Forever & Ever

by Tere Michaels

  A burst of hurried whispers from the corner of the room caught Evan’s attention. He caught the name Miranda in the conversation and frowned.

  “Hey, don’t call the kids.”

  Helena looked up, phone in hand, guilt on her face. “But….”

  “They’ll freak out and try to get home—it’ll cost a fortune,” Matt said weakly. “I don’t want them panicking.”

  “They’d want to be here,” Shane offered.

  “We’ll tell them tonight, after the surgery.” Outside the curtain, voices and rattling equipment; then the curtain moved.

  A pink-smocked nurse smiled brightly. “Mr. Haight? You ready to go?”

  “Ugh.” Matt made a terrible face.

  “I love you,” Evan whispered in his ear. “I’ll see you when you get out.”

  “I love you too. Don’t call the kids.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Tell them I love them.”

  “They know. And you’ll tell them tonight.”

  “Just in case.”

  Evan’s throat closed up, but he shook his head. “Sorry, none of that bullshit talk. I’ll see you soon, you’ll talk to the kids, and then Shane will never let you forget he saved your life.”

  Matt’s eyes got moist as Evan struggled to smile.

  “He’ll be unbearable,” Matt said in a stage whisper.

  “So will you.”

  Evan kissed Matt then, deep and gentle as he could be, as his heart pounded in his chest.

  When they pulled apart, Evan swallowed and nodded; words weren’t going to come unless he wanted to get overly emotional—which would weird everyone out.

  So, stoic as could be, he watched Shane and Helena give Matt a kiss, and then the pink nurse wheeled him down the hallway.

  “Come on,” Helena said softly, wrapping her arm around his waist. “Let’s go to admissions; then we’ll wait upstairs.”

  EVAN SAT in a hard plastic chair outside the surgery department, clutching an oversize coffee. Helena and Shane were taking turns being at his side, rubbing his back and patting his shoulder. A laparoscopic appendectomy took only about forty minutes, with another few hours for recovery. They were into hour two of the whole deal.

  Every few minutes Helena and Shane would have a whispered conversation in the corner of the room, which Evan was determined to ignore. Questions about them being married were coming; he knew this would get back to the kids and all holy hell would break loose.

  He’d deal later. Right now all he could think about was Matt.

  They’d been through a lot over the past ten years. Grief, too much drinking, work and kids and in-laws and their own personal demons. Stubborn personalities coupled with bad coping habits.

  Fear.

  But they always found a way to make it through.

  “So… I didn’t call the kids,” Helena said suddenly, dropping into the seat next to him. “But I called Jim and Griffin, and they are on their way.”

  A note in her tone made Evan look up.

  “And?”

  “And I cannot be responsible for what Griffin does.”

  AUSTIN VERSUS the start of rush-hour traffic from Boston to New York City the day before Christmas Eve—a battle he was determined to win.

  In the passenger seat of the Dodge Caravan, Katie cried between texting her siblings as Josiah sat silently in the back seat, kicking his feet nervously. Their day-after-tomorrow plans had turned into “right now this second.” A neighbor offered to let the moving people in, bags were hastily tossed in the back, and they were off—right into the middle of preholiday madness.

  “Honey, you need to relax. You need to remember your health.” A quick look back showed Josiah listening intently. “You need to remember what Griffin said. Matt’s okay. His appendix didn’t even burst.”

  That just made her cry harder.

  “WE CAN’T change the tickets,” Miranda said frantically as the cab raced toward Heathrow through traffic. “We can’t afford—”

  “Bennett paid for our tickets. Danny and Elizabeth are picking theirs up,” Kent said, holding on to Miranda and the seat in front of him as their cabbie took every terrifying turn available to him. Thank God the twins had already arrived in London earlier in the day so they could fly home together. He was still a little dazed at knowing actual rich people who could pull something like that so close to Christmas. “We’ll be there before midnight.”

  White-faced, Miranda clutched at his arm. “Okay, okay. Matt’s gotta be okay. Dad couldn’t handle anything….” Her face scrunched up like she was going to cry, but she didn’t. He knew her relationship with Matt was rocky and difficult; they’d made their peace and were even friendly, but it was complicated.

  “We’ll be there before midnight,” he repeated.

  FOUR HOURS after Matt disappeared with the nurse, Evan got to see him again. Loopy as hell, he demanded a kiss and some ribs, then fell back to sleep.

  “He seems fine,” Evan said to a bemused orderly. Despite his smile, a weight remained in Evan’s middle; it would stay there until he got Matt home and into their bed. Well and awake.

  He called the precinct, then headquarters, letting them know the situation. Helena had already left the hospital to get back; there were briefings and a holiday message to disseminate, as if crime would take a holiday over the next few days. They knew better.

  His phone had no messages from his kids, which meant only one thing: no one could control Griffin.

  Evan sighed as he settled into the padded chair in the corner, watching as Matt continued to sleep. Well, this wasn’t how he wanted to spend the holidays, times eleven. Outside the doors and down in the lobby, he knew his friends were waiting with expectations and questions. The kids would arrive, frantic.

  For so long, all these tense moments had featured Matt as his partner, his backup. His rock. But now it was up to him to handle everyone’s fears. To reassure and comfort. To make sure their extended family unit stayed strong.

  He could do it—so long as Matt was okay.

  FIVE HOURS postsurgery, Matt was awake and, though groggy, ready to get the hell out of bed. For someone who just had an inflamed appendix removed, he felt less pain than expected. (God bless Percocet.) His mouth felt gross and he wanted a shower, but otherwise it was as if he drank too much and fell down. He had experience in this, so he knew he’d be fine.

  Evan’s tightly drawn expression and hooded eyes were also urging him out of bed. Matt hated hospitals on his own, but Evan’s experience with them pushed his legs over the side of the bed and made him smile through the ache. “I’m feeling fine. When can I get out of here?”

  “Jim’s bringing the car around,” Evan said, helping him into his clothes with gentle hands.

  “Jim? Why is he down here?” Matt groused, wobbling as Evan pulled his boots on. “They’re having people over. A small city of people.”

  “Helena texted him; he started driving. You’d do the same.”

  “Griffin should have told him—”

  “Griffin is waiting outside with Caroline.”

  A wave of dizziness swamped him, but pure grit kept him upright. Evan wound his arms around Matt’s torso, avoiding his bandaged side. “Stubborn people—we only know stubborn people.”

  That elicited subdued laughter. “I can’t imagine why.”

  PAPERS SIGNED, wheelchair procured, and Matt was finally rolled out into the lobby at half past seven.

  “Uncle Matt!” came a wail as Caroline Shea-Drake—bundled up like she’d trekked through the Rockies to get here—ran to his side.

  “Hey, Caro. I’m fine,” Matt said, trying to stave off the wobbling bottom lip and full blue eyes. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  “Do you have a scar now? Can I see it?” she sniffled, pressing up against his arm.

  “Caroline!” Griffin caught up to them, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he knelt next to his daughter. “Have some manners. We’ll check out the scar when we get Unc
le Matt home.”

  Evan snickered from behind them.

  “Jim’s got the car out front—I assume he’s terrifying a security cop while parking in a no-loading zone, so we should go.” Griffin leaned up and kissed Matt on the cheek, much to his embarrassment.

  “You guys didn’t have to come all the way down here.”

  Griffin made a “blah blah blah” face. “Whatever. Your appendix saved Jim from having to go caroling. He’s so grateful right now he might cry when he sees you.”

  “Daddy’s not going to cry when he sees Uncle Matt. He’ll probably just say bad words.”

  Evan helped Matt up, taking most of his weight as a hospital worker collected the wheelchair and disappeared, no doubt to free another released patient. The flow of people rolled around them: a tree in the corner, lines at the desk, visitors moving in and out of the doors. They followed Griffin toward the entrance. Almost home free—until their friend turned around and gave them a look.

  “So what’s this I hear about you guys being married?”

  THE SAD and unholidayish house in Queens was transformed.

  As Jim pulled the truck into the driveway, Evan peered out the window to see every damn light was on—including the tree—and cars lined his front lawn. Beside him in the back seat, Matt snored on one side of him as Caroline motored on the other.

  “Oh right, everyone is here,” Griffin said, turning around in his seat. “I called the kids, I called Bennett and Daisy, and I called my family.”

  “Griffin, no. Your family—”

  “Is having a kickass party at our house on Christmas Day. I told them we’re spending tonight and Christmas Eve with our friends. They send their love.” He grinned. “And it wasn’t even Jim’s idea!”

  From the driver seat, Jim just gave a rumble. He hadn’t said much since they met him at the car; he gave Matt a hug, Evan a nod, then shepherded them into the truck. Evan knew Jim enough to understand that silence was his response to tense times—and a friend having surgery fit on that list.

  “Holiday decisions were made in your absence,” Griffin added before quickly exiting the truck.

  Evan gently shook at Matt’s arm as Griffin opened the passenger door to get Caroline out of her seat. Matt mumbled and twitched before coming awake, blinking weakly in the overhead light.

  “Wha?”

  “We’re home. And everyone we know is here,” Evan said, unhooking his seat belt.

  The door opened and Jim stood there, looking stern. “And everyone knows you’re secretly married.”

  Matt rolled his head back over to Evan. “Can we go back to the hospital?”

  EVAN HEARD the music before he opened the front door.

  Jim was practically carrying Matt—who bitched the entire time—up behind him as Caroline and Griffin brought up the rear. Holiday tunes, the waft of food cooking. He stepped into the house and saw a fire lit and about ten strings of previously unstrung lights around his living room.

  “What the hell?” Matt said as he came through the door. “Evan, call the police. Elves have invaded our home.”

  Caroline—now awake—shrieked with delight. Across the room, her best friend Sadie—Bennett and Daisy’s exuberantly dramatic offspring and currently dressed as an elf—bounced excitedly.

  “Uncle Matt! You’re alive!”

  It took some work, but coats and boots came off and Matt got settled on the sofa, which had been made up with blankets and sheets and every pillow in their house. Evan found himself with a beer and a shoulder rub from Helena, while Matt got gently smothered with love from Sadie and Caroline, who waited on him adoringly.

  Did he need cocoa? Did he need cookies? Did he want to watch them drink cocoa and eat cookies?

  In the kitchen, a crew of people (in matching T-shirts) Evan didn’t know scurried about cooking dinner. Matt’s richest client smiled sheepishly when Evan pinned him with a look.

  “Did you throw money at my kitchen?”

  “It was either that or have one of us cook, and Matt didn’t need to have food poisoning on top of his appendix,” Bennett said, patting Evan on the shoulder. “They’ll be back tomorrow with brunch and then dinner. I’ve left a menu on the table so you can make your selections.”

  “Of course,” Evan said, still dazed after all these years by Bennett’s ease of spending. Like “order Chinese” never entered his mind.

  The doorbell rang.

  Evan waded through the chaos—six adults, two children, the tip of the iceberg. He looked through the peephole to discover a tearstained Katie with Austin and Josiah hovering behind.

  The door was barely open before Katie flew in, tackling Evan in a desperate hug. “Daddy,” she managed before bursting into tears.

  “Shhhhh,” Evan comforted her, rubbing her back and rocking her like when she was a little girl. “Come on, he’s fine. Everything’s fine.”

  Behind them, Austin and Josiah made it in and then were quickly swallowed by the hospitality committee of Daisy and Shane. And the girls, who claimed Josiah to join them on the couch with Matt while they tried to convince him to show them his scar.

  “He’s fine,” Evan whispered to Katie. “And he’s going to freak out if you’re freaking out, so take a deep breath.”

  Nodding, Katie pulled away. She wiped her nose on her jacket sleeve, looking so young it made Evan blink.

  “Let’s take your coat, throw some water on your face. Then you can go see him. Although you have to fight off his fan club.”

  “I’m his favorite. I get priority,” she sniffed.

  WHEN MATT got an armful of Katie, he cried and didn’t care who saw it.

  Well, he cared a little.

  “Are you really all right? Promise?” Katie asked, her arms tight around his neck.

  “Promise,” he whispered back, kissing her cheek. “You didn’t need to miss work to—”

  “Shut up, please.” Katie pulled back. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”

  Matt squinted. “What? You were going to come for Christmas?”

  “Yeah.” She gave him a patented Katie grin. “The other kids will be here in a few hours.”

  Matt teared up again. “Damn, the surgery is making me have some sort of reaction….”

  “Ew, feelings.” Katie kissed his cheek. “I love you, Matt.”

  He caught Evan watching them from across the room, looking about as emotionally wrecked as he felt. They were lucky sons of bitches, and Matt hoped his expression conveyed that.

  FOR THE next hour, Katie monopolized Matt’s attention with chatter about her new job and their rental house, until her father arrived with a bottle of pills and a glass of water. Austin led her into the kitchen for her own water and a discreet handful of crackers and cheese, knowing she got nauseous if she didn’t eat every few hours. When he got pulled into a conversation with Griffin about a book they’d both read, she wandered into the dining room, where an enormous spread of food covered every possible surface. Josiah, Caroline, and Sadie crowded around the dessert table, eyes wide over the pile of petit fours and fluffy frosted cupcakes.

  “No secret licks,” she teased, leaning down to kiss Josiah on the top of his head. She thought about next Christmas, when she and Austin would have their baby here with their crazy chaotic family. The image of Josiah and the new baby celebrating with everyone made her heart swell.

  Sadie looked up at her with a calculated expression of mischief, but Caroline’s earnestness assured her they’d behave.

  “Are we going to get to eat soon?” Josiah asked, clearly weighing the no licks thing against the time constraints of not eating. Hors d’oeuvres didn’t hold much interest for little kids.

  “Let me go check, but I think we can arrange something.” She gave Josiah another kiss.

  She made it about three feet away before Caroline’s little voice piped up. “Uncle Matt and Uncle Evan got married, but they didn’t have any cake. Maybe we can give them that big cupcake!”

  Katie skid
ded to a halt, nearly braining herself on the wall as she turned around. “What did you say?”

  She almost made it into the living room, her brain pinging with information gleaned from an adorable child who had no idea the bombshell she dropped. So close to getting in there and yelling at her father and… oh my God! Her actual official stepfather! She was going to kill them.

  But first, she felt the unmistakable gurgle at the top of her stomach and imagined herself turning an actual shade of green.

  “Come on, baby, this is not the time,” Katie muttered, ducking into the half bath off the kitchen. Before she shut the door, her eyes met Daisy’s, who was standing at the end of the hall with a knowing expression on her face.

  Crap.

  THEY COULDN’T wait for the rest of the family to get there; dinner was served, much to Matt’s relief.

  “Starving,” he reported as everyone disappeared into the dining room in a stampede formation. “What’s on the menu?”

  “Buttered noodles and some bread,” Griffin said gently, as if breaking bad news.

  “I smell better things.”

  “Oh God yes. Make your own nachos, braised beef and root vegetables, baked mac and cheese.”

  Matt frowned, placing his hand over his heart. “Why are you torturing me like this?”

  “Why didn’t you tell us you got married?” He sniffled dramatically. “We are your best friends. I have the key to your house. You’ve seen my husband naked. How could you?”

  Grabbing the nearest throw pillow, Matt smacked him in the hip. “Nice mouth. My grandson is in the other room, along with your child and goddaughter.”

  “At some point we will discuss this.”

  “Can I have real food first?” Matt made his best pleading eyes, even if in his heart, he knew it was a lost cause.

  “No. Buttered noodles and bread,” Griffin said sternly. “Easier on the stomach. If you’re good you can have a cupcake.”