FG 3 - The Wedding Blitz Read online

“Not for long, not the way we live together on the tour bus.”

  “I guess you’re right,” he slowly nodded.

  “So Warren then kissed Lizzie,” I started to connect the dots. “And that’s how she got infected but then how did Riley get it? He threw up the day next day and I know it may sound suspicious but I did not kiss him!”

  “No you didn’t,” he added sheepishly.

  “Whoa wait—you kissed Riley?”

  “Okay, okay let’s not jump to conclusions,” he said a bit hastily. “I asked for his blessing seeing that he’s the closest thing you have to father and I think the gesture meant a lot to him.”

  “So Riley kissed you?” my smile grew wider.

  “It was more like we leant in for a hug and he went to give me a peck on the cheek and somehow we…missed,” Hawkins face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

  “You better hope Harlow doesn’t find out about it,” I joked.

  “You don’t have to worry about that,” his blue eyes widened. “I hadn’t planned on telling him or anyone else, for that matter. I mean, aside from you just now.”

  “Ah huh, I see how it is player. It only took a small outbreak for me to see your true ways.”

  “Sorry but you can’t have Riley all to yourself,” he grinned knowingly.

  “Whatever—” I quickly changed the subject. “Has Lizzie come in with Warren yet?”

  “They arrived early this morning,” he nodded. “She’s just down the hallway. I think they plan to use the floor for only patients who have been exposed.”

  “How are they doing?”

  “They look exhausted and weak like you do but they’re doing better than my dad and Riley.”

  “Do you think they’ll fully recover once the medicine’s in their system?”

  “There’s no way of knowing, Riley’s young and healthy but my dad’s has been infected with the virus the longest and believe it or not he looks worse than when he came in, probably worse than Riley. At least the medicine has been working…” he glanced up at my IV bag and continued, “So far.”

  “I just keep thinking, what if something happens? And Abigail,” I suddenly became emotional again, “Doesn’t even have a proper last name.”

  “Hey, hey,” Hawkins joined my side again to comfort me, “The baby’s both of ours, whether we have some stupid marriage certificate or not. Besides, Riley’s going to need something to help pull him through this, like planning our wedding extravaganza.”

  “That’s true,” I sniffed as I smiled. “It has become a little bit of an obsession for him.”

  “You think?” Hawkins smirked just as his mother poked her head in through the door causing both of us to turn and look.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Mom, of course you can,” Hawkins said as she walked in looking a tad bit out of her element.

  “I may be an old broad who’s too proud but I can admit when I’m wrong. I’m sorry, Joie for accusing you of something you had no part in.”

  I nodded because I could tell that she truly felt sorry.

  “You may not know this but I gave Gwyneth a hard time too. In fact, when Joshua brought her over to the house for the first time, I put out his prom picture with Kelsey O’Hare to test her.”

  “And how did that go?” I couldn’t help but ask.

  “Gwyneth’s very good at hiding her true feelings,” his mom hinted at the fact that Gwyneth was conniving. “Let’s just say, she didn’t pass the test. You see, he’ll always be my little baby to me and I only want what’s best for him,” she explained. “I will say this no one has made him as happy as he has been since meeting you. After his brother Dylan passed away, I almost gave up hope that he might ever be happy again until you came into his life. And I have you to thank for that.”

  I dropped my mouth to respond but was rendered speechless.

  “So do we have your blessing?” Hawkins pressed.

  “Yes, you can finally have that damn ring,” she pretended to huff but then smiled when Hawkins gave her a bear hug.

  “Thank you mom,” he kissed her cheek and she waved him off.

  “Now let’s not go overboard.”

  “How’s dad doing?” Hawkins asked next.

  “I can already tell a difference but as you both know, it’s still too early to tell,” she sighed with a glance up at my IV bag. “I’ve got to get back to your father, he’s probably wondering where I am.”

  “Love you, mom.”

  “You too, sweetie,” she then kissed him goodbye.

  Chapter Nine

  “So Riley’s finally coming around,” Hawkins went back to his former job of distracting me from thinking about the medicine and the baby.

  “How’s he doing?”

  “Responding really well to the medicine from what Rob has texted me,” he looked down at his cell.

  “Good, I don’t know what I would have done,” I rested my head back against the pillow on the bed suddenly feeling too sleepy to keep my head up. “If something…happened…to him.”

  I made it through the night and well into the next day. When I woke up, I was surprised by a number of things. First and foremost, my mom was now beside my bed dressed in the same protective clothes as the other nurses and doctors. And secondly, I now had an emerald cut diamond engagement ring on my finger.

  “When did you get here?” I asked sleepily.

  “Hawkins had a jet sent for me,” she turned to smile in his direction. “I arrived a little over two hours ago.”

  “How many jets do you own?” I smiled over at Hawkins in the hospital recliner, who I think spent the entire time by my side, judging by his scruffy face.

  “That’s like asking me how many spiders I have or snakes or whatever things other people are terrified of. Do you really want to know how many jets we have as a band collectively?” he raised an eyebrow and I couldn’t help but notice how the contrast of his scruffy face made his blue eyes twinkle even more.

  “On second thought, no,” I turned back to my mother and asked, “So how much did Hawkins tell you?”

  “That you and the baby seem to be doing very well on the medicine.”

  “Are we?” I couldn’t help but ask since I had slept most of the last two days.

  “Yes,” Hawkins smiled warmly. “You’re color has even returned to normal.”

  “Has it?” I held out my hands and noticed the yellowish tint had disappeared from my skin. “Thank you,” I let out a sigh as I looked up in the general direction of God. “Sorry you have to see me like this mom, but it’s been an emotional roller-coaster.”

  “I can only imagine,” my mom nodded with understanding.

  “Did he tell you it was a girl?”

  “No, that’s wonderful news! Did you decide on a name yet?”

  “Abigail Hawkins,” I looked down as I placed a hand on my belly.

  “I’m going to be a grandmother,” she went to squeeze my hand but then stopped when she felt the ring on my finger. “Oh, so this is the ring,” she held up my hand to examine the exquisite rectangular diamond set in a platinum silver band. “You sir,” she murmured to Hawkins, “have excellent taste.”

  “It was my grandmother’s,” Hawkins explained as we both continued to marvel at it. “I can’t really take credit for the taste but I knew no other ring would do.”

  “It’s absolutely beautiful,” she squeezed my hand once more. “Now, how’s your appetite? I heard you weren’t able to keep much down before.”

  “Now that I think about it,” I nodded slowly. “I could eat something.”

  My mom grabbed up the hospital remote on my bed and called for a nurse. It wasn’t long before a tray of food was brought to me that consisted of egg whites, toast, a fruit cup, soup, a banana Popsicle and a carton of skim milk. I knew hospital food was usually disgusting but that didn’t stop me from eating most of it. I swear I must have downed the food in a matter of minutes; something that grabbed Hawkins attention judging by the way
he watched me eat like he enjoyed watching reruns of The Office on the hospital’s television set up above.

  “Finally,” Hawkins snickered when I had nothing left to suck on but the flat wooden stick of the yellow Popsicle.

  “Oh my, that was delicious,” I threw my head back against the bed. I wasn’t sure if it was because I finally had a proper meal and managed to keep it down for once but my body must have wanted to save all of the energy it could because before I knew it my eyelids were heavy with the promise of sleep.

  When I woke up again, I was nestled against Hawkins’ chest as he carried me down the hospital hallway.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered sleepily.

  “They’re holding a candle vigil for my father tonight and I thought that you’d like to be there to see it.”

  “My IV stand?” I mumbled as I looked down at the taped up needle on the back of the same hand as my ring.

  “It’ll only take a few minutes,” he explained. “It can wait until this.”

  “How’s he doing by the way?”

  “We don’t expect he’ll make a full recovery even after the antiviral medicine. He’ll probably be on dialysis for the rest of his life or until we can find a donor.”

  “Let me guess, you’re not a match.”

  “How’d you know?”

  “Because it’s you,” I rested my head against his solid chest as we entered his father’s room. There were only a few people in the room but the flicking light coming from the flame of the candles around the room was breathtaking to behold. I was pleasantly surprised to see my mom among the crowd and I thought it was nice that they had thought to include her with so very few visitors actually allowed on this part of the hospital wing.

  An older gentleman with hair as white as snow was at the foot of the hospital bed. He was dressed in the required precautionary ensemble with the exception of a white gown that hung over top of the man’s shoulders and billowed down to the floor.

  “Hello Reverend Miller,” Hawkins gave the reverend a warm welcome as we passed behind him and moved to the other side of the room. Of course the flickering light in the room was nothing compared to the little flames scattered throughout the parking lot down below.

  “I think I see Kim and the Cotter girls from church down there,” Hawkins’ mom gushed as we passed by her for the empty recliner chair next to Hawkins’s dad’s hospital bed.

  Once Hawkins gently set me down in the chair, I smiled over at Jack who looked better than the last time I had seen him. He was already back to cracking jokes about all the fuss being made over him but I think he secretly liked that there were so many people who cared about his wellbeing.

  “Here Joie, you must be cold,” Hawkins’ mom laid the knitted navy blue and white zigzagged African blanket across my shoulders and lap. “I know I said that I don’t believe it wards off evil spirits but Reverend Miller doesn’t see any harm in it and I think we can all agree, we could use all the help we can get,” she patted my shoulder.

  “Thank you,” I found myself smiling since I genuinely liked the gesture.

  “How are you feeling?” my mom asked when she joined my side again.

  “Better with each day,” I confessed as she brushed back my hair.

  “Let us bow our heads to pray,” Reverend Miller’s softly spoken voice turned our attention back to the prayer ceremony. Hawkins reached down to take one of my hands in his and my mom took the other. “Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…”

  X X X

  The next day I woke up and the room was dark with only filtered rays of morning light scattered across the floor. I must have felt better because I could see how haggard Hawkins actually looked with his 6’3 body laid out on the blue recliner next to me quietly snoring. I slipped out of bed and pulled my IV stand along with me over to the recliner to curl up with him. His blue eyes snapped open, probably thinking I was a nurse trying to take advantage of him, before they softened at the sight of me. He readjusted so we could cuddle together.

  “You okay?” he asked in a deep raspy voice.

  “More than okay,” I kissed his burly face and the last thing I remembered was the way my head tucked perfectly under his neck.

  When I woke up again, it was later in the day but Hawkins must have went home to get a shower because the beard which I had come to love was gone. Though I may have loved the haggard look because nothing said I’m in love with you more than it did, but now that he was freshly shaven and I could actually see his face again, I suddenly felt butterflies in my stomach. I almost forgot how stunning Hawkins looked as those penetrating smoldering blue eyes lit up like he knew exactly the effect he had on me.

  “Yes Joie?” he prompted me as he licked his lips and flashed me a wicked grin.

  “I had this dream…”

  “What happened in the dream?” he humored me.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…” I suddenly stopped when Dr. Cross entered the room.

  “How are you feeling today, Joie?”

  “I feel good,” I said now that I thought about it. “Better than I have in a long time.”

  “That’s good to hear, well it looks like the baby and you are doing very well. The last of the antiviral medicine should be out of your system by now.”

  “We made it through?” I turned to Hawkins who nodded happily.

  “They still want to keep you for another day of observation but you’ll probably get to go home some time tomorrow.”

  “Home with me,” Hawkins added. “I signed the papers for the house.”

  Tears of joy suddenly welled up in my eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying now, god hormones!” I tried in vain to wipe away the tears as they chuckled. “I want to thank you, Dr. Cross. You didn’t have to come, in fact I think most doctors wouldn’t have, but you’ve been amazing.”

  “If I’m being a hundred percent truthful, it wasn’t just for the two of you. I get to be a superstar in my daughter’s eyes and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as I can.”

  “Did she come with you because we’d love to meet her?”

  “She’s going to be so,” she waved at her face. “Now I’m going to cry. You’ve just made a nine year old extremely…over the moon happy, thank you.”

  “No, thank you,” Hawkins said earnestly.

  Chapter Ten

  The summer tour was officially over but Hawkins had offered to let Riley and Harlow stay with us at our new home while Riley continued to get weaned off of his dialysis treatments since the doctors said his kidneys were recovering amazingly well. He looked a little beat though with his head resting on Harlow’s shoulder next to me on the lounge couch in the bus. Warren, who called Vancouver his home, and Lizzie were also invited to stay with us until the wedding, which was less than a month away.

  I hadn’t even seen the new house yet, which Hawkins’ mom pretty much twisted his arm into buying because of the close location, but I could tell Hawkins was nervous and I overheard him mutter something about it still needing renovations on the drive over.

  As the cabin came into view, I remembered that it peaked in the shape of a triangle and was filled with glossy glass panel windows. After we all unloaded from the bus, we climbed a small set of steps up to a wraparound porch.

  Hawkins stopped us before we could enter and explained, “What my mom failed to tell me when I signed the contract at the hospital was that it still needed some work. You’ll see what I mean,” he swung open the door for all of us to enter.

  What I noticed first was the same leaves that had fallen outside were also lightly scattered across the floor inside. “These leaves can’t be from this year’s fall. The leaves haven’t even changed yet,” Lizzie mumbled.

  “That’s an easy fix,” I murmured as my eyes lifted up to a wall across from the kitchen area that looked like someone had tried to knock it down but ran out of energy half way through and didn’t finish it. Yet I couldn’t help but imagine how the ope
n space would give everyone a straight shot of the breathtaking view of the lake.

  As we ventured further into the next room I was surprised to see a large tree branch laying on the dusty wooden floor though that was not as surprising as realizing where the branch had come from as I looked up at a gaping hole in the two story high roof that I secretly thought brightened the room a bit. With one drag of my shoe across the sooty floor I was pleasantly surprised to see the floor was made of real cherry wood and not an inexpensive lookalike. There was even a little nook where I could see myself reading to Abigail over by a glass window.

  “So you’re mom forgot to mention that it’s condemned?!” Lizzie asked in astonishment.

  “That it needed some work done,” Hawkins reiterated.

  “Wow, you are so cheap,” Lizzie added with a shake of her head as she walked around the large thick branch in the living area. “I bet that black Saab of yours isn’t even new,” she murmured as she continued to look around at the spacious room.

  “If you must know,” Hawkins shrugged. “I got my car off of Craig’s list.”

  “You what?” Lizzie did a double take. “Did you get this house off of Craig’s list too?”

  “No unfortunately, it probably would have been in better shape if I had,” he sighed. “Joie, I know it doesn’t look like much but if you can just get past the hole in the roof...the branch…the half demolished wall and umm…the fire hydrant red color in one of the rooms,” he began to list the most evident problems which caused Lizzie to suddenly snort. “You’ll see that this could be a new and wonderful chapter in our lives,” he finished as he glared at Lizzie.

  “I love it.”

  “You what? Both Lizzie and Hawkins said, Lizzie with disdain and Hawkins with amazement.

  “No really, it’s perfect,” I finally turned to look at him. His eyes were so full of hope that I found myself quickly saying, “We have a home for the baby. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

  “Really?” Hawkins looked both excited and relieved (well mainly just relieved.)