The Marrying Man

Chapter 16

The therapy and talking about her family had been working. Over the next three weeks, the nightmares had gone from three or four times a week to one or two. The baby monitor was still working, but now there wasn't as much to hear. I was feeling better as well, both with more sleep and my emotions as well. Remembering the good parts about Maria and planning a vegetable garden had put my mind a little more at ease. This could be a good thing for both of us.

The evening jacuzzi tub soaks continued, as did the baking attempts. We had gotten quite good at the cupcakes. Well, Avery had, I had gotten good at just following her directions. I was  having issues with the pasta maker though, for whatever reason I was getting the pasta stuck in it time and time again, and it was making me very frustrated. Maybe I'd have to try the sausage maker next time.

"So, are you going to need my help after tomorrow?" I asked Avery as we scooped the cupcake mix into the cups. We had gone with a chocolate cupcake with white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, and now that we were ready to cook, I was already salivating at the thought of eating a few.

"I'll have both of my hands back," Avery acknowledged as she kept an eye on the amount of mix that I was pouring in. I had a habit of being inconsistent with the measurements, so she was my quality assurance. "But that doesn't mean I won't keep wanting your help."

"If you keep paying me in cupcakes, I shall be your loyal servant then milady," I chuckled.

"I think I can afford that payment system," she assured me.

"What's the first thing you'll do with the cast off?" I asked.

"I'm getting into that pool, and I'm going swimming!" she said excitedly. "I'm sick of having to keep that cast out of the water. Showers have sucked too."

"That sounds like a great plan. I'd do the same thing in your position." I had felt bad every time she had to keep her cast on the edge of the pool, but now that was almost at an end.

I'd taken the entire week off for the medical procedures. Monday we were going to the hospital to finally get Avery's cast off, and then Tuesday my long-awaited surgery to repair my hernia. I wasn't looking forward to recovering from the surgery, but I really couldn't wait to cut back on the Advil and not groan every time I moved.

Avery was bouncing in her seat on the way to the hospital, excited to get the cast off and singing off key to whatever came up on her playlist. We stopped at Panera for a quick coffee and bagel breakfast and then finished the drive. I had to enjoy the bagel since the next day I'd be fasting before my surgery.

The first stop in the hospital though was my surgeon, Doctor Jensen. It was a formality, but I needed to update the next of kin information now that I was married again. I quickly filled out the forms with Avery's information, and then we were done.

"Thank you, Doctor Jensen. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked as we wrapped up.

"Yes, you're my first surgery, so we'll have you done quickly," he promised.

"Great! Now let me get this cast off now!" Avery whined. "I'm sick of it!"

"You're getting it off now?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, today is the day. That is why we scheduled my surgery for tomorrow, so she'd be able to help me out in the recovery," I acknowledged.

"I'm pretty sure it is an unwritten rule that you're not allowed to get a cast off that doesn't have at least one signature on it," he joked.

"Oh man! I never signed your cast!" Why the hell didn't I think of that?

Avery looked at us as though we were crazy. "Isn't that for kids?"

"Nope. I get to sign it." I grinned at her. "Doc, can I borrow a pen?" he quickly passed me over a black Sharpie. I held my hand out and she gingerly placed her cast into it.

"Don't look!" I commanded. Working quickly, I drew a little cupcake near her wrist, and then wrote 'My Cupcake Queen' up her arm to her elbow, and then added my initials underneath. "There, now it is signed and can be removed."

Avery looked down her cast and smiled beautifully, her face turning red as she realized what I did. "My Cupcake Queen, huh?"

"Well, certainly cupcake royalty. I figured you'd probably smack me if I said Princess," I added with a grin.

"Well either way, let me go get this thing off," Avery grumbled. "I want to go swimming!"

"Thanks again Doctor Jensen. I'll be back in the morning!"

When we left the office, we made our way down to the outpatient wing, where Avery had her appointment. Once she was signed in on the appointment sheet, we had a seat in the waiting room. I wasn't happy to see that evidently, they had bought their waiting room chairs in bulk, and they were just as uncomfortable as the ones outside of the room Avery had first been treated in.

"I hate waiting rooms," I muttered after thirty minutes.

"There isn't much to like about them, you have a point." Avery stood up and stretched out her arms, bending backwards and making her back crack like popping bubble wrap. "Ahh, much better!"

"I think if I did that my back would snap in half right before my hernia popped and shot my intestines across the room."

"That is quite the visual!" Avery giggled lightly. "But I'd prefer not to see that."

We were rudely interrupted by the tall figure of Gary, who came in through the automatic doors at that time. "Ahh, the happy couple," he sneered.

"Gary? What are you doing here?" Avery yelped as he strode over to us.

"I'm here for you of course, I still want you back," Gary stated, staring down at Avery, and completely ignoring me.

"Gary, why are you doing this? We broke up months ago! Why would I take a cheater back?" Avery scoffed at him.

"Come on baby! You know you still want me! I'm the best you'll ever get!" Gary sure did have the highest of opinions of himself.

Avery just shook her head in frustration. "Even if I was single, I wouldn't go out with you! But I'm married now, and I'm certainly not getting a divorce to go out with someone who's going to go chasing every girl he sees!"

"You got married already?" Gary yelled in shock. I noticed the yelling had alarmed one of the nurses behind the counter, who moved to pick up the phone and make a call. Hopefully that was to security.

I finally had to speak up and try to save Avery. "Sorry Gary, I guess we just couldn't wait any longer. Once she said yes, I wanted to get married as soon as possible."

"I can't believe this! Avery, why couldn't you just give me another chance?"

"Avery Simmons?" A nurse called out from the door back to the examination rooms.

"Yes! That's me!" Avery called out, standing up and squeezing past Gary to get to the office. I stood to walk with her, not wanting to be anywhere near him while she was getting her cast off.

"I'm not done with you!" Gary bellowed, grabbing Avery by the shoulder, and spinning her towards him.

"Gary, hands off, let her go!" I yelled out, trying to pull the taller man away from her.

"Fuck you, old man!" He whirled, and I had a glimpse of his fist before it crashed into my eye, snapping my head around.

"Gary! Stop it!" Avery cried out as I stumbled backwards.

"This asshole isn't taking you away from me!"

I saw him coming this time, and I put my hands up to block any fists coming towards my face. He threw a haymaker that I blocked, but I missed the punch that followed it. That one was low and got me right in my belly. I fell to my knees, screaming in pain as I felt my whole belly erupt in pain. As I tipped over onto my side, I saw a large man tackling Gary as Avery punched him in the nose.

At least one of us got a shot in, was the last thing I remember before I fell into darkness.