DR. CHERI

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jolene helped Cheri with the preparations for her impending wedding. "Oh Cheri. I am so happy for you. Finally you're taking that big step all girls dream about."

Cheri smiled as she put together the flower arrangements. "Well I never thought I'd meet my future husband the way I met Gareth. He had to almost lose his life for us to get together."

"He better be grateful for you."

"He does."

"And here you are one day before your big day."

Cheri had another silent moment. "I thought I was going to marry Brendan. And had he not died, I would have."

"Would you have left him for Gareth if you had to fall head-over-heels with him in the first place?"

"No..." She paused. "I don't know."

"Do you love Gareth, Cheri?"

"I love him even more than I loved Brendan."

"That's a good thing. And you have a lot in common.."

She looked at Jolene and sat down. "How are things with you and Julian?" Jolene smiled. "I really enjoy his company. He's much different than I imagined."

"Are you in love?"

Jolene laughed. "Well, yes."

"Julian is also finishing his internship this year. Then he'll go into practice and you can take it further. I really hope things work out for you too."

Gareth's mother Rose also arrived to see how they were doing. "Hello Cheri."

"Hello Mrs. Morley."

She laughed. "Oh stop calling me Mrs.Morley. As of tomorrow you are my daughter-in-law. I never dreamed my son would marry such a fine young woman as you. Secretly I wished he would leave his former fiancé. She was after his money."

Cheri smiled. "So from now on I will call you mom then."

"I guess you have butterflies in your stomach."

"I little."

"Don't worry dear. I've been there too."

"Haven't most of us. Except of course for me.."

Rose smiled at her son's fiancé. "When you saved Gareth's live. And he started talking about this young intern at the hospital that made him lose his mind, I knew that he had met the girl of his dreams."

"Well his former fiancé stormed out of the hospital when poor Gareth needed her most. If I were her I would have stood by his side there and then. He almost didn't make it through the operation and he was unconscious from losing a lot of blood. I for one didn't think he'd make it through the operation. When he arrived he was drenched in blood."

"I am proud of both of you."

Rose Morley pinched a tear on the wedding day as her soon stood there waiting form his bride to be. Jesse Clarke brought her forward as the wedding march played. He handed her off and the bride and groom exchanged their vows and a little piece they wrote to each other.

"Gareth. As the eagle flies high above the skies, I will fly and watch over you. Like the ocean meets the shore and never stops coming in and retreating, I will be with you for all eternity, standing by your side whenever we're together or apart. I love you with all of my heart."

"Cheri. Like the desert can't be without water, I can't be without you. Just like the forest needs the trees, I need you. Like a lioness protects her cups I'll protect you. For I love you with my heart and soul."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Gareth kissed her in a passionate embrace as the guests applauded.

Gareth and Cheri opened the dance floor at the wedding reception with a slow number. James took Jolene's hand in his and leaned towards her. "They make a brilliant couple don't they?"

Jolene nodded with a wistful look in her eyes. "They're so faultless. Just look at that."

Jesse and his fiancé also arrived at the reception later and looked out for James' table. He was astounded when he saw Jesse's fiancé. It was the first time they met after Jesse and she first laid eyes on each other. He stood up and looked at her amazed. "My goodness miss Love...You look...Stunning."

"Thank you Dr. Tyler. I take it as an admiring comment."

He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Jesse sat down next to James.

"So, Dr. Clarke, how did Cheri do on her intern exams?" he was interested.

"Very well actually. She passed with merit."

"Really?"

Jesse nodded and smiled. "She a smart girl. She just has what it takes to become a specialist in whatever field she chooses."

"I don't see her parents here. Are they still alive?"

Jesse shook his head. "Oh...Her father killed himself when she was just a baby and her mother...yeah..."

James frowned. "She's still alive?"

Jesse nodded. "Yeah...pretty much. She's a prostitute. She used to leave Cheri outside on the streets while she attended to her clients and even took her along on her business trips until one day I called child welfare and offered to raise her as a foster child. It was the best thing I could have done James. Just look at her. She's like my own flesh and blood. I'll kill to protect her."

James smiled. "I never knew you were involved with her in that way."

"Well, now you know."

Gareth and Cheri closed off their dance with a tender kiss.

They had an pleasant honeymoon in Brazil with it's beautiful beaches. "What do you think angel. We can move here and open our own practice here."

She smiled at Gareth. "You're not serious are you?"

"Of course I'm serious." He took some sun lotion and rubbed it into Cheri's back. "Now it's your turn."

She went to sit behind him and spread the lotion over his shoulders and back and afterwards gave him a kiss. Then she went to lie down to catch a tan. "Aah...I could live like this forever."

"Really."

"Just think. You don't work for one moment and the money just keeps rolling in."

"You love dreaming. Don't you?" He lied on his side and tickled her tummy.

"Hey, that's ticklish Dr. Morley..."

He laughed. "I know."

She looked at him from underneath her baseball cap. "You love torturing me, don't you?"

"Yes, I enjoy every moment of it."

Back home Cheri went to see James for a checkup. "So how was Brazil?"

"Gareth is thinking of moving there."

"Oh..." He examined her and took some blood samples. "You're in perfect health Dr.Wilson-Morley."

"Oh come on. I'm a patient now. You can call me on my name."

"I will get the results through by tomorrow. Then I'll let you know what's up." He accompanied Cheri outside to Gareth's Beetle and gave her a hug. He opened the door for her.

"Thank you James."

"Say hi for Gareth. We miss you two here at the hospital."

"I will do so." James watched as she drove off and smiled.