by Jerry Cole
“I was thinking about that. How does next Fall sound? We could do some pictures with the leaves as a backdrop, and figure out where to have it. It doesn’t have to be the theater.” I smiled.
“That place means a lot to us, but I get it. You work there,” he agreed, handing Ava her sippy cup when she asked for it. The girls taught her to sign a few months ago, and it worked out perfectly.
“What about a beach wedding in the summer? California maybe, or even a destination wedding? That could make it a wedding and a honeymoon all at once.”
“I like that idea,” I said, having not thought of it with all of the excitement behind the last wedding. “The only drawback is whether or not Gram is up to traveling like that.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We can talk to her about it and get an idea. That way, we can keep planning.” He smiled, and Ava chose that moment to throw a pea at him.
We took her back to our place after dinner, settling her down with her toys. Gray went to ask Gram if she was up to coming over, returning with her a few minutes later. She settled on the couch, smiling as Ava came over to hug her. “Are the girls okay?”
“Mari is sick with the flu or something like that, and Becca is working. We just took this little lady to dinner.” Ava snuggled against Gram. “So, we want to talk about weddings.”
“Yours, I hope,” Gram said, smiling at us.
“We are tossing around doing it on a beach in the summer. Perhaps in California or further away. It is up to how far you feel like you can travel.” Gray smiled at her as she seemed to consider the idea.
“How far?” Gray and I gazed at each other at her question.
“I mean, that’s open. We can do tropical far away or closer. Once you got on and off the plane, I think that you’d be well taken care of.” I smiled as she grinned.
“I can get around fine, you know.” Her eyes twinkled.
“I know, Gram. I just don’t want to make you go through a long travel day. We’ll stay for a few days once we all get there, and Hayden and I will take our honeymoon after that. It’s perfect.”
“We’ll invite the whole family. Some friends. We want to keep it small,” Hayden offered. “I got it! Hawaii is a straight shot. We could all just relax on the plane and get a place close to the water.”
“I went there with Tom a few times. We loved it, and I think it’s a perfect place to watch you two get married.” She touched both of our hands as Ava toddled off to play with some toys.
“Well, then. I am going to start doing some research. I’ll check with everyone for a date in the early Summer.” Gray leaned over to kiss me, making me laugh with joy. Gram stayed until her bedtime before heading out, and we played with Ava until she fell asleep on our couch.
There was a tap at the door some hours later, and I walked over to see Becca at my door. “Hey,” she greeted me when I opened it, stepping inside.
“You look tired,” I said as she offered me a weak smile.
“She fell asleep,” Becca said, looking at the toddler with her soft, dark blonde curls fanned out on the table. “Mari is sick. Like sick, sick. Do you think Ava and I can take the spare room tonight? We don’t want her exposed, and we’re so close that she can call me if she needs anything.”
“Sure. We just made up the bed in there. You’re more than welcome.” Gray told her as she smiled her thanks.
“Do you work tomorrow?” I asked as she shook her head.
“You might have some roommates for a while,” Becca warned us, sitting beside her daughter as we each took a recliner. “Amy offered, as well. I think that having a family building works out great for parents.”
We pitched the idea of the wedding to Becca, and she loved the idea. It was a great place to bring Ava, and it might be her first trip to the ocean. We pulled out a laptop to look at some of the resorts, finding that they all had a pool for Ava and ocean access. “That’s amazing,” Becca said, taking in the water and waves.
After a couple of hours, she carried Ava into the bedroom to get some sleep. We locked up the house and headed to bed ourselves, keeping quiet for our guests as we whispered about the wedding, with a lot of kisses.
Chapter Nineteen
Gray
I read the email several mornings later, cursing as I dropped my head back.
“What is it?” Hayden asked as he brought me some coffee.
“My new client is a demanding asshole. He didn’t like my edits of his podcast and wants it completely redone. He thinks I should sit in on every episode to get a feel for the show. Fuck.” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
“How worth it would it be to keep him versus stepping away now?” Hayden asked as I ran the numbers through my head.
“He’s adding to the wedding fund quite well.” I sipped my coffee. “I’ll try to work something out without having to sit in on their banter.”
“Good, Gray.” Hayden surveyed me for a moment. “You look tired.”
“It’s just helping Gram out on top of everything else.” She got sick after Mari, and though it wasn’t as serious, the illness took a toll on Gram. She was in the hospital for a couple of days.
“Yeah. That bug did a number on this building.” I looked at Hayden, thinking that he looked perfect every morning. “Amy’s recovering.”
“We missed it, thank fuck. I don’t want any part of that. More to the point, Ava didn’t get sick.” We both grinned before he kissed me.
“I think we’re all going to survive this.” I smiled and looked back down at my email, trying to think of something to say. “Damn it.”
“I have to go into the theater for a bit to talk to men about permits. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” Hayden kissed me again and moved to go back into our room. I sent an email asking for one sit in so I can find out what they want, but no more. I’d fix it from there.
I checked on Gram at lunch, and she fed me chicken soup. “I’m supposed to be giving you soup. You were the sick one.” I smiled at her as she shook her head.
“I’m fine. I made a lot of this soup so everyone can have some.” She stirred the pot, pouring some tea before coming to the table.
“I remember eating it when I was sick as a kid. Nothing made me feel better than smelling it in the house, and it tasted amazing. I loved it,” I said as we shared a look.
“Taking care of you boys was my biggest joy. Now, you’re both settling down and married soon enough. I can’t believe it.”
“We might be doing that, but we’re here, Gram. We’re not going anywhere.” I hugged her with one arm as she smiled.
“I wish Herb could see you all grown up like this.” He didn’t die that long ago, five years, but it was enough time to have missed a lot.
“I think he does,” I assured her as she smiled with watery eyes. We spent the afternoon together, feeding Hayden when he arrived back to the building. He said it went great as far as the theater being safe for events as he ate, sipping coffee that he got at work.
“Are you sure you don’t want to get married there?” Gram asked as I looked at him.
“Not after finding the resort we’ve chosen. It’s pure luxury with a series of pools and a quick walk to the ocean. They can even do a ceremony there, and it will all be taken care of.” I grinned as Hayden raised his hand in victory. “It’s going to be the best week away we’ll ever have. Well, apart from your trips with Grandpa.”
“I can’t wait to see the baby in that water,” she said, smiling at the thought.
We helped clean up before going home, spending the rest of the day in bed. I ignored all emails until that evening when I had to work, happy that Eli accepted my compromise. We agreed that I’d watch him the following day, getting some ideas on how to edit his show.
It wasn’t a great show. It was about cars and music, and three guys were just chatting about the topics. They were clearly close friends and got along, but it wasn’t interesting to me. Many of my client's work wasn’t my cup of tea, but I ma
de the best product that I could.
When I arrived, I sat down in the studio and got my laptop ready to take notes. They greeted me, offering me a beer as I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I was here to work, not drink like I was a friend of theirs. That never worked out well.
In the break, we got to talking. They asked me if I had a girlfriend, and I admitted that I was getting married the following year. When they asked who I was engaged to, I decided to be honest and tell them it was a guy. They were the types to drink beer and watch sports, but that didn’t mean they were homophobic.
I was happy to find that they weren’t. In fact, they were quite happy for me, asking about the wedding and more about Hayden. I didn’t identify him by name since I was a private person by nature but talked about other things before they told me they were forever bachelors.
We got back to the show, and Eli broke down what he was looking for. I noted everything, telling him I’d do some editing to his liking. I saw that it was close to dinner, sending a message to Hayden to see if he wanted me to bring something home. He’d be home from work soon.
I waited for a response as I drove home, worried when there was nothing. I pulled over, ready to call someone at the apartments when my phone rang. I saw that it was Mari, answering quickly. “I was just about to call you.”
“I just heard from Becca that Hayden was in an accident.” Memories of the one that killed Ava’s real family flashed through my mind as I sucked in my breath. “He was just rear-ended. Nothing too serious, but they took him to the hospital for scans just to be safe.”
“Shit. The hospital around the corner from the apartment?” I asked, ready to go.
“Yep. Becca’s there already. She’s keeping me posted.” I ended the call and drove to the hospital with an eye in the mirror to make sure there were no cops behind me. I wasn’t driving the speed limit.
I parked in the lot, rushing into the ER to look for a familiar face. I saw Becca pacing, picking her out by her pink hair. “Becca.” She turned her head sharply, running over to me for a hug.
“The fucking idiot hit Hayden and pushed him right into a pole. The car is gone. Hay is going through these scans, and I’m stressed.”
“Fuck. He’s okay?” I asked as she pulled back with red eyes.
“Yes. I think so. They made me wait out here.” I wrapped an arm around her to take her to the seats.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promised her, hoping that I was right.
Jackson and Amy showed up as a doctor walked out. “Family of Hayden Calling?”
“Here,” I called out as we all gathered in a group.
“He doesn’t have any broken bones, but his neck twisted pretty well. He might have a concussion, so we want to keep him here overnight for observation.” The man read off a tablet before looking up at us.
“Can someone stay with him?” I asked as Becca squeezed my arm.
“He will be checked into a room with a chair. It isn’t comfortable, but it’s a place to sit.” I nodded, and he smiled at me. “You’re family?”
“I’m his husband,” I lied as the Doctor nodded.
“Wait here. I’ll let you know when he’s in the room,” He walked away, and I pulled Becca to me for a hug.
“I’m sorry. Did you want to stay?” I asked as she laughed weakly.
“I need to help Mari with the baby, so no. Just keep me posted because I won’t be sleeping.” She assured me.
“Yeah, man. Tell him we’re thinking about him.” Jackson clapped me on the back as Amy sniffled beside him.
“Wait with me until I go back?” I asked as Becca nodded against my chest.
“Of course,” she said, remaining in my arms.
It took about an hour for the doctor to return with his room number. They said that everyone could pop in to say hello quickly so he could get some rest. We took turns, with me going last to take a seat beside his bed. His face was bruised, and I reached for his hand as he looked at me. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. Battered a bit, but I’m going to be okay.” He smiled, wincing at the pain. “Fuck. The car is totaled.”
“I don’t care. We can get another one. I’m just glad you’re coming home with me.” I kissed his hand, hating the dullness of his eyes.
“You’re staying here with me, aren’t you?” Hayden asked as I leaned back in the chair. It was awful.
“I am. Your husband should be with you, right?” I asked as he raised a brow. He winced again.
“Husband? Was there a ceremony that I forgot about?” Hayden asked as I shrugged.
“It got me in here.” We sat in silence for a moment, taking in the hospital noises.
“I hate these places,” Hayden admitted as I nodded.
“Me, too. It reminds me of when Grandpa died. We were here with him, and Gram… she was a mess. When I heard you were here, I thought the worst.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I can’t ever lose you, Hay.”
“You won’t. It was just an accident,” Hayden stared at me, and I swore that the bruises were getting worse. My phone started buzzing, and I groaned, pulling it from my pocket. Mari wanted me to tell him that she loved him and to get better. Gram was in the background telling me to tell him she was praying for him.
“They all want you to know that they love you. Come home.” I said after letting everyone know what was going on.
“I’ll bet that I’m home tomorrow. I called work, and they’re giving me some time off. Will Gram cook for me for a while?” He gave me a small smile.
“You know she will,” I assured him, smiling at the man that I loved.
We talked until he fell asleep, and I watched him. It was loud, and they checked on him a lot. Hayden’s sleep was restless at best, and I couldn’t wait to have him home in bed.
He was released the following afternoon. I insisted on a wheelchair to get to the car, backed up by Becca. We took him to my car, loading him in before we drove home in two vehicles. Once we managed to help him from the car and into the house, Hayden seemed to relax.
“I was miserable in there. The pain meds were great, but everything else was awful.” He rolled his neck around, smiling as I sat beside him to give him a light massage.
“Are you up for some company?” Becca asked as Hayden frowned at his sweats and matching sweatshirt.
“I suppose I can be seen in this state.” He dramatically sighed as Becca laughed, going to open the door. Mari and Amy came in with Ava as Gram followed behind. They all took seats after hugging him lightly.
“How are you feeling?” Gram asked him as Hayden pushed a gentle hand through his hair.
“I hurt a lot, but I’ll be fine. I’m going to kick my feet up for the next few weeks and get my beauty sleep,” he joked as I smiled at him. I’d take great care of him and work when he was sleeping.
“I’ll keep you boys fed. You don’t need to worry about that, too. I could even get some friends involved.” I widened my eyes at that statement as he shot me a curious look.
“There’s just the two of us, and whoever comes down to share. Your friends cook a lot, Gram.” I winced as I spoke, not wanting to sound ungrateful.
“I’ll keep it under control. It’ll be for everyone to begin with since I think you’ll have a lot of visitors.” She smiled at Hayden with love shining in her eyes. She picked Ava up as the baby walked to her, snuggling her in her arms.
“Who hit you?” Becca asked as Hayden rolled his eyes.
“It was some girl testing. There was a red light and everything, but there she was and the pole that my car slid right into! It’s totaled for sure.” I knew how much he loved his car, but we’d find him something as good as new.
“You’re alive. That’s what matters.” Becca frowned at him as I rubbed the back of his neck.
“Exactly. Don’t worry about a car,” Amy agreed, reaching for her phone in her pocket. “It’s Jackson. He’s headed home.”
The apartment crowded with everyone
that we loved within the hour. We ordered pizza for a mid-day meal, sitting around and talking as I watched Hayden’s eyes droop.
“You should get some sleep, Hay,” I whispered as he blinked, looking over at me. “Come on. I’ll help you.”
Everyone told him to feel better before I took him to bed, helping him get the sweatshirt off before he pressed back into the pillows. “Thank you.” He smiled at me, looking pale behind his bruises.
“I love you. Don’t ever scare me like that again,” I kissed Hayden gently, handing him the remote before I stool up. “I’ll be in soon.”
The TV glowed in the dark room as I closed the door. I walked down the hallway to our guests, watching as they all stood up. “We can go. He needs rest.”
“The man sleeps through every alarm we’ve tried. You can stay if you’d like.” There was a part of me that didn’t want to be alone.
“I’m going to go call some friends,” Gram smiled and hugged me. “He’s going to be fine, sweetheart.”
“I know. That was just scary,” I whispered, holding her tight. It kicked in that anybody could die at any time. Gram was getting older and probably closer to it than I cared to think about.
“That’s how life is, but you both have so much living to do.” She kissed my cheek, and I watched as she wrapped Ava up in a hug. “I love you all. See you soon.” It was Ava’s second hug with Gram, and it made me want to cry.
“Are you okay?” Amy asked as Jackson moved to get Gram home safe.
“Yeah. Just emotional. Tired. Everything for the last few hours has been a lot.” I pressed my eyes closed, willing the tears away. I felt like I needed a few solid hours of sleep, but I planned to email my clients to explain the situation. I was only asking for one more day.
They stayed just a little longer, hugging me before they left. Everyone told me to call if I needed anything, and I closed the door as silence overtook the apartment. I cleaned up the living room the little bit that it needed, sending the emails from the couch once I finished. I couldn’t help but think how much worse this could’ve been. As it was, I hated seeing him bruised and hurting from someone else’s carelessness.