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She inhaled against me, and I wanted to squeeze her tight, but the pain pills weren’t that strong.
“You will get to bask in the glory of all that you accomplished.You will get the credit you deserve.”
A knock sounded at the door, and both our heads swiveled toward it.A nurse stepped in, waving a bunch of papers.“I bet someone is ready to get the hell out of this chaos.”
“You have no idea.”
She handed me the papers and a pen.“Discharge instructions, pain management, follow-up appointment, yada yada, Sign here, and I’ll grab a wheelchair.”
I scribbled my name the best I could and handed them back.“No offense, but I’ve had enough of hospitals for a while.”
“You and everyone else who comes through, my friend.But I don’t blame you, especially today.Sorry for the delay with pretty much everything.”
“It’s okay.Just happy to be getting out of here.”
I glanced at Sherry.“See, I’m officially released.Now you can stop worrying and go do your job.”
“You are my job now or part of it.”Her head tilted, eyebrows tight in confusion.“You know what I mean.”
“Do I?”I laughed, then immediately groaned.
“That’s what you get.”
“You’re mean.I thought you’d take care of me because I’m hurt.”I pouted, and she laughed.God, I would never not love that sound.
She leaned in, her lips brushing over mine.“I love you, and I will be the best nurse ever, but first I have a wedding to go to.”
“We,” I said.
“Oh no.You are going home and getting some rest.Nurse’s orders.”
I shook my head.“I want to see you in action.It’s sexy.Turns me on.”I kissed her again.
“You have two broken ribs, mister.Being turned on is not going to be good for your health.”
“Okay, Romeo, time to get in the chair,” the nurse said, returning with a wheelchair.
That pretty pink flooded Sherry’s cheeks, but then she was up, helping me out of bed.She took the handles.
“You’re letting her push this?”I asked the nurse, fear widening my eyes.“I mean, I love her, but she’s a bit of a klutz.I’m not sure we can trust her.”
The nurse snorted.“She got you through sabotage, assault, and a tent crisis.I think she can handle a wheelchair.”
“You underestimate her ability to trip over air.”
Sherry leaned close, a smirk on her too kissable lips.“One more comment, and I’ll make sure to hit every single bump from here to the parking lot.”
God, I loved this woman.
***
Seeing Sherry on no sleep, running on caffeine and passion had been a balm to my soul.She’d been in her element, and the wedding had gone off without a hitch.I stayed back, watching her move from table to table, checking on every detail like she didn’t just spend the night in the hospital chair next to my broken body.
And as I watched her, something settled over me.My father could take credit for trying to ruin everything good in my life, but he couldn’t take this.
He’d tried to ruin the wedding of the century, and he’d failed epically.This wedding would grace every wedding account on social media, would be used as inspiration for thousands of people, and Sherry had done it all with grit, determination and grace.Three things my father didn’t understand.
I stared at my father’s house.This would be the last time I ever came here, but I couldn’t move on until I cut every last string.