"Oh my God. Do they give her anything for that?"
"They gave her this sort of mouthwash stuff she has to swish and spit with. It numbs the inside of her mouth. Ice chips help. Ice cream. Popsicles. Jell-O. Those are really the only things she can hold down."
"At least she can hold something down, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's a plus," I say, having not thought of it like that. "Sprite and ginger ale are what she likes most. She told me yesterday she wishes she'd asked Jesse for some of his peppermint LifeSavers. I went down to the hospital shop and they don't have any, and when I leave to go change, I don't want to take too much time, you know?"
"I'm on it, Ben. I'll hook up our girl."
"Good, thanks."
"You're welcome. Now tell me how are you?" she asks.
"I'm good, just worried and frustrated." I pause for a minute. "I'm scared for her, Luce. So fucking scared. She's fighting like the champ she is, but what if they can't find her a match when she's ready?"
"They'll find a match, Ben. Stay positive. It just takes time to compare her marrow to the donors. It has to be perfect," she tells me quietly.
"I know. That's what's so scary. What if there's no perfect match?"
"I don't know if you've brought this up to her or not, but what about her aunt? Is she still alive? She might be a match, or one of her kids."
Leave it to Lucy to read my mind.
"I've thought of it but the minute I bring it up, she shuts me down. She doesn't want her family at risk from her dad and she doesn't want him to find her either," I confess.
"Hmm. Let me put in a call to my gampy. I bet he's got ways to keep that asshole of a sperm donor away from Nicole and her family."
"Yeah? You think he'll help?" I ask.
She laughs. "Do you forget who you're talking to? I'm his Luciana who's carrying his great-grandbabies. He'll do anything to keep me from worrying and that's the one thing in the world I want most. I want our Nicole well."
"Me too, Luce. Me too."
True to her word, Lucy asked Mama Russo to help with the wedding. The woman didn't just help, she took over, thank Christ. I'm tired, so damn tired, and I think I'm getting an ulcer from this shitty coffee. Every now and again one of the nurses will bring me in some Starbucks and I couldn't be more grateful.
I mentioned this to Sera last night when I was too tired to be on guard, and today a new coffee maker and cappuccino machine were donated to every department of the hospital.
Those sisters, they're some damn great people. I hope someday I can pay back their kindness, but for now I'll accept every gesture with humility because right now, things aren't about me. They're about Nicole and getting her through this so she can get well.
"Are you ready to get married?" I ask Nicole, who's got a sour look on her face.
"In a hospital gown. Are you fucking kidding me?" she asks.
"Swear jar!" we hear Xan shout from the other end of the computer.
"Ugh."
"Honey. I get your frustration. I do. This isn't what you imagined for your wedding day, and if you'd rather wait until we can have it just the way you want it, that's okay with me," I tell her. I'll give her anything to bring back her smile that's dimmed over the last few days.
She sighs. "No, it's okay. It doesn't really matter what I'm wearing, right? Just that I'm vowing to love you for the rest of my life."
I have to swallow-hard. That selflessness, the fact that she loves me so fiercely. I shake my head, overcome with emotion.
"Yeah, honey. That's all that matters," I agree, still choked up.
"Besides," Lucy calls out from the other end of the computer connection, "we're going to throw you the perfect wedding when you're well enough and these babies are born."
"Perfect," Nicole agrees.
The pastor we spoke with enters the room. "Do you have witnesses?"
Nicole and I look over to the nurses who agreed to be our witnesses, but instead we find Sera and Cage.
"Holy Hannah!" Nicole shouts, holding her arms out to Sera, who's rushing over.
"You didn't really think we'd let you get married without one of us here, did you?" Sera asks.
Nicole sniffles. "I-"
"Never gonna happen," Sera tells her, holding my girl while she cries happy tears.
I mouth a thank you to Sera, who sends me a wink. This right here is what family's all about. We'll always do whatever it takes.
"Ready?" Cage asks.
I nod and Coley gives him a watery smile.
"I'd cry too if I was marrying his ugly mug," Jesse says.
"That'd be incest," Xander tells him. "That's fu-fricking sick, dude."
"Not at all what I meant," Jesse states.
"Leave it to Xander," Kenndy says.
"True that," Ethan agrees.
Sera situates a veil on Nicole's head and hands her a bouquet. Her gasp is loud and has everyone looking over.
"What is it?" I ask.
"White roses. They were my mom's favorite." She looks up at Sera from her wheelchair. "How did you know?"
Sera glances at Cage. "Let's just say we have some pretty good detectives in the family."
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God … " Pastor Bingham begins. I gaze into the eyes of the woman I love with everything I am, the woman I'm about to make my wife, and I know without a doubt she's my forever.
Coley
Is this a dream? I'm sitting here, staring into the eyes of Ben Kingston, the man who steals my breath with just a look, the man who stole my heart just as easily, and we're about to exchange marriage vows. I'm about to be his wife.
I can't stop the smile and he smiles back. "Sunshine," he whispers.
"Do you, Nicole Alexandra Harper, take this man, Jamison Benjamin Kingston, to be your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?" Pastor Bingham asks.
"I do, but for much longer than that," I answer.
"She's gonna stalk his ass from the grave," Xander says with a laugh.
"Dude," Kennedy scolds.
"Jeez," Xan replies, properly chastised. "Sorry."
"Do you, Jamison Benjamin Kingston, take this woman, Nicole Alexandra Harper, to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?"
Ben's eyes shine with unshed tears as he nods. "I do. For so much longer than that."
"Glad you both agree on that," the pastor teases. Ben and I smile wider.
"If you have the rings?"
Ben nods and I can only look on as this marvelous man produces rings for each of us, handing mine to Cage.
"Nicole, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."
I slide the platinum band with beautiful etching onto his left ring finger. "With this ring, I thee wed." I peer up at him through my lashes and he looks so serious, as serious as this moment is.
Cage hands Ben the rings.
"Ben, repeat after me," Pastor Bingham begins. "With this ring, I thee wed."
Ben looks into my eyes, then down at my fingers as he slides the rings on. I don't care if he got me a ring out of a Cracker Jack box, all I care about are the emotions shining in his eyes as he says these six words.
"With this ring, I thee wed."
His gaze locks with mine and I blink back tears.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."
"Holy Hannah!" I squeal just before Ben's lips meet mine in a possessive, breath-stealing kiss.
"Better check her blood pressure!" Meggie shouts and everyone laughs.
"I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Kingston!" Pastor Bingham announces happily and I pull Ben down for another kiss.
When we pull back he rests his forehead against mine.
"Hi wife."
My breath catches and I smile. "Hi husband."
"Oh, that's the sweetest thing I've ever seen," Lucy says as she begins to cry. "It's hormones."
"No, it's not," a bunch of them say at the same time.
"Bullies," she teases.
Someone turns music on at their end of the connection, and Sera nudges Ben.
"Dance the first dance with your wife, Benny," she teases with a wink.
He points at her, but can't hide his smile.
I stand on wobbly legs and Ben helps me, holding me close to him.
"Stand on my feet, honey. I'll do all the hard stuff so you don't tire yourself out," Ben whispers.
"You always know," I tell him.
He nods. "I always will."
"I'm going to hold you to that."
"Good. Now hop on these size twelves and let's dance our first dance as husband and wife."
I step onto his feet, swaying a little as dizziness washes over me.
"I got you, honey," Ben tells me. "I'll hold you up."
"Just hold me close and let me try to take in this perfect moment," I say. "You're my husband," I whisper.
He nods. "You're my wife."