Page 36 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“Something to share from the audience?” I called out.

Maggie turned around and smiled evenly, completely unfazed by my shitty attitude. She was used to it by now.

“It’s not so easy to get round-the-clock care.”

“It is when you have more money than God,” I huffed, wincing as my lower back muscles pulled at the tender ravaged skin with each of my movements.

She tilted her head to the side, her lips pursing. “I guess that would do it. Not that you’ll be able to keep ‘em. Your attitude leaves much to be desired.”

“She’s right, honey,” Julianne pushed a lock of my hair away from my forehead as I slowly eased from my front to my side to face them, using the leverage from my palm on the mattress to shift without adding too much additional pain.

“That’s why I’m hiring you, Maggie,” I blurted surprising myself, but then realized I’d meant it. She was the only person I’d listen to.

“That’s sweet, Pookie, but this is my last year of service. I’ve already been conned into doing another year past my retirement.”

“How old are you?” I asked.

“I’ll be sixty-six this year. Was supposed to retire last year but with Covid and the shortages in staff, I stayed on to help.”

“So you will get your retirement pay regardless of when you leave?” I concluded.

She tapped on her lips with her pen. “I suppose so…have plans to head to Florida near Boca Raton with my best friend this coming January. We found an affordable retirement home in Mission Bay about thirty minutes from where we’d really like to be, which is by the beach, but it’s good enough for us.”

I smiled wickedly.

“Gio…” Julianne warned. “I know that look…”

“How about you quit here, live out the rest of your time in New York with us, helping me heal for triple your current pay. Then when I’m better, I will pay for you and your best friend to live in a five-star retirement home on the fucking beach in Boca Raton until the day you both die of old age.”

Maggie gasped, her hand flying up to her chest. “You couldn’t possibly afford something like that.”

“Try me,” I growled, the idea already planting roots in my mind.

“He can more than afford it,” Julianne responded with a sigh.

“And Maggie will be responsible for finding me the best doctors to treat my burns and manage my care.” I smiled, loving this plan already.

“I already know all the best doctors in New York. I’ve been a nurse in just about every hospital in the city over my forty-five years of service.” She puffed up with pride.

“See, it’s settled,” I grated out, my back throbbing with every breath I took. “Jules, love of my life, please, do this for me. Make this happen. I need to be home.”

“I’ll let you two talk, but if what you say is true, Pookie, I’d be an idiot not to take you up on your offer. And my momma didn’t raise no fool. I’ll be back this evening to check on you. Try to rest.”

“I’ll rest when I’m home.”

Maggie laughed out loud, the birdlike sounds following her out the room.

“She’s something else,” Julianne whispered when the door clicked shut. “And Pookie?” She snickered. “I didn’t think I’d ever see the day you’d allow someone to call you that.”

I groaned under my breath. “She reminds me of my grandma.”

“That woman looks nothing like Grandma Falco,” Julianne countered.

“No, but she has that take-no-shit attitude and inner strength. Besides, she makes me laugh.” My gaze lifted to my wife, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “She also makes me believe I’ll get through all of this and come out on the other side of it whole again.”

Julianne cupped my cheek. “Oh Gio, you will. The worst of it, including the pain, will fade. You may be left with scars, but you survived. That’s all that matters. And don’t forget—you saved my life.”

My gaze flicked down to her wrapped hands and forearms and the stitches scaling across her forehead and into her hairline. Her burns were fewer but no less damaging to my heart.

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