by Erin Wade
“Let’s discuss our future. I’m thinking that after you get your nurse practitioner’s degree we’ll both work in this hospital. You might even want to get your medical degree. We could be Doctors Without Limits, because there is no limit to how much I love you.
“After we’re married, what name do you want to use? Niki Fairchild Sears, or Niki Sears Fairchild, or Mrs. Niki Sears, or Mrs. Niki Fairchild, or—”
“Mrs. Niki Fairchild,” a faint voice mumbled as Niki squeezed Dawn’s hand.
“Niki! Oh my God, Niki! You’re awake. Oh baby, I’ve prayed. I’ve . . .” Tears ran down Dawn’s cheeks, and she struggled to breathe. She pulled Niki’s hand to her lips and kissed it. “I’ve missed you so much, baby.”
Niki’s smile was weak but genuine. “Mrs. Niki Fairchild caught my attention. I mean, were you proposing or just practicing?” she mumbled.
“Proposing.” Dawn leaned down and gently placed her lips on Niki’s cheek. “So, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” Niki whispered, groaning as she moved. “But not anytime soon. I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”
“You were. You’ve been unconscious for weeks, and a lot has transpired.”
Dawn called Father Garza and asked him to grab a witness on the way. She didn’t want to take a chance that Niki might slip back into a coma.
“We need to get married right away.” Dawn explained the steps Sylvia was taking to gain control of Niki. “If I’m your wife, I’m considered next of kin and the one with the authority to make decisions about your medical care. Libby also drew up a power of attorney giving me the right to act on your behalf.”
Niki’s eyes glazed over. “Stay with me, baby,” Dawn said loudly. “Your life depends on it.”
Father Garza and a nurse entered the room. “Is she coherent?”
“Yes.” Dawn moved so the priest could stand beside Niki’s bed.
“Niki, I’m Father Garza, the hospital chaplain,” he explained. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” Niki croaked.
Dawn picked up a cup of water and held a straw to Niki’s lips so she could moisten her mouth and tongue.
“Do you want to marry Dawn Fairchild?” Father Garza asked.
Niki smiled weakly. “More than anything.”
“Then I’m going to perform the wedding ceremony,” Garza said. He pulled Dawn closer and placed Niki’s hand in Dawn’s.
“Do you, Nicole Maria Sears, take this woman, Dawn Aden Fairchild, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“Yes,” Niki said.
“Do you, Dawn Aden Fairchild, take this woman, Nicole Maria Sears, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Dawn said.
“By the powers vested in me, I pronounce you . . . woman and wife.” Father Garza beamed, knowing he’d gotten it right.
Dawn, Niki, and Father Garza signed the marriage certificate and power of attorney, and the nurse witnessed them. “I’ll file these today and bring back copies,” he said as he left the room.
When they were alone, Dawn sat down on the side of Niki’s bed. “How do you feel?”
“Married.” Niki giggled. “But I’ve always felt married to you. Now it’s legal.”
Dawn leaned forward and kissed the scar on her wife’s pale cheek. “I love you, Mrs. Niki Fairchild.”
Niki’s eyes closed as she slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Dawn laid her head on Niki’s arm and cried. All the tension, all the fear, all the worry slipped away. She closed her eyes and slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.
Chapter 59
“Hey, sleepyhead.” A gentle hand played with Dawn’s hair. “Do you think you could get this tube out of my nose? It’s uncomfortable as hell.”
“Oh God, yes!” Dawn almost jumped for joy. “Let me check all your vitals and make certain you can eat.”
“I promise I could eat a horse right now.” Niki chuckled. “I’m starving.”
“I’m afraid you’ll be confined to Jell-O until your stomach adapts to food again.”
Dawn scrambled for her stethoscope and held it against her breast to warm it.
“Do you do that for every patient?” Niki’s eyes gleamed as she watched.
“Only the ones I plan to seduce at a later date,” Dawn teased back, placing the chestpiece over Niki’s lungs. “Take a deep breath.”
Niki did as instructed.
“Did that hurt?”
“No, it felt good,” Niki replied. “I was waiting for pain to hit but it didn’t.”
“That’s good. Let me get a nurse, and we’ll get these tubes out.”
“Dawn, wait!” Niki touched her own face with her fingers. “Is my face okay? Am I still beautiful for you?”
“You’d be beautiful to me no matter what,” Dawn said softly. “Your face is perfect, and so is your beautiful soul.”
##
Dawn placed the feeding tube and other paraphernalia on the rolling cart as the nurse pushed the ventilator from the room. Dawn wet a washcloth and washed Niki’s face. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered.
“Uh-huh,” Niki said, mocking her.
“I’ve ordered you some strawberry Jell-O. I remembered it’s your favorite.”
Niki frowned. “Only because BD I had no teeth.”
“BD?” A quizzical expression crossed Dawn’s face.
“Before Dawn,” Niki murmured. “Before Dawn I was a lost cause. I doubt I’d be alive today if you hadn’t taken an interest in me.”
“Neither would I if you hadn’t sacrificed your safety for me.” Dawn shrugged. “But enough reminiscing about awful times. We have nothing but sunshine and rainbows ahead of us.”
Scuffling in the hallway drew their attention toward the door. “I have a court order to remove my daughter from life support,” Sylvia Sears shrieked as she burst through the door with hospital administrators and attorneys behind her.
“I’ve already complied with your court order,” Dawn said, stopping Sylvia before she could reach Niki.
Sylvia glared at her daughter. “You’re better?”
Niki nodded. Her eyes darted to Dawn.
“What do you want?” Dawn asked. “We’ve complied with your order. I believe your business here is finished.”
“I want to speak with my daughter alone,” Sylvia demanded.
“There’s no way I would leave you alone with Niki,” Dawn said as she moved to her wife’s side. “Anything you have to say to her you can say to me. She is much improved but not completely out of the woods yet. I won’t allow you to cause her to relapse.”
“Dr. Fairway, you are a pain in the ass,” Sylvia cackled. “My daughter can speak for herself.”
“Dawn’s right. I don’t want to be in a room alone with you,” Niki said. “I haven’t seen you since I graduated college. Why your sudden interest in me now?” Niki slumped back against her pillows. It was obvious she was exhausted.
“Look here, you ungrateful little—”
Dawn caught Sylvia by the shoulders, whirled her around, and shoved her out the door. “Officer, please have security escort Mrs. Sears from the hospital and tell them she isn’t allowed in Niki Sears’s room again under any circumstances.”
“You can’t do that!” Sylvia bellowed. “You have no right to interfere.”
“As her doctor I have every right,” Dawn said, seething. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”
When Dawn returned to the room, Niki was sleeping. Dawn slipped into bed with her, and for the first time in weeks, leaned down to kiss her lips. She slid her arm under Niki’s neck, and Niki snuggled into her side. “I love you,” she whispered to Dawn.
##
“I’ve been on this case hard for the past three months,” Bobby Joe informed Niki. The redhead sat on the sofa in Dawn’s office. “I’ve narrowed my suspects down to your family.”
“Here you go,” Dawn said, handing Niki and Bobby Joe cups of steaming coffee. “It’s
hot. Be careful.” She sat down beside her wife and put her arm around Niki’s shoulder.
“I’m getting a search warrant for all three of their homes. If I can find a Glock that matches the bullet we dug out of your porch pillar, I’ll file charges against them. I’ve got my best computer geek working to trace a connection between them and the murder-for-hire site on the dark web. That’s a long shot.”
“But didn’t the truck driver say his target was Dawn and me?” Niki asked. “Why would my family want Dawn dead?”
“That guy is dumb as an armadillo,” Bobby Joe grumbled. “I don’t think he knows who he was supposed to kill. He just had an address.”
“Bobby Joe, Niki has improved drastically over the past three weeks. We’d love to go home. Niki’s been released, and we’re tired of living in the hospital. The university has arranged for her to take the tests she’s missed. If she passes them, she can return to her classes and stay on track to graduate.
“Our lives have been in such upheaval. We just want things to be normal—whatever normal is for us.”
“I understand,” Bobby said. “But until I make an arrest, I want to provide you police protection, and the hospital is the best place to do that. I don’t have the funds to put several men with you. Here you also have the hospital security guards. I should be able to make an arrest next week.”
After Bobby Joe left they sat side by side drinking their coffee. “I guess we’re stuck here for at least another week,” Niki mumbled.
“I’m afraid so, baby. It’s for our own protection.”
Niki walked to the door and locked it. “Then you need to get a soft throw for your sofa, Doctor.”
Chapter 60
While Dawn was in surgery, Niki spent the morning searching the hospital for a room they might use as an apartment for the next week.
Darcus Martin led her to a room that was scheduled to be turned into a VIP intensive care room. “We’ve stripped everything out of it, repainted the walls, and added carpet. Look at this bathroom. It’s nicer than mine at home.”
“May we use it for a week?” Niki asked. “It’s perfect.”
“Sure. I’ll have one of the new larger beds put in here,” Darcus volunteered. “It’s nice, but it’s still a hospital bed.”
“It’ll work fine,” Niki thanked her and hurried away to complete her mission.
She spent the rest of the day gathering things to make the room a sanctuary for Dawn, a place where she could relax. A place to shut out the rest of the world.
She bought flowers and scented candles from the hospital vendor and begged a beautiful bedspread and real sheets and pillowcases from housekeeping. She found an extra coffee maker stored in the doctors’ lounge and bought gourmet coffee and cups from the on-site Starbucks.
By the time Dawn completed her last surgery, Niki had transformed the hospital room into their own bit of paradise.
##
Niki sat in Dawn’s office studying for her nursing exams. As soon as Bobby Joe released them, she wanted to take the tests and get back into school. Her heart jumped when Dawn opened the door. It was funny how a room changed when Dawn entered it.
“Look at you, getting ready for your big tests.” Dawn moved a book and sat beside Niki. “I’ve missed you today.”
“I’ve been busy.” Niki tilted her chin, welcoming the kiss she knew was coming. “Your lips are always so soft and delicious,” she whispered.
“Mmm-hmm,” Dawn murmured. “Yours are electrifying.”
“Are you finished for the day?” Niki began gathering her books and papers.
“I am. I wish we could go home. I guess I need to see about a room for us, since you’ve been discharged.”
Niki stood. “Darcus arranged one for us. I moved all of our things to it. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Dawn gathered Niki’s books and followed her. “I promise you a real honeymoon when all this madness is over,” she said as she followed her wife. “We should probably have a proper wedding too. I sort of forged your name on our marriage license. I’m sure your mother’s attorneys could have a field day with that.”
“Can we do that tomorrow on your day off?” Niki asked. “The sooner we’re a hundred percent legal, the happier I’ll be. I don’t need a fancy wedding to know I belong to you. We can apply for the license and have Father Garza marry us on Friday in the hospital chapel.”
“I’d like to invite a few friends and my family,” Dawn said, getting excited about the idea of a small wedding.
“We can do anything you want, honey.” Niki smiled as she opened the door to their home for the next few days.
Dawn gasped as she surveyed the transformed room. “Oh my! You did this? This is wonderful, and it smells so good in here. Not like a hospital.”
“Do you really like it?” Niki beamed.
“I love it, and I love you.” Dawn placed the books on a desk Niki had found and turned to slowly pull the redhead into her arms.
“You make me so happy. You always make everything better, nicer, sweeter.” Her lips touched Niki’s, and she relished the feel of their soft silkiness. The sensation of Niki in her arms was overwhelming. She was so soft and inviting. Dawn tightened her arms around her wife as Niki deepened the kiss.
“I’ve waited all day for this,” Niki whispered as she broke the kiss. “You’re going to love our bed.”
“I’d love a blanket on the floor,” Dawn said, her eyes sparkling, “as long as you were on it.”
##
“You are incredible.” Dawn gasped as she rolled onto her side and gazed at Niki. “Just incredible.”
Niki snuggled into the blonde’s softness and sighed. “You take my breath away,” she said, willing her pounding heart to slow down. “You are . . . . I love the way you make love to me.”
Dawn chuckled. “I’m glad. I’d be in deep trouble if you didn’t. But you know if I do something you don’t like, or you want me to do something that will please you more, all you have to do is tell me . . . or show me.” Her lips captured Niki’s again.
They made love, planned their future, and made love again. They fell asleep as the sun was flooding their world with light.
##
Dawn lay still beside her wife. She reveled in the feel of the smaller woman snuggled into her stomach. She fought the desire to pull Niki tighter against her. She wanted to wrap around her and protect her from the world, to erase the nightmares of the insanity Niki had left behind. The thought of Lucky hurting Niki sent a burning wave of hatred through her.
Thoughts of the pitiful little waif who had stood between her and the horrors of prison sent a fresh surge of love through her body. The heat was unbearable.
“Are you just going to lie here and do a slow burn,”—Niki turned in her arms and kissed her breast—“or make love to me?”
“What do you think?” Dawn whispered as she rose above her wife. “You must be quieter. Remember, we still have a guard outside our door.”
“I can’t promise anything,” Niki said, giggling.
Chapter 61
They spent the next day applying for a new marriage license and arranging for their wedding. Father Garza was thrilled that they wanted to get married in his chapel.
Dawn called her family, Libby, and Bobby Joe Jones. She was surprised to find that she considered the detective a friend, but she did.
She mentioned inviting Val, but Niki vetoed the idea, saying she wanted nothing at her wedding that would remind her of prison.
“Is there anyone else you want to invite?” Dawn asked.
“The only one I care about being there is you.” Niki tiptoed for a kiss.
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.” Dawn laughed.
##
They were eating lunch in the hospital cafeteria when Libby found them. “I’ve been doing a lot of digging and found some interesting information about you, Niki,” she said as she joined them.
Niki’s confused look let Libby know sh
e had no idea what the attorney was talking about.
“Sears & Klienschmidt,” Libby said. “The second largest online retailer in the world.”
“Oh, that.” Niki wrinkled her nose in disgust. “My family’s business but not mine. My mother disowned me after Father died.”
“It doesn’t quite work that way,” Libby explained. “Like your older brothers, you were gifted several million dollars in S&K stock when you were born. It’s in your name. Over the past thirty years the stock has split and doubled numerous times.
“Your brothers and your mother have sold their stock to pay for palatial homes, lavish vacations, expensive cars, and anything else their hearts desired.
“You, on the other hand, haven’t touched your stock. Guess what? You are the single largest stockholder in S&K. You own eighty percent of the company, enough to run it as you see fit.”
Both Dawn and Niki gaped at Libby. “My wife is an heiress?” Dawn whispered.
Niki gasped. “I’m the largest stockholder in S&K? How did I not know that?”
“Apparently you dropped off the grid after college,” Libby said. “Your family assumed you were dead until Ruth Fairchild called your mother and tried to persuade her to visit you in prison.”
“My brothers . . .” Niki choked back a sob. “They intentionally got me hooked on hard drugs. By the time I graduated, I was a big-time user. That’s when I received the letter from mother’s attorney informing me I’d been disowned, and the family wanted nothing to do with me. I was too far gone to care.
“I didn’t even respond to the letter. I just searched for my next fix. When my money ran out, Mother refused to take my calls, and my brothers cut all ties. I found other ways to get money. I was a drug addict.”
Dawn covered Niki’s hand with hers. “That’s all over now. It’s a past that we’ve put behind us.”
“Niki’s family is a very real threat,” Libby continued. “They tried to buy me off and threatened me when I refused.