar breathed admirably at Ana. "How'd you know all that? Did the doctor tell you that?"

"No," Ana smiled. "That's what living with a grandma who has been a nurse and a medical teacher all her life gets you." She watched Oscar rest more into the bed and asked curiously, "Did they say what caused your attacks?"

"They said that my case may be intrinsic, or an unclassified cause within the body that is unidentifiable. They also said my cases today were more than likely triggered by anxiety and/or stress."

Dr. Moorey came back into the room and went over to Oscar. He asked, "How are you feeling Mr. Choi?"

"I'm doing okay," Oscar replied. He was anxious to get out of the hospital.

"You were fortunate enough to get here when you did," the doctor said. "Next time, don't wait until you get a serious attack to come for help. One day you may not be near a hospital and it could cost you your life."

Ana could not believe the doctor and the way he was talking to Oscar. Ana asked, full of concern, "But he will be fine now that he's using an inhaler right?"

"Yes ma'am," the doctor replied, giving her a knowing smile. "Just as long as he doesn't over use it. He should learn to take deep, diaphragmatic breaths. That'll help control the occurrence of his attacks."

Ana nodded, gazing into Oscar's blue eyes, "He'll work on that."

"He'll need to stay overnight though," the doctor said.

"Overnight?" Ana questioned, surprised. "Why keep him overnight?"

"We need to observe him and make sure that he doesn't receive any more severe attacks. It is possible that he might get a Stage IV attack, which is a respiratory failure."

"What does that all mean?" A.J. curiously asked.

"It means that he would have severe respiratory distress, lethargy, confusion, prominent pulus paradoxus, and use of accessory muscles."

Oscar stared confusedly at the doctor. He inquired, "And in laymen terms that all means?"

The second year resident gave a sigh, replying, "It means that you'd be in a more worse condition than you are already in."

Oscar sighed. He wondered if Ana would be allowed to stay the night with him. He really didn't feel like being left alone in the hospital. He had spent the last couple days without Ana's comfort. Would he have to spend another night alone?

Ana seemed to have read his mind for she asked, "Can I stay all night here with him?"

"Only family of patients in critical condition are allowed to stay overnight with the patient," the doctor replied. "You'll have to come visit him in the morning."

"A'ight then," Ana replied softly. She grasped Oscar's hands and held them tightly in her hands. Ana then asked, "Mind if I stay with him for a while?"

"Only for a little while Miss," the doctor replied. "Then you'll need to go with your friends so Mr. Choi can get his rest. He's had quite a surprise attack."

Ana nodded, "Thanks."

Grace said, "We're going to the waiting room. If you need anything don't be afraid to holler, either of you."

Oscar and Ana nodded. A.J. said, "You hang in there buddy. I'll see you tomorrow. Until then, take care."

"Sorry about today's plans," Oscar mumbled apologetically.

"Hey, don't worry about it," A.J. replied, "We're just glad that you're okay. There'll be plenty of times for the four of us to hang out together. Don't worry about it."

Oscar nodded appreciatively. He watched his friends exit the room and felt himself drifting off to sleep. He shifted his gaze over to Ana and smiled weakly at her. He felt the gentle tug of sleep on his eyelids. Reluctantly, Oscar submitted himself to sleep, letting himself fall into the momentary darkness, his vision of Ana resting in his memory.

Ana watched her love slip slowly into slumber. She bent over and delivered a tender kiss to his forehead and stroked his soft blonde hair. Standing up, Ana gave Oscar one last kiss on his lips. She whispered, "I'll be back first thing in the morning. I promise you that."

The next morning Ana returned as she promised. Dr. Moorey informed her that Oscar hadn't had another Asthma attack and was recovering from his last one quite well. The doctor said, "I believe that Mr. Choi will be able to go home today."

"Okay," Ana smiled. She was happy to hear that her boyfriend was doing better. She heard a noise from behind her and saw A.J. and Grace coming up to them.

"How's he doing?" A.J. asked concernedly.

Ana replied, "He's doing fine. The doctor said that he'll be able to come home today."

Dr. Moorey added, "Just make sure he gets lots of fluids for the next few days and if he has minor breathing problems, try to have him breathe deeply from his diaphragm and not overuse the inhaler."

"I'll be sure to watch him," Ana replied. "Is that all doctor?"

"Yes ma'am," the doctor replied. He then exited the room

Ana, Grace, and A.J. went into Oscar's room and found him awake.

"Hey baby," Ana greeted Oscar with a kiss on the lips. "How ya feelin' this mornin'?"

"Better than yesterday," Oscar admitted. He gazed at Ana and instantly felt better about the day. He replied, "I'm even better now that you're here with me."

"You're so sweet," Ana murmured. She smiled, "The doctor says you are free to go. I'm supposed to watch over you though to make sure you don't overuse the inhaler."

"Ai'ght."

"We were goin' to go to the Country Kitchen for some breakfast, y'an somethin' to eat?"

"I don't know if I'm all that hungry but I'll certainly go with ya'll," Oscar replied.

"Ai'ght then, come on!" Ana laughed, pulling him to a standing position. "Lets go before it gits too busy!"

Oscar listened to his friend A.J. tell them about how Harry had caught him sleeping with Grace and had shot at him with a 22-gauge shot gun. Apparently a ricochet had hit A.J. in the lower leg. It still smarted, but A.J. wasn't paying any attention to it anymore. Oscar was only half listening though, for he was thinking about Ana and how he was going to propose to her.

When A.J. finished telling his story the song, "I Can Love You Like That" by John Michael Montgomery came on the overhead speakers. Oscar remembered that this was the first song that he had slow-danced with Ana on their first date. Glancing at A.J. and giving him the slight nod to leave, Oscar smiled at Ana.

A.J. said to Grace, "Hey, lets go dance! What do you say Grace?"

Grace looked bewilderedly at him, replying, "I don't know baby. I don't think they have a dance floor area."

"Well," A.J. remarked, pulling her up, "I just made one."

Ana laughed as she watched A.J. drag Grace to the only clearing in the tiny Country Kitchen and begin to slow-dance with her.

Oscar turned to Ana and smiled at her, "I remember that this was the song we first danced to together as boyfriend girlfriend."

Ana smiled, remember their first date.

"I have been thinking about us Ana, and I've come to realize that there isn't a day that goes by when I haven't loved you. I love the way you walk, the way you smile at me, and the way you love me. For the longest time you've wanted your 'Prince Charming' to come sweep you off your feet."

Ana smiled, "Well I already know that you're my Prince Charming."

Oscar gave a nervous chuckle. He felt his heart rate increasing as he stumbled forward, "I can give you the world if you say you love me too. I want to be able to wake up every morning and know that you're there beside me and we're always together. There's nothing I wouldn't do to make you happy."

Taking a deep breath he continued, "Ana Marie Nider, will you marry me?"

Ana smiled, tears coming to her eyes. She replied, "Of course I'll marry you! I do love you and I want to grow old with you."

Oscar gave a relieved smile. He pulled out a beautiful silver ring with a sapphire jewel and gently took Ana's hand. As he went to slip the ring on her finger his hand began to shake and he accidentally dropped it in the scrambled eggs.

Ana gave a soft chuckle and gazed lovingly into the embarrassed Oscar. She laughed, "Ya feelin' okay baby?"

"Yeah," Oscar laughed, picking the ring out of the scrambled eggs and wiping it off with a napkin. "Just happy."

"Me too," Ana smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "I love you."

"I love you too," Oscar replied.

A.J. and Grace came over. They had heard the proposal and the answer. A.J. congratulated, "Way to go man! Congratulations to the newest family in Harry's Oil Company."

Everyone laughed. Grace said, "Congratulations, both of you! I know you're going to make one very happy couple."

"I know we are," Ana and Oscar replied.




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